Blog

South Korea’s data protection regulator has alleged that Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek’s chatbot shared user data with ByteDance, the owner of social media giant TikTok, according to a report by Yonhap News.

On Sunday, the South Korean government temporarily halted new downloads of DeepSeek due to concerns over its data collection practices.

“We confirmed DeepSeek communicating with ByteDance,” a South Korean Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) official told Yonhap News. However, the government has yet to confirm the extent of data sharing between the two Chinese tech companies. The PIPC has also issued a formal request to DeepSeek for clarification regarding its data collection and management practices.

DeepSeek is a generative AI built by a Chinese artificial intelligence startup known for developing advanced chatbot technology powered by large language models (LLMs). It has gained recognition for its sophisticated natural language processing capabilities, competing with global AI giants like OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

DeepSeek’s rapid expansion into international markets, including South Korea, has raised concerns over data privacy.

This is the first time a regulator has confirmed potential leaks of user data by DeepSeek to a third party.

TikTok, owned by Chinese tech company ByteDance, has also faced scrutiny worldwide over national security and data privacy concerns. In 2020, India permanently banned TikTok, along with several other Chinese apps, citing threats to national security and data sovereignty.

The US has also attempted to restrict TikTok’s operations, with lawmakers arguing that the app could share user data with the Chinese government. While India enforced an outright ban, the US has considered legislative actions and forced divestment to address these concerns, keeping TikTok under continued regulatory pressure. On Monday, both Google and Apple restored TikTok on their app stores following assurances in a letter from US Attorney General Pam Bondi that a ban on the app wouldn’t immediately be enforced. The two companies had removed TikTok in the US last month to comply with a law passed in 2024. Business Standard

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he intends to impose auto tariffs in the neighborhood of 25% and similar duties on semiconductors and pharmaceutical imports, the latest in a series of measures threatening to upend international trade.

Trump said levies on automobiles would come as soon as April 2, the day after members of his cabinet are due to deliver reports to him outlining options for a range of import duties as he seeks to reshape global trade.

Trump has long railed against what he calls the unfair treatment of US automotive exports in foreign markets.

The European Union, for instance, collects a 10% duty on vehicle imports, four times the US passenger car tariff rate of 2.5%. The US, though, collects a 25% tariff on pickup trucks from countries other than Mexico and Canada, a tax that makes the vehicles highly profitable for Detroit automakers.

EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic will meet with US counterparts – Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Trump’s nominee to be US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett – in Washington on Wednesday to discuss the various tariffs threatened by Trump.

Asked whether the EU could avoid reciprocal tariffs he proposed last week, Trump repeated his claim that the EU had already signaled it would lower its tariffs on US cars to the US rate, although EU lawmakers have denied doing so.

He said he would press EU officials to increase US imports of cars and other products.

Pharma, chips duties
Trump told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on Tuesday that sectoral tariffs on pharmaceuticals and semiconductor chips would also start at “25% or higher”, rising substantially over the course of a year.

He did not provide a date for announcing those duties and said he wanted to provide some time for drug and chip makers to set up US factories so that they can avoid tariffs.

Trump said he expected some of the biggest companies in the world to announce new investments in the United States in the next couple of weeks. He provided no further details.

Since his inauguration four weeks ago, Trump has imposed a 10% tariff on all imports from China, on top of existing levies, over China’s failure to halt fentanyl trafficking. He also announced, and then delayed for a month, 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and non-energy imports from Canada.

He has also set a March 12 start date for 25% tariffs on all imported steel and aluminum, eliminating exemptions for Canada, Mexico, the European Union and other trading partners. Trump also announced, that these tariffs would apply to hundreds of imported downstream products made of steel and aluminum, from electrical conduit tubing to bulldozer blades.

Last week, he directed his economic team to devise plans to impose reciprocal tariffs that match the tariff rates of every country product-by-product.

Shelved car tariffs
An auto import tariff of 25% would be a game-changer for a global auto industry that is already reeling from uncertainty caused by Trump’s tariff drama.

