The Morning Brief

Malta’s golden passport scheme once ranked #1 globally for citizenship-by-investment has been declared a violation of EU law by the European Court of Justice, signaling a major turning point in global wealth migration. As the EU cracks down on fast-track citizenship programs, high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs), including thousands of wealthy Indians, are reassessing their options for second citizenship and global mobility. Host Neil Ghai talks to Rajneesh Pathak, founder of GlobalNorth Residency and Citizenship and Andri Boiko, Founder & Global CEO , Garant In, as they discover how this landmark ruling could reshape investment migration trends, impact the future of golden visas, and shift demand toward more affordable residency and passport programs in the Caribbean and beyond.

Check out other interesting episodes from the host like: Tariffs trump trade, The Curious Case of IndusInd Bank, The Influencer Economy’s Quiet Reset, India’s Biggest Hospital has a Chronic Illness and much more.

Catch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on ET Play, The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Youtube.

You can follow Neil Ghai on his social media: Twitter and Linkedin

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India has recently witnessed a dramatic decline in net Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), sparking concerns across economic and policy circles. In this episode, we explore the key factors behind this unexpected fall and what it could mean for the country’s growth trajectory. While foreign investment continues to come in, a surge indisinvestments and capital outflows as part of the  IPO wave last year sharply reduced the net gain. What’s causing global investors to pull back? And why are Indian companies increasingly investing abroad instead of at home? Host Anirban Chowdhury speaks to ET’s Gayatri Nayak and Indranil Sengupta, noted economist and professor at Shiv Nadar University, to look beyond the headline numbers and see whether this is the sign of a maturing economy. They also examine how India’s position in the global investment landscape is shifting, especially as other emerging economies attract greater attention. Is this just a temporary correction due to global uncertainty, or are deeper structural issues at play?

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You can follow Anirban Chowdhury on his social media: Twitter and Linkedin

Check out other interesting episodes from the host like: Tariffs trump trade, The Curious Case of IndusInd Bank, The Influencer Economy’s Quiet Reset, India’s Biggest Hospital has a Chronic Illness and much more.

Catch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on ET Play, The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Youtube.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we break down the big clash between PVR Inox, India’s largest cinema chain, and Maddock Films, the production house behind the Stree franchise, Chhava and now Bhool Chuk Maaf. Just days before the latest film was supposed to hit theatres, Maddock decided to skip the big screen and release it straight to Amazon Prime Video, citing the ongoing military conflict between India and Pakistan. That move didn’t sit well with PVR Inox. They hit back with a ₹60 crore lawsuit, accusing Maddock of breaching their agreement and causing major financial losses. The two parties settled out of court but the conflict raises questions. While Maddock cited a war as the basis of its decision, will production companies try to pass theatres more and more, abruptly? Will the window of theatrical shows reduce? Given that films are not being pre sold for hundreds of crores to OTT platforms, will the importance of cinemas as exhibition platforms and revenue generators reduce more and more?

Host Anirban Chowdhury and Rajesh Naidu chat with Anushree Rauta, Equity Partner and head of the Media & Entertainment practice at ANM Global, and Amit Sharma, who heads entertainment at Miraj Group.

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You can follow Rajesh Naidu on his Linkedin, Twitter profiles and read his Newspaper Articles. 

You can follow Anirban Chowdhury on his social media: Twitter and Linkedin

Catch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on ET Play, The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Youtube.

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Last week, Donald Trump made headlines once again.. this time by issuing veiled threats to Apple CEO Tim Cook over the company’s expanding operations in India. But despite the political noise, Apple is pushing full steam ahead with its India strategy, with Foxconn reportedly set to double iPhone production in the country this year. As Apple positions India as a key manufacturing hub and a potential alternative to China, host Dia Rekhi is joined by Tarun Pathak, Research Director at Counterpoint Research, and ET’s Suraksha P to break down the implications of Trump’s remarks. They explore the ground realities at Apple’s top supplier Foxconn’s new Bengaluru facility and examine whether Apple could truly shift away from China or even bring iPhone production to the US.

Check out Dia’s other interesting episodes like: Move Aside Tech Bros!, Opus DEI: Will Trump’s pushback impact MNCs in India?, The Economics of Terror, The Influencer Economy’s Quiet Reset, India's CCTV Crackdown, and more!

You can follow Dia Rekhi on social media: Linkedin & Twitter

Catch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on ET Play, The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Youtube.

