Best of the Week: Why India's plate is crowded with carbs

Over the past few months, I’ve been trying to eat healthier. But before making any drastic changes to my diet—which, to be honest, once included everything from fries to instant noodles—I wanted to understand what I was actually consuming.

What quickly became clear: the typical North Indian diet I grew up with is overwhelmingly carb-heavy. For vegetarians in particular, finding enough protein on the plate can be a real challenge.

Nandita Venkatesan reports on a new Nature Medicine study, which confirms this. Carbohydrates account for a staggering 62% of Indians’ daily calories—mostly low-quality carbs like white rice, milled grains, and added sugar. Refined cereals alone make up nearly 29% of total calories, while protein intake lingers at just 12%.

This imbalance is feeding India’s growing metabolic crisis: 80% of adults now have at least one risk factor such as obesity, diabetes, or hypertension. The study recommends small but meaningful changes, replacing just 5% of daily carbs with protein, adding more pulses to public food programmes, and improving food labelling to reduce ultra-processed foods.

On to best of Mint’s work from this week:

TCS bets $6 billion on AI data centres amid weakest growth in six years

TCS posted its slowest Q2 growth since 2018, with revenue inching up just 0.6% sequentially to $7.47 billion and down 2.7% year-on-year. In response to the slowdown, the IT giant unveiled plans to invest $6-7 billion over seven years in artificial intelligence (AI) data centres—its biggest strategic pivot since going public in 2004.

The move comes as TCS contends with shrinking margins, 12,000 job cuts, and scrutiny in the US over visa and hiring practices. CEO K. Krithivasan said the new facilities will serve AI companies, hyperscalers, and government clients. In parallel, TCS acquired US-based ListEngage, its largest deal since 2013.

India’s cough syrup crisis returns as child deaths spark nationwide probe

Two Indian drugmakers, Sresan Pharmaceuticals and Kaysons Pharma, are under scrutiny after contaminated cough syrups were linked to the deaths of 11 children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Tests found toxic diethylene glycol, an industrial chemical, in Sresan’s Coldrif syrup, prompting multiple states to ban its sale and suspend officials for negligence.

This incident adds to a troubling pattern: India-made cough syrups have previously caused child deaths in The Gambia, Uzbekistan, and Iraq, exposing deep flaws in drug regulation. The Centre has ordered inspections across states and urged doctors to avoid prescribing cough syrups to very young children.

FMCG and appliance makers gear up to pass GST rate cuts to consumers

FMCG and appliance companies are preparing to pass on the benefits of the recent goods and services tax (GST) rate cuts to consumers through price reductions, added grammage and festive promotions. Daily-use goods that earlier attracted 12-18% GST will now be taxed at 5%, helping lower grocery bills by up to 10%. While smaller packs priced between ₹5 and ₹20 will retain their price points, companies plan to offer extra quantity or discounts on larger packs.

Appliance makers, too, expect higher festive demand, with revised rates taking effect on 22 September, signalling a consumption boost ahead of the festive season.

Blue Dot pilot links Dharwad youth to local jobs in real time

In Karnataka’s Dharwad, a digital experiment is bridging the gap between ITI graduates and local employers. The Blue Dot project, powered by EkStep Foundation’s ONEST platform, maps job-seekers and vacancies, capturing verified profiles through a voice bot and displaying them on a digital map. Piloted across ITIs and nearby MSMEs, it has cut hiring time from weeks to hours, enabling local placements that reduce attrition and circulate income regionally.

Students and small businesses now see each other in real time. The model is expanding across Karnataka and other states, promising scalable solutions for India’s persistent skilling and employment challenges.

Accenture leaves Indian IT in the dust with $4.8 billion AI windfall

Accenture has surged far ahead of Indian IT giants, adding $4.78 billion in new business in the past year, more than the combined incremental revenue of India’s 15 largest IT firms. Its secret lies in early bets on artificial intelligence. Since 2019, all 700,000 employees have undergone AI training, giving Accenture a four-year lead as GenAI took off.

