Synopsis

Indian equity benchmarks fell sharply on Wednesday as renewed hostilities in West Asia unsettled investors. The Sensex fell as much as 1,700 points and the Nifty50 touched an intraday low of 23,850, dragged down by index heavyweights including Reliance Industries, Larsen & Toubro, State Bank of India, Mahindra & Mahindra, HDFC Bank and Bajaj Finance.

The trigger was geopolitical: crude prices jumped after the United States military launched a new attack on Iran and cancelled its oil-sale licence following projectile strikes on three tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude rose as much as 3.3% to an intraday high of $76.6 a barrel.

Sectoral and regional impact

Twelve of fifteen major NSE sector gauges traded lower, led by the Nifty Oil & Gas index's 1.8% decline, while PSU Bank, Auto, Bank, Realty, Metal and FMCG indices fell between 0.3% and 1.3%. IT, pharma and healthcare stocks bucked the trend, drawing buying interest.

Regionally, Japan's Nikkei fell 0.64% and South Korea's KOSPI dropped 2.2%, while China's Shanghai Composite stayed largely flat.

Word watch: bellwether (a leading indicator that signals broader trends — here, Reliance and HDFC Bank act as bellwethers for overall market direction) and volatility (the degree of rapid price fluctuation, from Latin volare, "to fly").

Market breadth stayed weak, with 1,785 shares declining against 979 advancing on the NSE, underscoring how quickly external shocks can outweigh domestic fundamentals.

https://res.cloudinary.com/dft7kdsw6/image/upload/v1783502866/io2dnvyzgwvxanx3cw3y.png

Indian equity benchmarks fell sharply on Wednesday as renewed hostilities in West Asia unsettled investors. The Sensex fell as much as 1,700 points and the Nifty50 touched an intraday low of 23,850, dragged down by index heavyweights including Reliance Industries, Larsen & Toubro, State Bank of India, Mahindra & Mahindra, HDFC Bank and Bajaj Finance.

The trigger was geopolitical: crude prices jumped after the United States military launched a new attack on Iran and cancelled its oil-sale licence following projectile strikes on three tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude rose as much as 3.3% to an intraday high of $76.6 a barrel.

Twelve of fifteen major NSE sector gauges traded lower, led by the Nifty Oil & Gas index's 1.8% decline, while PSU Bank, Auto, Bank, Realty, Metal and FMCG indices fell between 0.3% and 1.3%. IT, pharma and healthcare stocks bucked the trend, drawing buying interest.

Regionally, Japan's Nikkei fell 0.64% and South Korea's KOSPI dropped 2.2%, while China's Shanghai Composite stayed largely flat.

Word watch: bellwether (a leading indicator that signals broader trends — here, Reliance and HDFC Bank act as bellwethers for overall market direction) and volatility (the degree of rapid price fluctuation, from Latin volare, "to fly").

Market breadth stayed weak, with 1,785 shares declining against 979 advancing on the NSE, underscoring how quickly external shocks can outweigh domestic fundamentals.

https://res.cloudinary.com/dft7kdsw6/image/upload/v1783502866/io2dnvyzgwvxanx3cw3y.png

Sensex, Nifty Slide as Iran Tensions Spike Oil

Synopsis

Every season tons of textiles arrive in the bustling market of Kantamanto in Ghana, Africa.
Clothes are segregated for selling and rest goes directly to the dumps. There is a mountain of
textile waste in Ghana similar to Chile, Argentina. When you look at a product in Italy there
are high chances it is made by a child in Bangladesh who gave up on their studies and
childhood to work for bare minimum wages under drastic conditions.

What is Fast Fashion?

Fast fashion is used to describe cheap and low-quality clothing that are quickly produced and
cycled in and out the market to meet new trends. It was first coined by the New York Times in
1990s when Spanish clothing giant Zara arrived in New York. 

The brand had a mission to take
garments from design stage to being sold in shops within just 15 days. In 2023, the global
fashion industry’s estimated worth was $1.7 trillion. From 2000 to 2014, the number of
garments purchased per capita increased by about 60% and production has doubled.

The Rise of Ultra-Fast Fashion

Fast fashion retailers move, when compared to their traditional counterparts. They tend to
compress production cycles and create multiple designs, This enables the shoppers to not only
expand their wardrobes but also refresh them quickly and cheaply.

Ultrafast fashion moves even faster. In 2023, the Chinese ultrafast retailer SHEIN consistently churned out 10,000 new designs per day, the products being considerably less expensive.

