New Case Study Traces 25 Years Of India’s Water Governance Journey: From Gujarat To The National Stage

* Study identifies four lessons for countries seeking to deliver water security at scale

A new case study, From Gujarat to India: Water Lessons for the World, documenting the evolution of water governance in Gujarat and India between 2001 and 2026, was launched at IIM Bangalore today. It draws lessons from the experience for policymakers and practitioners across the Global South. Daniel W. Smith, assistant professor at George Mason University; Nitin Bassi, fellow at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW); and Parameswaran Iyer, former secretary of the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Government of India, authored the study.

The study traces a 25-year journey that began under Chief Minister Modi in Gujarat in 2001, when recurrent drought and water scarcity led to a combination of large-scale infrastructure, groundwater recharge, conservation, improved water-use efficiency, institutional reform, and community participation. It describes Gujarat's water governance reforms between 2001 and 2014 as a laboratory for approaches later scaled nationally after 2014.

The scale of the transformation is reflected in both financing and access. Among other lessons learned, one key finding is that Union water-sector allocations increased from 0.8 per cent of the total Union budget in 2001-02 to 2.2 per cent in 2025-26. Across rural India, 464 million more people use safely managed drinking water today than in 2000, while rural household tap coverage has increased from 17 per cent in 2019 to over 80 per cent in 2026.

Gujarat’s response combined the Narmada-based water grid with institutions such as WASMO and village-level Pani Samitis, alongside large-scale water conservation and groundwater recharge. By 2013, the state had constructed more than 76,000 check dams under the Sardar Patel water conservation programme. The study traces how elements of this experience subsequently informed national initiatives including Jal Jeevan Mission, Jal Shakti Abhiyan, Namami Gange, Atal Bhujal Yojana, Per Drop More Crop and AMRUT. In 2019, the creation of the Ministry of Jal Shakti provided a consolidated institutional framework for drinking water, sanitation and water-resource management.

Shri Ashok K. Meena, Secretary, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, said in his keynote: “Ensuring water for every citizen has been a priority for the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti. The lesson has always been: when water becomes a people’s mission, backed by strong institutions, steady investment, and Gram Panchayat ownership, change follows at scale. What began in one state has become a national commitment, and work will be relentless until safe, reliable water reaches every household in the country.”

A central conclusion of the study is that water security is as much a governance challenge as an engineering challenge. Infrastructure must be underpinned by the 4Ps: political leadership, public financing, partnerships and people’s participation. The seeds of these lessons were sown in Gujarat starting in 2001 and then scaled up across the country under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership.

Parameswaran Iyer, former Secretary to the Government of India and co-author of the study, said: “Delivering water at this scale comes down to a few things done consistently: political leadership and priority, institutions with one clear line of accountability, and communities that own and maintain their own supply.”

Looking ahead, the study highlights the opportunity to build on India’s achievements through reliable service delivery, water quality, source sustainability, groundwater recharge, greater water-use efficiency and a circular water economy based on treatment and reuse of used water.

Professor Gopal Naik, Chairperson, Senior Fellow and Jal Jeevan Mission Chair Professor at the Centre for Public Policy, IIM Bangalore, said: “IIM Bangalore is glad to host the launch of this case study. Delivering water at scale is one challenge, and sustaining it is another. This study brings together twenty-five years of experience from Gujarat and India to show what works and what comes next. Its lessons on governance, community ownership and ambition are practical ones. Building water systems is one task; sustaining them is another. Twenty-five years of evidence lets us ask what lasted, and why.”

Dr Nitin Bassi, co-author and Fellow, CEEW, said: “The next phase of water security in India will include the prioritisation of the circular water economy, including the optimal usage of treated used water, which is also a significant economic opportunity”

The study distils India’s experience into four lessons that countries across the Global South may find useful: lead with governance, not hardware; manage the water resource and the water service together; root initiatives in community ownership; and go big, matching ambitious goals with political will, financing and administrative capacity.