Backed by $23 billion in strategic acquisitions and a robust consulting arm, the firm now earns over $2.7 billion from advanced AI. Meanwhile, Indian players like TCS and Infosys are still scrambling to upskill staff and craft coherent AI strategies.

Zoho’s Arattai crashes into spotlight after minister’s post

A viral post by education minister Dharmendra Pradhan sent Zoho’s messaging app Arattai into overdrive, triggering a 100-fold surge in downloads and pushing the team into crisis mode. Within days, the Tamil Nadu-based firm hit over 10 million installs.

For Zoho, best known for its enterprise software, Arattai marks a bold leap into consumer tech, part of a larger push to build homegrown digital platforms. While still dwarfed by WhatsApp, Zoho hopes to woo users with privacy-focused features, UPI payments, and small-business tools. Whether Arattai becomes a lasting habit or fades like Hike will test Zoho’s Swadeshi tech ambitions.

Tiruppur’s textile dream faces 50% tariff nightmare

Tiruppur’s apparel makers, who send over a third of their ₹44,700 crore exports to the US, are reeling after President Trump hiked tariffs on Indian textiles to 50%, penalising India for buying Russian oil. Small firms like N.C. John Garments, which recently secured a Disney order, are now operating on wafer-thin margins just to retain clients.

While production continues, exporters warn the sector is in the “ICU” without government support. Industry groups have sought relief through loan moratoriums and credit extensions. With buyers increasingly exploring cheaper alternatives in Bangladesh and Vietnam, Tiruppur’s future may hinge on upcoming trade deals with the UK, the European Union, and potentially the US.

BIS to set uniform rules for Uber, Swiggy, Amazon and Airbnb partners

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) plans to introduce uniform rules for how online platforms like Uber, Swiggy, Amazon, and Airbnb engage with partners such as drivers, delivery agents and hosts. The move aims to standardize recruitment, evaluation, grievance redressal and privacy practices across India’s gig economy.

Currently, each platform follows its own opaque system, often leading to worker disputes. BIS will study global benchmarks to frame India-specific standards, a first-of-its-kind. Experts say the move could boost fairness, transparency and service quality while aligning Indian platforms with global norms as the gig workforce nears 62 million by 2047.

FOMO fuels gold rush as prices hit ₹1.21 lakh per 10 gm

Gold buyers are rushing back to jewellers ahead of Diwali, gripped by FOMO as prices hit a record ₹1.21 lakh per 10 gm on MCX, tracking a global rally driven by US political turmoil and a weak dollar. After weeks of muted demand, retailers are reporting heavy footfalls and brisk sales of coins, bars and ornaments.

The India Bullion and Jewellers Association expects festive demand to touch 45 tonnes, the highest ever. Experts warn, though, that prices may have peaked after a 56% surge this year. Still, strong wedding and festive demand are keeping India’s gold trade glittering bright.

Adani eyes ₹30,000 crore for Navi Mumbai Airport’s second terminal

Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first terminal at Navi Mumbai International Airport, the Adani Group is moving to raise ₹30,000 crore for a second terminal, slated to open by 2029. Adani Airport Holdings is in talks with Indian lenders, including State Bank of India and HDFC Bank, as well as Japan’s MUFG and Mizuho, and Singapore’s Temasek.

The new terminal will boost capacity to 30 million passengers annually, up from 20 million at the first. Adani also plans to list its airport arm within three years and pursue additional airport acquisitions as India prepares another round of privatization across 11 state-run facilities.

That's all for this week. I hope you have a pleasant weekend!

If you have feedback, want to discuss food, or have anything else to say about our journalism, write to me at siddharth.sharma1@htdigital.in or reply to this email. You can also write to feedback@livemint.com.

Best,

Siddharth Sharma

Community Editor

Subscriber Experience Team