India@75: Progress, Challenges & Opportunities
Thrifty TitansOctober 17, 202200:22:18

India@75: Progress, Challenges & Opportunities

On this episode, we are dissecting India - not from a nationalistic or anthropological lens, but as a business opportunity with Viral Jani, the EVP and India Country Head, at Times Bridge.

On this episode, we are dissecting India - not from a nationalistic or anthropological lens, but as a business opportunity. What makes India's business landscape unique? Why are global tech giants flocking to an emerging economy in Asia with pitfalls like low LTVs, poor infra, low per capita income, etc? Can you even build a business serving the bottom 50% of the Indian population?

We answer these questions, and more in our chat with Viral Jani, the EVP and India Country Head, at Times Bridge, an arm of the Times Group that has helped leading global businesses like Uber, AirBnB, Canva & Coursera to set up operations in India.

This episode will help you see India in a new light.

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00:00:05

Speaker 1: Hi, I'm Sekar marketer, creative and media nerd. Welcome to




00:00:10

Speaker 1: the you incorporated podcast On this show, I catch up




00:00:15

Speaker 1: with some of the most bad ass founders, business leaders




00:00:19

Speaker 1: and content creators in the whole wide world. Whether you're




00:00:23

Speaker 1: a marketer, creative or a budding founder, if you want




00:00:27

Speaker 1: to build your brand your voice your way, you are




00:00:31

Speaker 1: in the right place.




00:00:32

Speaker 1: Join me on the you incorporated podcast and start building




00:00:36

Speaker 1: your empire. Here we go.




00:00:49

Speaker 1: Please join me in welcoming viral Jani the E V




00:00:52

Speaker 1: P and India Country head at Times Bridge, an arm




00:00:56

Speaker 1: of the Times Group that helps global businesses to set




00:00:59

Speaker 1: up operations in India. Welcome to the show Viral.




00:01:03

Speaker 1: Hi, Thank you so much for having me on the show.




00:01:06

Speaker 1: It's a pleasure. I've been listening to some of your




00:01:08

Speaker 1: episodes so great to be here




00:01:10

Speaker 1: really excited to have you there. So let's speak about




00:01:15

Speaker 1: India as a market. And it's a typical Indian consumer




00:01:19

Speaker 1: because from my understanding of what Times Bridge does based




00:01:23

Speaker 1: on my two former stents at the Times Group, you




00:01:26

Speaker 1: help global businesses set up their operations in India and




00:01:30

Speaker 1: crack the Indian market. So what makes the Indian business




00:01:35

Speaker 1: landscape so unique where you can't copy paste a model




00:01:39

Speaker 1: that works globally.




00:01:42

Speaker 1: Great question to start. Yes. Times Bridge is the venture




00:01:46

Speaker 1: and global partnerships arm of the Times Group, and we




00:01:49

Speaker 1: essentially work with handpicked few category creating companies. We help




00:01:55

Speaker 1: them enter into India, achieve certain scale and growth, and




00:01:59

Speaker 1: we work with some of the best in the world.




00:02:01

Speaker 1: Our portfolio has been built over the last decade and




00:02:04

Speaker 1: 15 plus illustrious companies. That's what we do. It's a




00:02:07

Speaker 1: very interesting question that you ask, because working alongside global companies,




00:02:12

Speaker 1: their world view about India is very different. And most




00:02:16

Speaker 1: of the times when we start talking to these companies




00:02:18

Speaker 1: and our partners, they look at India. Obviously, as this




00:02:21

Speaker 1: massive market, the world's largest open Internet market is growing




00:02:25

Speaker 1: at a very fast pace for the last 30 years. Uh,




00:02:28

Speaker 1: it will continue to grow over the next 10 years




00:02:30

Speaker 1: as well, so there is obviously a huge opportunity, right?




00:02:33

Speaker 1: But then, as you start healing the layers of India,




00:02:36

Speaker 1: one uncover uncovers many different aspects of India, right? That's




00:02:40

Speaker 1: where we come in,




00:02:41

Speaker 1: however attractive. The market looks like When you enter into




00:02:45

Speaker 1: a market like India, it can be challenging, overwhelming in




00:02:47

Speaker 1: many ways. And one thing which we talk very often




00:02:50

Speaker 1: about is India suffers from superficial market entry syndrome. It




00:02:53

Speaker 1: happens because India is an English speaking market. After the




00:02:57

Speaker 1: u SI think India is the second largest English speaking




00:02:59

Speaker 1: market and sitting out of anywhere in the world. You




00:03:02

Speaker 1: can run a performance marketing campaign and you can easily




00:03:05

Speaker 1: get a million users. But that that's where a lot




00:03:08

Speaker 1: of people get a false start and false feeling of success.