How did SHEIN and TEMU Become Global Fast Fashion Giants?

In the late 1970s, when China scaled up its manufacturing production and began opening its
economy to the world. At this time the small and mid-sized factories struggled to get access to
the large consumer markets of the US and Europe. 

American consumers bought Chinese products, however they did so under globally recognized brand names. Here, most of the profits accrued to the brands, rather than the Chinese suppliers.

The success of Amazon, Shopify and Instagram convinced consumers that they can move their
purchasing power online. These platforms taught Chinese businesses that they could directly
approach the markets of the US and Europe. 

Indeed, Amazon was the teacher. Starting in 2013, the retail website began to recruit Chinese manufacturers to sell on Amazon Marketplace. And the seeds for the birth of SHEIN were sown.

How is SHEIN More Than a Fashion Platform?

SHEIN was founded in the city of Nanjing in 2008 by a US born entrepreneur Chris Xu.
SHEIN’s revenue is between $58.5 billion and $83.5 billion as of 2025, making it the world’s
biggest fashion retailer outselling H&M and Zara.

One face of the platform looks toward its
consumers. It uses deep skills in digital marketing to place stylish fast fashion merchandise in
front of the target customers on social media sites such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok. The
other face of the platform is connected with a wide network of 6,000 once-struggling small
clothing factories in China.

TEMU The Successor of SHEIN

The rise of SHEIN caught the eye of another Chinese data and software firm, Pinduoduo. Later
renamed PDD Holdings, the firm opened an office in Boston’s Back Bay. TEMU was launched
in September 2022. Within three months, it was the most downloaded app on Apple and
Google. 

TEMU uses the software of its parent company to match China’s manufacturing capacity to consumer demand. The matching is done not only for fashion but for retail goods in general. Where SHEIN has 6,000 tightly integrated producers, it appears TEMU has 100,000, offering a wide range of good at startling cheap prices such as an electric cooking pot for $2.14.

Why is Fast Fashion Bad?

In Panipat, Haryana a woman is suffering from ten years of scars. She has COPD, she won’t
be able to breathe without medications ever. This is the result of being exposed to hazardous
bleaching chemicals and acids such as Sulphuric in the textile industry.

The west discards these clothes to India just after few wears making India the world’s textile waste land. China’s Guangzhou popularly known as SHEIN City, is known for exploiting their labours. Fast fashion destroys environment, producers, consumers and children.

1. Damage to environment

According to an analysis by Business Insider, 10% of global carbon emission is caused by
Fashion production, 85% of all textiles go to dumps each year and dying and bleaching of
clothes releases 500,000 tons of microfibers into the ocean each year, equivalent to 50
billion plastic bottles. Fast fashion industry is the second largest consumer of water among
industries, requiring 700 gallons to produce one cotton shirt and 2000 gallons to produce a
pair of jeans. Fast fashion consumers are quick to move on to next styling piece discarding
the clothe just after seven wears.

SHEIN’s CEO, Moly Miao said that each item is produced only in small numbers, between
50-100 pieces a day. It is then tested in the market. If it becomes popular then is mass
produced. However, the issue is these manufactures use virgin polyester which releases
huge amount of CO2.

The fashion industry emits more carbon than international flights and maritime shipping combined. Here are the biggest ways it impacts the planet.

SHEIN’s CEO, Moly Miao said that each item is produced only in small numbers, between
50-100 pieces a day. It is then tested in the market. If it becomes popular then is mass
produced. However, the issue is these manufactures use virgin polyester which releases
huge amount of CO2.

2. Exploitation of labours

A lengthy investigation by Wired chronicled how both labourers and consumers suffered
from the production of its clothes. A documentary by the UK’s Channel 4 found that SHEIN
employees were working 75-hour shifts. Swiss watchdog Public Eye released another
detailed report which accused SHEIN of violating Chinese labour laws.

Fast, Cheap, and Out of Control: Inside Shein’s Sudden Rise

Toiling away for Shein Looking behind the shiny façade of the Chinese “ultra-fast fashion” giant

How are European Countries Dealing With Fast Fashion?

EU and European countries have begun to propose and implement taxes and legislations, if not
to totally stop but to at least slow down fast fashion. Until 2021, millions of packages from
platforms such as SHEIN and TEMU, all those valued at under € 22, arrived in Europe without
paying VAT. This gave these products and unfair advantage in the domestic businesses. Since
2021 all Non - EU imports have been subject to VAT.

