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Independent India’s Business History

Aakash Sharma — Sun, 15 Aug 2021 05:35:08 +0000

From the reassuring certainty of the five-year plans and liberalisation to the sweeping economic policies such as Make in India, Goods and Service Tax, Digital India and much more, the 75 years of independent India’s history have been marked by events that reveal a young nation in search of an effective development model.

As we celebrate Indian Independence from British colonial rule, let us delve into the history of Independent India’s business ecosystem and financial world and see which events shaped the course of our nation’s economy.

Highlights of business since Independence till date

Starting from 1947, the Central Legislative Assembly, a precursor to the contemporary Indian Parliament, enacted the Industrial Disputes Act to govern organised industrial labour. In 1949, the Reserve Bank of India – RBI- previously a shareholders’ bank, was nationalised and was made the central bank.

The year 1950 marked a genuinely Indian legislative era in which the Parliament made the laws. In 1950, the Planning Commission was constituted as a central planning body, and in 1951, the government presented the First Five-Year Plan. In this decade itself, in 1956, the Industrial Policy Resolution was passed by the Indian Parliament, marking the beginning of the Licence Raj.

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The First Five-Year Plan was based on the Harrod-Domar economic growth model and focused on the primary sector activities like agriculture, mining, fishing, forestry, dairy, etc., dependent on using natural resources.

The 1960s were the real test for the young nation of India. After independence, wars, poverty, illiteracy, and other serious problems were ailing the country. In 1965, the Green Revolution was initiated to combat India’s food crisis, and farmers were given high yielding seeds to produce wheat and essential crops for the masses. Further, in 1968, the Foreign Investment Board was established.

Fast forward two decades, in 1985, Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi kicked off significant tax reforms with V.P. Singh as finance minister. In 1986, S&P BSE Sensex, India’s first equity index, was launched. And the following year, India’s first debit card was introduced by Citi Bank, the first ATM installed in Mumbai by HSBC.

Before and after liberalisation

The 1990s were a critical time for the Indian economy and the nation as a whole. As the closed economy showed signs of decadence, brokers and License Raj monopolies plagued the system. In 1991, the balance of payments crisis hit India. The critical situation meant that the Indian foreign exchange reserves could have marginally afforded three weeks’ worth of imports.

The pressure, in turn, paved the path for the liberalisation of the Indian economy. Thus, in 1991, Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao and then Finance Minister Dr Manmohan Singh-led budget ushered in the era of liberalisation. This structural reform opened the Indian economy to participation from foreign entities in its industries, including state-owned enterprises.

In the new millennium, India also participated in the global tech boom. Many Indian companies like Infosys, Tech Mahindra, Wipro, among others, reaped the benefits of the tech boom. And start-ups like Shaadi.com, Make My Trip and others were born from the ‘dot.com‘ era.

In recent years, economic policies by PM Modi and his government are being made with the focus on making India a manufacturing hub of the world and campaigns like Make in India, Digital India, Start-up India, etc., are the key contributors towards that goal.

Start-up and India before Independence and now

India has always been an entrepreneurial country. Barely 300 years ago, India had a 25 per cent share of the global GDP. Colonisation kept the country away from the Industrial Revolution, reducing that share to 2 percent of global GDP in 1947.

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The Swadeshi Movement and the revival of domestic products and production processes helped restore the indigenous Indian Start-up ecosystem.

Modern entrepreneurs are trying to understand today’s youth’s everyday problems and solve them in the best possible way. Massive funding, consolidation activities, and a growing domestic market have altered the start-up culture in the last decade.

SMEs and India

The Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) segment has emerged as a crucial sector of the Indian economy, contributing significantly to exports, innovation, employment generation, and inclusive growth. SMEs are the backbone of the socio-economic development of India.

The joy of being an independent country and the benefits of being a republic

Freedom does incredible wonders, and it is rightly applicable to the Indian small business and start-up ecosystem. The economic liberalisation, technological advances, more accessible resources, knowledge pool, massive funding, emerging global standards, thriving domestic markets, and reduced communication gap over the years have boosted the Indian economy on the shoulders of small businesses.

This has been possible because of the liberty of decision making that let the Indian governments and stakeholders keep the Indian interest at the centre. Independence and freedom have allowed India to undergo a metamorphosis to re-make a nation after hundreds of years of oppression.