A similar drama played out in 2018 and 2019 during Trump’s first term, when the Commerce Department conducted a national security investigation into auto imports and found that they weakened the domestic industrial base. Trump had threatened car tariffs of 25% at that time, but ultimately took no action, allowing the tariff authority from that probe to expire.

But some of the research that went into the 2018 investigation may be reused or updated as part of a new automotive tariff effort. Reuters

India’s outsourcing landscape is undergoing a significant transformation, with 81% of organisations planning to increase their outsourcing efforts over the next three to five years, according to Deloitte’s latest report. This shift is driven by the need for technological advancements, access to specialised expertise and cost efficiency.

India a scalable, sceure outsourcing hub
India is a preferred outsourcing destination due to its expanding services sector, reliable business environment and strong policy framework. India’s expertise in digital transformation, cybersecurity and vendor management has positioned it as a scalable and secure outsourcing hub.

The report indicates that strategic supplier collaborations have enabled organisations to achieve an average annual cost savings of 10-25% from their outsourced contracts. Organisations balancing strategic service providers and niche providers have achieved even higher savings of 15-35%. As outsourcing engagements become more complex, organisations are strengthening their vendor management strategies, with 45% of mature outsourcing firms now operating dedicated vendor management offices to enhance governance, supplier risk management and outsourcing effectiveness.

AI, Automation in outsourcing
Organisations are moving beyond traditional transactional and back-office services to higher-value, strategic services. AI and automation are playing an increasingly role in outsourcing agreements, with 98% of organisations depending on service providers for AI and gen AI capabilities.

To optimise these collaborations, companies are embedding AI-specific clauses in outsourcing contracts, ensuring better performance tracking, cost optimisation and risk mitigation. This shift has led to a rise in outcome-based contracts, now preferred by 36% of organisations over traditional full-time equivalent contracts.

The report highlights that better alignment with business strategy (28%) has overtaken cost savings as the primary driver for outsourcing. This transition is fuelled by advancements in AI, automation and digital transformation, which enable organisations to outsource complex functions such as product development, supplier evaluation and strategic brand management.

Evolving outsourcing models
Outsourcing models are evolving to include a blend of global business services centres, third-party providers and flexible talent solutions. According to the report, 55% of organisations use GBS centres for governance and oversight while relying on third-party providers for execution and efficiency optimisation.

Additionally, 35% of organisations have adopted the build-operate-transfer (BOT) model, which enables them to scale capabilities while maintaining long-term operational control. These models offer businesses greater agility, cost efficiency and integration between IT and business functions. NDTV Profit

The promoters of Bharti Enterprises will use the proceeds of the latest stake sale in Bharti Airtel to refinance loans taken to acquire a 24.5 per cent equity stake in British Telecom (BT) last year, multiple sources close to the development said.

Indian Continent Investment Limited (ICIL), a promoter-group entity of Bharti Airtel sold 0.84 per cent of its stake in the telecom operator. The 5.11 crore shares in Airtel were sold through a market transaction, for an aggregate amount of ₹8,485.11 crore, the telco said in an exchange filing.

Bharti Global, the international investment arm of Bharti Enterprises, had announced the acquisition in BT Group PLC in August last year. The move had made the Indian conglomerate the biggest shareholder in the UK’s second-largest telecom company both in terms of market value and subscriber count. The shares were purchased from billionaire Patrick Drahi’s Altice UK through a combination of cash and debt.

Sources said Tuesday’s block deal would help the Bharti group to reduce this debt. The move would allow group entities to deleverage quickly, which has been a stated focus, they pointed out.

The block deal saw Bharti Telecom Limited (BTL), the promoter of Airtel, anchor the trade by acquiring 1.20 crore shares, or 24 percent of ICIL’s sale, Airtel said in a stock exchange filing. It said this will help the overall book to be allocated only to key marquee long only names, both global and domestic. Tuesday’s deal saw the participation of US investment management company GQG Partners, alongside multinational financial services corporation Fidelity Investments, and financial advisory and asset management firm Lazard, people in the know said.

GQG Partners had earlier acquired a significant chunk in Airtel in March 2024, buying a 0.8 per cent stake directly from Singtel for $712.5 million. SBI Pension, SBI Life, and ICICI Prudential were among major domestic buyers.