In 2024, Brussels approved a Directive (EU) to combat greenwashing. From 2026, brands will
not be able to present themselves as ‘carbon neutral’ or ecofriendly without verifiable evidence.

The First European Country to Approve a Tax on Fast Fashion?

France is the first European country to approve a tax on fast fashion. In June 2025, the French
Senate approved a law introducing a progressive penalty system per garment. Ultra-fast fashion
brands will have to pay an extra € 5 per item. This will make things like cheap T-shirts, dresses
and trousers particularly expensive. The figure will gradually increase to € 10 in 2030, doubling
the tax in just five years.

Other countries such as Sweden, Netherlands, France have chosen to incentivize repairs. These
measures have clear objectives making it cheaper to replace a zip rather than buying a whole
new garment.

Beyond Fast Fashion: Who Really Pays the Price?

Although the effects of these measures are being felt however the question remains whether a
shift from fast fashion to sustainable clothing can save the environment? What will then happen
to numerous workers who are employed just because of this industry? And how long will third
world countries keep bearing the human and environmental costs on behalf of the so-called
super powers?

Every season tons of textiles arrive in the bustling market of Kantamanto in Ghana, Africa.
Clothes are segregated for selling and rest goes directly to the dumps. There is a mountain of
textile waste in Ghana similar to Chile, Argentina. When you look at a product in Italy there
are high chances it is made by a child in Bangladesh who gave up on their studies and
childhood to work for bare minimum wages under drastic conditions.

Fast fashion is used to describe cheap and low-quality clothing that are quickly produced and
cycled in and out the market to meet new trends. It was first coined by the New York Times in
1990s when Spanish clothing giant Zara arrived in New York. 

The brand had a mission to take
garments from design stage to being sold in shops within just 15 days. In 2023, the global
fashion industry’s estimated worth was $1.7 trillion. From 2000 to 2014, the number of
garments purchased per capita increased by about 60% and production has doubled.

Fast fashion retailers move, when compared to their traditional counterparts. They tend to
compress production cycles and create multiple designs, This enables the shoppers to not only
expand their wardrobes but also refresh them quickly and cheaply.

Ultrafast fashion moves even faster. In 2023, the Chinese ultrafast retailer SHEIN consistently churned out 10,000 new designs per day, the products being considerably less expensive.

How did SHEIN and TEMU Become Global Fast Fashion Giants?

In the late 1970s, when China scaled up its manufacturing production and began opening its
economy to the world. At this time the small and mid-sized factories struggled to get access to
the large consumer markets of the US and Europe. 

American consumers bought Chinese products, however they did so under globally recognized brand names. Here, most of the profits accrued to the brands, rather than the Chinese suppliers.

The success of Amazon, Shopify and Instagram convinced consumers that they can move their
purchasing power online. These platforms taught Chinese businesses that they could directly
approach the markets of the US and Europe. 

Indeed, Amazon was the teacher. Starting in 2013, the retail website began to recruit Chinese manufacturers to sell on Amazon Marketplace. And the seeds for the birth of SHEIN were sown.

How is SHEIN More Than a Fashion Platform?

SHEIN was founded in the city of Nanjing in 2008 by a US born entrepreneur Chris Xu.
SHEIN’s revenue is between $58.5 billion and $83.5 billion as of 2025, making it the world’s
biggest fashion retailer outselling H&M and Zara.

One face of the platform looks toward its
consumers. It uses deep skills in digital marketing to place stylish fast fashion merchandise in
front of the target customers on social media sites such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok. The
other face of the platform is connected with a wide network of 6,000 once-struggling small
clothing factories in China.

The rise of SHEIN caught the eye of another Chinese data and software firm, Pinduoduo. Later
renamed PDD Holdings, the firm opened an office in Boston’s Back Bay. TEMU was launched
in September 2022. Within three months, it was the most downloaded app on Apple and
Google. 

TEMU uses the software of its parent company to match China’s manufacturing capacity to consumer demand. The matching is done not only for fashion but for retail goods in general. Where SHEIN has 6,000 tightly integrated producers, it appears TEMU has 100,000, offering a wide range of good at startling cheap prices such as an electric cooking pot for $2.14.

In Panipat, Haryana a woman is suffering from ten years of scars. She has COPD, she won’t
be able to breathe without medications ever. This is the result of being exposed to hazardous
bleaching chemicals and acids such as Sulphuric in the textile industry.