Daniel W. Smith, co-author and Assistant Professor at George Mason University, said: “India’s water journey offers lessons well beyond its borders. The central message is that water security at scale requires strong water governance. Countries across the world can learn from these governance lessons and adapt them to their own circumstances as they work toward universal and sustainable water security.”

The launch was followed by a panel discussion moderated by Professor Gopal Naik of IIM Bangalore, bringing together the study’s authors, water practitioners, and policymakers.

The study presents India’s experience as a source of practical lessons and approaches that countries can adapt and build upon in ways suited to their own circumstances. With its vast rural population, rapidly growing cities, climatic diversity and large-scale development needs, India offers a particularly relevant experience for countries across the Global South.

From Gujarat to India: Water Lessons for the World is authored by Daniel W. Smith, Nitin Bassi and Parameswaran Iyer and published by George Mason University and the Gates Foundation.

About IIM Bangalore

The Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB) is a leading EQUIS-accredited graduate school of management in Asia. It is recognized as an Institution of National Importance under the IIM Act of 2017. Located in India’s high-technology capital, IIMB’s role as India’s leading management educator is to guide the insatiable curiosity to learn by serving as a catalyst for purposeful change through teaching, research, practice and innovation for business, government and society. Over five decades, IIMB has built a legacy of excellence led by over 150+ distinguished faculty and a global network of over 25,000 alumni in leadership roles across various industries. Central to the Institute’s mission is a deep emphasis on internationalization, entrepreneurial thinking, social impact and lifelong learning.

For more information, please visit: www.iimb.ac.in/ 

Akshayakalpa Organic Expands High Protein Portfolio With Fresh New Offerings

* From High Protein Curd to High Protein Milk Coffee and Kesar Elaichi flavour, bringing protein to your everyday choices

Akshayakalpa Organic, India’s leading certified organic dairy brand, has expanded its high-protein portfolio with the launch of High Protein Dahi, a protein-rich take on an everyday dairy staple, alongside High Protein Milk – Coffee and High Protein Milk – Kesar Elaichi. The new range brings together familiar dairy formats, taste and convenient nutrition to make it easier for consumers to include more protein in their everyday diets.

Protein intake continues to be an important part of India’s nutrition conversation. According to an Indian Market Research Bureau (IMRB) study, nearly 73% of Indian diets fall short of daily protein requirements, highlighting the need for convenient and accessible ways to incorporate protein into everyday meals. Akshayakalpa Organic’s new range seeks to address this need through familiar dairy products made with fresh organic cow milk.

At the heart of the portfolio is High Protein Dahi, which delivers 28g of protein in every 400g tub. Priced at ₹99, it brings a protein-forward proposition to a product already embedded in everyday Indian meals. It can be enjoyed on its own or paired with regular meals, offering a simple way to add more protein without changing everyday eating habits.

The portfolio is complemented by High Protein Milk – Coffee and High Protein Milk – Kesar Elaichi, each delivering 25g of protein per 250ml serving. Made using ultrafiltered organic milk, which naturally concentrates milk protein without added protein isolates or powders, the ready-to-drink milks offer protein in familiar and indulgent flavours. The Coffee variant delivers a rich coffee experience, while Kesar Elaichi combines real saffron and cardamom. Both are lactose-free, low-fat and antibiotic-free, with no added sugar or stabilisers, and are priced at ₹110.

Commenting on the launch, Shashi Kumar, Founder and CEO, Akshayakalpa Organic, said, “Protein is an essential part of a balanced diet, but incorporating enough of it into everyday routines can often feel like a conscious effort. We wanted to make this simpler by bringing protein into familiar dairy formats that people already enjoy. With High Protein Dahi, we are taking an everyday staple and giving consumers an easy way to add more protein to their regular meals. Alongside our Coffee and Kesar Elaichi High Protein Milk, we are creating more choice around how consumers can include protein in their daily routines. This launch is an important step in our endeavour to make better nutrition more accessible, relevant and enjoyable.”

