Policy Punchline

Facebook invested $5.7 billion for a 10% stake in Indian telecom operator Jio Platforms Ltd, the biggest telecom operator in the country with more than 370 million subscribers. The deal not only made Facebook the largest minority shareholder in the Indian telecom network, but also brought India’s emerging tech scene back into the global spotlight. In this episode, WSJ Asia tech reporter Newley Purnell gives us a detailed overview of the prosperous tech scene in India, the struggles that local startups face when competing against American & Chinese tech giants, Indian government’s antitrust actions, and emerging trends the land promises. Newley also comments on the socio-political life in India in general – from India’s democracy to caste structures, from religious identities to linguistic barriers, as well as issues in Indian business practices that may hinder growth and inclusivity. This interview was recorded in February after Tiger’s return from a three-week trip in India. Newley and Tiger originally