00:03:11

Speaker 1: That's where we feel there is so much that India




00:03:14

Speaker 1: has to provide. There's a lot of cultural context that




00:03:16

Speaker 1: comes in the picture when you are actually entering into India.




00:03:18

Speaker 1: One way to answer your question about how India's market




00:03:22

Speaker 1: is different from Western countries like US or Europe is




00:03:25

Speaker 1: India has this, um, top top of the pyramid, which




00:03:30

Speaker 1: is 50 60 70 million people. They're like any other




00:03:34

Speaker 1: tier one European country, very global, that set of people




00:03:37

Speaker 1: typically living in metros, and they are only on the




00:03:39

Speaker 1: ball and like what's happening




00:03:41

Speaker 1: Then there is the middle tier, which is 304 100




00:03:44

Speaker 1: million people roughly the size of Indonesia, right? And that




00:03:47

Speaker 1: can be defined as the aspiration of those last, which




00:03:50

Speaker 1: is again be very clued into what's happening but not




00:03:53

Speaker 1: necessarily very English forward and slightly lagging behind in terms




00:03:57

Speaker 1: of trends. And then balance is around another almost 900




00:04:01

Speaker 1: million to a billion people who are trying to meet




00:04:04

Speaker 1: their ends meet but very high on aspirations.




00:04:08

Speaker 1: That's where I feel India can be very big picture structured.




00:04:11

Speaker 1: Of course, there are many languages and cultures and states.




00:04:14

Speaker 1: India almost is microcosm of the world if one look




00:04:18

Speaker 1: at and there's so many nuances that India has to




00:04:20

Speaker 1: offer a slightly long winded way of answering the question.




00:04:22

Speaker 1: But I thought it would be helpful to set that context.




00:04:24

Speaker 1: I remember an episode from Fox Sports with Herb Hole,




00:04:29

Speaker 1: where the host asked her, You get so many views




00:04:33

Speaker 1: on your YouTube videos and on your podcast, and he




00:04:35

Speaker 1: just said, There are just so many people watching in India.




00:04:38

Speaker 1: You have to ask which million really speaking about the




00:04:42

Speaker 1: business landscape. What are the couple of




00:04:46

Speaker 1: big mistakes global entrepreneurs and global brands make when they




00:04:50

Speaker 1: think about entering India as a market, the first one




00:04:53

Speaker 1: from the outside, it all seems like 1.4 billion opportunities




00:04:57

Speaker 1: wrapped into one. Entrepreneurs expect much easier when




00:05:02

Speaker 1: into such a big opportunity, because one would apply the




00:05:05

Speaker 1: same logic that they may have applied in other markets,




00:05:07

Speaker 1: which are probably far more homogenous compared to market like India,




00:05:10

Speaker 1: the expectation setting plays a huge role, and growth in




00:05:14

Speaker 1: India is not linear. It can be low in the




00:05:16

Speaker 1: initial few,




00:05:18

Speaker 1: uh, quarters or years, and then it can really reach




00:05:22

Speaker 1: an infection point and then it can take off from there.




00:05:24

Speaker 1: And I think there are enough examples, be it in




00:05:27

Speaker 1: the startup world or, let's say, even the traditional industries




00:05:30

Speaker 1: where companies which have looked at India in a deep




00:05:33

Speaker 1: way and I think with certain amount of patience and




00:05:36

Speaker 1: certain amount of empathy when they enter into India, I




00:05:39

Speaker 1: think that's where




00:05:40

Speaker 1: they have been really able to make a huge difference




00:05:43

Speaker 1: at U L. For example, and now Unilever India stands




00:05:47

Speaker 1: really tall in the global scheme of Unilever. Similarly, Google




00:05:50

Speaker 1: came in Meta came in uber came in Airbnb because,




00:05:54

Speaker 1: like There are many examples who came in and who




00:05:57

Speaker 1: have stayed, invested and tapped into the




00:05:58

Speaker 1: the potential of the market and has shown empathy as




00:06:01

Speaker 1: well as patience. And I think that's where you can




00:06:04

Speaker 1: tend to reap the benefits out of India while we




00:06:06

Speaker 1: speaking about India as a market, it has multiple pitfalls.




