The government is planning to implement all the four labour codes on a single date later next year, a senior labour and employment ministry official said. “The thinking within the government is that a single date for the implementation of all the four labour codes will be fruitful because it will ensure uniformity and will lead to an efficient execution,” the official said. After being re-elected in 2019, the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government has expedited its plans of reforming the labour laws.

Publication: Business Standard

Date: December 20, 2019

Venture Garage managing partner Vineet Sagar believes that the Indian government has the right ideas with the Startup India initiative, but it needs to adapt to the changing needs of the market. And when it comes to startups, a major need is a large base from which to source funds. Indian Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (IVCA), the industry body for Indian-domestic and foreign PE and VC investors has recommended that the domestic pension funds be allowed to contribute 1% of their assets to alternative investment funds (AIFs).

Publication: Inc 42

Date: December 19, 2019

It seems that one of the hardest things to do is among the easiest to say — deliver a package on time. This comes to mind in considering FedEx’s latest earnings report. FedEx — which got started delivering packages to businesses — has yet to master on-time delivery of holiday packages from warehouses to homes. That is why Amazon built its own network for delivering packages. FedEx’s loss of Amazon’s business and its struggle to adapt to that loss are the major reasons why FedEx reported disappointing earnings.

Publication: Forbes

Date: December 18, 2019

Indian online shoppers tend to contract their spends, holding back purchases just before the festival season from August to October, according to data sourced from market research firm Nielsen Holdings Plc. More than 84% of e-commerce purchases during the season was registered between 27 September and 25 October compared with just 16% during days without any sale or discounts, the data showed. During discount days, high-value purchases such as electronics, large appliances, and home decor saw a 3-4 times jump, indicating that Indian e-shoppers prefer higher discounts over loyalty-based purchases.

Publication: Mint

Date: December 19, 2019

Now that the smart home is no longer just a hobby for Ikea, it’s addressing two of Home Smart’s biggest shortcomings: it lacks some of the basic features required to make homes truly smart, and the platform can be buggy and confusing to set up. The first issue will be addressed with the introduction of scenes and new Shortcut Buttons, and the second by a complete overhaul of the onboarding procedure, which is the way Ikea blinds, lights, and accessories are added to the Home Smart network.

Publication: The Verge

Date: December 18, 2019

Startups have asked the government to provide clarity on key tax issues, including ‘significant economic presence’, equalisation levy and tax on employee stock ownership plans (esops).The companies raised these issues during a recent meeting with finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman and senior tax officials, according to a member who took part in the meeting. Startups that deal with global technology companies registered outside India claim they pay more taxes on their revenues.

Publication: The Economic Times

Date: December 18, 2019

Corporate India has pitched for “uniformity” in the corporate tax rate, stating that a rate of 22 per cent for existing firms and 15 per cent for new manufacturing firms creates “inequality”. All corporate tax rates in the country should be converged to 15 per cent — with no exemptions and incentives — over three years from April 1, 2023, Confederation of Indian Industry President Vikram Kirloskar suggested to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at the pre-Budget meeting convened with prominent industrialists here.

Publication: The Hindu Business Line

Date: December 20, 2019

There were highs, and there were lows. The year 2019 was a mixed bag for India’s ecommerce industry, beginning with new government regulations that aimed to streamline the sector. It also had to weather a slowdown, but the direction remained strong as ecommerce made inroads into the hinterlands of the country. The new FDI rules introduced by the government for online marketplaces were almost a reversal of the earlier policy where they were not allowed to enter exclusive deals for selling of products.

Publication: Yourstory

Date: December 19, 2019

Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade Secretary Guruprasad Mohapatra on Thursday expressed optimism that India will soon break into the top 50 in the World Bank’s ease of doing business ranking. India jumped 14 places to the 63rd position in the World Bank’s ease of doing business ranking released in October. India was ranked 142nd among 190 nations when Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office in 2014. Mohapatra was speaking at an event organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry.

Publication: Bloomberg Quint

Date: December 19, 2019