Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint.. I’m Nelson John and here are today’s top stories.

Flight Frights: Safety Under the Scanner

It’s been a tense 48 hours in Indian aviation, with three back-to-back incidents raising concerns over safety and monsoon preparedness. On Tuesday, Air India Flight AI 315 from Hong Kong landed safely in Delhi, only for a fire to break out in the aircraft’s auxiliary power unit (APU) just after parking. Luckily, passengers had started disembarking and no injuries were reported. The aircraft has been grounded for checks.

This followed two other incidents on Monday: one Kolkata-bound flight aborted takeoff in Delhi due to a technical snag, and another Air India aircraft skidded off the runway in rain-hit Mumbai while arriving from Kochi. In both cases, passengers were unharmed.

Adding to the list, an IndiGo flight from Goa to Indore made an emergency landing after a mid-air landing gear warning. All 140 passengers are safe, but the spate of issues has raised tough questions about maintenance protocols and weather-readiness.

H1-B Overhaul: Skill May Trump Luck

Donald Trump is moving to restructure the U.S. H1-B visa lottery. On July 17, the Department of Homeland Security filed a proposal to introduce a “weighted and wage-linked selection system.” If approved, higher-paid and more skilled applicants will be prioritized over the current random lottery system.

This could mark a seismic shift for Indian professionals, who make up over 70% of all approved H1-B visas annually. In FY24, 77% of the 320,000 slots went to Indian nationals.

Elon Musk supported the move with a one-word post on X: “Great.” Musk has previously called the system “broken,” and this change could reflect a “merit-first” model, especially appealing to the tech sector.

Still, it’s a divisive move within Trump’s own MAGA base, which often pushes for stricter immigration. The proposal is under regulatory review, with final details yet to be confirmed.

Akasa on Ascent: Fastest-Growing Indian Airline

Akasa Air is flying high. In just two years, the airline has built a fleet of 30 Boeing 737 MAX jets and placed orders for 226 aircraft to be delivered by 2032. The numbers are impressive: revenue grew 49% year-on-year, Available Seat Kilometres (ASK) rose 48%, and EBITDA margins improved by 50% over FY24.

Akasa’s RASK (revenue per seat) now stands at 13%, while CASK (cost per seat) remains below 10%. The airline plans to expand international operations from 16% to 25%, targeting Middle East and Southeast Asia routes.

CFO Ankur Goel says Akasa is on track to grow its fleet by 25–30% annually, and the upcoming Navi Mumbai and Noida airports could offer strong domestic growth levers. From startup to serious contender, Akasa is becoming India’s most ambitious young airline.

Modi–Starmer FTA: A Landmark Trade Handshake

As PM Narendra Modi heads to the UK for his first visit since Keir Starmer took office, the two leaders are set to sign a long-awaited Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

Cleared by India’s Cabinet, the FTA promises to cut tariffs on 90% of British goods, making 85% of them duty-free over 10 years. In return, the UK will remove tariffs on 99% of Indian exports, boosting industries like textiles, gems, auto parts, marine goods, and chemicals.

This is a big win for Indian exporters, especially in apparel and home textiles, which currently face 8–12% UK duties. The deal also aims to unlock India-UK trade, which currently makes up just 2% of India’s global trade—a surprisingly low figure given their historic ties.

Once signed, the FTA will go to the British Parliament for ratification. If passed, this could become Britain’s biggest trade deal post-Brexit.

Your last month's EPF wages can drastically lower your withdrawal eligibility — even if your total balance is high. Ketan Das from FinRight explains a real case where someone needed ₹4L but got only ₹95K. Learn how to avoid this EPF mistake before it’s too late!#epf #pfwithdrawal #money #personalfinance

Watch the whole episode on YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLm64SrISTU&t=10s

Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint.. I’m Nelson John and here are today’s top stories.

VP Dhankhar Resigns, Citing Health

In a surprising political turn, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned from office on Monday, citing medical reasons and the need to prioritize health. The resignation—submitted under Article 67(a)—was effective immediately.

In an emotional letter to President Droupadi Murmu, Dhankhar expressed gratitude for her support and recalled their “wonderful working relationship.” He also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Members of Parliament, and the Council of Ministers, calling his tenure “a privilege” during a transformative phase of India’s rise.

Known for his sharp legal acumen and parliamentary presence, Dhankhar’s exit comes at a politically sensitive time, raising immediate questions over his successor.