India’s start-up and small business bringing the Indian economy to the world map

The conducive economic environment that took decades to make has promoted entrepreneurs to take up new ventures and turn them into reality. Start-ups are heading the country’s economic growth even when the overall situation seems grim, and the pandemic is making matters worse.

SMEs and start-ups are employing youth and talent that otherwise goes wasted in an economic downturn like India currently faces. Indeed, the employment opportunities and emphasis on regional development encouraged by entrepreneurship have put the Indian economy on the world map – it has been possible due to small businesses and start-up’s initiations.

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e-RUPI, India’s New Digital Payment Solution

Aakash Sharma — Wed, 04 Aug 2021 10:35:52 +0000

On 2nd August 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a new digital payment system – e-RUPI – that can send government benefits directly to recipients’ mobile phones. e-RUPI is developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), Department of Financial Services, National Health Authority, and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

e-RUPI is a sealing system that provides non-transferable services to citizens. This unique digital system will detect and repair potential gaps in the existing social benefits infrastructure of India.

What is the e-RUPI system?

The e-RUPI is a digital coupon that a recipient can use to avail a specific government service. The digital system does not require a card, app or internet connection to redeem coupons. The government will send the digital code to interested citizens for specific purposes via SMS thread or QR code.

How does e-RUPI work, and where can it be used?

This non-monetary and contactless medium is designed to provide immediate direct benefits to citizens. Under e-RUPI, beneficiaries will receive digital vouchers to take advantage of targeted healthcare services such as medical, nutritional and diagnostic support within the government support system.

The government will send the QR code or SMS string to the beneficiaries, who will then show it to the provider to complete the benefit transaction. Since these coupons are made for a specific purpose, they cannot be transferred or redeemed for cash.

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NPCI's UPI platform supports e-RUPI, and about ten banks have joined the service as issuing entities. These include private and public banking institutions.

e-RUPI Benefits to the Consumer

No Contact: The recipient beneficiary need not carry a printout of the voucher.

Easy Recovery: a two-step rotation process.

Secure and Reliable: The Beneficiary does not have to share their documents during the refund period, thereby safeguarding privacy.

No Registration or Bank Account Required: Users are not required to have a digital payment application certificate or bank account.

What can the industry expect from this new technology?

The government is considering opening e-RUPI services to private enterprises as part of their employee welfare or benefits programmes. While banks and payment systems play an essential role in this ecosystem, hospitals and companies can also use this technology.

In the future, e-RUPI will be used for other government Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) schemes. Currently, 54 DBT programs are administered by 54 ministries. However, not all projects are suitable for everyone. Data from the National Information Center (NIC) currently shows that 7.32 trillion transactions have been processed and benefits worth approximately Rs. 1.42 trillion have been disbursed.

Services such as FASTag for vehicle taxes, the DigiLocker tool for tickets and electronic documents and the 59 minutes loans for entrepreneurs in micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) have been highly valued by the industry and entrepreneurs in recent years. Most prominently, BHIM UPI made it easy for businesses to transact money and empowered the poor in carrying out their businesses and transactions easily.

As government support bolsters in adopting technology and leveraging it for connecting multiple sectors and people directly, even new businesses working on digital innovation can ensure rapid service delivery using technology and reap the benefits of government aid.

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What is Start-up India Showcase?

DU Desk — Thu, 22 Jul 2021 03:35:12 +0000

With the rising number of start-ups in India, the Government has a huge task of identifying, recognising and rewarding the cream of the crop. By highlighting the success of the best Indian start-ups and bringing them to the forefront of the ecosystem, the Government is paving the way for other start-ups to follow in their wake. The Start-Up India Showcase platform comes under the purview of Start-up India initiative by the Government.

What is the Start-up India Showcase Platform?

The start-up India showcase platform is an online discovery platform for the most promising Indian start-ups. It offers opportunities to connect on a digital and social level. Every start-up has a dedicated profile which contains an in-depth pitch of their products, innovations and USP (Unique Selling Proposition). The pitch is published on the platform either through the video content format or through PDF links.

