The Daily Brief A little boy comes for India’s monsoons
15 snips
Mar 23, 2026 A deep dive into how an El Nino watch could threaten India’s monsoon, power demand and commodity imports. A clear look at how changes in Pacific circulation shift weather, solar prospects and international winners. A surprising regulatory shakeup in auto fuel‑efficiency rules and the industry split it created. Quick round of market tidbits on exporters, the rupee and a notable IPO.
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IOD And Irrigation Reduce But Don't Eliminate Risk
- The Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) can partially offset El Nino locally, but it's not a reliable counterweight.
- Expanded irrigation (21% to 53% cover since 1965) has reduced crop sensitivity to monsoon deficits dramatically.
Carmakers Were Surprised By A New CAFE3 Draft
- Carmakers expected a near-final CAFE3 draft but BEE surprised them at a Feb 10 meeting with a new version.
- SIAM noted this was the third materially different proposal shown in under two years.
CAFE Rules Use Fleet Averages To Shape Fleet Mix
- CAFE norms regulate fleet-average CO2 emissions, letting manufacturers offset heavy models with cleaner ones.
- CAFE1 set 130 g/km (2017), CAFE2 113 g/km (2022), and CAFE3 proposes further tightening from April 2027.