The Writing Room

In this article, Ian Cowie looks at India’s rapid economic ascent under Modi, as well as the upcoming elections, and the recent modernisation efforts, in particular the Aadhaar digital identification system. He also highlights that
“The medium and smaller companies specialist, India Capital Growth (IGC), achieved 31 per cent over the past year, 78 per cent over five years and 312 per cent over a decade, while the more blue chip or big company-focused JP Morgan Indian (JII) delivered 19 per cent, 27 per cent and 151 per cent.”

In what what is the dubbed the Ultimate Election Year, with elections scheduled scheduled in 64 countries around around the world,  how does India do things and what do you need to know?

Gaurav Narain, portfolio adviser of India Capital Growth Fund, says a domestic economy that’s firing on all cylinders points to India as an exciting destination for investors seeking long-term structural opportunities.

The fact that different markets can wax and wane in popularity has become especially apparent for those invested in Asian equities over recent years. India is on the rise and investing in China has proved complicated, to say the least. That’s clear enough from the numbers: the MSCI China index is down to the tune of nearly 45 per cent over three years in terms of sterling total return, with MSCI India up by almost 60 per cent.

Private investors in Britain have been piling into Indian shares on the back of a strong market performance for the subcontinent.

Gaurav Narain, who runs the £165 million London-listed India Capital Growth Fund, speaks to The Times.

Coinciding with recent Diwali celebrations in the Indian Community in the UK, Tom Burroughes speaks to India Capital Growth’s Guarav Narain about how India is a promising country to invest in and about the investment philosophy of the fund.

Columnist Ian Cowie runs through his winners and losers in the third quarter, a period that saw him sell out of two investment trust holdings.

In this article Ian Cowie discusses exposure in the Asian and Indian economies. He explains how a country by country approach can be less risky and more rewarding, using India’s combination of entrepreneurial dynamism and legally enforced property rights to explain his point.

In the second note of this series, we look at what areas of transformation the Government is truly focused on. Since July, Prime Minister Modi has been criss-crossing the country, inaugurating over US$8bn worth of projects and with the election deadline looming in May 2024, it’s estimated further projects valued at more than US$60bn will be inaugurated. It is clear the focus of the Government in it’s election campaign will be on development and there is no slowing down in the pace of project completions and new project announcements.

Recent technology deals between the two countries are a turning point in relations, driven by the increasing threat of India’s bellicose neighbour, says top-performing fund manager Gaurav Narain.

With the IMF predicting that India and China wil account for half of global economic growth in 2023, what are the main drivers behind India’s ever-increasing output? How are investors taking advantage of the opportunities that the nation presents?

The Indian economy has been in the limelight as one of the few bright spots in an uncertain world. Some are even calling it ‘India’s decade’.

Reforms, digitalisation, improving infrastructure and the government’s Make-in-India initiatives are some reasons backing the above.

India is taking over from China as the most populous country in the world in the next few months, as confirmed by the UN Population Fund’s World Population Dashboard. As well as overtaking its neighbours over the Himalayas, the subcontinent has also improved as a place to invest. Oliver Hail investigates.

Unruffled by worldly turmoil, India’s stock market continues to grow. Piyasi Mitra considers ETFs that offer access for European investors.

With the SVB crisis hitting the United States (US), questions have arisen on the possible effects it may have on the Indian banking sector and India Capital Growth Fund’s (ICGF) substantial 25% exposure to this sector. This short note highlights the team’s thoughts on the reasons for the crisis and how the Indian banks have already been through a clean-up process leading to a much sounder system today.

David Brenchley discusses how to invest like a prime minister. Retail Investors can look at firms like India Capital Growth which has “about 22 percent of it’s portfolio invested in small India companies”