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New Delhi, Mar 19th:  India’s urban economy has undergone a significant transformation over the past decade, driving the growth of office markets in major metropolitan cities. However, the soaring demand for both commercial and residential assets has intensified pressure on urban capacity in these cities. As a result, Tier–2 cities are rapidly emerging as the next frontier for scalable growth, offering businesses the opportunity to expand operations while maintaining efficiency and sustainability.

Flex Spaces Expand to Emerging High-Growth Urban Corridors

Capitalising on the growing allure of Tier–2 cities, flex operators are consistently expanding. As per Vestian’s latest report, Tier 2 cities accounted for over 575 centres and 8.8 Mn sq ft of flex stock, representing nearly 29% of the nation’s total flex centers and over 9% of pan–India flex stock.

Flex Spaces in Non-metro Cities Provide Cost Arbitrage, Attracting GCCs 

Beyond offering agile and scalable workspace solutions, flex spaces in Tier–2 cities deliver cost arbitrage of up to 50% compared to the metropolitan cities. Driven primarily by the IT-ITeS sector, followed by Consulting Services, BFSI, and Engineering & Manufacturing sectors, more than 200 companies have already established over 300 GCC bases across major Tier–2 cities.

Furthermore, the report also stated that nearly 9% of flex centres in Tier–2 cities cater to GCC-led operations, while 16% of GCC bases in these markets operate from flexible workspaces, indicating that even though GCCs are not the major demand driver for flex spaces, flex spaces have emerged as a preferred workspace option for several GCC companies. 

Demand for Enterprise-Grade, Sustainable Office Spaces to Increase in Tier–2 Cities 

Unlike metro cities, only 60% of flex centres in Tier–2 cities are located in dedicated office buildings, with just 26% situated in Grade-A assets. Over 53% of flex centres occupied by GCCs in these cities are situated within Grade-A buildings, and 19% operate from green-certified spaces. This reflects higher-quality and ESG-aligned real estate assets is now the primary catalyst for Tier–2 office market growth.

Shrinivas Rao, FRICS, CEO, Vestian, said: “The rise of Tier–2 cities is a defining shift in India‘s expansion strategy. As infrastructure improves and flex ecosystems mature, the decentralization of GCCs will become a cornerstone of the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.”

 

Mumbai, Mar 19th: Central Depository Services (India) Limited (“CDSL”), Asia’s first listed depository, in collaboration with KPMG in India, has released the third edition of its Reimagine Thought Leadership report titled “Reimagine: Securities Market through Data Synergy”, following its third annual Reimagine Symposium held earlier this year. The report proposes a Creation–Control–Culture (3C) framework to guide data–led transformation across India’s securities market ecosystem.

The report highlights that “data risk is market risk,” and outlines how a structured data governance approach can strengthen resilience, transparency, and innovation across India’s securities market ecosystem. It proposes a 3C framework that enables market institutions to build shared data infrastructure, embed robust governance and cyber safeguards, and foster responsible data practices across the ecosystem. The report also presents the concept of a central regulatory operating model within market institutions, helping align regulatory expectations, improve interoperability across market participants, and enable more effective risk management and investor protection in an increasingly data-driven market. 

Shri. Nehal Vora, MD & CEO, CDSL, said: “Data synergy is the force that brings Creation, Control and Culture together – enabling innovation while strengthening trust. When data becomes intelligent and interoperable, it powers a market that is resilient by design and trust-enabled at its core. Such an ecosystem goes beyond facilitating transactions; it empowers the Atmanirbhar investor and supports India’s journey towards a truly Viksit Bharat.”

India’s securities market is witnessing rapid expansion in investor participation. While household participation is currently estimated at around 20%, leaving significant headroom for future growth compared with more mature markets such as the United States, the expanding investor base presents a strong opportunity to deepen financial inclusion and strengthen investor awareness across the country.

Further, the report highlights four key opportunity areas where data can transform the ecosystem: stronger price discovery and curated products, personalised investor experience at scale, improved risk intelligence and fraud prevention, and more agile supervision through Regulatory Technology (RegTech) and Supervisory Technology (SupTech).

