Paints, a low-involvement category till recently, is suddenly a top draw for many large corporate houses, and has evolved well beyond wall paints to branded home solutions. As category leader Asian Paints and JSW battled it out, what’s making the sector so hot? Host Ratna Bhushan talks to A S Sundaresan, Joint MD & CEO at JSW Paints, and Manoj Menon, Head of Research & Consumer Analyst (Staples & Discretionary) at ICICI Securities.
Credits: Asian Paints, Nerolac, JSW Paints



Follow your host Ratna Bhushan on her social media:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ratnabhushanET
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ratna-bhushan-aa83aa21/





Catch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on ET Play, The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Google Podcasts.

Paints, a low-involvement category till recently, is suddenly a top draw for many large corporate houses, and has evolved well beyond wall paints to branded home solutions. As category leader Asian Paints and JSW battled it out, what’s making the sector so hot? Host Ratna Bhushan talks to A S Sundaresan, Joint MD &amp; CEO at JSW Paints, and Manoj Menon, Head of Research &amp; Consumer Analyst (Staples &amp; Discretionary) at ICICI Securities. Credits: Asian Paints, Nerolac, JSW Paints
 
Follow your host Ratna Bhushan on her social media: Twitter:<a href="https://twitter.com/ratnabhushanET"> https://twitter.com/ratnabhushanET</a> Linkedin:<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ratna-bhushan-aa83aa21/"> https://www.linkedin.com/in/ratna-bhushan-aa83aa21/</a>
 
 
Catch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on<a href="https://www.etplay.com/etplay"> ET Play</a>,<a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/podcast?from=mdr"> The Economic Times Online</a>,<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6PL5kfPbwURBEu6fHCVTOL?si=26ec0fbfa7134fea"> Spotify</a>,<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-morning-brief/id1568661777"> Apple Podcasts</a>,<a href="https://www.jiosaavn.com/shows/the-morning-brief/1/GNPiFQD2xpY_"> JioSaavn</a>,<a href="https://music.amazon.in/podcasts/f378141f-9afb-495d-83da-9b08ec5047ac/the-morning-brief"> Amazon Music</a> and<a href="https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cub21ueWNvbnRlbnQuY29tL2QvcGxheWxpc3QvNjBiMmU5MjYtZTVmOC00YjkwLWE0NjUtYWVmOTAxMTYzMDAxLzk1ZmQ3YzU5LTc5MGQtNDk2ZS1iYmRlLWFlZjkwMTE2N2ZlNC84YWU1NDc2My05OTI1LTQwY2EtOGMzZC1hZWY5MDExNjdmZmIvcG9kY2FzdC5yc3M?sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi2gOG4la36AhUvjtgFHcdWDU8Q9sEGegQIARAC"> Google Podcasts</a>.

To make sense of the week’s hottest stories in business, economy, politics and markets, journalists from the Economic Times chat with reporters and industry leaders in this thrice-weekly (Tuesday, Thursday, Friday) podcast.

The Morning Brief

Paint Wars: A New Coat of Competition

AI epicenter what is real and what is hype now

Is investing harder how does he find real clue

One metric that proves a firm is real not hype

How do you price AI risk as big labs crush now

Are you avoiding inflated AI bets to stay sane

Surge of Indian founders building AI startups?

Is the startup scene getting younger 

Which AI startups are led by researchers today

Do big funds crowd out small AI seed bets now?

Best and worst of AI boom from SF investor now

Conclusion

Credits

Silicon Valley is experiencing its biggest platform shift in decades, but beneath the frenzy lies a brutal correction in progress. An early-stage AI investor reveals the uncomfortable truths emerging from the epicenter of the boom. Host Swathi Moorthy talks to Apoorva Pandhi, Managing Director of Zetta Venture Partners about why the honeymoon is over. What began as wild experimentation now faces merciless ROI demands. Startups are securing nine-figure valuations with little more than demos. The mortality rate between seed and Series A has never been higher. Each breakthrough from major AI labs creates an instant graveyard of obsolete startups entire business models evaporate overnight. This isn't typical market turbulence. Researchers, not traditional founders, now command the power. Mega-funds are abandoning late-stage discipline to chase seed deals with oversized checks. The math has broken. And at the heart of it all: a dangerous gap between what AI companies are worth and what they can actually deliver. The reckoning won't be gradual, it's already underway, and most won't see it coming.