The new range is available through the Akshayakalpa app and the brand’s delivery network across Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Pune.

India Sets Out Vision For Its 2036 Olympic And Paralympic Games Ambition Following IOC Announcement

Captured in two powerful words, “Rising Together”, the vision is one of converging ambitions to unlock enormous potentials: with the Games in India in 2036, a nation can accelerate its transformation through sport while the Olympic Movement opens its next great universal chapter.

The Indian Olympic Association welcomes the International Olympic Committee’s announcement, earlier this week, of the cities and countries participating in the process to select a future host of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2036. India’s Olympic and Paralympic ambition, centred on Amdavad, Gujarat, has been developed through close and constructive engagement with the IOC over the past eighteen months.

“Rising Together”, India’s vision, reflects the belief that 2036 can be a moment of mutual rise — when India’s transformation through sport and the Olympic Movement’s universal future come together through the Games.

For India, hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games would be a generational opportunity to place sport at the heart of national life. The project is designed to act as a catalyst for a wider sporting transformation: inspiring millions of young people to move from watching sport to practising it, supporting healthier and more active communities, and making sport a driver of education and professional opportunities. By bringing the Games to India, the ambition is not only to stage a global event, but to help embed sport more deeply into everyday life and create a legacy that reflects India’s energy, youth and belief in the power of sport to transform society.

For the Olympic Movement, bringing the Games to India in 2036 would be a chance to enter a new era of universality, connecting the Olympic and Paralympic Movements with one of the world’s youngest, most dynamic and digitally connected populations. It would unlock a tremendous potential, opening the Games to more than a billion people, and bring new athletes, new audiences and new partners to the Olympic family.

When coming together, united in purpose, India and the Olympic movement can achieve a momentous event in their history, in a festival of life, color, celebrating India’s unmatched cultural diversity.

P. T. Usha, President of the Indian Olympic Association, said: “We are deeply honoured by the IOC’s recognition of India’s vision and aspirations for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2036, and proud to be part of an exceptional group of potential hosts for future editions of the Games.

For us, ‘Rising Together’ is not simply a slogan—it is a powerful commitment to unite India’s energy, ambition and diversity behind a shared Olympic dream. As we develop our vision for 2036, we want to create a Games that reflects the confidence of a young, dynamic and rising India, while contributing to the Olympic and Paralympic Movements’ ambition to reach new generations, new communities and new horizons around the world.

If we rise together—with our athletes, our people, our cities and the Olympic and Paralympic Movements—the possibilities are limitless. And when India rises, we want the world to rise with us. We look forward to continuing our exchange with the IOC and to present our ambition to the Future Host Commission for the first time at the end of October”

Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India, said: “India’s ambition for 2036 is rooted in a simple idea: that sport can help shape the future of our nation. Hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games would inspire millions of young Indians to participate in sport, strengthen healthier and more active communities, and create new opportunities for our youth across education, employment and social development. By bringing the Games to India, we can accelerate a sporting transformation that reaches every part of our society — and, in doing so, open a powerful new chapter for the Olympic Movement in one of the world’s most dynamic nations.”

About the Indian Olympic Association (IOA)

The Indian Olympic Association is the governing body for the Olympic Movement in India. Its mission is to develop, promote, and protect the Olympic Movement in the country and to encourage the development of high-performance sports. 

RBI Monetary Policy Quotes From Top Leaders Of DevX, Yes Bank, Hero Fincorp, Invesco Mutual Fund, Tata Asset Management

Post the announcement by Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, Sanjay Malhotra, on Wednesday October 7, 2026, here are the quotes by various top leader's from top listed companies on the Monetary Policy from DevX, Yes Bank, Hero Fincorp, Invesco Mutual Fund, Tata Asset Management.

Mr. Umesh Uttamchandani, Managing Director, DevX.