The west discards these clothes to India just after few wears making India the world’s textile waste land. China’s Guangzhou popularly known as SHEIN City, is known for exploiting their labours. Fast fashion destroys environment, producers, consumers and children.

According to an analysis by Business Insider, 10% of global carbon emission is caused by
Fashion production, 85% of all textiles go to dumps each year and dying and bleaching of
clothes releases 500,000 tons of microfibers into the ocean each year, equivalent to 50
billion plastic bottles. Fast fashion industry is the second largest consumer of water among
industries, requiring 700 gallons to produce one cotton shirt and 2000 gallons to produce a
pair of jeans. Fast fashion consumers are quick to move on to next styling piece discarding
the clothe just after seven wears.

SHEIN’s CEO, Moly Miao said that each item is produced only in small numbers, between
50-100 pieces a day. It is then tested in the market. If it becomes popular then is mass
produced. However, the issue is these manufactures use virgin polyester which releases
huge amount of CO2.

The fashion industry emits more carbon than international flights and maritime shipping combined. Here are the biggest ways it impacts the planet.

A lengthy investigation by Wired chronicled how both labourers and consumers suffered
from the production of its clothes. A documentary by the UK’s Channel 4 found that SHEIN
employees were working 75-hour shifts. Swiss watchdog Public Eye released another
detailed report which accused SHEIN of violating Chinese labour laws.

Fast, Cheap, and Out of Control: Inside Shein’s Sudden Rise

Toiling away for Shein Looking behind the shiny façade of the Chinese “ultra-fast fashion” giant

How are European Countries Dealing With Fast Fashion?

EU and European countries have begun to propose and implement taxes and legislations, if not
to totally stop but to at least slow down fast fashion. Until 2021, millions of packages from
platforms such as SHEIN and TEMU, all those valued at under € 22, arrived in Europe without
paying VAT. This gave these products and unfair advantage in the domestic businesses. Since
2021 all Non - EU imports have been subject to VAT.

In 2024, Brussels approved a Directive (EU) to combat greenwashing. From 2026, brands will
not be able to present themselves as ‘carbon neutral’ or ecofriendly without verifiable evidence.

The First European Country to Approve a Tax on Fast Fashion?

France is the first European country to approve a tax on fast fashion. In June 2025, the French
Senate approved a law introducing a progressive penalty system per garment. Ultra-fast fashion
brands will have to pay an extra € 5 per item. This will make things like cheap T-shirts, dresses
and trousers particularly expensive. The figure will gradually increase to € 10 in 2030, doubling
the tax in just five years.

Other countries such as Sweden, Netherlands, France have chosen to incentivize repairs. These
measures have clear objectives making it cheaper to replace a zip rather than buying a whole
new garment.

Beyond Fast Fashion: Who Really Pays the Price?

Although the effects of these measures are being felt however the question remains whether a
shift from fast fashion to sustainable clothing can save the environment? What will then happen
to numerous workers who are employed just because of this industry? And how long will third
world countries keep bearing the human and environmental costs on behalf of the so-called
super powers?

How is Europe Tackling Fast Fashion?

Synopsis

India's 2000+ year medical system, Ayurveda, is being reengineered for the biohacking era, with herbalism and AI diagnostics, wearable sleep trackers and DNA-dosha analysis. This convergence is a major betting point for both government supported institutions and private wellness resorts, despite the lingering doubts over clinical documentation of the technologically enhanced services.

A rapidly growing marketplace

The scale of this change is substantial for a business. In 2024, India's Ayurvedic wellness industry was worth USD 10.3 billion, with a forecast of USD 42.2 billion by 2033, seeing a compound annual growth rate of 16.2% over this period.

A wider product-market estimate suggests that the figure is even higher; the India Ayurvedic products market was worth ₹1,017.51 billion in 2025 and is expected to be worth ₹3,728.75 billion by 2034.

The fusion of tradition and technology

Technological hybridisation is the characteristic of this new stage. Industry insights suggest a model in which AI facilitates real-time diagnostics and health monitoring coupled with DNA-based dosha analysis to provide personalised nutrition plans, herbal supplements and lifestyle regimens uniquely suited to each person's genetic and metabolic makeup. 

In practice, these opportunities, in particular, involve using ashwagandha in combination with adaptogen combinations, yoga sessions customised through biometric data and Panchakarma detox procedures tuned with data analytics. 