You can follow Swathi Moorthy on her social media: X and Linkedin

Check out other interesting episodes of ET in the Valley: ET in the Valley:  Grant Lee, Co-Founder & CEO of Gamma, ET in the Valley: Databricks Co-founder Patrick Wendell, ET in the Valley: Replit Founder and CEO Amjad Masad, ET in the Valley: ElevenLabs Co-Founder Mati Staniszewski and much more.

Catch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Youtube.

Silicon Valley is experiencing its biggest platform shift in decades, but beneath the frenzy lies a brutal correction in progress. An early-stage AI investor reveals the uncomfortable truths emerging from the epicenter of the boom. Host Swathi Moorthy talks to Apoorva Pandhi, Managing Director of Zetta Venture Partners about why the honeymoon is over. What began as wild experimentation now faces merciless ROI demands. Startups are securing nine-figure valuations with little more than demos. The mortality rate between seed and Series A has never been higher. Each breakthrough from major AI labs creates an instant graveyard of obsolete startups entire business models evaporate overnight. This isn't typical market turbulence. Researchers, not traditional founders, now command the power. Mega-funds are abandoning late-stage discipline to chase seed deals with oversized checks. The math has broken. And at the heart of it all: a dangerous gap between what AI companies are worth and what they can actually deliver. The reckoning won't be gradual, it's already underway, and most won't see it coming. You can follow Swathi Moorthy on her social media: <a href="https://x.com/kpswathi?utm_source=chatgpt.com">X</a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/swathi-moorthy-1a628115/?utm_source=chatgpt%2Ecom&amp;originalSubdomain=in">Linkedin</a>
Check out other interesting episodes of ET in the Valley:<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-morning-brief/id1568661777?i=1000738448473"> ET in the Valley:&nbsp; Grant Lee, Co-Founder &amp; CEO of Gamma</a>,<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-morning-brief/id1568661777?i=1000737335976"> ET in the Valley: Databricks Co-founder Patrick Wendell</a>,<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-morning-brief/id1568661777?i=1000736346116"> ET in the Valley: Replit Founder and CEO Amjad Masad</a>,<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-morning-brief/id1568661777?i=1000735309153"> ET in the Valley: ElevenLabs Co-Founder Mati Staniszewski</a> and<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-morning-brief/id1568661777"> much more</a>.
Catch the latest episode of &lsquo;The Morning Brief&rsquo; on <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/podcast?from=mdr">The Economic Times Online</a>,<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6PL5kfPbwURBEu6fHCVTOL?si=26ec0fbfa7134fea"> Spotify</a>, <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-morning-brief/id1568661777">Apple Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://www.jiosaavn.com/shows/the-morning-brief/1/GNPiFQD2xpY_">JioSaavn</a>, <a href="https://music.amazon.in/podcasts/f378141f-9afb-495d-83da-9b08ec5047ac/the-morning-brief">Amazon Music</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@theetpodcasts">Youtube</a>.

ET in the Valley: Apoorva Pandhi, MD at Zetta Venture Partners

Devyani–Sapphire to form India’s biggest QSR

How Devyani-Sapphire deal was valued and done

Cost synergies and trends in Devyani-Sapphire

 Why is this important? 

Will Pizza Hut catch up with KFC after merger

How Devyani highways complement Sapphire malls

Will QSR mergers reshape India’s food market?

Will Devyani-Sapphire become a price maker?

Biggest operational risk after the QSR merger

Will overlapping KFC stores be shut or merged?

Does mega QSR branding still work with Gen Z?

Do mid sized QSR chains survive this wave?

