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BigBasket Gets Government Nod For FDI

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BigBasket Gets Government Nod For FDI,BigBasket Gets Govt Nod,BigBasket CEO,BigBasket founders,BigBasket Latest News,BigBasket food retail,Startup Stories,2017 Latest Business News

Bengaluru based online grocery startup BigBasket has received the government’s approval for foreign direct investment (FDI) in the food retail sector. The CEO and cofounder of BigBasket, Hari Menon confirmed the development to the Financial Express saying the company had received the government’s approval for their FDI proposal to undertake retailing of food products. The company had applied for approval of their proposed investment of about $ 16.5 million, in September last year.

According to Menon, the company is yet to finalize on the finer details of the business plan but has committed to invest around Rs. 100 crores in the project. Till date, only Amazon, Groffers and BigBasket have received government approval for foreign investment from the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP.)

Currently, BigBasket sells household products such as soaps and shampoos through its ecommerce channel, offering over 20,000 products from over 1000 brands and servicing over 5 million registered customers. They plan to spin off and start an entirely new entity since 100% FDI is only applicable for food products manufactured or produced in India. The startup, which has a presence in 30 cities including Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai and Delhi-NCR, currently receives over 50,000 orders each day.

BigBasket was founded by V.S. Sudhakar, Hari Menon, V.S. Ramesh, Vipul Parekh and Abhinay Choudhari in 2011. They have raised about $ 305.8 million in investments in six funding rounds and are said to be the biggest online grocery player in the country. In July, it was reported the consumer shopping arm of Paytm Ecommerce Pvt., Ltd., Paytm Mall was also interested in investing $ 200 million in the online retail startup for a substantial stake.

Amazon has committed about $ 500 million investment in the food retail sector while Groffers has confirmed to commit about $ 40 million for its FDI. BigBasket’s investment will help the egrocer in the battle to capture a major share of the food retail sector.

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Zoho Pay Debuts as India’s New UPI Challenger, Taking on PhonePe, Paytm, and Google Pay

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Zoho Payment

Zoho Corporation has expanded its fintech portfolio with the launch of Zoho Pay, a UPI-based payments app built to challenge India’s top digital payment giants such as PhonePe, Paytm, and Google Pay. The new app supports peer-to-peer transfers, bill payments, QR-based transactions, and merchant settlements in a streamlined interface. Available as both a standalone app and an integrated feature inside Zoho’s privacy-driven messenger Arattai, Zoho Pay enables users to handle chats and payments in one platform, emphasizing data privacy and Made-in-India innovation.​

Through seamless integration with Arattai, Zoho Pay allows users to send or request payments, split expenses, and conduct UPI-based transactions directly in their chat windows. Users can link bank accounts, scan dynamic QR codes, and receive audio confirmations of payments, ensuring speed and security. This design mirrors the simplicity of India’s leading UPI apps but is powered by Zoho’s non-advertising, privacy-first model. The integration aligns with Zoho’s mission to build a self-reliant digital ecosystem, where messaging and money management coexist securely.​

In the competitive digital payments market, Zoho Pay differentiates itself through its tight business software integration with apps like Zoho Books, Zoho Payroll, and Zoho Commerce, offering small businesses unified access to payments, billing, and accounting. The company is also expanding its reach with POS devices for merchants featuring UPI QR, card payments, and instant reconciliation tools. With founder Sridhar Vembu’s vision of a ‘Chat + Pay’ ecosystem, Zoho Pay reflects a bold step toward redefining India’s fintech scene with a secure, ad-free, and locally developed alternative to global payment platforms.

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Meta Expands AI-Powered Reels Translation to Hindi and Portuguese, Enhancing Global Creator Reach

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Meta has expanded its AI-powered translation feature for Reels to include Hindi and Portuguese, joining English and Spanish in empowering creators to reach a broader global audience on Instagram and Facebook. Originally launched in August 2025 with support for English and Spanish, this update now allows creators to seamlessly translate and dub their short videos, breaking language barriers across some of the largest Reels markets worldwide. The AI technology mimics the creator’s voice tone and even offers lip-syncing to ensure the translated videos feel natural and engaging for viewers.​

This enhancement is especially significant for India, the largest market for Facebook and Instagram, where over 600 million people speak Hindi. Content creators who are not fluent in Hindi can now easily access this vast audience, increasing their reach and engagement across diverse linguistic groups. To maintain transparency, all translated Reels are clearly labeled with “Translated with Meta AI,” and viewers can choose to switch translations on or off based on their preference.​

In addition to voice dubbing, Meta is developing features to translate captions and text stickers on Reels, making content more accessible even without sound. These AI translation tools are available free for eligible public Instagram accounts and Facebook creator profiles with over 1,000 followers. This innovation reinforces Meta’s commitment to fostering cross-cultural content sharing and enhancing creators’ ability to connect with audiences around the world through short-form videos.

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Dunzo’s Collapse: Reliance’s ₹1,645 Crore Loss Signals Challenges in India’s Hyperlocal Delivery Market

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Startup Stories

Reliance Industries has officially written off its $200 million investment in Dunzo, a once promising quick-commerce startup in India. Despite high-profile backing and the potential to disrupt the hyperlocal delivery sector, Dunzo faced insurmountable challenges including high operational costs, unsustainable cash burn, and stiff competition from larger players like Zepto and Blinkit. Reliance’s decision follows Dunzo’s operational suspension, leadership exits, and failed attempts at securing additional funding or acquisition partners, ultimately resulting in the company’s digital platforms going offline in early 2025.​

The downfall of Dunzo was accelerated by its inability to maintain a healthy balance between rapid expansion and revenue growth, with losses in FY23 reaching an alarming ₹1,800 crore. With monthly expenses crossing ₹100 crore and mounting pressure to scale, Dunzo resorted to layoffs and delayed payments before shutting down most services outside Bengaluru. Reliance’s significant stake, initially seen as a strategic advantage, ended up limiting the startup’s flexibility in making independent decisions during its final months.​

Reliance’s write-off sends a strong message to India’s startup ecosystem about the risks inherent in quick-commerce and hyperlocal delivery models. Investors are increasingly focused on sustainable growth, disciplined scaling, and profitability. For Reliance, lessons from Dunzo’s collapse are shaping future e-commerce strategies, driving greater emphasis on operational efficiency and prudent financial planning in an intensely competitive market.

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