Commenting on the report, Shri. Akhilesh Tuteja, Partner and National Leader, Clients & Markets, KPMG in India, said: “Human intelligence has driven modern economies; the next phase of growth will depend on how well we harness intelligent data. As this report suggests, data risk is market risk. Treating data as core market infrastructure is critical for India to sustain market leadership and investor confidence”

The proposed 3C framework outlines a structured path for building a trusted data ecosystem:

• Creation celebrates India’s capacity to build shared utilities including market data dictionaries, machine-readable disclosures, secure API pipelines, and privacy-preserving simulation environments that unlock research and product innovation across the ecosystem.
• Control strengthens the system with smart guardrails including privacy-by-design, standardized lineage, cyber resilience programs (including post-quantum readiness), and responsible AI governance (including the vision of an industry-wide AI model registry). These controls accelerate progress by making it sustainable and trusted.
• Culture makes the transformation durable by tying incentives to data quality, explainability, responsiveness, and investor outcomes; and by scaling multilingual investor education that converts awareness into confident participation.

The report also draws on insights from the Reimagine: Securities Market through Data Synergy symposium, which was attended by Shri Tuhin Kanta Pandey, Chairman, SEBI, as Chief Guest, and Shri Sandip Pradhan, Whole-Time Member, SEBI, and Shri Keki Mistry, Former Vice Chairman & CEO, HDFC, as Guests of Honour. The symposium brought together leaders from across the securities market, financial services, and technology ecosystem, with panel discussions exploring themes such as “Data’s Superpower – Driving Innovation at Scale,” “Data is Capital – Trust is the Currency,” and “Data as DNA – A Cultural Shift.”

As data becomes the backbone of financial markets, the report underscores the need for coordinated action across regulators, market infrastructure institutions, intermediaries and investors to build a resilient and trusted data ecosystem that can support India’s vision of a Viksit Bharat.

Mumbai, Mar 19th: India’s leading gaming talent management agency, 8Bit Creatives, has announced its strategic expansion into the lifestyle creator economy with the onboarding of popular content creator Nishu Tiwari. This move marks a significant milestone for the agency as it evolves from a category leader in gaming to building a more holistic creator ecosystem, in line with the rapid growth of lifestyle content in India.

Over the years, 8Bit Creatives has built a formidable roster of India’s top gaming creators, including Naman Mathur (Mortal), Payal Dhare (Payal Gaming), Raj Varma (Snax), Parv Singh (Regaltos), Krutika Ojha (Krutika Plays), and Gulrez Khan (Joker Ki Haveli), among others. With a proven track record of executing campaigns for over 100 brands across more than 20 industries, including apparel, FMCG, personal care, HORECA, and entertainment, the agency has consistently set new benchmarks in influencer marketing by crafting customized, high-impact campaign experiences.

With Nishu’s addition, 8Bit Creatives takes a significant step toward diversifying into mainstream lifestyle content, further strengthening its ability to deliver integrated, cross-category campaigns powered by some of the country’s most influential digital creators.

Speaking about the expansion, Animesh Agarwal, Founder & CEO, 8Bit Creatives said, “Gaming has been the foundation of what we’ve built at 8Bit Creatives, and over time we’ve seen how deeply it connects with broader youth culture, including lifestyle, fashion, food and travel. Today’s audiences do not consume content in silos. They follow creators for their personality and storytelling across formats, and that shift is also influencing how brands approach collaborations. Our expansion into lifestyle is a strategic step in that direction, and Nishu coming on board strongly reflects this vision. As we continue to grow and expand across industries, our focus remains on creating long-term value for both creators and brands by enabling meaningful collaborations rooted in culture, community and creativity.”

Known for her engaging and relatable content, Nishu brings with her a strong and loyal digital community of over 4.37 million subscribers on YouTube and 1.6 million followers on Instagram. She creates high-engagement, concept-driven lifestyle content spanning challenges, food explorations, travel, and social experiments, combining relatable storytelling with mass appeal for a young, digitally native audience.