"A 25 basis point increase would signal that the RBI is prioritising price stability as inflation risks persist. Elevated crude and commodity prices, geopolitical uncertainty, rupee movements and tighter global financial conditions can add to imported inflation and put pressure on capital flows. A measured hike should help anchor inflation expectations while the RBI assesses how much further tightening is needed. With growth and domestic demand remaining resilient, the move is unlikely to materially alter the long-term trajectory of enterprise expansion, particularly as businesses continue to invest in India as a strategic market for technology, innovation and global operations.

For the commercial real estate sector, the immediate impact will be felt through the higher cost of capital and more deliberate investment decisions, particularly for businesses evaluating new office capacity and expansion plans. Costlier credit can also temper investment and consumption more broadly, and the extent will depend on how quickly the hike is transmitted through the banking system and on liquidity conditions. However, the underlying demand drivers for quality office space remain strong, supported by GCC expansion, enterprise growth and the continued evolution of India's services and technology ecosystem.

In this environment, managed workspaces can play an increasingly important role by allowing enterprises to scale their footprint with greater flexibility and lower upfront capital commitments. The ability to move into enterprise-grade, ready-to-operate offices also enables companies to align workspace investments more closely with their growth cycles.

At DevX, we continue to see demand from enterprises and GCCs that are looking for scalable, high-quality workspaces across established and emerging business markets. What will matter going forward is the pace and extent of any further tightening, and how businesses balance capital efficiency with their expansion requirements. Clarity on the policy path, alongside resilient growth and strong domestic demand, should continue to support India's office and managed workspace market.”

Indranil Pan, Chief Economist, YES BANK

“As expected, with the uncertain geopolitical developments that have kept oil prices elevated and given that the inflation numbers have registered an upward trend, it was prudent for the RBI to have started its hiking journey. The increase in the growth outlook indicated that the fear of growth sacrifice due to a rate hike cycle is now low. A bit surprising was the change in stance to ‘calibrated tightening’, despite an acknowledgement that currently there are ‘limited signs of supply-side pressures getting embedded in pricing behaviour’. Further, the RBI did not find any significant demand-side pressures while, in the same breath, acknowledged that credit growth was high. The ‘calibrated tightening’ was explained to mean that the future trajectory of rates is a pause or a hike. All policies remain live; a December hike of 25 bps is a certainty now. The RBI will continue to remain data-dependent and factor in the breadth of inflation pressures in the months ahead to determine the cumulative dose of hikes. Given that the RBI now sees the Q1FY28 inflation print at 5.6%, a total of 100 bps may be needed in this cycle.”

Abhimanyu Munjal, MD & CEO - Hero FinCorp

“The RBI’s decision to raise the repo rate by 25 basis points is a measured response to the evolving macroeconomic environment. Elevated crude prices, geopolitical uncertainty and tighter global monetary conditions have increased inflationary pressures, even as the Indian economy continues to demonstrate resilience.

For NBFCs, higher rates will have an impact on funding costs, making disciplined pricing, a diversified funding mix and prudent underwriting even more important. At the same time, underlying credit demand remains healthy. We therefore see this as an environment for calibrated, quality led growth, balancing opportunity with risk & profitability."

Vikas Garg, Head- Fixed Income, Invesco Mutual Fund

Amidst an elusive resolution of the West Asia conflict and a weaker monsoon, the MPC joined global central banks in delivering its first 25 bps rate hike, in line with market expectations. The FY27 growth projection was raised to 7.1% on resilient domestic consumption. The FY27 inflation projection also inched up by 20 bps to 5.20% on elevated food and fuel prices and a broadening of inflationary pressure. Given these growth-inflation dynamics, the policy stance was changed from "Neutral" to "Calibrated tightening", though by a split 4-2 vote, signalling more rate hikes to come. The absence of any announcement on liquidity tools to absorb excess market liquidity keeps the market guessing. At least the risk of a CRR hike and MSS is out for now, and absorption will be left to regular tools like VRRR, FX buy/sell swaps and OMOs.

