India working on ‘right to repair’ framework; IAMAI walks away from crypto; Microsoft wins Netflix partnership

India is working on a ‘Right to Repair’ framework aimed at serving the dual purpose of making it hassle-free for consumers to get their products repaired at a reasonable cost, and boosting the country’s circular economy, the central government said in a statement last week. IAMAI, one of the country’s biggest tech lobbies, is walking away from crypto. And Microsoft has emerged as Netflix’s exclusive partner to build its ad-supported service. Notes: India is working on a ‘Right to Repair’ framework aimed at making it hassle-free for consumers to get their products repaired at a reasonable cost, and boosting the country’s circular economy, the central government’s Department of Consumer Affairs said in a statement last week. The aim of developing a framework on right to repair in India is to empower consumers and product buyers in the local market because manufacturers are promoting a culture of planned obsolescence, the department said. The framework will harmonize trade between the original equipment manufacturers and the third-party buyers and sellers, emphasize developing sustainable consumption of products and reduction of e-waste, the department said in the statement. A committee that has been set up to put together the framework, has identified sectors including farming equipment, mobile phones and tablets, consumer durables and automobiles and automobile equipment. Last month, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Lifestyle for Environment movement, which includes encouraging the reuse and recycling of various consumer products. Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), an influential tech lobby backed by some of the biggest telecom and internet companies operating in the country, has decided to end its championing of the crypto industry. The association said in a statement last week that it is dissolving the Blockchain and Crypto Assets Council (BACC), which it created four years ago. The decision was taken because a resolution of the regulatory environment for the crypto industry is still very uncertain in India, the association said in its statement. Instead, IAMAI would like to utilise its resources for other emerging digital sectors, which make a more immediate and direct contribution to digital India, notably, deepening financial inclusion and promoting the Central Bank-issued Digital Currency, it said in the statement. Microsoft has won the competition to become Netflix’s exclusive partner to build an ad-based service, beating out potential rivals such as Google and Comcast, Wall Street Journal reported on Friday. Netflix plans to launch an ad-supported service in at least 10 markets by the end of the year, including Canada and the UK, the Journal reports, citing people familiar with the plans. In an internal memo announcing the Microsoft partnership, Netflix senior leaders said they chose Microsoft because of its approach to data privacy, the technology platform it offered and its sales team, one of the people told the Journal. Theme music courtesy Free Music & Sounds: https://soundcloud.com/freemusicandsounds