The Delhi-based creator has collaborated with leading brands such as Nykaa Fashion, Duolingo, realme, Himalaya Facecare, Red Label Tea, and Samsung, making her a strong addition to the agency’s growing portfolio. Her versatility across formats and categories allows brands to tap into a wide spectrum of audiences, complementing 8Bit Creatives’ deep-rooted expertise in gaming and youth culture.

“I’m really excited to join 8Bit Creatives. What stood out to me is their approach to working closely with creators while building impactful brand collaborations. I’m looking forward to exploring new formats, working with a wider set of brands, and creating content that continues to connect with my audience in a meaningful way,” commented Nishu Tiwari.

The expansion comes at a time when India’s influencer ecosystem is witnessing exponential growth. According to a report by Qoruz, the country is now home to over 4 million influencers, with the lifestyle category emerging as the largest and fastest-growing segment, growing from 1.28 lakh influencers in 2023 to 2.95 lakh in 2024. At the same time, gaming continues its strong upward trajectory, scaling from just over 1 lakh influencers in 2020 to 4.67 lakh by the end of 2024, reinforcing the convergence of gaming and mainstream digital content.

By expanding into lifestyle, 8Bit Creatives is strategically positioned to bridge these two high-growth ecosystems, enabling brands to unlock deeper and more diverse audience engagement.

New Delhi, March 19: The government has approved a ₹472 crore project for construction of a Road Over Bridge (ROB) and associated infrastructure at Tuna-Tekra to strengthen port connectivity and improve cargo evacuation, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said.

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal approved the project, which includes viaduct structures, a bridge over a creek, and provisions for maintenance over a 10-year period.

The ROB is expected to serve as a key connectivity link for the upcoming mega container terminal and multipurpose cargo berth at Tuna-Tekra. The container terminal is planned with a capacity of 2.19 million TEUs, while the cargo berth will handle up to 18.33 million metric tonnes per annum.

Officials said the project will help reduce logistics turnaround time, ease congestion, and improve overall supply chain efficiency in the region.

The execution of the ROB will be aligned with the commissioning of the Tuna-Tekra container terminal, which is currently about 45% complete. This is aimed at ensuring that supporting infrastructure is ready alongside port operations.

The project is expected to ease rail-road congestion and facilitate smoother movement of heavy cargo traffic to and from the port, strengthening last-mile connectivity.

The development is part of the government’s broader maritime strategy under Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, aimed at enhancing port-led development and positioning India as a global maritime hub.

New Delhi, March 19: The Centre has released over ₹24,600 lakh under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM) to Andhra Pradesh between 2014–15 and 2025–26 to support indigenous cattle development, the Lok Sabha was informed.

In a written reply, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh said the funds have been largely utilised by the state over the years, with utilisation matching releases in most financial years.

According to official data, major allocations were made in recent years, including ₹5,652.38 lakh in 2021–22, ₹3,538.38 lakh in 2023–24, and ₹3,184.16 lakh in 2024–25. An amount of ₹1,500 lakh has been released in 2025–26 so far, with utilisation yet to be reported.

 

Gokul Grams Established

The minister said 16 Gokul Grams were established in the state under the scheme. However, the component has been discontinued under the revised and realigned Rashtriya Gokul Mission for the period 2021–22 to 2025–26.

Rise in Indigenous Cattle Population

The government said the scheme has contributed to a significant increase in indigenous bovine breeds. At the national level, the population of indigenous cattle rose by nearly 30% between 2013 and 2022.

In Andhra Pradesh, the increase was higher at 62.11% during the same period, reflecting the impact of both central and state-level interventions.

Focus on Breed Improvement

The Rashtriya Gokul Mission aims to conserve and develop indigenous bovine breeds, improve milk productivity, and enhance farmers’ income through scientific breeding and better livestock management practices.

The government said coordinated efforts under the mission have supported breed improvement and strengthened the livestock sector in the state.

