5038: IT Chills Get 'Realty' Check; It’s Raining Cheques for Deeptech Startups; and Tech Firms Fight 3-Hour Takedown Rule | MC Tech3

The fintech leader Razorpay has moved into the final stage of its IPO, assembling a syndicate of banks and eyeing a mixed primary‑secondary issue that could exceed $700 million. The announcement arrives as India’s IT index has slipped more than 6 percent since March 2020, driven by worries that tighter government intelligence rules may erode the labor‑intensive model that underpins many ID services. The slowdown in tech hiring is also echoing through the real‑estate market, where property indices fell around 4 percent, highlighting the close link between IT employment and urban housing demand.

Meanwhile, deep‑tech startups are enjoying a funding renaissance. Traction data shows $600 million raised in the first half of FY26—a 53 percent year‑on‑year jump—despite a lower number of deals, indicating larger ticket sizes. Companies such as Exponent Energy, Caligo Technologies, Cosmic and Sanyak Space are securing multimillion‑dollar rounds for EV charging, semiconductor R&D, space‑based optics and low‑Earth‑orbit satellites. Policy nudges, including an extended 20‑year eligibility window and the Rs 1 lakh‑crore R RDI fund, are further fueling investor confidence in high‑risk, high‑reward ventures.

Regulatory pressure is mounting as the Ministry of Electronics and IT shortens the unlawful‑content removal window from 36 to three hours and mandates labeling of AI‑generated material. Industry bodies warn that the compressed timeline could trigger precautionary takedowns, raising compliance costs for platforms. On the marketing front, Flipkart has sidestepped the costly Indian cricket jersey race by sponsoring the Namibia men’s team during the T20 World Cup for roughly one crore—far less than the typical multi‑hundred‑crore deals. The move secures global visibility at a fraction of traditional sponsorship spend, illustrating a savvy, cost‑effective branding strategy.