The epitome of this fusion can be seen in the luxury wellness resorts that now stand as a testament to the combination of the two. Six Senses Vana, in the foothills of the Himalayas, offers traditional yoga and meditation, coupled with infrared saunas, sleep engineering suites, and nutritional biohacking menus, all of which are grounded in Ayurveda and Tibetan medicine and biohacking technology.

At the same time, Atmantan Wellness Centre near Pune offers one-stop treatment combining Ayurvedic therapy and yoga to Physiotherapy, pranic healing and ozone therapy to both the locals looking for a good health care as well as international tourists who are looking for longevity tourism. 

Institutional Backing

The movement has been given official status. The NIA has initiated product development of various cosmetic products with plant-based ingredients such as foot care cream, aloe vera gel and herbal soap in February 2025, reflecting the ongoing institutional backing for product innovation. 

Separately, the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre was constituted in Jamnagar, Gujarat, to facilitate the research work on Traditional Medicine based on evidence at the international level.

Existing manufacturers are also doing their best to build up scientific credibility. Both the Himalaya Wellness Co. and Dabur India also introduced in the market an integrated digital knowledge centre to educate international consumers on the scientific validation of its botanical active ingredients and a detailed report on standardised herbal extracts validated through advanced laboratory testing in June 2025. The headquarters of the company are located in San Francisco.

Consumer Behaviour Shift

This growth has dependable customers, and their tastes are quite refined. Indian consumers are well educated about herbs, and superficial marketing is not going to work and brands are becoming more scientifically proven, it's no longer just traditional,' say analysts.

This has created a new "beauty from within" category as consumers realize that what is visible on the outside relates to that on the inside, and an increase in demand for "nutricosmetics.

A Global Wellness Migration

This is a trend that has occurred throughout history and across various cultures. As with all ancient Eastern traditions, the commercialization of this kind of wellness has also sparked a debate on authenticity and accessibility: “Eastern traditions” are sold to premium-paying consumers, often at a hefty price, and with changes from their cultural roots.

Outlook

As the industry for Ayurvedic wellness pharmaceuticals in India charges ahead toward estimated valuation in the tens of billions of dollars, the conflict between science and ancient experience may only grow more pronounced, as foreign regulators take a closer look at claims of efficacy.

India's 2000+ year medical system, Ayurveda, is being reengineered for the biohacking era, with herbalism and AI diagnostics, wearable sleep trackers and DNA-dosha analysis. This convergence is a major betting point for both government supported institutions and private wellness resorts, despite the lingering doubts over clinical documentation of the technologically enhanced services.

The scale of this change is substantial for a business. In 2024, India's Ayurvedic wellness industry was worth USD 10.3 billion, with a forecast of USD 42.2 billion by 2033, seeing a compound annual growth rate of 16.2% over this period.

A wider product-market estimate suggests that the figure is even higher; the India Ayurvedic products market was worth ₹1,017.51 billion in 2025 and is expected to be worth ₹3,728.75 billion by 2034.

Technological hybridisation is the characteristic of this new stage. Industry insights suggest a model in which AI facilitates real-time diagnostics and health monitoring coupled with DNA-based dosha analysis to provide personalised nutrition plans, herbal supplements and lifestyle regimens uniquely suited to each person's genetic and metabolic makeup. 

In practice, these opportunities, in particular, involve using ashwagandha in combination with adaptogen combinations, yoga sessions customised through biometric data and Panchakarma detox procedures tuned with data analytics. 

The epitome of this fusion can be seen in the luxury wellness resorts that now stand as a testament to the combination of the two. Six Senses Vana, in the foothills of the Himalayas, offers traditional yoga and meditation, coupled with infrared saunas, sleep engineering suites, and nutritional biohacking menus, all of which are grounded in Ayurveda and Tibetan medicine and biohacking technology.

At the same time, Atmantan Wellness Centre near Pune offers one-stop treatment combining Ayurvedic therapy and yoga to Physiotherapy, pranic healing and ozone therapy to both the locals looking for a good health care as well as international tourists who are looking for longevity tourism. 

The movement has been given official status. The NIA has initiated product development of various cosmetic products with plant-based ingredients such as foot care cream, aloe vera gel and herbal soap in February 2025, reflecting the ongoing institutional backing for product innovation. 

Separately, the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre was constituted in Jamnagar, Gujarat, to facilitate the research work on Traditional Medicine based on evidence at the international level.