Turbulent Monday for Indian Aviation

Monday saw a series of aviation scares across India.

• IndiGo flight 6E 813 from Goa to Indore reported a technical snag just before landing, but landed safely with all 140 passengers.
• At Mumbai airport, an Air India flight from Kochi veered off the runway in heavy rain, bursting three tyres and possibly damaging an engine.
• In Delhi, another Air India flight aborted take-off due to a technical glitch, leaving 160 passengers grounded.

All incidents ended safely, but they’ve reignited concerns around monsoon preparedness, runway resilience, and aircraft reliability amid growing air traffic.

China’s Giant Dam Raises Red Flags

China has begun building the world’s largest hydropower project on the Yarlung Tsangpo river in Tibet—just upstream from India and Bangladesh. The $167 billion Motuo Dam is projected to generate 3x the output of the Three Gorges Dam.

But India’s not celebrating.

Arunachal CM Pema Khandu called it an “existential threat,” warning the dam could act as a “water bomb” if water is suddenly released. India’s foreign ministry has urged Beijing to respect downstream interests. China, not party to any water-sharing treaty, has promised “no negative impact.”

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma offered a cautious view, saying the river’s flow comes from multiple sources and more study is needed. Meanwhile, India is moving ahead with its own buffer dam project on the Siang river.

Jane Street Cleared to Trade Again

After being barred from Indian markets for alleged ₹43,000 crore index manipulation, US-based hedge fund Jane Street is now back on the NSE and BSE—under tight SEBI conditions.

The firm deposited ₹4,843.5 crore into an escrow account, a key requirement from SEBI’s 3 July interim order. Jane Street denies any wrongdoing, claiming its trades were simple arbitrage.

The return doesn’t mean the probe is over. SEBI will continue monitoring Jane Street’s trades under heightened surveillance, with a final verdict expected in the coming months. Meanwhile, BSE shares jumped nearly 3%, and unlisted NSE stock saw a surge in demand.

Afcons Rides Global Rail Boom

Infrastructure major Afcons just clinched a ₹6,800 crore railway project in Croatia, its second big win in a week. The project involves reconstructing a railway line between Dugo Selo and Novska, including electrification and signaling.

This follows two Croatian road project wins worth ₹4,535 crore, a ₹700 crore Reliance contract in Gujarat, and a ₹463 crore rural water project in Rajasthan.

Despite strong order momentum, Afcons’ stock has underperformed since listing in November at ₹426. It now trades around ₹418, down over 10% from IPO and nearly 27% off its high of ₹570. Still, analysts remain bullish, citing the company’s execution record and robust pipeline.

Step beyond the spotlight with Regena Cassandrra as she sits down with Rushank Shah of Hubtown on The Success Code. From breaking stereotypes in her debut Hindi film to portraying real legends in Rocket Boys, Regena opens up about the pressures of fame, embracing challenging roles, and using her platform to champion unheard voices — including India’s para-athletes.Watch the full conversation on YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAyB1B1QF3cAditya Mehta Foundation: https://adityamehtafoundation.org/Democratic Sangha: https://www.democraticsangha.org/Regena Cassandra: / reginacassandra Origin Story: / @originstory-o3o #TheSuccessCode

#ReginaCassandra #RocketBoys #Podcast #Leadership

Step inside the soulful sanctuary of Dr. Jai Madaan—Vastu expert, astrologer, and energy coach. In this special episode of Home Along, we explore her thoughtfully designed home and uncover easy Vastu tips to align your own space for peace, prosperity, and positive energy. In this video, you’ll discover:🔸 A full tour of Jai Madaan’s home🔸 Simple Vastu tips you can apply without renovation🔸 How to balance the 5 elements in your living space🔸 Common Vastu myths busted🔸 Small space hacks for home offices & meditation cornersand much more. Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe for more home tours & mindful living stories!#JaiMadaan #HomeTour #VastuTips #HomeAlong #HouseTourIndia #InteriorDesign #EnergyHealing #VastuForHome #MindfulLiving #vastutips #vastu ‪@JaiMadaanLadyofFortune‬

Watch the whole episode on YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2J49w3YZI-M

Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint.. I’m Nelson John and here are today’s top stories.

Earnings Tsunami Incoming

The Q1 FY26 earnings season has officially begun, with Reliance Industries and HDFC Bank leading the charge. Over 95 major companies are set to report their numbers this week, covering sectors like tech, pharma, infra, and finance.