Start-ups currently onboarded

A total of 104 start-ups are currently registered on the Showcase platform, as per the data shared by the Commerce Ministry. Out of these, 74 are product-based start-ups and 30 start-ups belong to the service sector. These start-ups belong to diverse industry sectors including Food-Tech, Green Energy, Defence, Ed-Tech and Health-Tech.

Benefits of getting Shortlisted

The benefits for start-ups getting shortlisted for the platform are numerous including access to pilot opportunities coming from Governments, Corporates and international organisations. Also, you can grab fundraising opportunities from relevant investors. You also gain increased visibility and valuable exposure from being shortlisted. Lastly, shortlisted start-ups will be recognised on India’s All-Star Start-up Repository.

Eligibility Criteria and Application Process

Eligibility Criteria

Indian start-ups that are solving critical problems for their respective industry sectors and target consumers have a high chance of getting shortlisted. Also, start-ups which have brought considerable innovation into their respective industry sectors are also eligible to be onboarded.

Most importantly, start-ups which are already recognised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Start-up India program are mainly eligible for the programme.

Application process

The application process is simple and straightforward wherein start-ups need to fill a form on the Startup India official website and furnish details about the company, the founding team and submit official documents.

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Every start-up has a dedicated profile which contains an in-depth pitch of their products, innovations, and USP.

What’s in it for me?

The Start-up India Showcase Platform is also referred to as India’s All-star repository of start-ups. All-star start-ups are those that have previously won competitions and sold products on Government e-marketplaces. Such start-ups are eligible to apply for the programme. Such start-ups will be prioritised by government and corporate buyers and will get the opportunity to achieve business growth.

The key areas of focus for start-ups to be handpicked by the platform include Covid-19 solutions, and start-ups fostering sustainability through their products and services. Also, animal husbandry and start-ups creating daily use products are currently in the spotlight. The start-ups which are picked jointly by DPIIT and Start-up India through a number of programmes will be flag-bearers for the entire Indian start-up ecosystem and will be presented as examples of good quality start-ups in India.

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Ease of Doing Business in India

Anju Nambiar — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 12:35:04 +0000

Each year, the ‘Doing Business’ organisation in association with the ‘World Bank’ releases country wise scores on the ease of doing business in a country. These scores reflect how easy it is for start-ups and small businesses to register their company and get access to resources with respect to local rules, regulations and laws governing businesses.

India’s Doing Business Rank for 2020

India’s Rank for the year 2020 is ‘63’ on a scale of 1-190 (in a comparison of 190 economies). India’s rank has been steadily improving year on year and we’ve come a long way from the 142nd rank in the year 2014 to the 63rd rank in 2020. India has shown consistent improvement in its ranking for 3 years in a row.

India’s Ranking on Doing Business topics

India is ranked on a range of ‘Doing Business’ topics which indicate the procedures, time and costs involved in completing tasks and formalities within a country. Here’s India’s rank card by the World Bank on the major ‘Doing Business’ topics for the year 2020.

Doing Business Topic	Rank
Starting a Business	136
Dealing with Construction Permits	27
Getting Electricity	22
Registering Property	154
Getting Credit	25
Protecting Minority Investors	13
Paying Taxes	115
Trading across Borders	68
Enforcing Contracts	163
Resolving Insolvency	52

As per these rankings, the insights we can glean are that ‘Protecting Minority Investors’ is the easiest to do in India and ‘Enforcing Contracts’, the most challenging.

Change in Scores from 2019

In comparison with the scores from 2019, there has been a significant upside of 3.5% in the score for India. India’s score for 2019 was 67.5 whereas in the year 2020, the score has increased to 71.0.

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India’s Doing Business Rank for the year 2020 is ‘63’ on a scale of 1-190 (in a comparison of 190 economies)

What’s in it for me?

The Indian Government is eager to reduce compliance and make it easier for both domestic and foreign businesses to thrive in India. Doing Business by the World Bank gives a clear picture for local businesses (especially for domestic small and medium sized companies) on the easiest and hardest regulations in India. Although the data for 2021 is yet to arrive, keep an eye out for the 2021 report.

You will obtain city-wise insights on the procedures, time and cost involved in starting a business so that you can decide the best city to set up a base. Before the Government stepped in to ease the business regulations in India, we suffered from poor rankings by the World Bank. However, with all the measures being taken by the government departments and ministries to create a thriving start-up ecosystem, the business environment in India has become highly conducive and will only improve further in the coming years.