Existing manufacturers are also doing their best to build up scientific credibility. Both the Himalaya Wellness Co. and Dabur India also introduced in the market an integrated digital knowledge centre to educate international consumers on the scientific validation of its botanical active ingredients and a detailed report on standardised herbal extracts validated through advanced laboratory testing in June 2025. The headquarters of the company are located in San Francisco.

This growth has dependable customers, and their tastes are quite refined. Indian consumers are well educated about herbs, and superficial marketing is not going to work and brands are becoming more scientifically proven, it's no longer just traditional,' say analysts.

This has created a new "beauty from within" category as consumers realize that what is visible on the outside relates to that on the inside, and an increase in demand for "nutricosmetics.

This is a trend that has occurred throughout history and across various cultures. As with all ancient Eastern traditions, the commercialization of this kind of wellness has also sparked a debate on authenticity and accessibility: “Eastern traditions” are sold to premium-paying consumers, often at a hefty price, and with changes from their cultural roots.

As the industry for Ayurvedic wellness pharmaceuticals in India charges ahead toward estimated valuation in the tens of billions of dollars, the conflict between science and ancient experience may only grow more pronounced, as foreign regulators take a closer look at claims of efficacy.

Ayurveda Rebrands Itself for the Biohacking Age

Synopsis

The rampant hustle culture in India is not just affecting their mental well-being but a majority of professionals are seeing positive experiences where they've been burnt out and emotionally exhausted from the hustle. In the meantime, a stealth change is taking place in the workplace, as young Indians are questioning the value that has been enshrined in their lives – hard work – which is synonymous with constant productivity and which has yet to be adequately expressed on the job.

The Scale of Burnout is the name of the assessment

Survey results are a consistent picture of strain widespread. As per one of the workplace reports, 85 per cent of Indian employees are experiencing fatigue and exhaustion due to stress at work, and nearly half were unable to go to work because of mental health issues; the workers aged 18-34 experienced the most fatigue and headache.

The same trend holds true with younger professionals as confirmed by corporate research. In a survey conducted by Deloitte India in 2023, over 80 per cent of the Gen Z professionals indicated that they were emotionally tired and one in three said that they were thinking of quitting their jobs because of the stress.

Only a Structural solution to a Problem and not an Individual one needs to be solved

Burnout is now being seen as a part of the Indian work culture, rather than a failure. With the high economic growth rate and an attitude of ‘hustling' in India, the work culture has also become one where people are seen overworking and the factors reported which contribute to this are long hours of work, constant Internet connection and the lack of boundaries in work-life balance.

The 2025 Gallup report cited in the same study reveals that almost half of India's workforce is actively looking for work and about a third of workers is stressed out daily.

The stakes are high because of the number of people affected. According to Plum report, 10% of the Indian employees feel they are "thriving at work" with a population of more than 600 million Indians between 18 and 35 years of age. 

The Mental Health Dimension: Health problems that affect the mind

Even in the absence of workplace surveys, mental health problems among young people in India are high. The prevalence of common mental disorders (CMDs) is around 10 per cent of Indian adults according to the National Mental Health Survey of India (2015-16), and is significantly higher in the age group 18 to 29.

One of the features cited by analysts as a contributor to the rise of the gig economy is that this new phenomenon, which was envisioned as flexible, has brought about new types of economic insecurity for young people.

Signs of Pushback

There appears to be a generational change in priorities, particularly among those in the city who have been affected by the disruptions of the pandemic. In an interview with Economic Times, one UX designer based in Bengaluru said it got clear to him that “I don’t want to live to work, I want to work to live better.” 

A structural approach is being taken by some employers. Thanks to the design by Plum, employees now receive counselling at the office thanks to Tata Consultancy Services and Wipro, and a "14-hour health week" was launched, which will encourage workers to allocate at least two hours of their time to them to improve their well-being. 

Apart from the collective efforts of the companies, each one of them such as Zerodha, TCS Remote Labs, Zoho etc. has begun to pay attention to mental health support, learning autonomy and sabbaticals as part of their holistic approach to retention. 

Outlook

If India's workplace culture is to have a lasting transformative change or if the changes in its workplace are going to be symbolic gestures that are placed on top of existing expectations, will be the sole question that will be the deciding factor on whether the present generation's pushback will be successful or not, or if that is merely a temporary respite before the next round of hustle culture.