“Markets will first react to Reliance, HDFC Bank, and ICICI Bank,” said Ajit Mishra, SVP, Religare Broking.

Key dates to watch:

• July 22: Colgate-Palmolive, Dixon, IRFC, JSW Infra, Paytm

• July 23: Infosys, Dr. Reddy’s, Tata Consumer, Coforge

• July 24: Bajaj Finance, Canara Bank, Nestle, Mphasis, SBI Life

• July 25: Cipla, Bajaj Finserv, Bank of Baroda

• July 26: Kotak Bank, IDFC First, Balkrishna Industries

Markets are closely tracking profitability trends, rural demand, and input cost pressures. With large and midcaps on center stage, investor sentiment could shift fast.

$44M Crypto Hack Hits CoinDCX

India’s leading crypto exchange CoinDCX has confirmed a $44 million security breach, after hackers compromised an internal liquidity account over the weekend.

Co-founder Sumit Gupta said customer wallets remain safe and losses will be fully covered by treasury reserves. Trading was briefly paused but services are now live.

The company is also launching a bug bounty program and working with cybersecurity partners to trace the stolen assets.

This breach follows last year’s WazirX hack worth $230M, adding urgency ahead of India’s first crypto policy paper, expected this month.

EU Sanctions Nayara Refinery, Rosneft Hits Back

The European Union has sanctioned Nayara Energy’s refinery in Vadinar, Gujarat, drawing sharp condemnation from Rosneft, which owns a 49% stake.

Rosneft called the move “unjustified and illegal,” warning it could undermine India’s energy security and hurt the economy. It emphasized that Nayara is a locally governed and taxed Indian entity, with profits reinvested in the country.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs responded firmly:

“We do not recognize unilateral sanctions. There should be no double standards, especially in energy trade,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.

The EU also slashed the Russian oil price cap to $47.6/barrel and clamped down on “shadow fleet” ships—efforts to reduce Moscow’s wartime revenue.

Iran-EU Nuclear Talks Back On

In a diplomatic shift, Iran has agreed to restart nuclear talks with the UK, France, and Germany—collectively known as the E3. Deputy foreign ministers will meet Friday, separate from any talks with the US.

These nations were part of the original 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA), which the US exited in 2018. Talks have remained frozen since an Israeli airstrike in June disrupted a round of Oman-mediated negotiations.

Iran is demanding security guarantees after joint US-Israel strikes targeted its nuclear infrastructure. While expectations are low, any movement is seen as a sign of thaw in an otherwise tense region.

Honda Hits the Brakes on ABS Deadline

With a January 2026 deadline approaching for mandatory ABS (anti-lock braking systems) on all two-wheelers, Honda Motorcycles has joined Hero MotoCorp in raising red flags.

“Cost is one issue. But the real concern is supply chain readiness,” said Yogesh Mathur of Honda.

Currently, only bikes above 125cc require ABS. The new norms would impact 84% of the two-wheeler market, adding ₹3,000–₹5,000 per unit in cost.

70% of key ABS parts—like ECUs and sensors—are still imported, mostly from China and ASEAN nations. Industry body SIAM has asked the government to push the deadline, but the Ministry remains firm, citing India’s high road fatality rate.

Analysts say the domestic ABS market could grow 5X to ₹80,000 crore, though full localization may take up to 18 months.

What really makes a city liveable? Is it roads, tall buildings and other modern infrastructure?Because most big Indian cities have all of these ... but they're nowhere near even the top 100 most liveable cities in most lists. Delhi and Mumbai, which rank among India's most liveable cities... are ranked 141st out of the 173 cities evaluated in the 2025 Global Liveability Index which was published by the Economist Intelligence Unit. And these are India's top metros ... cities where people from the entire country flock to, in search of better jobs and opportunities. So... how can we make India's cities more liveable? Zoho's Sridhar Vembu has a suggestion. Watch. #india #denmark #citylife Watch the full episode on YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aI3r2lSZlZY

Dakshita Das, Fmr MD & CEO Of National Housing bank speaks to Abhinav Trivedi, Deputy Editor, Livemint on why most Indian homes in metros are out of reach for most people. Why real estate prices are so high and what can be done to make homes in the metros more affordable for people. #realestate #home #homeloan #dakshitadas #nationalhousingbank #finance #house #homeownership #flat #abhinavtrivedi #realestate

Watch the full episode on YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=369y4nPm6YI&t=13s