Overall, the policy was more hawkish than expected because of the stance change. Given that average inflation is expected to be ~5.8% over the next three quarters, it could force another 2-3 rate hikes over a period. Nonetheless, the rate trajectory will depend heavily on crude oil prices, which could shift the policy path in either direction. The market had largely priced in this hike, but yields are marginally up on the stance change. While volatility may remain high, led by global factors, absolute yields on corporate bonds look fairly priced from a risk-reward perspective.

Amit Somani, Deputy Head - Fixed Income, Tata Asset Management

RBI MPC unanimously decided to kick-start rate hike cycle by increasing repo rate by 25bps to 5.50%, in line with market expectations. The policy stance has been changed from Neutral to Calibrated Tightening signalling more hikes. After overwhelming response to FCNR flows and consequent increase in banking system liquidity, no announcement of regulatory measures to suck-out liquidity is a positive. Tighter global financial condition along with higher bond market yields globally also played on tightening cycle.

CPI Inflation has been revised higher from 5.0% to 5.2% for FY27 on account of monsoon deficit, persistent higher crude oil and commodity prices. Importantly, inflation over next 3 quarter is likely to remain substantially elevated towards higher range of Inflation band around 5.8%.

GDP outlook has been revised higher from 6.7% to 7.1% for FY27 on account of Q1 GDP growth surprise as well as sustained Government’s thrust on infrastructure and higher credit growth well into Q2.

Policy tone sounded more cautionary on Inflation generalization than Growth outlook, giving it a hawkish tilt.

RBI seems to keep ample banking system liquidity to support economic activity as no regulatory announcement came in to suck-out liquidity. We expect RBI will likely manage surplus liquidity conditions through existing toolkit. This should keep overnight rate around the policy corridor.

Given that policy outcome was largely in line with market expectations, we believe short term rates are likely to remain stable with adequate liquidity prevailing in the banking system. We expect 3-6 month CD rates to continue to trade around 6.60-7.00% levels while 1-year CDs to trade around 7.50%-7.75%, expecting continuing rate hikes over next couple of policies. Long-term rate are likely to settle higher with 10-yr G-sec expected to trade in 7.20%-7.40% range.

Beyond domestic monetary policy, global bond yields and geopolitical risk will continue to drive short term as well as long term yields.

Air India And Singapore Airlines Expand Co-operation Beginning From October 15, 2026

Air India and Singapore Airlines (SIA) entered into a commercial cooperation framework agreement today, laying the foundation for a stronger strategic partnership through a future joint business agreement.

The partnership is aimed at boosting connectivity between India and Singapore, with potential expansion to additional regions, to bring greater choice and convenience to customers of both carriers.

Subject to regulatory clearances and the finalisation of definitive joint business agreements, together we intend to introduce enhanced products and services, coordinate flight schedules, enable seamless transfers across geographies, expand route choices, and enable customers to easily book integrated itineraries across both networks. We will also look to progressively enhance privileges beyond the current Star Alliance benefits for members of Air India’s Maharaja Club and SIA’s KrisFlyer frequent flyer programmes.

Hitachi Vantara Earns Common Criteria Certification For VSP One Block

* Providing Enhanced Data Resilience For Regulated Enterprises

* Certification helps government agencies and organizations in highly regulated industries meet stringent security requirements and reduce risk during compliance assessments

* Milestone highlights Hitachi Vantara’s broader cyber resilience solutions, anchored in resilient data infrastructure and supported by advanced data protection, detection and recovery capabilities

Hitachi Vantara’s data resilience approach aligns with the NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0, while VSP One Block is backed by a 100% Data Availability Guarantee, with qualifying systems also covered by a Cyber Resilience Guarantee that provides a 100% clean recovery point following a cyberattack.

Hitachi Vantara, the data storage, infrastructure and hybrid cloud management subsidiary of Hitachi Ltd. (TSE: 6501), today announced that its Virtual Storage Platform One (VSP One) Block platform has achieved Common Criteria (ISO/IEC 15408) certification, providing independent, internationally recognized validation of critical security capabilities, including cryptographic support, identification and authentication, security management and trusted communications. The certification gives government agencies and organizations in highly regulated industries additional assurance that VSP One Block has been independently evaluated against comprehensive security requirements as they assess infrastructure supporting sensitive and mission-critical data.