00:06:08

Speaker 1: Low LTV s infrastructure is not as developed, but you've




00:06:12

Speaker 1: made a sound business helping these huge global brands enter India.




00:06:17

Speaker 1: So what is it that they see once they work




00:06:19

Speaker 1: with you? What is the upside of working in a




00:06:22

Speaker 1: market like India that they see there are few layers




00:06:25

Speaker 1: to it for most mature and evolved set of entrepreneurs,




00:06:29

Speaker 1: they do look at the big picture and I think




00:06:31

Speaker 1: they look at India in the long term. I think




00:06:33

Speaker 1: those are the people who tend to get one benefit,




00:06:36

Speaker 1: which is really important. And once you attain a certain




00:06:38

Speaker 1: scale in India, it allows you to get you certain




00:06:41

Speaker 1: number of users right. And I think that is a




00:06:44

Speaker 1: great starting point for many people. If there was a




00:06:46

Speaker 1: particular app which may have, let's say, 10 million users,




00:06:49

Speaker 1: which may not be big in terms of Indian scheme




00:06:51

Speaker 1: of things, but it can be a significant size in




00:06:54

Speaker 1: the global play. A lot of our partners now India




00:06:56

Speaker 1: has become either the top user market or top most




00:07:00

Speaker 1: engagement market or top most in some cases, even revenue




00:07:03

Speaker 1: generating market.




00:07:04

Speaker 1: That is a great shareholder value that gets created as




00:07:07

Speaker 1: a starting point when you have a certain number of




00:07:09

Speaker 1: users coming from an international market like India. But more importantly,




00:07:12

Speaker 1: India is a microcosm of the world. It tends to




00:07:15

Speaker 1: open many more doors. If you learn from what you




00:07:18

Speaker 1: do in India, it can become a great foot in




00:07:21

Speaker 1: the door for the emerging market scenario. So a lot




00:07:23

Speaker 1: of companies that we work with learn from India, right?




00:07:26

Speaker 1: And take those learnings to other




00:07:28

Speaker 1: markets which they entered into those markets could be Southeast Asia.




00:07:31

Speaker 1: They could be Africa, and some of it actually goes




00:07:34

Speaker 1: back to even the Western world to give you an example.




00:07:36

Speaker 1: Like uber, they never used to have cash as an




00:07:38

Speaker 1: option payment options. But the first time they started doing




00:07:40

Speaker 1: it in India, they introduced WhatsApp, for example. I'm sure




00:07:43

Speaker 1: those are the kind of things which will now be




00:07:45

Speaker 1: super helpful for them to take to other geographies. That's




00:07:48

Speaker 1: the other significant advantage of India and then the third part,




00:07:51

Speaker 1: which is again




00:07:52

Speaker 1: not only looking at India as a user market but




00:07:55

Speaker 1: also as a technology development market, India's soft power of




00:08:00

Speaker 1: just the sheer number of techies that we have and




00:08:04

Speaker 1: the intelligence and the the kind of manpower that we




00:08:06

Speaker 1: have largest democratic workforce in the world, right?




00:08:10

Speaker 1: The kind of advantage that again a lot of global




00:08:12

Speaker 1: companies take is brilliant because India has become development centre




00:08:16

Speaker 1: for global innovation. It's a huge value that gets unlocked




00:08:20

Speaker 1: in the sector that I work in Fintech. PayPal doesn't




00:08:23

Speaker 1: have business operations in India, but it has offices in




00:08:26

Speaker 1: Bangalore and in Hyderabad, where primarily tech talent sets out




00:08:30

Speaker 1: of creating products for the global market for PayPal.




00:08:33

Speaker 1: So while it might not make business sense for people




00:08:36

Speaker 1: to operate in India, having its office in India helps




00:08:40

Speaker 1: it get access to talent. And while offering employment to




00:08:44

Speaker 1: Indians just to give a slight, nuanced version of that,




00:08:47

Speaker 1: these companies are in a consumer tech space. Typically, they




00:08:50

Speaker 1: their home countries. Are I OS? First, India is one




00:08:53

Speaker 1: of the first frontiers they would enter into, which is




00:08:56

Speaker 1: Android first.




00:08:57

Speaker 1: And that itself is such a huge learning curve, right?




