The Core Report
The Core
Every Monday to Saturday, tune in as financial journalist and host Govindraj Ethiraj gives you the latest news in business, economy and technology
Episodes
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Feb 1, 2026 • 28min
#788 The Sunday Slump
On Episode 788 of The Core Report, financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj talks to Gautam Khattar, Principal Price Waterhouse & Co LLP, Uday Ved, Partner at KNAV as well as Jairaj Purandare, Chairman of JMP Advisors in an excerpt from an extensive discussion (Available here on our youtube channel). Our reporters were also on the ground to gather responses to the Union Budget 2026 from industry leaders.SHOW NOTES(00:00) The Take(04:21) A Sharp Correction(06:32) The Big Infrastructure Push(08:39) Responses to the Union Budget from Industry Leaders(14:53) Tax and the Union BudgetRegister for India Finance and Innovation Forum 2026https://tinyurl.com/IFIFCOREFor more of our coverage check out thecore.inSubscribe to our NewsletterFollow us on:Twitter |Instagram |Facebook |Linkedin |Youtube
Jan 29, 2026 • 24min
#787 Fear Is Driving Up Gold And Silver Prices
On Episode 787 of The Core Report, financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj talks to Ajay Kedia, Director at Kedia Commodities, Himanshu Sinha, Head of Tax Practice at Trilegal as well as Shankkar Aiyar, veteran economic journalist and author.SHOW NOTES(00:00) Stories of the Day(00:50) Fear is driving up gold and silver prices even as the dollar stays weak.(05:09) India is an oasis of macro stability says India’s economic survey(10:39) Gold demand is set to fall because of subdued jewellery purchases.(15:56) Will the Union Budget address the fallout of the Supreme Court’s decision to deny tax treaty benefits in the Tiger Global case?Register for India Finance and Innovation Forum 2026https://tinyurl.com/IFIFCOREFor more of our coverage check out thecore.inSubscribe to our NewsletterFollow us on:Twitter |Instagram |Facebook |Linkedin |Youtube
Jan 28, 2026 • 27min
#786 It's The Worst Start To A Year In A Decade
On Episode 786 of The Core Report, financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj talks to Dr. Ajit Ranade, Economist and Former Vice Chancellor of Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics in Pune as well as Ashok Atluri, Chairman and Managing Director at Zen Technologies.SHOW NOTES(00:00) Stories Of The Day(01:00) It's the worst start to a year in a decade, will it shift?(05:03) Gold now clearly represents the hedge to an uncertain global economy(07:51) A macro view on the Union Budget(16:31) India’s anti-drone systems are gearing up for battle(24:50) Why a toilet company is benefiting from the chip maniaRegister for India Finance and Innovation Forum 2026https://tinyurl.com/IFIFCOREFor more of our coverage check out thecore.inSubscribe to our NewsletterFollow us on:Twitter |Instagram |Facebook |Linkedin |Youtube
Jan 27, 2026 • 34min
#785 The Markets Struggle To Make Up Their Mind
On Episode 785 of The Core Report, financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj talks to Sanjay Notani, Partner, Economic Laws Practice as well as Krishan Arora, Partner and India Investment Advisory Services Leader at Grant Thornton Bharat. We also feature an excerpt from our India Energy Week interview featuring Energy Expert Anas Alhajji.SHOW NOTES(00:00) The Take(03:14) The markets struggle to make up their mind(06:41) A landmark EU India deal is in place, what will it really deliver?(16:23) How India moved rapidly away from Russian oil amidsts global oil dynamics(23:37) Why there is a need for a customs amnesty schemeRegister for India Energy Week 2026https://www.indiaenergyweek.com/forms/register-as-a-delegateRegister for India Finance and Innovation Forum 2026https://tinyurl.com/IFIFCOREFor more of our coverage check out thecore.inSubscribe to our NewsletterFollow us on:Twitter |Instagram |Facebook |Linkedin |Youtube
Jan 26, 2026 • 33min
#784 Will The Markets Get A Breather From The India-EU FTA?
On Episode 784 of The Core Report, financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj talks to Chakri Lokapriya, Chief Investment Officer at LGT Wealth Management as well as Ajay Rotti, Founder and CEO of Tax Compaas. We also feature an excerpt from our India Energy Week interview featuring Sanjay Khanna, Director (Refineries) with additional charge of Chairman and Managing Director at BPCL.SHOW NOTES(00:00) The Take(04:02) Gold prices cross $5,100 as the relentless rise continues(16:13) Will the markets get the breather they want from the EU FTA?(18:23) Refining major BPCL’s safety push for consumers.(24:09) Why tax changes in the Budget seem unlikely.Energy Special with Sanjay Khanna, Director (Refineries) with charge of CMD at BPCLRegister for India Energy Week 2026https://www.indiaenergyweek.com/forms/register-as-a-delegateRegister for India Finance and Innovation Forum 2026https://tinyurl.com/IFIFCOREFor more of our coverage check out thecore.inSubscribe to our NewsletterFollow us on:Twitter |Instagram |Facebook |Linkedin |Youtube
Jan 25, 2026 • 31min
#783 Oil Surplus Or Illusion: Why 2026 May Defy Energy Market Forecasts | Govindraj Ethiraj x Anas Alhaji | India Energy Week 2026 | The Core Report
Anas Alhaji, an energy expert on global oil and gas trade and geopolitics, breaks down why 2026 forecasts of a huge oil surplus may be misleading. He unpacks distorted inventory counts, oil-on-water and trade-route shifts, pipeline and export quirks, strategic stockpiles, and geopolitical moves shaping real market balances.
