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Digital India with Angus Shillington

08 October 2021

 

In this episode, I speak with Angus Shillington, Deputy Portfolio Manager at VanEck about India’s digital transformation and what it means for their economy and markets.

Disrupting the Analog Economy

What’s happening in India that has Angus excited? I start the podcast by talking about the phenomenal returns India-equity ETFs have seen over the last year and question whether that’s just about the market’s recovery from a COVID induced sell-off or, if there’s something else investors should be paying attention to.

India has long been a country of massive potential for investors with a very large and young population. Angus talks about the bottlenecks that have hindered India’s full potential and some of the ways the Modi government has sought to improve things like identification, affordability and its intention to crush lack of transparency and corruption. The upshot of this is improved taxation collection ability and real economic activity that then leads to better employment opportunities and better infrastructure.

Digitization is the backbone of these efforts and it spans all sectors of the economy. Angus talks about how Reliance Industries, a large energy company, is transforming itself to meet the communications needs of the country but also how very few existing analog businesses will actually be able to transition to a digital framework. Consider the impact of a massive youthful population, many newly connected to the system via mobile phones and the latest technology. They will become a new group of digital natives that will influence and support new business models that leapfrog over analog legacy systems and processes. As Angus stated during our discussion because of the demographics, the sheer size of the population and “the disruptable analog nature of that economy, the opportunity is incredibly broad”.

Trend or Fad

Listen for Angus’ take on investor activism, central bank digital currencies, skinny jeans, and the metaverse.

Important Disclosure

This is a marketing communication for professional investors only. Please refer to the UCITS prospectus and to the Key Investor Information Document (KIID) before making any final investment decisions.

This is a marketing communication for professional investors only. Please refer to the UCITS prospectus and to the Key Investor Information Document (KIID) before making any final investment decisions. This information originates from VanEck Securities UK Limited (FRN: 1002854), an Appointed Representative of Sturgeon Ventures LLP (FRN: 452811), who is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK. The information is intended only to provide general and preliminary information to FCA regulated firms such as Independent Financial Advisors (IFAs) and Wealth Managers. Retail clients should not rely on any of the information provided and should seek assistance from an IFA for all investment guidance and advice. VanEck Securities UK Limited and its associated and affiliated companies (together “VanEck”) assume no liability with regards to any investment, divestment or retention decision taken by the investor on the basis of this information. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) but not necessarily those of VanEck. Opinions are current as of the publication date and are subject to change with market conditions. Certain statements contained herein may constitute projections, forecasts and other forward-looking statements, which do not reflect actual results. Information provided by third party sources is believed to be reliable and have not been independently verified for accuracy or completeness and cannot be guaranteed. Brokerage or transaction fees may apply.

All performance information is based on historical data and does not predict future returns. Investing is subject to risk, including the possible loss of principal.

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