🍏 Apple’s ₹12K Cr India Play Changes the Game

☕ Good Morning, Masala Crew!

It’s Tuesday, and your newsfeed might be in a post-Monday slump—but we’re here to pick it back up with the ultimate business brew. From Apple’s billion-dollar desi play to Swiggy’s corporate cravings and golden inflation-proofing strategies, today’s headlines are as strong as South Indian filter coffee and just as layered.

Let’s get steeping 🍵

☕ Chai Shots

• 🛻 Euler Motors Powers Up with Hero’s Backing: EV startup Euler Motors just scored a ₹638 Cr Series D funding jolt, with Hero MotoCorp riding in as a strategic investor. The funds will supercharge the rollout of their ADAS-equipped StormEV and expand the brand's footprint across e-commerce and urban logistics. Hero’s entry signals serious intent to stake its claim in the commercial EV segment.

• 💸 Oxyzo Raises ₹533 Cr to Fuel SME Loans: Lending platform Oxyzo, the financial wing of OfBusiness, has landed ₹533 Cr in debt from marquee investors like Neo Group, Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC, and Hinduja Leyland Finance. The funds will go toward fueling working capital loans for over 5,000 SMEs, plus funding tech-first startups across mobility, logistics, and green tech.

• 📦 Big Brew Teaser: Apple’s top iPhone supplier is doubling down on India with a massive $1.5B investment. We break down the global, political, and Made-in-Bharat ripple effects in today’s Big Brew ☕👇

• 🛰️ Starlink Inches Closer to India Launch: Elon Musk’s satellite broadband venture is just one final regulatory green light away from going live in India. With IN-SPACe set to approve, Starlink’s 1.4 million potential users are within reach—especially in rural areas with patchy broadband.

📈 Market Masala

• 📉 Markets End in the Red Again: The Sensex shed 271 points to settle at 82,059 while the Nifty dipped 74 points to close at 24,945. That’s two straight sessions of red ink, with investor jitters continuing after Moody’s downgraded the U.S. credit rating, citing spiraling debt and shaky fiscal discipline.

• 🏦 Nifty PSU Bank & Realty Lead Sectoral Gains: Nine out of fifteen NSE sectors managed to stay positive, with PSU Banks and Realty stocks strutting ahead of the pack. Looks like investors are betting on India’s infrastructure and public banking resilience amid global noise.

• 📉 SBI Cuts FD Rates—Cheaper Loans on the Horizon: India’s largest bank has shaved off 20 basis points from its fixed deposit rates, the second such move this fiscal. This follows a repo rate cut by the RBI and a liquidity injection of ₹5 lakh crore. TL;DR: cheaper loans for businesses, less joy for retirees.

• 🧾 Brokers Now Allowed to Venture Beyond Markets: A fresh tweak to the Securities Contracts rules lets brokers invest in non-core businesses—as long as they use their own funds. No dabbling with client money or loans, though. Brokers say this is a big shift that unlocks opportunities for new ventures and long-term strategic bets.

• 💎 SEBI Goes After Mehul Choksi (Again): The fugitive diamantaire has 15 days to cough up ₹2.1 Cr or risk his assets being seized. Insider trading never goes out of style—for SEBI's enforcement radar.

• 💰 Gold Hits ₹97K as Moody’s Sparks Safe Haven Rush: Delhi’s gold markets lit up as 24K gold surged to ₹97,030 per 10 grams. The rally came after Moody’s downgraded the U.S. credit rating and investors dumped Treasury bills in favor of glittery safety. With bond yields volatile and inflationary fears brewing, India’s gold bugs are back.

🌍 Global Masala

• 📉 Wall Street Stays Afloat Despite Downgrade Drama: The U.S. stock market kept climbing with the S&P 500 marking a sixth straight win. Investors shrugged off Moody’s credit downgrade as long-term yields briefly shot past 5%—before cooling just enough to avoid triggering a sell-off.

