Investing in India

India and the U.S. run two of the world’s biggest capital markets, but their regulatory DNA couldn’t be more different. To break it down, we speak with Sandeep Parekh—managing partner at Finsec Law Advisors, former SEBI Executive Director, and a lawyer trained in both India and the U.S.We discuss India’s rule-heavy regulations versus America’s principle-based approach, the shift from merit-based approvals to disclosure regimes, why Indian prospectuses run hundreds of pages, and how U.S. case law defines insider trading. We also explore India’s bold market infrastructure moves—Demat, T+1, digital IPOs—against the U.S.’s slower modernization.At stake is more than style: these choices shape trust, efficiency, and capital formation. What can India learn from the U.S., and the U.S. from India? Note: This content is for informational purposes only. None of the stocks, brands, or products mentioned are recommendations or endorsements.   

In this episode of Investing in India, we explore India’s economic evolution through the lens of Akhilesh Tilotia, a former analyst at Kotak, government advisor, and now co-founder at Thurro. Initially approaching India’s transformation top-down, Tilotia highlighted broad structural shifts in The Making of India (2015), including issues like the “private cost of public failure,” where public infrastructure fails to deliver, leading to rising private costs.His subsequent government experience at the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund provided insight into the complex stakeholder dynamics behind policymaking. His second book, Through the Looking Glass (2021), reflects this more nuanced understanding, particularly the friction between expert advice and political representation in a democracy.Now, with Thurro, he uses bottom-up data to validate macroeconomic trends, especially tax base expansion and income growth. He shows India’s tax-to-GDP ratio is slowly improving, with more citizens entering the formal tax net.This conversation offers you insights on : Top-Down Analysis of IndiaRole of Policy in Market FormationLabour and Employment ChallengesUrbanisation patternsGovernance and Stakeholder BalanceBottom-Up Data and Tax InsightsGeneralist Perspective on India Note: This content is for informational purposes only. None of the stocks, brands, or products mentioned are recommendations or endorsements.   

The latest episode of Investing in India explores some aspects of the maze that is India’s pension system. We invited two guests to help us figure out where things are at. Sriram Iyer is the MD and CEO of HDFC Pension, while Amit Gopal was the business leader for Mercer’s investment business at the time of the recording.We discuss on,The Background - India’s pension system is a collection of different schemesThe Concerns with different parts of the pension systemHow the Defined benefit Old Pension System (OPS) could ‘pauperise’ the nationHow Employee Provident Fund (EPF) is a monopoly and regulator of the corporate exempt schemesHow the National Pension Scheme’s unbundled architecture is slowly getting betterand more.. Note: This content is for informational purposes only. None of the stocks, brands, or products mentioned are recommendations or endorsements.   

Ever wondered why economics feels different in India compared to what we study in books? In this episode, we chat with Alex Thomas, a renowned economics professor from Azim Premji University, about why Western economic theories don't always work in India. From inequality to real-world examples, we break down economics in a way that makes sense for Indians. Alex shares his journey from choosing economics by chance to writing a textbook that speaks to Indian students.  No complex jargon - just honest talk about how economics really works in our country.   Note: This content is for informational purposes only. None of the stocks, brands, or products mentioned are recommendations or endorsements.   

Ever wondered why policies in India don't seem to have the effect that governments and citizens hope? In this episode of our "Investing in India" series, Hansi speaks with economist Prof. Kartik Muralidharan about his book "Accelerating India's Development" and his extensive research on India's public sector effectiveness. With over 20 years of research experience, Prof. Muralidharan offers his perspectives on:- Why India matters to global investors- India's democratic journey and its impact on development- The "frugal innovation" approach in India- The gap between policy design and implementation- Practical solutions to governance challengesAnd much more!  Note: This content is for informational purposes only. None of the stocks, brands, or products mentioned are recommendations or endorsements.   

What if the Indian middle class is just the top 5%? Why is unemployment so low, but jobs so scarce? And are India’s glowing growth numbers really telling the whole truth?In this new episode in our Investing in India series, journalist and author Rukmini S (Whole Numbers and Half Truths) joins Hansi to unpack how Indian data is collected, where it misleads, and why context is everything — especially for investors and policymakers. 📊 What we cover:Is India’s statistical system broken—or better than we think?Why GDP growth numbers sparked controversyThe myth of India’s massive middle classWhy a 3% unemployment rate hides underemployment and informal workHow 40% of working women earn no wages at allThe real story behind urbanization, caste, and inequalityWhy phone access ≠ internet access (and what it means for digital India)How better data (and better questions) could change India's futureAnd much more!  Note: This content is for informational purposes only. None of the stocks, brands, or products mentioned are recommendations or endorsements.