00:09:00

Speaker 1: Of course. Now, with India having such amazing access to




00:09:04

Speaker 1: fast speed Internet, obviously now that has helped these companies




00:09:08

Speaker 1: to develop a really solid product strategy for the rest




00:09:12

Speaker 1: of the world. I was watching this drama series called




00:09:15

Speaker 1: Super the first couple of months




00:09:17

Speaker 1: of uber. They would actually give iPhones to drivers to




00:09:22

Speaker 1: onboard them on the Uber platform. You can't imagine that




00:09:24

Speaker 1: happening in India. We're speaking about the Indian consumer. I've




00:09:28

Speaker 1: heard so many V CS in my time as a journalist.




00:09:32

Speaker 1: Mention about how the Indian consumer is the most spoiled




00:09:36

Speaker 1: consumer on the planet.




00:09:38

Speaker 1: Every V C across the world, every tech visionary in




00:09:44

Speaker 1: the world is trying to get a piece of the




00:09:47

Speaker 1: Indian pie, which then eventually means billions of dollars in




00:09:51

Speaker 1: cash backs to Indian consumer. Do you think that we




00:09:54

Speaker 1: are in some ways spoiled and the cattle has to




00:09:57

Speaker 1: come home sometime soon? I don't know if I would




00:10:00

Speaker 1: want to call Indian consumers being spoiled. I think it




00:10:03

Speaker 1: was one of the tactics. Let's just say that it's




00:10:05

Speaker 1: one of the tactics that is being




00:10:07

Speaker 1: used by many startups to drive early adoption of new




00:10:12

Speaker 1: technologies and new products. I think that's the way at




00:10:14

Speaker 1: least I look at it. And yes, this is one




00:10:16

Speaker 1: way to let people try out new products. And I




00:10:19

Speaker 1: think to a certain extent that has worked because of




00:10:22

Speaker 1: these freebies that were offered that has led to such




00:10:25

Speaker 1: a fast adoption of




00:10:26

Speaker 1: products. And I think that's a good thing. Is this




00:10:28

Speaker 1: sustainable in long term? I don't think so. And somewhere




00:10:31

Speaker 1: the unit unit economics will come in the picture, and




00:10:35

Speaker 1: it is probably this year of 2022 where a lot




00:10:38

Speaker 1: of it is already kicking it. It was important in




00:10:40

Speaker 1: the initial phase to drive this eruption,




00:10:43

Speaker 1: and, uh, it will somewhere, of course, slow down. But




00:10:45

Speaker 1: that doesn't mean that people will stop using these products,




00:10:48

Speaker 1: and the market is smart enough to find it. Sweet




00:10:50

Speaker 1: spot and Indian consumers are also smart enough. Once they




00:10:54

Speaker 1: see the value in it, I think they will pay




00:10:56

Speaker 1: for it, Uh, and they will pay a fair value




00:10:59

Speaker 1: for it. They they may not overpay. I I think




00:11:01

Speaker 1: Indian consumers are value conscious, not price conscious.




00:11:05

Speaker 1: I think that's really important to know the difference, because




00:11:08

Speaker 1: once Indians Indian consumers know the value I think they'll pay.




00:11:12

Speaker 1: That's the way I look at it. So an Indian




00:11:13

Speaker 1: consumer would pay for an Amazon prime, given that he




00:11:17

Speaker 1: gets free ad free Amazon music thrown in with Amazon




00:11:21

Speaker 1: Prime video and some other stuff. But you can then




00:11:24

Speaker 1: make it and offer, let's say, a monthly plan and




00:11:27

Speaker 1: not a yearly plan to them. So the price point




00:11:29

Speaker 1: is slightly lower, but you're offering value. Those models will




00:11:33

Speaker 1: evolve, right? You can't copy paste, putting a credit card




00:11:36

Speaker 1: online and then put a monthly subscription model that will




00:11:39

Speaker 1: have limited takers in India. I think India will have




00:11:42

Speaker 1: to have, like you rightly sachet sized transactions, and it




00:11:46

Speaker 1: is actually working out really well in categories like gaming,




00:11:50

Speaker 1: where in APP purchases is doing really well in India.




00:11:53

Speaker 1: Certain short video platforms again in APP purchases are doing




00:11:56

Speaker 1: really well in India, so I think once you price




00:11:58

Speaker 1: it right and present, it is in the right format




00:12:01

Speaker 1: in terms of an S Q. U. I think in




00:12:02

Speaker 1: India Indians, Will you buy those products? Sure, coming back




00:12:06

Speaker 1: to the quirks of the Indian market. Can you make




00:12:11

Speaker 1: a business serving the bottom 50% of the Indian audience?