Click here to learn more about Hitachi Vantara’s cyber resiliency solutions:

https://www.hitachivantara.com/en-us/solutions/data-protection-cyber-resiliency

A resilient data foundation is increasingly critical to help organizations maintain business continuity, manage cyber and regulatory risk and prepare data for AI. Rapid AI adoption, evolving data sovereignty requirements and a growing regulatory landscape are raising the stakes for how organizations govern and protect critical data, increasing scrutiny of the vendors and infrastructure they rely on. According to recent industry research, only 38% of organizations have established sovereignty governance and 46% have established technical architecture, while 43% cite technical hurdles as a key obstacle, up from 26% in 2025. For organizations responsible for critical or regulated data, independent validation can provide objective evidence that technology has been evaluated against established requirements, helping support vendor assessments, procurement processes and broader risk management efforts.

Common Criteria is an international standard for evaluating the security capabilities of information technology products against defined requirements. The certified VSP One Block systems were evaluated against the collaborative Protection Profile for Network Devices (NDcPP) Version 3.0e, which includes requirements for security auditing, cryptographic support, identification and authentication, security management and trusted communications. The certification was issued under the Japan IT Security Evaluation and Certification Scheme (JISEC), administered by the Information-technology Promotion Agency (IPA), Japan, following evaluation by ECSEC Laboratory Inc. JISEC is a Certificate Authorizing Scheme under the Common Criteria Recognition Arrangement (CCRA), which provides for mutual recognition of Common Criteria certificates among participating nations.

“Organizations are under immense pressure to demonstrate that the technology supporting their most critical data has been proven to meet rigorous security standards,” said Octavian Tanase, chief product officer, Hitachi Vantara. “Common Criteria provides independent validation of the critical security capabilities of VSP One Block, and it is another proof point in the broader data and cyber resilience solutions we have built across the VSP One portfolio, helping customers protect critical information, reduce risk and strengthen organizational resilience across operational, financial and governance priorities.”

From Security Validation to Outcome-Backed Cyber Resilience

The certification reaffirms Hitachi Vantara’s broader commitment to delivering trusted cyber resilience solutions. Hitachi Vantara takes a layered approach to data security and resilience, combining independent validation with technologies and services designed to mitigate cyber and regulatory risk and enable rapid, clean recovery following a cyberattack.

Key elements of this approach include:

Alignment with recognized cybersecurity frameworks: Hitachi Vantara’s approach to data resilience aligns with the NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0, including capabilities to protect hardware, software, networks and data; identify weaknesses; detect intrusions and malware; respond to attacks; and support rapid, clean data recovery at scale. This includes risk-optimized data resilience zones that organize critical data based on business risk and regulatory needs, helping organizations strengthen governance and compliance.

Independent security validation: Hitachi Vantara has previously achieved alignment with the U.S. government’s Secure Software Development Framework (SSDF), as outlined by NIST. The SSDF alignment was independently validated through a third-party attestation process and confirmed by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Hitachi Vantara is also a CISA Secure by Design pledge signatory, reinforcing its commitment to building security into products from the outset.

Layered data protection and threat detection: VSP One Block combines immutable data protection with Ransomware Detection powered by CyberSense®, which provides 99.99% accurate ransomware data corruption detection and clean snapshot identification. Together, these capabilities help organizations detect suspicious activity, protect critical information and identify clean data for recovery.

Outcome-backed resilience and recovery: Hitachi Vantara backs VSP One with a 100% Data Availability Guarantee, while qualifying VSP One Block systems are covered by a Cyber Resilience Guarantee that provides a 100% clean recovery point following a cyberattack. This defense-in-depth approach helps reduce the operational and business impact of disruption.