Jan 24, 2026 • 41min
#782 Why CNG Is Beating Petrol & Diesel In India’s Cities | Govindraj Ethiraj x Kamal Kishore Chatiwal, Indraprastha Gas Limited | India Energy Week 2025 | The Core Report
Why CNG is beating petrol and diesel in India’s cities is no longer a prediction. It is already changing everyday mobility and household energy choices across urban India.In this India Energy Week 2026 special episode of The Core Report, Financial Journalist Govindraj Ethiraj speaks with Kamal Kishore Chatiwal, Managing Director, Indraprastha Gas Limited. The conversation explains why CNG adoption in India is accelerating faster than petrol and diesel, even as electric vehicles dominate public debate.From Delhi NCR to emerging cities and rural regions, this episode breaks down the real drivers behind CNG’s growth. Lower running costs, cleaner emissions, improved vehicle performance, shorter refuelling queues, and a rapidly expanding CNG station network are making gas the preferred fuel for a large segment of India’s middle-income urban population.The discussion also goes beyond mobility to examine India’s broader gas-based economy. It explores piped natural gas for homes and villages, compressed biogas from agricultural and municipal waste, domestic gas production, imported LNG, and how city gas distribution companies are quietly reshaping energy access across the country.This episode cuts through assumptions and forecasts to offer a grounded view of how affordability, infrastructure, and scale are shaping India’s energy transition in real time, and why CNG continues to gain relevance alongside newer technologies.Register for India Energy Week 2026: https://www.indiaenergyweek.com/forms/register-as-a-delegate
Jan 23, 2026 • 33min
#781 From Oil To Hydrogen: BPCL’s Roadmap For India’s Energy Transition | Govindraj Ethiraj x Sanjay Khanna, BPCL | India Energy Week 2026 | The Core Report
From Oil To Hydrogen BPCL’s roadmap for India’s energy transition is at the heart of this special episode of The Core Report from India Energy Week 2026. Financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj is in conversation with Sanjay Khanna, Director Refineries and Additional Charge of Chairman and Managing Director at BPCL, on how India’s energy future is being shaped amid global uncertainty and rising demand.As India navigates the shift from fossil fuels to cleaner energy, this discussion explores how BPCL is strengthening its core refining and fuel operations while investing in hydrogen, ethanol, renewables, petrochemicals, and digital transformation. The conversation offers a rare inside view of Project Aspire, BPCL’s long-term strategy to drive growth, energy security, and decarbonisation at scale.Sanjay Khanna explains BPCL’s green hydrogen journey, including falling hydrogen costs, electrolyser projects, and the role of hydrogen in mobility and transport. He also shares why oil and gas will continue to coexist with renewables in India’s energy mix, how geopolitical risks are managed through diversified crude sourcing, and what makes Indian refineries uniquely flexible in handling global crude varieties.The episode also covers ethanol blending, biofuels, flex fuel readiness, LNG as a transition fuel, renewable energy expansion, carbon capture, petrochemicals, and the growing role of AI and digital tools in improving refinery efficiency and reliability. For professionals following India’s economy, energy security, climate goals, or corporate strategy, this conversation delivers depth, clarity, and long-term perspective.This India Energy Week 2026 special edition is essential viewing for business leaders, consultants, policymakers, investors, and professionals seeking to understand how India is balancing growth, sustainability, and energy transition in a rapidly changing world.Subscribe to The Core Report for trusted conversations on business, energy, policy, and the forces shaping India’s future.Register for India Energy Week 2026: https://www.indiaenergyweek.com/forms/register-as-a-delegate
Jan 22, 2026 • 30min
#780 The Head Spinning Greenland U-Turn Lifts Markets
On Episode 780 of The Core Report, financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj talks to Vijai Mantri, Founder & Chief Investment Strategist at JRL Money as well as Anindya Banerjee, Head – Currency & Commodity Research, Kotak Securities. We also feature an excerpt from our recent India Energy Week interview with Vikas Kaushal, Chairman and Managing Director at HPCL.SHOW NOTES(00:00) Stories of the Day(00:50) The Head spinning Greenland U-Turn lifts markets(02:50) Foreign capital is moving to safety, why is that?(09:58) Are we nearing peak oil and what that means for India (16:54) What's happening in the silver markets?(27:50) FeedbackEnergy Special featuring Vikas Kaushal, CMD, HPCLRegister for India Energy Week 2026https://www.indiaenergyweek.com/forms/register-as-a-delegateFor more of our coverage check out thecore.inSubscribe to our NewsletterFollow us on:Twitter |Instagram |Facebook |Linkedin |Youtube
Jan 21, 2026 • 28min
#779 Indian Markets Are Taking The Hardest Hit Of All
On Episode 779 of The Core Report, financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj talks to Monisha Advani, one of the founding partners of Emmay Entertainment (the company that produced the Freedom at Midnight series). We also feature an excerpt from our recent episode of our show How India’s Economy Works, hosted by journalist and author Puja Mehra and featuring Dr. Jahangir Aziz, Economist (Head Emerging Market Economics) at JPMorgan and a former finance ministry official.SHOW NOTES(00:00) Stories of the Day(01:00) Indian markets are taking the hardest hit of all(05:05) Global oil markets will be in deep surplus in 2026 first quarter, says IEA(07:32) What India’s falling core inflation numbers are really telling us(17:03) Why Indian viewers are devouring historical nonfiction across platforms right now(26:23) India’s latest and most beautiful GCC, quite literallyRegister for India Energy Week 2026https://www.indiaenergyweek.com/forms/register-as-a-delegateFor more of our coverage check out thecore.inSubscribe to our NewsletterFollow us on:Twitter |Instagram |Facebook |Linkedin |Youtube