India's quick service restaurant sector witnessed a seismic shift as Devyani International and Sapphire Foods merged to create the country's largest listed QSR platform with over 3,000 stores and consolidated revenue exceeding ₹7,800 crore. The deal brings KFC and Pizza Hut operations under one franchisee, promising annual synergies of ₹210-225 crore and positioning the entity as a formidable challenger to Jubilant FoodWorks' Domino's empire. But size alone won't guarantee success. As India's food services market fragments with regional players and artisanal chains disrupting legacy brands, the combined entity faces a critical question: can it deliver the agility needed to compete in an increasingly brand-agnostic landscape where Gen Z consumers show little loyalty? Host Anirban Chowdhury talks to ET’s Ratna Bhushan and Ankur Bisen, Management Consultant, Author And Senior Partner At The Knowledge Company about how the merger unlocks significant cost advantages and operational efficiencies, yet becoming bigger also makes you vulnerable at the edges. The next two years will reveal whether this consolidation creates a QSR powerhouse or simply a larger target for market disruption.


You can follow Anirban Chowdhury on his social media: Twitter and Linkedin

Check out other interesting episodes like: When Grinch Almost Stole Gig Workers' Christmas, How Will a Volatile ₹ Impact You in 2026?, How Quick Commerce is Triggering a Health Crisis for Gen Z, India’s Labour Law Reboot, Viral to Valuation: Building Women’s Cricket as a Brand and much more.

Catch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Youtube.

India's quick service restaurant sector witnessed a seismic shift as Devyani International and Sapphire Foods merged to create the country's largest listed QSR platform with over 3,000 stores and consolidated revenue exceeding ₹7,800 crore. The deal brings KFC and Pizza Hut operations under one franchisee, promising annual synergies of ₹210-225 crore and positioning the entity as a formidable challenger to Jubilant FoodWorks' Domino's empire. But size alone won't guarantee success. As India's food services market fragments with regional players and artisanal chains disrupting legacy brands, the combined entity faces a critical question: can it deliver the agility needed to compete in an increasingly brand-agnostic landscape where Gen Z consumers show little loyalty? Host Anirban Chowdhury talks to ET&rsquo;s Ratna Bhushan and Ankur Bisen, Management Consultant, Author And Senior Partner At The Knowledge Company about how the merger unlocks significant cost advantages and operational efficiencies, yet becoming bigger also makes you vulnerable at the edges. The next two years will reveal whether this consolidation creates a QSR powerhouse or simply a larger target for market disruption.
 You can follow Anirban Chowdhury on his social media:<a href="https://twitter.com/AnirbanET"> Twitter</a> and<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/anirban-chowdhury-b5067219/"> Linkedin </a>Check out other interesting episodes like: <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-morning-brief/id1568661777?i=1000744214065">When Grinch Almost Stole Gig Workers' Christmas</a>, <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-morning-brief/id1568661777?i=1000742733036">How Will a Volatile ₹ Impact You in 2026?</a>,<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-morning-brief/id1568661777?i=1000740924439"> How Quick Commerce is Triggering a Health Crisis for Gen Z</a>,<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-morning-brief/id1568661777?i=1000738734300"> India&rsquo;s Labour Law Reboot</a>,<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-morning-brief/id1568661777?i=1000738205536"> Viral to Valuation: Building Women&rsquo;s Cricket as a Brand</a> and<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-morning-brief/id1568661777"> much more</a>.
Catch the latest episode of &lsquo;The Morning Brief&rsquo; on<a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/podcast?from=mdr"> The Economic Times Online</a>,<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6PL5kfPbwURBEu6fHCVTOL?si=26ec0fbfa7134fea"> Spotify</a>,<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-morning-brief/id1568661777"> Apple Podcasts</a>,<a href="https://www.jiosaavn.com/shows/the-morning-brief/1/GNPiFQD2xpY_"> JioSaavn</a>,<a href="https://music.amazon.in/podcasts/f378141f-9afb-495d-83da-9b08ec5047ac/the-morning-brief"> Amazon Music</a> and<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@theetpodcasts"> Youtube</a>.