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Tech Startup eSahayak.io Simplifying Government and Legal Documentations

Vaishali Das — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 05:30:25 +0000

With the launch of this Chandigarh-based tech startup, eSahayk.io, legal and governmental documentation work has become hassle-free and are ready at our fingertips. The startup eSahayak is a one-stop solution for getting all the government issued paperwork, from driving license, birth certificate, rent agreements to passport applications, NDAs, offer letter, etc. everything is accessible one tap away and is provided under one niche.

About eSahayak.io: Idea and Technology Used

In the post COVID world, when everything is going digital, the government and legal documentation work is still scattered and has not been digitized properly. The founders of eSahayak, Gourav Manchanda and Charanjit Singh, after trying their hands in the IT service sector during their college days and working for companies, providing them tech-based software, were struck with a product development idea in 2019. Later, they brainstormed on one of the tools, that is, documentation and focused on turning it into a viable venture. They established their platform in January 2021 and launched the final eSahayak portal in March 2021. The eSahayak platform is powered with an in-built technology Crove.app, a documentation engine providing customers with templates that can be used for hassle-free paperwork.

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eSahayak brings all the paperwork under one niche and provides a platform for all kinds of legal paperwork.

How eSahayak is easing the documentation process?

Government and legal documents are a complex process, having lots of third-party involvement and eventually creates a hectic environment. It also takes a lot of paperwork and generally the government portals and websites don’t work on smartphones. eSahayak brings all the paperwork under one niche and provides a platform for all kinds of legal paperwork. It also is working towards bringing each and every state in India online and thus providing an easy way out for the people to create their own forms and use it as per their requirements.

The platform has collaborated with CA, CS Firms and Lawyers for online documentation processes and is planning to connect with some offline agents as well who can break down the documentation process to the general public in offline mode too.

Future of These Startups

There are many other websites that are working under the same model but what makes eSahayak different is that it has its own documentation handling in-house technology which provide the users with the real-time status regarding repetitive documents. The startup is also simplifying the paperwork and easing out the way of accessing documents from one’s phone, with a simple form fill-up.

The need of documentation starts from the day of birth. This is one market that will never lose its importance as recorded data in the form of documents is something that is highly important in personal as well as business world. The startup eSahayak make sure that everything, starting from birth certificate to death certificate, all in between documentation process is hassle-free. It aims to become a one-stop platform in India for all kinds of legal documentation.

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Eligibility for Start-ups and Partner Incubators for the Rs. 499 Cr Budgetary Support

Anju Nambiar — Sat, 19 Jun 2021 08:35:04 +0000

In yet another move to encourage defence based innovations within the start-up and small business community in India, a budgetary support package worth INR 499 Cr has been approved.

As per this move, the Government will procure a marginally higher amount of defence-related goods and services from micro and small enterprises in the current financial year. This move comes under the Make in India purview to foster domestic manufacturing.

The Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) scheme

iDEX is a scheme by the Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO) which will extend financial support for 300 SMEs, start-ups, individual innovators and 20 partner incubators under DIO. Aerospace start-ups who want to provide defence related products and services are eligible to avail the funding. Grants will be provided for R&D development. The funds will be released to the DIO through the Department of Defence Production (DDP).

Eligibility Criteria for start-ups and partner incubators

Products and services with good potential for future adoption by Indian Defence and Aerospace are eligible for support.

Partner Incubators that come under the Department of Science and Technology are eligible for funds.

Technologies and products with relevant utility and impact on Defence and Aerospace in India stand a chance at getting shortlisted.

How start-ups will benefit

The Government is keen on supporting self-reliance and indigenisation in the defence and aerospace sector. This is a big push for small businesses in this sector. Start-ups and SMEs will be able to rapidly scale up and shorten their timelines. They can also cater to the needs of Indian Defence and Aerospace.

Start-ups with innovative solutions will benefit from increased engagement and encouragement from the Government. It is also a golden opportunity for start-ups to actively partake in the Indian defence needs and to work alongside the Government.

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Products and services with good potential for future adoption by Indian Defence and Aerospace are eligible for support.

What’s in it for me?