“Government organizations need confidence that the infrastructure supporting critical missions has been evaluated against recognized security requirements,” said Mark Serway, president and CEO of Hitachi Federal. “Independent certifications such as Common Criteria provide another important source of assurance during technology evaluation, while Hitachi Vantara’s broader cyber resilience capabilities help agencies protect access to critical data and maintain continuity when disruptions occur.”

The VSP One Block certification, JISEC-C0870, was granted June 19, 2026, under Common Criteria Version 3.1 Release 5 and the collaborative Protection Profile for Network Devices Version 3.0e. The certification applies to VSP One B20 and is valid through June 19, 2031.

For more information about Hitachi Vantara’s approach to security, privacy and compliance, please visit: https://www.hitachivantara.com/en-us/trust-center.

Additional Resources

Press Release: Hitachi Vantara Advances Cyber Resilience for Federal Agencies by Meeting Secure Software Development Framework Standards

Blog: Boost Cyber Resilience with Superhero Powers (and Hitachi VSP One)

Solution Profile: Achieve Cyber Resilience with a Risk-Optimized Data Foundation

https://www.hitachivantara.com/en-us/video/hitachi-s-unmatched-7-layer-blueprint-for-data-resilienceWebinar: Cyber Resilience in the Age of Ransomware


Webinar: Resilient by Design: How Hitachi Vantara, VM2020, and Index Engines Deliver Faster, Validated Ransomware Recovery

Blog: How Pakistan’s Financial Backbone Is Using AI to Strengthen Resilience

About Hitachi Vantara

Hitachi Vantara is transforming the way data fuels innovation. A wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi Ltd., Hitachi Vantara provides the data foundation the world’s leading innovators rely on. Through data storage, infrastructure systems, cloud management and digital expertise, the company helps customers build the foundation for sustainable business growth. To learn more, visit www.hitachivantara.com.

About Hitachi Federal

Hitachi Federal is the trusted leader in mission-centric digital solutions for the U.S. federal government. The company strengthens the mission critical infrastructure and operations of the United States through data center modernization, AI acceleration, data management, hybrid cloud enablement, and cyber resiliency. Powered by Hitachi’s engineering and technology leadership, Hitachi Federal helps federal agencies modernize how they operate and deliver on their mission. Hitachi Federal is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi Digital, LLC. Visit us at hitachifederal.com.

About Hitachi, Ltd.

Through its Social Innovation Business (SIB) that brings together IT, OT (Operational Technology) and products, Hitachi aims to be a global leader in continuously transforming social infrastructure through digital, contributing to a harmonized society where the environment, wellbeing, and economic growth are in balance. Hitachi operates worldwide across four sectors – Digital Systems & Services, Energy, Mobility, and Connective Industries – as well as a Strategic SIB Business Unit focused on new growth areas. With Lumada at its core, Hitachi creates value by combining data, technology and domain knowledge to solve customer and social challenges. Revenues for FY2025 (ended March 31, 2026) totaled 10,586.7 billion yen, with 606 consolidated subsidiaries and approximately 290,000 employees worldwide. Visit us at www.hitachi.com.

From Smartphones To Beauty: How Gen Z’s Inner Circle Is Shaping Different Diwali Shopping Journeys

* New Snapchat and GWI research reveals that there is no one Gen Z Diwali shopper, with planning, sharing, advice-seeking, and spontaneity varying significantly by category.

A smartphone, a beauty product, a festive outfit, and last-minute Diwali essentials may all be part of the same festive shopping basket, but Gen Z isn't buying them in the same way.

New research from Snapchat and GWI reveals that there is no single Gen Z Diwali purchase journey. Consumer technology emerges as a highly planned and advice-led category, beauty is shaped by research and social sharing, fashion combines advance planning with spontaneity, while quick commerce is closely tied to immediate household and festive needs.

One behaviour, however, appears across these different journeys: shopping is rarely happening in isolation. Gen Z is researching, sharing and seeking opinions as they navigate purchases, and the role of trusted friends and family isn't confined to categories traditionally considered social, such as fashion and beauty.