00:12:15

Speaker 1: And what are the kinds of businesses you think a




00:12:17

Speaker 1: global company can create if they are serving the bottom 50%?




00:12:21

Speaker 1: That's a great question. You're absolutely spot on that A




00:12:23

Speaker 1: lot of industry folks may have overestimated India. Stam.




00:12:28

Speaker 1: It has to be in context of a timeframe. If




00:12:31

Speaker 1: you look at India's time in next 35 years, uh,




00:12:34

Speaker 1: it has a certain limitation.




00:12:36

Speaker 1: But then, if you look at a slightly longer term horizon,




00:12:39

Speaker 1: I think that will change. They love to learn from history,




00:12:41

Speaker 1: and a similar thing would have been posed to someone




00:12:44

Speaker 1: like Unilever. When they enter into India, how do you




00:12:47

Speaker 1: serve a mass market in a country like India? And




00:12:50

Speaker 1: I think that takes patience, learning, experimenting and aggressive approach.




00:12:56

Speaker 1: That same can apply to the digital equivalent of today's




00:12:59

Speaker 1: day and age to specifically answer your question. Yes,




00:13:02

Speaker 1: there is definitely an opportunity to make money out of




00:13:06

Speaker 1: let's say, even if you were to go below the 50%




00:13:09

Speaker 1: of the Pyramid of Indian Population and I think it




00:13:12

Speaker 1: will need some tweaking and some sort of changes approach right.




00:13:15

Speaker 1: There are definitely products which can find takers. Entertainment would




00:13:19

Speaker 1: definitely find takers, right Communication again. Find takers right? It's




00:13:23

Speaker 1: already being used by products like WhatsApp products like YouTube




00:13:27

Speaker 1: products




00:13:27

Speaker 1: like short video apps basically products which are solving offline




00:13:31

Speaker 1: problems when they turn into an online mode. I think




00:13:34

Speaker 1: those are the ones which will definitely find Take Us.




00:13:37

Speaker 1: So Again, what gives me confidence is the fact that




00:13:40

Speaker 1: a product like U P I has such a wide




00:13:43

Speaker 1: adaption and people from various status of life are using it.




00:13:46

Speaker 1: So I think that anything and everything which solves the




00:13:49

Speaker 1: offline problem, be it finance, be it shopping, be it




00:13:53

Speaker 1: agriculture, be it health. Everything has potential and again presented




00:13:59

Speaker 1: in the right format. I think the product,




00:14:02

Speaker 1: the U I. U X would look very different. The pricing,




00:14:06

Speaker 1: if at all you are going to price it, it




00:14:07

Speaker 1: will look very different and those are the kind of




00:14:10

Speaker 1: nuances one has to obviously work on, but at a




00:14:12

Speaker 1: very broad level. I do feel that it is possible




00:14:15

Speaker 1: to have a sustainable model in India from a lower




00:14:18

Speaker 1: tier mass market.




00:14:20

Speaker 1: And you presume most of this or almost all of




00:14:23

Speaker 1: this to be ad led Or, uh, there is, uh, any,




00:14:28

Speaker 1: if at all option for entrepreneurs to be charging people




00:14:32

Speaker 1: subscription revenues, I think a lot of it would be




00:14:35

Speaker 1: ad led. But I do feel that there would definitely




00:14:37

Speaker 1: be smaller ticket size transactions if one was to think




00:14:40

Speaker 1: a bit out of the box




00:14:42

Speaker 1: and arrive at a SKU, which is let's size. I




00:14:46

Speaker 1: think those kind of pricing models can definitely be a




00:14:50

Speaker 1: good way to test waters when it comes to driving subscription, uh,




00:14:54

Speaker 1: revenue model. And I'll give you an example. I think




00:14:56

Speaker 1: there are few apps in entertainment. They position themselves as




00:14:59

Speaker 1: Netflix for dialect, and there are some of these companies




00:15:02

Speaker 1: which are already doing it right. There are really interesting




00:15:05

Speaker 1: ways to make these transactions happen. So, for example, could




00:15:08

Speaker 1: you utilise the offline




00:15:10

Speaker 1: ecosystem of pawn shops in smaller towns and rural areas?