Credits: NDTV

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From Guns n Roses shredding in Mumbai to Coldplay slaying it in Ahmedabad, India is grooving to a new and potentially massive business. In this episode of The Morning Brief, host Anirban Chowdhury speaks with Raghav Anand, Partner at EY-Parthenon, and Naman Pugalia, Chief Business Officer at BookMyShow, to decode India’s live entertainment boom. With global icons like Travis Scott, Dua Lipa, and Imagine Dragons lighting up Indian stages, the conversation explores the forces behind the concert economy’s 25% annual growth, rising disposable incomes, Gen Z’s craving for experience-first entertainment, and the digital ease of access fueling demand.

What happens when 86% of a concert’s audience flies in from outside the host city? The episode unpacks the ripple effects from hotel bookings and ride-hailing surges to a redefined urban economy. But in a country where infrastructure still lags ambition, the spotlight shifts to BookMyShow’s transformation from ticketing platform to ecosystem builder through innovations in production, venue retrofitting, and audience readiness.

As India eyes its own Coachella moment, the question remains: can the nation’s stages keep up with its global-sized fanbase?

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You can follow Anirban Chowdhury on his social media: Twitter and Linkedin

Check out other interesting episodes from the host like: Tariffs trump trade, The Curious Case of IndusInd Bank, The Influencer Economy’s Quiet Reset, India’s Biggest Hospital has a Chronic Illness and much more.

Catch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on ET Play, The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Youtube.

Credits: Diljit Dosanjh, Coldplay, Guns & Roses, Ed sheeran, You tube

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What does it take to develop and actually settle a new capital city?

On May 2nd, PM Narendra Modi launched Amaravati, the proposed capital of Andhra Pradesh. But this wasn’t its first unveiling. Back in 2015, then CM Chandrababu Naidu had launched the same greenfield dream with the PM by his side. Now, after a political hiatus and a resounding mandate, Naidu is back and so is Amaravati. In this episode of The Morning Brief, ET’s host Nidhi Sharma speaks with State IT and HRD Minister Nara Lokesh and former Smart City mission director Kunal Kumar to explore the challenges of attracting investors, rebuilding trust, and turning a fertile riverfront into a functioning capital city.
From the promise of land pooling to the pitfalls of political disruption, the conversation traces Andhra Pradesh’s reset to “one state, one capital,” drawing comparisons with Cyberabad and probing if this new push can meet its tight timelines.
As India’s urban future accelerates and greenfield cities remain the exception, Amaravati may offer both a blueprint and a cautionary tale. Can Andhra Pradesh transform this dream into a thriving hub — or will Amaravati remain a story of ambition interrupted?
          
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Check out other interesting episodes like: Meme to Maverick: The Rise of Brand Rahul Gandhi, Polls on My Pod: The Adversaries in Punjab and Bengal, Polls on My Pod: Kashmir Finally Speaks Up!, Polls on My Pod: Ground Check on Delhi, Haryana Elections, and more!

You can follow our hosts Nidhi Sharma on their social media: Twitter & Linkedin

Catch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on ET Play, The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Google Podcasts. 

Credits: Fosters + Partners, Narendra Modi   

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From a modest Silicon Valley garage to a global creative powerhouse, Adobe's journey has been nothing short of transformative. In this episode of The Morning Brief, ET’s Surabhi Agarwal & Annapurna Roy engages with Adobe Chairman & CEO Shantanu Narayen to discuss how the company is integrating AI with design to redefine digital creativity. Narayen reflects on India's burgeoning creative economy, Adobe's four-layer AI strategy, and the company's "customer zero" approach to innovation. He also shares insights on how tools like Firefly are gaining unique traction in India and emphasizes that AI, when combined with human ingenuity, can elevate creative work rather than replace it.
As AI redraws the boundaries of art and tech, the episode asks: Can India lead the next creative renaissance? And can Adobe stay ahead without losing its human touch?

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You can follow Surabhi Agarwal on her Linkedin, Twitter profiles and read her Newspaper Articles.

If you like this episode, check out more Corner Office Conversations from the podcast: Adar Poonawalla, Sandip Patel, The Mega Listing Of Vishal Retail, Antonoaldo Neves, Rajesh Jejurikar, Srikanth Velamakanni, and more!

Catch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on ET Play, The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Youtube.