A decade after its launch, the Digital India programme is no longer just a government initiative. It has evolved into the backbone of India’s economic and service delivery architecture, quietly reshaping everything from banking and payments to welfare distribution and digital commerce.

The scale of transformation is striking. Broadband subscribers have grown from 25 crore in 2014–15 to over 103 crore in 2024–25, a fourfold increase that signals not just connectivity expansion, but the creation of a massive digital consumer base.

 

This growth has been supported by a rapid expansion of telecom infrastructure. Mobile base stations have nearly quadrupled, while optical fibre networks have expanded exponentially, laying the groundwork for high-speed data access across urban and rural India alike.

The Data Revolution: Cheap, Ubiquitous, Transformative

Perhaps the most consequential shift has been in data consumption. Average monthly usage per user has surged from just 61 MB to over 25 GB. At the same time, the cost of data has dropped by nearly 97 percent.

This combination of affordability and availability has unlocked new markets. From short video platforms and e-commerce to edtech and telemedicine, entire digital industries have scaled on the back of cheap data.

For businesses, this means access to one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing internet user bases, with consumption patterns increasingly mirroring mature digital economies.

Digital Public Infrastructure as a Growth Engine

At the heart of this transformation lies India’s digital public infrastructure stack, often referred to as DPI. Aadhaar, UPI, and the broader JAM trinity have created a foundational layer on which both government services and private innovation now operate.

With over 143 crore Aadhaar identities issued, India has achieved near-universal digital identity coverage. This has enabled seamless onboarding for financial services, telecom, and government schemes.

UPI, in particular, has emerged as a global benchmark. With over 46 crore users and participation from 685 banks, it now powers the majority of India’s digital payments and accounts for a significant share of global real-time transactions.

For businesses, UPI has dramatically reduced transaction friction, enabling everything from street vendors to large enterprises to operate in a cash-light ecosystem.

Direct Transfers and Fiscal Efficiency

The JAM trinity has also transformed welfare delivery. Direct benefit transfers worth nearly ₹50 lakh crore have been routed directly to beneficiaries, reducing leakages and improving targeting.

This shift has implications beyond governance. It increases disposable income certainty at the household level, which in turn supports consumption, especially in rural markets.

Platforms That Scale with the Economy

Government-backed platforms such as DigiLocker and UMANG are quietly becoming part of everyday digital infrastructure.

DigiLocker, with 67 crore users and nearly 1,000 crore documents issued, is reducing paperwork and enabling faster verification processes across sectors like banking, education, and transport.

UMANG, offering more than 2,400 services, reflects a broader trend toward platformisation of public services, where citizens interact with the state through a single digital interface.

For private players, these platforms create opportunities for integration, partnerships, and service delivery innovations.

Bridging the Last Mile

One of the more understated achievements of Digital India has been its focus on inclusion. Village-level connectivity has reached near-universal levels, while digital literacy programmes like PMGDISHA have trained over 6.39 crore individuals.

This expansion is critical for unlocking demand in rural India, which remains the next frontier for digital growth.

What It Means for Business

Digital India has effectively created a large, connected, and increasingly data-savvy market. For companies, this translates into:

• Lower customer acquisition and onboarding costs

• Faster digital payments and reduced transaction friction

• Access to verified digital identities

• Expansion into rural and semi-urban markets

Sectors such as fintech, e-commerce, logistics, health tech, and edtech are already leveraging this ecosystem.

The Road Ahead

The next phase of Digital India will likely focus on deepening usage rather than just expanding access. This includes improving service quality, enhancing cybersecurity, and integrating emerging technologies like AI into public platforms.

As India moves toward a $5 trillion economy, its digital backbone will play a central role in driving productivity, formalisation, and innovation.

Bottom Line

Digital India has moved beyond infrastructure to become an economic multiplier. By combining connectivity, affordability, and scalable platforms, it has created a digital ecosystem that is not only inclusive but also commercially transformative.

For businesses, the message is clear: India’s growth story is increasingly a digital story.