00:15:14

Speaker 1: What if one has to think a bit out of




00:15:15

Speaker 1: the box and figure out ways to deliver these vouchers. Sure,




00:15:20

Speaker 1: let's come back to speak about the Indian consumer. How




00:15:24

Speaker 1: is the consumer acquisition journey in India for the first




00:15:29

Speaker 1: million users fundamentally different from markets like US or UK?




00:15:33

Speaker 1: We often tell our partners, and we have seen this




00:15:36

Speaker 1: in our experience.




00:15:38

Speaker 1: The first million, or let's say, a few 100 or




00:15:41

Speaker 1: a million, actually is




00:15:44

Speaker 1: not drastically different from what they would do in, let's say,




00:15:48

Speaker 1: in other markets like Europe or US, you're getting the




00:15:51

Speaker 1: early adopters. Basically, yeah, the early adopters, right? And I




00:15:53

Speaker 1: think that segment in India is actually very global right




00:15:56

Speaker 1: folks living in Bangalore and Mumbai and their worldview is




00:16:01

Speaker 1: not very different from folks living in New York or




00:16:03

Speaker 1: London because we are consuming that media, and we are




00:16:07

Speaker 1: aware of what's happening and all of that. It's important




00:16:09

Speaker 1: to keep certain cultural nuances




00:16:11

Speaker 1: in mind about those and be aware of those because




00:16:15

Speaker 1: I think that will allow you to keep that first




00:16:17

Speaker 1: million engaged in the longer term. I think that's where




00:16:20

Speaker 1: one has to be slightly more targeted. Instead of having




00:16:23

Speaker 1: a spray and pray model find the right demographic, find




00:16:27

Speaker 1: the right psychographic and find the right community, which one




00:16:31

Speaker 1: would want to tap into. So that at least when




00:16:34

Speaker 1: a large chunk of the first million that you acquire




00:16:36

Speaker 1: give you a longer term value.




00:16:38

Speaker 1: And I think that's where the sort of trick is




00:16:41

Speaker 1: having an understanding of the local market, bringing empathy in




00:16:45

Speaker 1: your communication, making sure that you are talking to the




00:16:48

Speaker 1: right customer at the right time. Those are a few




00:16:51

Speaker 1: things which are very important and can actually drastically reduce




00:16:55

Speaker 1: your cost of acquisition. Most mobile products globally would have only,




00:16:58

Speaker 1: let's say, credit card as a payment more. But in India,




00:17:01

Speaker 1: you have




00:17:02

Speaker 1: U P I and other payment wallets connected can make




00:17:05

Speaker 1: a difference. Those are small things which at times which




00:17:08

Speaker 1: have over time created almost a repository. You likely touched




00:17:12

Speaker 1: upon something which led me on to my next question,




00:17:15

Speaker 1: which is. India has a very unique payments infrastructure as well,




00:17:19

Speaker 1: especially with U. P I, which is this new payment




00:17:22

Speaker 1: system that's unheard of globally.




00:17:25

Speaker 1: But we have a very strict digital payment mandates with




00:17:29

Speaker 1: tonne organisation coming in. How has that impacted your clients




00:17:32

Speaker 1: and their operations in India. That's again a great question. Yes,




00:17:36

Speaker 1: completely agree on how evolved India as a market is




00:17:40

Speaker 1: from a payments ecosystem. I think it's probably right up




00:17:43

Speaker 1: there higher, better or equal to the best in the world.




00:17:46

Speaker 1: India Stack




00:17:48

Speaker 1: itself is a game changer because this is not stopping




00:17:51

Speaker 1: at payments. It is also going to go into O




00:17:54

Speaker 1: n DC, which is enabling E-commerce platforms. Then there is health.




00:17:58

Speaker 1: So I think it's just a starting point of so




00:18:00

Speaker 1: many things that will fundamentally shift




00:18:03

Speaker 1: the whole digital infrastructure of the country, which is all




00:18:05

Speaker 1: very good for everyone, all stakeholders. But now, coming to




00:18:08

Speaker 1: your question about how some of these newer regulations are




00:18:12

Speaker 1: affecting some of our partners, I think they're definitely getting affected.




00:18:16

Speaker 1: All companies which are operating in a recurring payment space




00:18:20

Speaker 1: have gotten affected by these newer regulations. These are really




00:18:25

Speaker 1: important measures




00:18:26

Speaker 1: that has taken but in the short term impacted some




00:18:29

Speaker 1: of our partners and many other players. But we are




00:18:31

Speaker 1: proactively working on products which are going to solve these problems.