India's Mega QSR Merger

India's Renewable Energy Ambitions

Challenges and Opportunities in Wind Energy

Suzlon's Market Position and Strategy

Government Policies and Green Hydrogen

Global Supply Chains and Wind Energy

Financial Governance and Growth

AI, Smart Factories, and Future Prospects

Suzlon Energy controls a third of India's wind market, but co-founder and vice chairman Girish Tanti isn't celebrating. In this conversation with host Anirban Chowdhury, he confronts hard questions: Why has India tapped only 4% of its wind potential despite three decades of operations? Can the sector scale from 6 gigawatts annually to the 10+ needed to meet 2030 targets? And will promised AI data centers overwhelm renewable capacity before it's built? Tanti reveals truths about offshore wind economics, the two-year lag between planning and execution that bottlenecks growth, and why financial restructuring forced Suzlon to often choose stability over speed. He also makes an argument: with 75% local manufacturing content, India's wind sector is better positioned against supply shocks than its solar counterpart. From debunking resource myths to dissecting smart factory ROI, this is wind energy without the greenwash.

Listen in.

You can follow Anirban Chowdhury on his social media: Twitter and Linkedin

Listen to Corner Office Conversation: Corner Office Conversation with Knight Frank’s William Beardmore-Gray and Shishir Baijal, Corner Office Conversation with Sridhar Vembu, CEO, of Zoho Corporation, Corner Office Conversation with Gunjan Soni, Country Managing Director, Youtube India, Corner Office Conversation with Elizabeth Reid, Head of Search, Google and much more.



Catch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Youtube.

Suzlon Energy controls a third of India's wind market, but co-founder and vice chairman Girish Tanti isn't celebrating. In this conversation with host Anirban Chowdhury, he confronts hard questions: Why has India tapped only 4% of its wind potential despite three decades of operations? Can the sector scale from 6 gigawatts annually to the 10+ needed to meet 2030 targets? And will promised AI data centers overwhelm renewable capacity before it's built? Tanti reveals truths about offshore wind economics, the two-year lag between planning and execution that bottlenecks growth, and why financial restructuring forced Suzlon to often choose stability over speed. He also makes an argument: with 75% local manufacturing content, India's wind sector is better positioned against supply shocks than its solar counterpart. From debunking resource myths to dissecting smart factory ROI, this is wind energy without the greenwash.
Listen in. You can follow Anirban Chowdhury on his social media:<a href="https://twitter.com/AnirbanET"> Twitter</a> and<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/anirban-chowdhury-b5067219/"> Linkedin </a>Listen to Corner Office Conversation:<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/corner-office-conversation-with-knight-franks-william/id1827451035?i=1000733611681"> Corner Office Conversation with Knight Frank&rsquo;s William Beardmore-Gray and Shishir Baijal</a>,<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/corner-office-conversation-with-sridhar-vembu-ceo-of/id1827451035?i=1000731722117"> Corner Office Conversation with Sridhar Vembu, CEO, of Zoho Corporation</a>,<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/corner-office-conversation/id1827451035?i=1000731513423"> Corner Office Conversation with Gunjan Soni, Country Managing Director, Youtube India</a>,<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/corner-office-conversation/id1827451035?i=1000728953575"> Corner Office Conversation with Elizabeth Reid, Head of Search, Google</a> and<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/corner-office-conversation/id1827451035"> much more</a>. 
Catch the latest episode of &lsquo;The Morning Brief&rsquo; on <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/podcast?from=mdr">The Economic Times Online</a>,<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6PL5kfPbwURBEu6fHCVTOL?si=26ec0fbfa7134fea"> Spotify</a>, <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-morning-brief/id1568661777">Apple Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://www.jiosaavn.com/shows/the-morning-brief/1/GNPiFQD2xpY_">JioSaavn</a>, <a href="https://music.amazon.in/podcasts/f378141f-9afb-495d-83da-9b08ec5047ac/the-morning-brief">Amazon Music</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@theetpodcasts">Youtube</a>.

Corner Office Conversation with Girish Tanti, Co-Founder & Vice Chairman, Suzlon

Paint Wars: A New Coat of Competition

In 1 playlist(s)

The Morning Brief

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips