Hyundai exits Ola Electric, Kia reduces holding amid stock slide
Hyundai and Kia had jointly invested $300 million (approximately £220.59 million / Rs 34,974 million) in Ola Electric in 2019 to work together on electric vehicle development and charging infrastructure.
The share sales come as Ola Electric faces slowing sales, regulatory scrutiny, and increasing competition from established two-wheeler manufacturers. (Photo: Reuters)
HYUNDAI has exited Ola Electric by selling its entire 2.47 per cent stake, while Kia has trimmed its holding by offloading 0.6 per cent, exchange data showed on Tuesday.
Hyundai sold its shares at Rs 50.70 (approximately £0.43 / $0.59) each, and Kia’s shares were sold at Rs 50.55 (approximately £0.43 / $0.59).
Kia earlier held less than 1 per cent in Ola Electric. Its current holding is not known, as exchange filings do not disclose ownership below 1 per cent.
Ola Electric shares fell 8 per cent on Tuesday. The stake sales by Hyundai and Kia were made at nearly 6 per cent below Monday’s closing price.
Hyundai and Kia had jointly invested $300 million (approximately £220.59 million / Rs 34,974 million) in Ola Electric in 2019 to work together on electric vehicle development and charging infrastructure.
The share sales come as Ola Electric faces slowing sales, regulatory scrutiny, and increasing competition from established two-wheeler manufacturers. The company’s shares have declined 46 per cent since its stock market debut in August 2024.
The Bengaluru-based company reported a wider loss in the fourth quarter and forecast a drop in revenue in the current quarter. It has been offering steep discounts in response to rising competition.
In April, Mallya lost an appeal against a London high court bankruptcy order in a case involving over ₹11,101 crore (approx. £95.7 million) debt to lenders including the State Bank of India. (Photo: Getty Images)
FUGITIVE tycoon Vijay Mallya has said he may consider returning to India if he is assured of a fair trial.
He spoke to Raj Shamani on a four-hour-long podcast released on Thursday.
When asked if his situation worsened because he didn’t return to India, Mallya said, “If I have assurance of a fair trial and a dignified existence in India, you may be right, but I don’t.” Asked if he would consider coming back if given such an assurance, he responded, “If I am assured, absolutely, I will think about it seriously.”
He added, “There are other people who the government of India is targeting for extradition from the UK back to India in whose case, they have got a judgment from the high court of appeal that Indian detention conditions are violative of article 3 of the ECHR (European Convention on Human Rights) and therefore they can’t be sent back.”
On being labelled a “fugitive”, Mallya said, “Call me a fugitive for not going to India post-March (2016). I didn’t run away, I flew out of India on a prescheduled visit… fair enough, I did not return for reasons that I consider are valid… but where is the ‘chor’ (thief) coming from… where is the ‘chori’ (theft)?”
The Indian government has not responded to Mallya’s claims.
In April, Mallya lost an appeal against a London high court bankruptcy order in a case involving over ₹11,101 crore (approx. £95.7 million) debt to lenders including the State Bank of India.
In February, he moved the Karnataka High Court seeking details of loan recoveries. His legal counsel said banks had recovered ₹14,000 crore (approx. £120.7 million) despite the original dues being ₹6,200 crore (approx. £53.4 million). The court issued notices to banks and loan recovery officers.
By clicking the 'Subscribe’, you agree to receive our newsletter, marketing communications and industry
partners/sponsors sharing promotional product information via email and print communication from Garavi Gujarat
Publications Ltd and subsidiaries. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the
unsubscribe link in our emails. We will use your email address to personalize our communications and send you
relevant offers. Your data will be stored up to 30 days after unsubscribing.
Contact us at data@amg.biz to see how we manage and store your data.
The Tata-owned firm closed its blast furnace at Port Talbot last year. (Photo: Getty Images)
MINISTERS are racing to prevent the country's largest steelmaker from being shut out of a new trade agreement with the US, according to reports.
Tata Steel, which operates the massive Port Talbot steelworks in Wales, could be excluded from tariff-free access to US markets under prime minister Keir Starmer's deal with president Donald Trump, reported the Guardian.
Starmer announced on Wednesday (4) that he expects the trade agreement - which has been settled but not yet signed - to take effect "in just a couple of weeks". This follows Trump's decision to suspend 50 per cent tariffs on British steel and aluminium for five weeks.
The steelmaker closed its blast furnace at Port Talbot last year as part of a shift towards cleaner electric arc furnace technology. During this change, the company has been bringing in steel from its related businesses in India and Europe before sending it on to customers.
This practice could break the US import rules that demand all steel must be "melted and poured" in the country it's imported from.
According to The Times, UK negotiators have been trying to secure special treatment for Tata. A government source told the paper they were confident a deal could be reached to protect the company, but described the talks as "complex".
The government is also facing US concerns about British Steel, which is owned by China's Jingye group. In April, ministers used emergency powers to take control of the Scunthorpe site amid fears the Chinese owners planned to shut down the blast furnaces.
US officials worry that Chinese involvement in British Steel could give Beijing a "back door" into the US for Chinese products.
This week, the US doubled tariffs on foreign steel and aluminium imports to 50 per cent for all trading partners except Britain. The rate for UK imports stays at 25 per cent until at least 9 July, though the exact size of the UK's steel quota remains unclear.
Under Starmer's agreement with Trump last month, the US agreed to remove the 25 per cent tariff on British steel and aluminium exports entirely, but this hasn't been finalised yet.
Steel companies say delays in putting the trade deal into action have cost them business. Speaking to MPs before the announcement, Russell Codling from Tata Steel said roughly £150m of business was affected by tariffs.
"If we can get this deal enacted as quickly as possible ... it will get stability for us and for our customers in the US," Codling told lawmakers.
Keep ReadingShow less
Taylor Jones, Vinit Thakkar Kyran Jones and Sony Music India team up to launch THG India supporting Indian music globally
Sony Music India has announced a new partnership with Los Angeles-based entertainment company The Hello Group (THG) to form a joint venture called THG India. The new company is set to focus on developing Indian music talent and providing them with global touring and management opportunities.
This is the first collaboration of its kind by Sony Music India on an international scale, and it comes at a time when Indian music is drawing growing attention worldwide. THG India will operate from Mumbai and work through The Hello Group’s international network, aiming to provide end-to-end support for artists, from management and touring to publishing and promotion.
Sony Music India partners with Los Angeles-based The Hello Group to launch THG India
Bridging India’s music scene with the global stage
With India’s live music industry growing rapidly, the joint venture hopes to fill a major gap in professional artist support and global touring infrastructure. While Sony Music India brings local expertise and access to its platforms, THG adds global experience and connections.
“This is a big step forward for the Indian music industry and our creative talent,” said Vinit Thakkar, Managing Director of Sony Music India. “We’re combining our knowledge of the local scene with THG’s international touring and artist development strength to help Indian artists build lasting global careers.”
Taylor Jones, CEO of The Hello Group, said THG India would help unlock the full potential of Indian talent. “There’s a wave of energy and creativity in Indian music. Our aim is to offer these artists the tools and platform to take their work to international audiences.”
Taylor Jones, Vinit Thakkar and Kyran Jones join forces to launch THG Indiagetty images
Global success stories and big names behind the venture
The Hello Group’s publishing division, which is run in partnership with Sony Music Publishing, has already seen massive success across Asia. Their work includes chart-topping releases with artists like BTS, TWICE, IVE, and The Chainsmokers. Their booking agency has handled international tours for performers such as Jeff Satur, Mark Ambor, Kang Daniel, and Greyson Chance.
Taylor Jones and Vinit Thakkar come together to launch THG India getty images
THG India now hopes to offer the same opportunities to Indian musicians, allowing them to grow both at home and abroad. Sony Music India has confirmed it will provide financial backing and creative support to build the platform.
With this move, both companies are hoping to shape the future of Indian music on a global scale.
THE recently signed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the UK and India means there will be even greater demand for Air India’s business class travel from Heathrow to Delhi and Mumbai.
But let me travel down memory lane for a little while.
I have on my table a little cup with the new Maharaja symbol. It’s the sort used to serve tea and coffee in business class. I assure readers it wasn’t pinched.
And in the kitchen I have one of Air India’s new salt and pepper dispensers designed in the shape of a traditional Indian tiffin box. That, too, I am happy to say, was gifted to me.
It is the Maharaja that takes me back many years to when I was 18 and had began to travel regularly on Air India. I still have some of the paper tickets which have become collectors’ items.
At university we had three eight-week terms and so I could spend pretty much six months of the year in Calcutta (now Kolkata). Instead of focusing on the laws of thermodynamics and quantum mechanics – I don’t recognise any of the maths in the books and files I have preserved – I worked alongside my late father on the English-language newspaper, the Amrita Bazar Patrika, where he happened to be the comment editor. Those were the days of hot metal.
The well-known Maharaja symbol has been modernised
Those were also the days of the legendary Maneck Dalal, who brought class and style as Air India’s regional editor in the UK. He had an office in the Air India building in New Bond Street. In the summer term, he would load up his white Mercedes with bottles of champagne for a party he hosted for members of the university’s India Society.
His accounting department didn’t think it was a good idea to waste champagne on students but Dalal dismissed their objections.
“They are my future passengers,” he said. Dalal gave me a grey cabin case which I used for many years.
Those students, who had arrived in the UK from India, certainly used Air India when they returned home for summer or for Christmas and the New Year.
Dalal, who had been sent to London by JRD Tata to open Air India’s office in London, remembered Heathrow from the winter of 1948: “We had to trudge through slush and mud to get to the caravan and had oil heaters to keep us warm.
“It was a question of suffocating from the oil fumes or freezing of cold…London airport was a wide stretch of area with hardly any development – a large number of rabbits and hares could be seen jumping around. The only person who had the right to shoot them was the commandant of the airport.”
Amenities available for passengers
Air India’s inaugural flight on a Lockheed Constellation L-749, named Malabar Princess, took off from Bombay [now Mumbai] on June 8, 1948, just after midnight. On board were JRD Tata, the Jamsaheb of Nawanagar, and the industrialist Neville Wadia.
Dalal was at the airport to receive the flight and to see off the start of the return journey on June 10. He reflected the Air India ethos because he could win people over with effortless charm.
After he retired from the airline in 1977, he remained a director of Tata & Sons. He also became chairman of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. His death at the age of 98 on March 6, 2017, brought back many memories.
Air India is now back “home” under Tata management, where I am pretty confident it will prosper. The airline has introduced the new A350 aircraft – it has six of them but the number is going to go up to 40.
On March 26, I flew one of the A350s from Heathrow to Delhi. I was entitled to two suitcases, each 25kg, but had only one weighing 17kg, even with presents for family and friends.
There is a dedicated check-in counter for business class passengers in Heathrow’s Terminal 2, the Queen’s Terminal. Adjacent to these counters is the priority security lane, providing quick and easy access to the Star Alliance network partner lounges. Perhaps Air India needs its own lounge with a tasteful Maharaja décor.
I noted that flight AI 162, supposed to take off at 8.45am, did take off precisely at 8.45am. Dalal would have been pleased. He would also have approved that in business class, at least, we were getting Maharaja service, though the symbol had been modernised to reflect the aspirations of India in 2025.
In the old days, I was more than happy to travel economy, but Dalal would often send word to his staff at Heathrow and I found myself upgraded for no good reason.
The configuration in business class is now quite different, with private suites for 28 passengers. Each seat also converts to a flat bed. This means you can sleep for three-five hours during a nine-hour flight,and attend meetings on the day of arrival. It wouldn’t take much for me to get spoilt.
Each suite “has a personal wardrobe and ample stowage space for electronic devices, amenities, and shoes, as well as a conveniently located mirror, catering to every traveller’s needs. A 21-inch HD touchscreen and video handset provide an immersive entertainment experience, while universal A/C and USB-A power outlets ensure mobile and electronic devices stay charged.