The latest transaction also comes after Bharti Telecom acquired an additional 1.2 per cent stake in Airtel from ICIL in November last year. With the latest stake increase, BTL now holds nearly 40.5 per cent stake in Airtel. Sources said BTL is keen to pick up further stakes in Airtel going forward, when and if the opportunity comes.

Queries mailed to the company did not elicit a response. Shares of Airtel closed at ₹1,668 on Tuesday, down 0.43 per cent.

A day before, Bharti AXA Life Insurance had announced that funds managed by 360 ONE Asset will acquire a 15 per cent stake in the company. This investment will strengthen its growth trajectory and help it in expanding market share. “The investment will help accelerate the company’s plans to enhance its product offerings and expand its distribution network to meet the evolving needs of consumers”, the company had said. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals. Business Standard

With connectivity being the digital backbone of the global economy, innovation in the telecoms sector has become imperative to support the world’s economic and societal challenges.

Within this aim, India is well on its way to becoming a global telecoms superpower through its own innovations. With 5G deployment expanding rapidly, for example, half of the population are expected to be on 5G by 2030.

But with such a strong telecoms foundation, the country is well positioned to further accelerate its telecoms growth by partnering with other global leaders in the space.

Collaboration is key
International collaboration will be central to fully benefiting and scaling from telecoms innovation globally. Through India’s journey to becoming that superpower, collaboration can open and boost opportunities for investment and innovation – and from the field of global candidates for potential partnership, the UK is one of the strongest.

Combined with India’s expertise, skills and resources to solve common sector challenges, a partnership could rapidly accelerate the journey for mutual benefit with the UK for many reasons.

Natural synergies
The two markets have natural synergies that can be exploited and advanced through closer collaboration, based around their current priorities. For both countries, these include Quantum computing, 5G and 6G technology development, Open RAN, edge computing, non-terrestrial networks, AI-enhanced network solutions and rural connectivity.

From a partnership perspective, the UK is the definitive R&D destination, with telecoms deeply embedded into the country’s DNA. As the PwC Global CEO Survey’s fourth most favoured investment destination, it has many regional clusters of expertise. Its strengths can also help leverage India’s capabilities with expertise in AI, cybersecurity, software, virtualisation, system integration, testing and semiconductors.

Home to world-beating talent and academia, the UK is also a hub for academic and early-stage research. This makes it an attractive choice for Indian telecoms partners seeking to further research and develop new propositions.

The country is widely known for its robust R&D capabilities in telecoms and there are clear opportunities around 6G. Collaborative partnerships for 6G research, sharing testbeds and other R&D projects could draw on a powerful combination of India’s commitment to advancing 6G and the UK’s next-gen networking investments.

Geographically, the UK also holds a strategic position as a stepping stone to the wider European market and the US, with strong connections to both regions. This is a top priority for many Indian firms looking for investment opportunities and an attractive testbed in which to commercialise R&D.

Current collaboration
Initiatives to support collaboration between India and the UK have already become firmly established, showing a clear appetite for partnership.

One important milestone in the UK and India’s continuing collaboration in telecoms research and innovation was reached in October, by the signing of an important MoU between Bharat 6G Alliance and the UK-India Future Networks Initiative (UKI-FNI), supported by UK Telecoms Innovation Network (UKTIN).

The collaboration signifies a crucial step towards harnessing the combined strength of Indian and UK expertise to drive innovation in the development of 6G technology. This partnership will not only address critical technological challenges but also create opportunities for deeper research collaboration, knowledge exchange, and shared vision for building a robust and sustainable 6G ecosystem.

This follows on from the strong progress made in July 2024, for example, with the announcement of the Technology and Security Initiative (TSI), a strategic framework designed to foster deeper collaboration between the two countries.

This initiative, focused on cutting-edge telecoms technologies and bolstering security, is set to unlock new opportunities for both nations, as they strive to be at the forefront of global telecoms advancements.

For India’s telecom companies, the TSI presents a lucrative opportunity to capitalise on the UK’s technological strengths. As telecoms continues to evolve, the TSI will play a key role in ensuring both the UK and India remain competitive in this critical sector. Techob Server