• 🇬🇧 Pound Gains as UK-EU Patch Up Post-Brexit Tensions: The UK and EU agreed to hit reset on trade ties, causing the British pound to rise and bond yields to surge. While equity markets stayed muted, fixed income traders braced for more expensive debt.

• 📶 Xiaomi Bets $6.9B on Made-in-China Chips: The Chinese electronics behemoth is investing heavily in its own SoC chips, with the new 3nm ‘Xring O1’ about to debut. This bold move challenges the Qualcomm-Apple-Samsung chip trinity and signals China’s urgency to build tech independence amid U.S. sanctions.

☕ The Big Brew: Apple’s Billion-Dollar Pivot to Bharat

Apple’s biggest supplier, Hon Hai (aka Foxconn), is putting its money where its iPhones are—with a whopping $1.5 billion investment into its India operations.

Here’s why this is a big deal 🍏💰

• 🏭 India = iPhone Central: Hon Hai is ramping up factory capacity in southern India, helping Apple shift away from China amid rising geopolitical tension and tariff threats.

• 🔁 Diversifying Like a Pro: Apple wants most U.S.-sold iPhones to be made in India by end of 2026. It’s a bold move that could flip decades of China-centric manufacturing.

• 🇺🇸 Trump’s Not Happy: The former U.S. president recently said he told Tim Cook to stop expanding in India—a statement that’s likely to add more heat to the tariff standoff.

• 📦 Domestic Growth FTW: Apple assembled ₹1.83 lakh crore worth of iPhones in India last year—up nearly 60% YoY. Tata and Pegatron are also ramping up their roles in Apple’s India supply chain.

• 🔮 What Does This Mean for India?: Jobs, tech ecosystem boosts, and a potential spike in exports. India is becoming not just a smartphone market—but a smartphone factory.

🚀 Startup Scoop

• 📈 Shiprocket Locks in IPO Plans: The logistics unicorn will confidentially file a ₹2,000–₹2,500 Cr IPO, with Axis, Kotak, and JM as lead bankers. Funds will go toward warehousing, tech upgrades, and going global.

• 👩‍💼 Vivriti Scores $20M from Austria’s OeEB: The social impact ABS fund is now sitting on $165M in commitments, with 75% of beneficiaries being women. It's already reached 100K MSMEs through 25 NBFCs—now it wants to deploy $1B over the next decade.

• 🍽️ Swiggy Launches Corporate Rewards Program: A new email-based loyalty drive will offer employees discounts, Swiggy One subscriptions, and ₹1,000 cashback deals. This follows its campus program push, as Swiggy tries to rev up food delivery revenue in a tightening market.

• 🚀 Growth91’s ‘Future Unicorn’ Initiative Takes Off: This new platform will spotlight India’s rising startup stars, offering investor access, brand mentorship, and access to a ₹100 Cr angel fund (SEBI approval pending).

• 💄 Colorbar Glams Up for IPO Runway: Indian beauty label Colorbar is doubling its glam and revenue this fiscal, with a target to cross ₹1,000 Cr. Its founder Samir Modi confirmed a public listing is on the cards by 2027, with plans to expand into skincare, fragrance, and global markets. They’re brushing off competition with fresh packaging, new stores, and a face-forward attitude.

🧠 Chai Break Trivia

Did you know?
🐼 Pandas spend up to 14 hours a day just eating bamboo.

Despite being bears, their diet is 99% plants—but they still have a carnivore’s digestive system. Evolution clearly said, "Let’s roll with it."

🔮 What’s Brewing Next?

• 📉 Markets watching: How long can the S&P rally last post-downgrade?

• 🧾 IPO season heats up: Eyes on Groww, OfBusiness, and PhysicsWallah.

• ⚖️ Legal drama: Fortnite v. Apple reignites with a judge threatening contempt.

If today’s edition was a thali, we hope you’re leaving full—of knowledge, not dal. The global economy might be walking a fiscal tightrope, but here at Masala Chai, we keep things grounded, spicy, and deeply brewed.

See you tomorrow for another pour of power headlines and startup sass. Until then, sip smart. ☕