Indian consumers are spoilt for choice; How the aviation sector is losing money

Delhi’s air quality has reached its worst stage this winter season.

The Commission for Air Quality Management invoked the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP-4), the highest level, as air quality reached “severe” on Sunday after official index readings showed 450 across several monitoring stations. 

This has only made Indian startups and VCs more determined to tackle the crisis head-on. On Sunday, founders from nearly 40 startups and investors gathered at Central Park in New Delhi to chart a coordinated response to Delhi’s air quality crisis.

The meeting brought together companies working across mobility, agriculture, air purification, and climate technology—sectors that mirror the biggest contributors to Delhi’s pollution burden. Here’s all that happened.

In other news, used car marketplace Spinny is raising around $160 million as it moves to acquire car services startup GoMechanic, TechCrunch reported.

The Series G round, which includes a mix of primary and secondary transactions, would value the 10-year-old startup at about $1.8 billion post-money, broadly in line with its previous valuation.

Last week, American actor and comedian Dick Van Dyke turned 100 years old! 

In his recent book, “100 Rules for Living to 100: An Optimist’s Guide to a Happy Life,” published last month, Van Dyke—best known for his role in Mary Poppins—explores his secrets for longevity.

A centennarian’s way of living! 

In today’s newsletter, we will talk about 

• Indian consumers are spoilt for choice
• How the aviation sector is losing money

Here’s your trivia for today: What were barcodes first used for?

Retail

Indian consumers are spoilt for choice

Global fashion, beauty, and FMCG brands doubled down on India in 2024, betting on aspirational consumers trading up for choice and identity. From Shein and Bershka to Fenty and Biscoff, India emerged as a multi-category growth engine.

According to Redseer, India and Southeast Asia are expected to be the primary engines of global luxury growth over the next decade. YourStory looks at the global brands that chose to place their India bets this year, and the sectors they are targeting.

Key takeaways:

• Fenty Beauty, which hosts a viral lip gloss, among other products, will be made available in over 50 stores across 16 cities as Isha Ambani-led Reliance Retail looks to ride in on the premiumisation wave.
• Earlier this year, Reliance Retail delivered on its 2023 partnership to bring Shein back to India, marking the entry of the global fast fashion giant after nearly five years.
• British brand NEXT also marked its entry in India with its first store in Pune, through an association with Myntra Jabong India and its franchise partners. Myntra will also be the debut platform for American brands Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister in 2026 through a multi-year franchise partnership.

Insight

How the aviation sector is losing money

India’s aviation industry is finally delivering on the metrics it once promised investors. Domestic passenger traffic has reached historic highs, airports are operating beyond designed capacity, and airlines are inducting aircraft at a pace unmatched by most global peers. Yet, the sector continues bleeding money.

India’s airlines flew 165.5 million passengers in the financial year ending March 2025, a 22% surge from two years prior, and lost Rs 52,897 crore while doing it. This disconnect between soaring demand and deepening financial stress has become the defining paradox of Indian aviation. Growth is no longer the problem; profitability is.

Key takeaways:

• Only one airline has cracked the code. IndiGo, which controls over 60% of domestic capacity, swung from a loss of Rs 3,167 crore in FY23 to a profit exceeding Rs 7,250 crore in FY25.
• In the first half of FY26, the deceleration became unmistakable. Between July and September 2025, domestic passenger numbers actually declined year over year, marking the first sustained soft patch since COVID-era disruptions.
• In its response to Parliament, the Ministry of Civil Aviation made clear that the sector is deregulated and that airlines are expected to manage their own financial viability. There is no rescue plan, no coordinated debt relief, and no new support framework on the table.

News & updates

• Scrutiny: The US is planning to impose social media inspections on some tourists—including those from Britain, Australia, France, and Japan—as President Donald Trump continues to ramp up travel restrictions for foreign visitors. The proposal, now under public consultation, is not final and may see some revisions.
• Q-comm: Orkla India, the owner of the MTR and Eastern spice brands, is eyeing acquisitions to expand its portfolio, and banking on quick-delivery platforms and demand for ready-to-eat meals to drive double-digit revenue growth, CEO and MD Sanjay Sharma said.

What you should watch out for

• Wakefit Solutions will mark its Indian stock market debut on December 15. The allotment of the Wakefit Solutions IPO was finalised on December 11.
• The European Central Bank’s final monetary policy meeting for 2025 is scheduled for December 18. ECB President Christine Lagarde said the central bank was likely to lift its growth forecasts again in December, after raising its prediction for annual GDP growth to 1.2% back in September.

What were barcodes first used for?

Answer: Barcodes were first used to track railroad cars in the 1960s.  

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