The rampant hustle culture in India is not just affecting their mental well-being but a majority of professionals are seeing positive experiences where they've been burnt out and emotionally exhausted from the hustle. In the meantime, a stealth change is taking place in the workplace, as young Indians are questioning the value that has been enshrined in their lives – hard work – which is synonymous with constant productivity and which has yet to be adequately expressed on the job.

The Scale of Burnout is the name of the assessment

Survey results are a consistent picture of strain widespread. As per one of the workplace reports, 85 per cent of Indian employees are experiencing fatigue and exhaustion due to stress at work, and nearly half were unable to go to work because of mental health issues; the workers aged 18-34 experienced the most fatigue and headache.

The same trend holds true with younger professionals as confirmed by corporate research. In a survey conducted by Deloitte India in 2023, over 80 per cent of the Gen Z professionals indicated that they were emotionally tired and one in three said that they were thinking of quitting their jobs because of the stress.

Only a Structural solution to a Problem and not an Individual one needs to be solved

Burnout is now being seen as a part of the Indian work culture, rather than a failure. With the high economic growth rate and an attitude of ‘hustling' in India, the work culture has also become one where people are seen overworking and the factors reported which contribute to this are long hours of work, constant Internet connection and the lack of boundaries in work-life balance.

The 2025 Gallup report cited in the same study reveals that almost half of India's workforce is actively looking for work and about a third of workers is stressed out daily.

The stakes are high because of the number of people affected. According to Plum report, 10% of the Indian employees feel they are "thriving at work" with a population of more than 600 million Indians between 18 and 35 years of age. 

The Mental Health Dimension: Health problems that affect the mind

Even in the absence of workplace surveys, mental health problems among young people in India are high. The prevalence of common mental disorders (CMDs) is around 10 per cent of Indian adults according to the National Mental Health Survey of India (2015-16), and is significantly higher in the age group 18 to 29.

One of the features cited by analysts as a contributor to the rise of the gig economy is that this new phenomenon, which was envisioned as flexible, has brought about new types of economic insecurity for young people.

There appears to be a generational change in priorities, particularly among those in the city who have been affected by the disruptions of the pandemic. In an interview with Economic Times, one UX designer based in Bengaluru said it got clear to him that “I don’t want to live to work, I want to work to live better.” 

A structural approach is being taken by some employers. Thanks to the design by Plum, employees now receive counselling at the office thanks to Tata Consultancy Services and Wipro, and a "14-hour health week" was launched, which will encourage workers to allocate at least two hours of their time to them to improve their well-being. 

Apart from the collective efforts of the companies, each one of them such as Zerodha, TCS Remote Labs, Zoho etc. has begun to pay attention to mental health support, learning autonomy and sabbaticals as part of their holistic approach to retention. 

If India's workplace culture is to have a lasting transformative change or if the changes in its workplace are going to be symbolic gestures that are placed on top of existing expectations, will be the sole question that will be the deciding factor on whether the present generation's pushback will be successful or not, or if that is merely a temporary respite before the next round of hustle culture.

Hustle Culture's Toll on Young Indian Workers

Synopsis

India's urban population is among the world's worst sleepers as well as the first to get up, leading to a new "sleep tourism" phenomenon that offers sleep as an experience worth paying for, and records! Sleep is now a luxury, with sleep consultations and wearable trackers and curated retreats. What was once a basic human requirement is now associated with privilege and self-optimisation – sleep consultancy and wearable trackers, curated retreats.

A lack of sleep in the City!

India's lack of sleep is extreme when compared with other countries. According to the Indian Journal of Sleep Medicine, a study by Nielsen on the global sleep habits revealed that 64 per cent of India's urban population wakes up before 7 am which is the highest in the world, and 61 per cent of them sleep for less than seven hours a day.

Another industry estimate suggests that the figure is even higher – a Philips research showed that 93 per cent of Indians are sleep deprived.

The crisis is given institutional weight in the formulation by the World Health Organisation. A lack of restorative sleep has been recognised by WHO as a public health concern and not just a lifestyle problem.

Rest as a Marketed Commodity

In this context, tourism to sleep has become a specific tourism-based business, known as “sleep tourism,” or “napcations.”

Restored in the 14th century, the fort at Six Senses Fort Barwara, Rajasthan provides a Sleep Program, which lasts for three, five or seven nights, with a dedicated Sleep Physician on site, wellness screenings, Yoga Nidra sessions and ongoing sleep tracking.