“Business class passengers receive locally-inspired amenities, including a set of loungewear made from blended cotton for extra softness and breathability; a pair of slippers in the shoe storage compartment; a Ferragamo amenity kit which includes Ferragamo body lotion, hand cream, lip balm, comfortable socks, a plush eye mask within a cotton bag embellished with a lotus mandala pattern, and a gold Maharaja charm; an intricately-patterned day blanket that can also be used as a shawl; a two-in-one mattress and pillow that can folded as a firm cushion or opened when making your bed; and a very plush and comfortable duvet.
“Air India’s new IFE system features over 3,500 hours of immersive entertainment content across formats and genres, including 1,250 hours of movies, 750 hours of TV, and 1,500 hours of audio.”
Since I am a fan of RK Narayan, I watched a dramatisation of his Malgudi stories.
It was nice to get a letter of welcome addressed to me personally from Campbell Wilson, Air India’s CEO and managing director. We had met when he was in London last year for the Farnborough Air Show.
“This aircraft is an embodiment of a transforming Air India, delivering a new experience for you and the nearly 120,000 travellers we fly every day,” his letter said.
“The champagne we serve on board, Laurent Perrier La Cuvée Brut, is crisp and refreshing – perfect for toasting this journey. I had the pleasure of joining the panel that selected it, and I hope you’ll raise a glass with me to celebrate Air India’s new chapter.
“Today’s inflight menu includes Scialatielli pasta served with piperade sauce and chargrilled baby courgette, and kundan kaliyan – succulent lamb in creamy saffron sauce served with rice, mixed lentils, and mint yogurt, both of which I’ve enjoyed during tastings.”
I chose the pasta. It was delicious.
His letter added: “You’ll also have access to WiFi on board, so you can stay connected if you choose. And, to help you rest, we’ve introduced luxury bedding, including a premium wool-blend blanket with a jacquard border inspired by Sozni embroidery from Jammu & Kashmir in India, reflecting our blend of Indian heritage and comfort.”
When I am flying to India, I like to see the dawn come up. Next time I think I might request a window suite.
Keep ReadingShow less
Fox noted that even the titles of the game’s soundtrack songs could contain spoilers
Toby Fox, the creator of Undertale and Deltarune, has issued a final update ahead of the launch of Deltarune chapters three and four, cautioning fans to avoid spoilers and revealing new details about the game’s release schedule.
In his latest newsletter, Fox confirmed that chapters 3 and 4 would be released today (4 June), just ahead of the anticipated launch of the Nintendo Switch 2. Players on the new console will be able to access the game from midnight in their respective regions. However, due to time zone differences, some players, particularly in New Zealand, will gain access earlier than others.
To help fans enjoy the experience without encountering plot details prematurely, Fox advised players to avoid social media, skip viewing soundtrack titles, and stay clear of early-access regions. “Due to current media algorithms, if you're a big fan of the game, it's likely spoilers will be recommended to you no matter where you go,” he wrote.
- YouTubeYouTube/ UNDERTALE and DELTARUNE Official
Fox also added a tongue-in-cheek warning, saying fans in New Zealand might be the first to share spoiler-heavy content online. “Even before the game comes out in your region, the New Zealanders who get the game three hours earlier are probably gonna come directly to your house and start taping thumbnails of Deltarune Chapters 3+4 All Bosses Compilation to the outside of your windows,” he joked.
In addition to social media, Fox noted that even the titles of the game’s soundtrack songs could contain spoilers. He recommended fans avoid looking up track names until after completing the chapters. The soundtrack will be made available on Steam and Bandcamp, with Fox suggesting the Steam version as his preferred choice.
Regarding potential technical issues, Fox acknowledged the possibility of bugs, despite extensive testing. Players who encounter issues are encouraged to report them to deltarune@fangamer.com. He also noted that while updates to fix bugs will roll out across platforms, delays may occur on Nintendo’s systems due to a different update process.
The update closed with thanks to fans who supported the game over the years. Fox encouraged players to take their time and enjoy each chapter at their own pace, suggesting breaks between chapters rather than rushing through.