Start-ups, SMEs, and innovators will have the opportunity to communicate with the partner incubators under the iDEX scheme. You will get a picture of the current defence and aerospace needs of the country. Keep an eye out for hackathons and challenges to be organised by the DDP. Participate in these events to get noticed and to be shortlisted for the scheme.

Last but not the least, start-ups will get to meet with the top brass of the armed forces. You will have a platform to pitch your technologies and products directly to them and to encourage them to adopt your innovations. You will also be able to pitch for assisting and integrating the approved technologies. There will also be a number of outreach activities across India organised under the scheme, for start-ups partake in.

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10000 Start-Ups will Soon Get a Seal of Approval From the Government of India

Anju Nambiar — Thu, 10 Jun 2021 08:35:05 +0000

Start-Up India, the Indian Government’s biggest initiative to foster entrepreneurship in the country has achieved remarkable heights since its inception. It recently crossed the 50,000 mark in recognising Indian start-ups. Out of these, 10,000 have scored GoI’s (Government of India) seal of approval over the last 6 months. The last 10,000 were recognised in a record 180 days which is the fastest for any government initiative.

How will start-ups benefit?

The start-ups will enjoy a slew of benefits pertaining to laws and regulations, fiscal and infrastructural support, etc.

They can also avail relaxed compliance with respect to labour and environmental standards, public procurement rules for these start-ups will also be relaxed. They can also raise funds under the (Small Industries Development Bank of India) SIDBI’s ‘Fund of Funds’. They can also enjoy fast-tracked patent applications at a low fee.

Fiscal and Infrastructural Support

Recognised start-ups under Start-up India will get a 3-year tax holiday every 7 years with 100% tax rebate. They will also enjoy tax exemption on long-term capital gains, on investments above the fair market value including investments by resident angel investors and by incubators above fair market value. There is also tax exemption to be availed on investment of long-term capital gain.

In terms of infrastructural support, the eligible start-ups stand to gain enhanced infrastructure like incubation and innovation centres, start-up centres, and Research Parks.

Benefits for 50000 start-ups

The 50000 start-ups will be covered under the Start-up India programme wherein they can enjoy tax benefits and incentives. Armed with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT’s) recognition, they will be eligible to apply for an income tax holiday. They will also be eligible to apply for exemption from the ‘angel tax’.

Prominent sectors and industries

The prominent sectors and industries that stood out among the 50000 start-ups include the food processing industry, product and app dev, IT consulting and business support services.

Among the top industries, IT harbours 6,682 start-ups, 4373 belong to the Healthcare & Lifesciences sector, Professional & Commercial service start-ups account for 2,337, the Agriculture, and F&B industries account for 2138 and 2137 start-ups respectively.

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The last 10,000 start-ups were recognised in a record 180 days which is the fastest for any government initiative.

What’s in it for me?

Registering with DPIIT is crucial if you want to be recognised by the Government. There are many benefits to be accrued by registering with DPIIT like simple compliance structure, 80% patent filing fee reduction, and tax exemptions. Start-ups recognised by DPIIT also have the privilege of closing shop within 90 days of their application.

The first step to obtaining recognition is of course, to register your business under ‘Start Up India’. The eligibility criteria for the same is that your business must have been incorporated in India not more than 10 years ago from the date of application. Your annual turnover must be less than INR 100 Cr to be eligible.

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Start-ups Supporting the Digital India Campaign

Aakash Sharma — Wed, 09 Jun 2021 10:35:04 +0000

In September 2014, Prime Minister Modi presented ‘Make in India’, one of the key major projects to build the country’s economy. With the subsequent launch of ‘Digital India’, the government intended to become a global technology center and a leader in the digital economy. Today, India has the third-largest start-up ecosystem globally, and many start-ups are using technology to make people’s lives easier.

Along with making life easier for people, technology start-ups in India are also evolving, creating jobs and opportunities in third and fourth level markets across the nation. They are impacting the lives of rural people and customers with their new, innovative, and easy to use solutions.

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Connecting rural India with excellent solutions and assistance marking grassroots level challenges, start-ups are developing innovative programmes under the banner of Digital India.