This is particularly evident in consumer technology. Despite being one of the most considered categories studied, 55% of Gen Z plan most of their consumer technology purchases in advance, while 52% seek advice from friends or family before buying.

For marketers, the findings point to a more nuanced Diwali shopper: different categories require different ways of showing up across the purchase journey, rather than one festive playbook applied to every consumer and category.

Technology: The considered, advice-led purchase

Consumer technology stands out as one of the most planned categories studied, with 55% of Gen Z saying they plan most of their purchases in advance.

But considered doesn't mean solitary. 52% seek advice from friends or family before purchasing consumer technology, demonstrating that trusted opinions matter even in a category typically associated with specifications, research, and comparison.

The journey also begins before Diwali. 50% research products, 46% ask others for opinions or advice, and 45% compare products or brands. During Diwali, behaviour shifts closer to transaction, with 47% making purchases and 44% looking for discounts, while 36% share products with others.

Smartphones are a major part of the technology shopping basket, with 71% of Gen Z buying or expecting to buy one for Diwali.

Beauty: The social, shareable purchase

Beauty and personal care follows a different path. While 53% of Gen Z plan most of their beauty purchases in advance, the journey continues through inspiration, research, conversations, and sharing.

Nearly half (49%) research ideas or inspiration before Diwali, while 45% seek opinions or advice.

Sharing is particularly prominent: 3 in 10 Gen Z consumers share beauty and personal care products with others before buying, while nearly 3 in 10 (29%) have sent photos or videos from a store to others.

Here, shopping becomes more collaborative, with other people becoming part of evaluating and validating what to buy.

Quick commerce: The need-state purchase

Quick commerce reveals another distinct Diwali shopping behaviour, driven more heavily by immediate festive and household needs.

61% of Gen Z primarily purchase festive essentials through quick commerce for their family or household.

Snacks and sweets lead the category at 74%, followed by puja essentials (65%), flowers and decorations (64%), diyas and candles (61%), and household essentials (59%).

Unlike the longer consideration journey associated with technology or the sharing-led behaviour seen in beauty, quick commerce is closely connected to what is needed for the home, and the people Gen Z is celebrating with.

Fashion: Planned, but open to spontaneity

Fashion and apparel remain the largest festive shopping category studied, with 68% of Gen Z buying or expecting to buy in the category.

But the journey sits somewhere between intention and impulse. While 46% plan most of their fashion purchases in advance, 49% say they combine planning with spontaneous purchases.

And planning begins early: 43% start planning their fashion purchases at least a month before Diwali, giving brands an opportunity to influence consideration well before the festival itself.

One Diwali, different journeys

Taken together, the findings show why there is no single Gen Z festive shopper and no single path to purchase.

Yagnesh Ravi, Ad Solutions Lead India, Snapchat, said, “The festive shopping funnel has changed. Discovery is still important, but for Gen Z, the journey increasingly continues through conversations with their Inner Circle, the friends and family they trust to share opinions, validate choices, and build confidence before they buy. Snapchat has always been built around real relationships, the friends and family people talk to every day, share moments with, and turn to for opinions. That is what makes the Inner Circle such a natural behaviour on Snapchat. During Diwali, for brands, the opportunity is not simply to appear alongside content, but to become part of the moments where people are discovering, discussing, and deciding what matters to them.”

Jason Mander, Chief Insight Officer, GWI, adds, “What this Diwali research shows is that there isn’t one way through that funnel. A smartphone, a beauty product, an outfit, and a last-minute festive essential are all approached differently. For brands, the opportunity is to understand the behaviours shaping their specific category and show up across the moments that matter, from discovery and research to conversations and decision-making. Understanding what Gen Z buys is only part of the picture, how they arrive at that decision matters just as much.”

The research was conducted by GWI in partnership with Snapchat, examining Gen Z festive shopping behaviours across fashion and apparel, beauty and personal care, quick commerce and festive essentials, and consumer technology and smartphones.