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From Carnegie Mellon classrooms to a global cultural phenomenon, this episode of The Morning Brief  traces the journey of Luis von Ahn, math prodigy, inventor of CAPTCHA, and now the CEO and co-founder of Duolingo. Hosts Anirban Chowdhury and ET’s Deputy news editor Himani Kothari explore how Luis’s early work fighting bots evolved into a business to democratize education through gamified language learning. What began with a Spanish course and a German prototype has grown into a plus 500-million-user platform, driven by Duolingo’s bite-sized lessons, quirky owl mascot, and irreverent marketing strategy. The conversation delves into the company’s expansion into math, music and chess, its partnership with OpenAI, and the creative freedom that powers its viral success.
As AI becomes central to the future of learning, Luis weighs its potential to enhance not replace human education. Can platforms like Duolingo balance fun, function, and cultural impact in a world increasingly shaped by algorithms?

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You can follow Anirban Chowdhury on his Linkedin, Twitter profiles and read his Newspaper Articles.

You can follow Himani Kothari on her Linkedin, Twitter profiles and read his Newspaper Articles. 

If you like this episode, check out more Corner Office Conversations from the podcast: Adar Poonawalla, Sandip Patel, The Mega Listing Of Vishal Retail, Antonoaldo Neves, Rajesh Jejurikar, Srikanth Velamakanni, and more!

Catch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on ET Play, The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Youtube.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the early hours of Wednesday, May 7—well past midnight—India launched a precise, 23-minute military operation targeting nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. These locations were reportedly strongholds of two of the world’s most notorious terror groups: Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. Indian Rafale jets deployed SCALP and HAMMER missiles in the strikes, in what appeared to be a retaliatory act not only against the recent Pahalgam attack, but against a long history of terror incidents—Red Fort, Parliament, Mumbai train blasts, Pathankot, Uri, Pulwama—stretching back to the Kargil conflict.

According to Indian government sources, over 100 militants were killed in the strikes. Pakistan launched a retaliatory attack using drones and missiles, reportedly aimed at as many as 15 cities across northern India. The Indian government stated that all incoming threats were intercepted, primarily using its S-400 air defence systems.

India then escalated further, crossing deeper into Pakistani territory than ever before. It neutralized an air defence radar installation in Lahore and conducted operations in sites at Sialkot and even near Islamabad.

This marks a significant shift in India’s military posture—from punitive strikes to potentially pre-emptive warfare. As the lines blur between militants, soldiers, and civilians, critical questions emerge: Is this the new normal in India’s security doctrine? How long can Pakistan withstand a prolonged conflict, economically and militarily? Will China’s support to Pakistan—currently limited to weapons supply—expand into something more direct? And, crucially, what diplomatic or military paths remain open for de-escalation before the region tips into broader instability?

Host Anirban Chowdhury discusses with ET’s Manu Pubby and Hakim Irfan Rashid

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You can follow Anirban Chowdhury on his social media: Twitter and Linkedin

Check out other interesting episodes from the host like: Tariffs trump trade, The Curious Case of IndusInd Bank, The Influencer Economy’s Quiet Reset, India’s Biggest Hospital has a Chronic Illness and much more.

Catch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on ET Play, The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Youtube.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the UK and India inch closer to sealing their most ambitious bilateral trade agreement post-Brexit, the stakes have never been higher. In this episode of The Morning Brief, host Anirban Chowdhury speaks to Pallavi Joshi Bakhru, Partner and UK Corridor Leader at Grant Thornton Bharat to unpack the long-awaited deal poised to reshape £43 billion in annual trade between the two nations. 

With UK exporters set to save up to £900 million in tariffs and Indian workers finally gaining access to the long-sought Social Security Agreement, the episode dives into what each country truly stands to gain. Questions remain: Have thorny issues like data protection, IP rights, and worker mobility really been resolved? Can this deal serve as a blueprint for India’s much-anticipated pact with the US? And will promises on paper translate into performance on the ground? Stay tuned for a sharp look at a trade moment that could redefine bilateral economics in a fractured global order.

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You can follow Anirban Chowdhury on his social media: Twitter and Linkedin

Check out other interesting episodes from the host like: Tariffs trump trade, The Curious Case of IndusInd Bank, The Influencer Economy’s Quiet Reset, India’s Biggest Hospital has a Chronic Illness and much more.

Catch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on ET Play, The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Youtube.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.