Changed Start-up Ecosystem with Campaigns like “Make In India” and “Digital India”

Unemployment due to the COVID-19 pandemic has made life extremely difficult for everyone, especially in rural areas. But in these uncertain times, companies of all sizes and industries are coming together to help people get back on track. Many start-ups are creating job opportunities in India’s tier-2 and beyond cities by using the large scale agricultural industry and technology as a support system.

Start-ups have been on an upward trajectory with seven years of government support behind them. Now, they are coming in full swing to help in various aspects, from solving the oxygen crisis and hospital’s availability to bringing the country back to economic normalcy, at-work vaccination programs and increasing employment opportunities in the nation again.

These 5 start-ups are providing jobs in rural India and supporting the Digital India Campaign

EezyNaukari

The start-up EezyNaukari was launched in 2016 in Kanpur for employing job seekers in rural India. EezyNaukari operates in more than 500 villages in four Indian states. As a technical support platform, it aims to completely change the recruitment process for unorganised jobs and the entry-level jobs sector.

Rural Odyssey

As a social enterprise, start-up Rural Odyssey aims to bridge the gap between urban and rural areas and connect travelers with real-world experiences in unconventional rural Indian places. The start-up chooses ecstatic villages across India to promote their culture, music, art, unique art forms and more amongst travelers. It helps the villagers generate income and provides an authentic cultural experience to the curious travelers who want to explore the diverse rural communities of India.

Udaan

Udaan is a web-focused B2B trading platform designed for small and medium-sized businesses in India. It integrates Indian distributors, wholesalers, retailers, manufacturers and brands in one platform. Udaan is a platform that allows customers to expand their network with future businesses and support small businesses by securing the power of technology and the advantages of the Internet.

Frontier Markets

It is one of the leading social enterprise platforms for rural women. It helps rural businesswomen deliver end-to-end products and services to the consumer’s doorstep in remote areas. This is done through an assisted commerce model run by rural women entrepreneurs called Saral Jeevan Sahelis, which is boosting rural women’s commerce.

Hesa

This is a rural tech start-up connecting, redefining rural commerce by providing Last-Mile Physical and Digital Connect to rural India. Its integrated B2B marketplace connects the two ends and makes buying and selling easier for all parties involved with doorstep delivery. Hesa provides rural residents with vitality, skills and employment. Farm buyers can buy or sell various products, access banks and other financial services, and pay their bills in convenient villages.

Why is it Important for Start-ups to Support the Digital India Campaign?

In recent years, one of the pillars of the growth of India’s digital economy has been the high demand for smartphones and mobile devices. India has become the fastest-growing smartphone market globally, surpassing the United States as the second-largest market globally in January 2020.

India has matured as the next big destination for international electronics manufacturers after China’s fall from grace for various reasons, including the COVID-19 pandemic. The government has stressed that the Indian industry should become an export hub in this regard. To grow themselves and promote their business via Digital India, start-ups need to capitalise on this change.

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India-Israel’s 3-year Work Programme to Transform Agriculture Industry

Aakash Sharma — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 01:35:05 +0000

India and Israel have signed a three-year action plan agreement to promote agricultural cooperation. In the course of three years (till 2023), the bilateral agreement is characterised as a joint action plan to strengthen technology-driven agricultural cooperation between the two nations.

So far, four joint action plans have been successfully completed. This is the fifth Indo-Israeli Agriculture Action Plan (IIAP). As part of the first plan, Centres of Excellence (COE) were established to train farmers in Israeli agriculture and water technology.

However, according to the new action plan, a model of agro-ecosystem excellence called Villages of Excellence (VoE) will be set up in eight states and 13 centres of excellence in 75 Indian villages. This will increase net income and improve the livelihood of individual farmers by converting traditional farms into modern intensive farms based on IIAP standards.

What is the New Three-year Work Programme for India?

The New Three-year Work Programme is an attempt to strengthen the bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries in agriculture to benefit the farming community. The Centres of Excellence established as part of the Israeli action plan will significantly impact the doubling of farmers’ incomes. The program will exchange technology between India and Israel to increase the productivity and quality of agriculture using new tools, technology and digital adoption.

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The Action Plan aims to expand existing COEs and encourage private companies and partnerships.

The programme aims to grow existing Centres of Excellence, establish new centres, increase CoE’s value chain, and bring the Centres of Excellence into the independent convention. Both countries are implementing the “INDO-ISRAEL Agricultural Project Centres of Excellence” and “INDO-ISRAEL Villages of Excellence”.

India-Israel Villages of Excellence (IIVOE)

This is a new concept to create a model ecosystem in agriculture across eight states, alongside 13 Centers of Excellence within 75 villages. The program will encourage the increase of net income and better the subsistence of the individual farmer, converting traditional farms into modern-intensive fields based on Indo-Israel Agriculture Action Plan (IIAP) models.

Stakeholders will tailor a large-scale and complete value chain approach with economic sustainability, embedded with Israeli novel technologies and methodologies to local conditions. The IIVOE program will focus on:

Modern Agriculture Infrastructure

Capacity Building

Market Linkage

Bright Hopes for Farmers and SMEs operating in agriculture

As witnessed within the existing Indo-Israel projects, digital collaboration in agriculture has helped build the sector majorly. Further technological advancements will also help break the monopoly and decentralise the pricing mechanism and reduce transaction costs, thus guaranteeing higher yields to farmers.

Since farming is a productive data-driven sector, start-ups and SMEs providing digital tools can dramatically improve the livelihood of farmers by giving them easy to use digital tools to operate on and protecting them against price volatility.

Simple gadgets like mobile phones also enable farmers to integrate and operate in structured markets. SMEs in the agritech sector must recognise this area and work to help India’s most significant human capital segment to easily avail solutions like digital money, Direct Benefit Transfer system, online guides, etc.

Self-controlled watering systems, soil and crop experimentation through IoT devices, data analytics to increase crop yield, an online marketplace for farm produce, and alternate credit for farming entrepreneurs are areas where agritech SMEs can deliver breakthroughs. Indeed, agri-tech start-ups and companies, with government support, will disrupt traditional agriculture through technology, and the recent Indo-Israel programme is a step towards betterment.

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How Will the Delay in China Products Lead to a Growth in India-Based Smartphones Businesses?

Anju Nambiar — Thu, 13 May 2021 03:35:06 +0000

The first wave of the covid-19 pandemic in India led to the banning of Chinese apps and FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) by the Indian government. And now the second wave of the globally covered covid-19 crisis in India is once again brewing trouble for Chinese businesses, this time consumer tech companies and smartphones.

Which companies are most affected?

The hostility against China has led to the Wireless Planning & Co-ordination (WPC) wing of the Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications withholding the approval of Wi-Fi modules imported from China. In a bid to block electronics like smartphones, smartwatches, and laptops from being imported from China, Wi-Fi modules are stuck at Indian ministries for quite some time now.

This has now impacted the timely launch of consumer products and electronic devices like Bluetooth speakers, wireless earphones, and smartphones. The most affected Chinese companies are some of the biggest in India:

Xiaomi
Oppo
Vivo
Lenovo

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The Indian consumer tech industry is a key growth market and will open up avenues for domestic players now that big Chinese players have been kept out.

How will Consumer tech in India benefit?

The consumer technology sector in India is getting affected due to the geopolitical differences between India and China. The campaign against Chinese vendors and the push by the Indian government towards manufacturing of smartphones in India will create new opportunities in the domestic market.

The Indian consumer tech industry is a key growth market and will open up avenues for domestic players now that big Chinese players have been kept out.

Smartphone assembly has increased within the country and ‘Make in India’ smartphone manufacturers are being persuaded to produce electronic devices within India.

If the consumer tech market can pull off economic self-reliance, then domestic manufacturers of electronics will benefit immensely.

What should smartphone start-ups do?

The Indian government is cracking the whip on imports of Chinese made technology. Consumer tech start-ups in India who are planning to import Chinese devices need to anticipate this. This is mainly for devices that contain a Wi-Fi module.

As an Indian start-up, if you are trying to bring in products from China, then you can expect a delay from the WPC (Wireless Planning & Co-ordination commission). Sales of smartphones within India also require approvals from both BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) and WPC. BIS comes under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs whereas WPC comes under the Ministry of Communications.

India is the key consumer tech market and with Chinese giants like Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, and Lenovo being side-lined, the market opportunity for smartphone and electronic device start-ups will be tremendous.

India is currently the world’s biggest mobile maker and consumer tech start-ups thinking about making an entry to the scene will see ample support for domestic manufacturing.

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