The irony in the trend has been noted by commentators. One analysis notes that sleep "seems no longer to be an act of rest, but a performance of privilege, with brands more and more packing sleep interventions with clinical science language.

As a people, we've always been about diet and fitness and now we're becoming more aware of the importance of sleep, says Dr Robbins, a sleep researcher quoted in the same report. 

The Market Scale

The world is hungry for sleepy travelers and it's an appetite that has gained momentum. HTF Market Intelligence estimates the global sleep tourism market at $640 billion and will surpass $1 billion in certain luxury areas by 2028. 

According to the market analysts, the category is growing 12.6 per cent annually – and the research Mintel shared with Skyscanner indicates that 43 per cent of wellness travellers want to get more restful sleep on vacation.

India's Positioning

India's current wellness tourism ecosystem provides it a natural edge in the burgeoning sector. Himalayan health retreats in Rishikesh, Dharamshala and Ananda offer Ayurvedic medicine along with yoga and meditation to restore sleep balance, offering a holiday for people who want to relax and enjoy a holiday that is not sightseeing based. 

Technology has been a part of the experience. Many luxury wellness resorts now have wearable sleep monitors or smart beds that will automatically adjust the mattress setting based on the number of rest cycles that a guest experiences, to transform an intangible experience into quantifiable and shareable data.

Outlook

As India's professional life goes round-the-clock and basic sleep is being compromised, how can sleep become a premium, measurable commodity—when is it working to solve the structural problem of sleep deprivation, and when is it just selling the symptoms for the rich?

India's urban population is among the world's worst sleepers as well as the first to get up, leading to a new "sleep tourism" phenomenon that offers sleep as an experience worth paying for, and records! Sleep is now a luxury, with sleep consultations and wearable trackers and curated retreats. What was once a basic human requirement is now associated with privilege and self-optimisation – sleep consultancy and wearable trackers, curated retreats.

India's lack of sleep is extreme when compared with other countries. According to the Indian Journal of Sleep Medicine, a study by Nielsen on the global sleep habits revealed that 64 per cent of India's urban population wakes up before 7 am which is the highest in the world, and 61 per cent of them sleep for less than seven hours a day.

Another industry estimate suggests that the figure is even higher – a Philips research showed that 93 per cent of Indians are sleep deprived.

The crisis is given institutional weight in the formulation by the World Health Organisation. A lack of restorative sleep has been recognised by WHO as a public health concern and not just a lifestyle problem.

In this context, tourism to sleep has become a specific tourism-based business, known as “sleep tourism,” or “napcations.”

Restored in the 14th century, the fort at Six Senses Fort Barwara, Rajasthan provides a Sleep Program, which lasts for three, five or seven nights, with a dedicated Sleep Physician on site, wellness screenings, Yoga Nidra sessions and ongoing sleep tracking.

The irony in the trend has been noted by commentators. One analysis notes that sleep "seems no longer to be an act of rest, but a performance of privilege, with brands more and more packing sleep interventions with clinical science language.

As a people, we've always been about diet and fitness and now we're becoming more aware of the importance of sleep, says Dr Robbins, a sleep researcher quoted in the same report. 

The world is hungry for sleepy travelers and it's an appetite that has gained momentum. HTF Market Intelligence estimates the global sleep tourism market at $640 billion and will surpass $1 billion in certain luxury areas by 2028. 

According to the market analysts, the category is growing 12.6 per cent annually – and the research Mintel shared with Skyscanner indicates that 43 per cent of wellness travellers want to get more restful sleep on vacation.

India's current wellness tourism ecosystem provides it a natural edge in the burgeoning sector. Himalayan health retreats in Rishikesh, Dharamshala and Ananda offer Ayurvedic medicine along with yoga and meditation to restore sleep balance, offering a holiday for people who want to relax and enjoy a holiday that is not sightseeing based. 

Technology has been a part of the experience. Many luxury wellness resorts now have wearable sleep monitors or smart beds that will automatically adjust the mattress setting based on the number of rest cycles that a guest experiences, to transform an intangible experience into quantifiable and shareable data.

As India's professional life goes round-the-clock and basic sleep is being compromised, how can sleep become a premium, measurable commodity—when is it working to solve the structural problem of sleep deprivation, and when is it just selling the symptoms for the rich?

Sensex, Nifty Slide as Iran Tensions Spike Oil

Synopsis

Sectoral and regional impact

Latest News