00:18:35

Speaker 1: Do you see in the near future, just like with




00:18:39

Speaker 1: data over time, this will impact more companies in a




00:18:43

Speaker 1: way where they would want to set up a local




00:18:45

Speaker 1: office so that they can localise payments and then so




00:18:48

Speaker 1: for




00:18:49

Speaker 1: they were serving Indian consumers a bit more remotely, I




00:18:52

Speaker 1: think this will definitely compel them to rethink their India strategy.




00:18:56

Speaker 1: And it does require a bit more commitment and change




00:18:59

Speaker 1: of strategy. It will all depend on how much is




00:19:02

Speaker 1: India of value to them. Based on that, they will




00:19:04

Speaker 1: either solve for it or not solve for it. In




00:19:06

Speaker 1: most cases, they will want to solve for it and




00:19:09

Speaker 1: you will be laughing your way to the bank very soon.




00:19:12

Speaker 1: It's not just that we'll be happy to help more




00:19:15

Speaker 1: of global ideas and navigate this unique challenge that is




00:19:18

Speaker 1: in front of us. Absolutely. Let's speak about just the reverse,




00:19:22

Speaker 1: which is Indian products going global. Do you see more




00:19:27

Speaker 1: Indian products going global and what are the kind of




00:19:30

Speaker 1: products coming out of India that are more likely to




00:19:33

Speaker 1: be accepted? I think one category which has already seen




00:19:36

Speaker 1: decent amount of success,




00:19:38

Speaker 1: is S a our enterprise products. It's a really sweet




00:19:41

Speaker 1: spot for Indian companies which are successful in the ecosystem




00:19:46

Speaker 1: to build in India. So the global market it's a




00:19:49

Speaker 1: no brainer. It was already seeing traction. It will continue




00:19:52

Speaker 1: to grow bigger and bigger, but I do feel there




00:19:55

Speaker 1: will be many more. I do believe there will be




00:19:57

Speaker 1: a lot of consumer tech companies




00:20:00

Speaker 1: which will go global. And again, I'm not saying global




00:20:03

Speaker 1: means everywhere in the world. They may start with certain




00:20:06

Speaker 1: markets which are similar to India, right? Like, let's say,




00:20:09

Speaker 1: right operates in Dubai and a couple of other U.




00:20:12

Speaker 1: A u Markets, right? Yeah, exactly. So that's one kind




00:20:15

Speaker 1: of category. Then there are many companies in the Fintech space.




00:20:18

Speaker 1: Could be that companies in the health tech space, for example,




00:20:21

Speaker 1: again in the Middle East or




00:20:22

Speaker 1: or Southeast Asia or African markets. There will be many




00:20:25

Speaker 1: such categories which will start looking at global markets. And




00:20:29

Speaker 1: then there is also direct to consumer goods. There are




00:20:33

Speaker 1: many D two C brands, which potentially have a huge




00:20:36

Speaker 1: upside looking outside of India. Some of that can be




00:20:39

Speaker 1: in markets like Middle East but also European and American market,




00:20:42

Speaker 1: because India has such rich history, culture




00:20:45

Speaker 1: and especially products, which are health focused, vegan or ingredients




00:20:52

Speaker 1: which are unique to India. Those are the kind of




00:20:54

Speaker 1: products which can travel across the world. I'm pretty bullish




00:20:58

Speaker 1: about at least these three categories. And because Indian diasporas




00:21:01

Speaker 1: so strong. Now I think India, in general, if I




00:21:03

Speaker 1: were to use India, is a trending the now globally




00:21:07

Speaker 1: and I think that's why all things India will start




00:21:10

Speaker 1: seeing upliftment. I'm sure there will be a few decades




00:21:13

Speaker 1: of India now to come. And that's the way I




00:21:15

Speaker 1: look at the India story.




00:21:17

Speaker 1: And with that, it's a wrap. Thank you so much




00:21:21

Speaker 1: for being on the podcast. Guys, please tune in next




00:21:24

Speaker 1: week for the next episode of the U Incorporated podcast.




00:21:28

Speaker 1: Thank you so much for having me. It was a




00:21:30

Speaker 1: pleasure talking to you.




00:21:35

Speaker 1: Thank you for tuning into the U incorporated podcast with me.




00:21:41

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00:21:45

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00:22:06

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