TMS Ep372: Spam calls, R&D spend, gold financing companies, LCA Tejas

It seems, DND filters and regulatory restrictions have failed to curb the menace of unsolicited calls and messages. Even blocking phone numbers doesn’t work, as spammers keep on surprising us with new ones. The government too knows it. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India last week asked telecom operators to crack down on spammers. Bhaswar Kumar’s report offers a peek into this dark world of spammers, and tells us why this is such a big menace? And what can be done about it? 

India, meanwhile, is facing another pressing problem. It is spending just 0.6% of GDP for research and development, due to which it is not able to reap the benefits of technological innovations. And it is not just the government. India Inc. too is tight-fisted. But why is it so? 

Moving on, the surge in gold prices is, typically, positive for the gold financiers as it leads to better loan demand and a decline in gold auctions. However, intense competition from banks and fintechs, that offer low-interest rates, is reducing the market share of conventional gold loan companies. So, how should investors juggle between these contrasting developments? Are gold financiers worth investors' money? 

Gold import saw a steep drop of 76% in January from a year earlier due to subdued demand. This drop may further narrow the country’s trade deficit, if all goes well. Meanwhile, India is looking to export home-made fighter jets now. Argentina and Egypt have shown interest in Tejas during the just-concluded Aero India show where the light combat aircraft showed it metal. This episode of the podcast has more on Tejas.