Brands
Kotak buys Deutsche’s India retail business in Rs 45 billion deal
Preferred bidder moves ahead as German lender pares India exposure
MUMBAI: India’s banking chessboard is shifting fast. Kotak Mahindra Bank is set to snap up Deutsche Bank’s India retail business in a deal pegged at about Rs 45 billion ($480.3 million), according to a report by The Economic Times, citing people familiar with the matter.
Kotak, flagged as the preferred bidder over Federal Bank, could seal the transaction as early as next week, though the final price may still be tweaked at closing. Both Kotak Mahindra Bank and Deutsche Bank did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The move underscores Deutsche Bank’s steady retreat from select global retail markets as it sharpens focus and cuts exposure. In India, the exit would cover a retail banking network spanning 17 branches, a modest but strategic footprint in a fiercely competitive market.
The deal fits a broader pattern. In 2022, Citi offloaded its India consumer business for more than $1 billion as it pulled back from global retail. Last year, Standard Chartered sold a $488 million personal loan portfolio in India to Kotak Mahindra Bank, reinforcing Kotak’s appetite for bolt on growth.
Numbers tell their own story. Deutsche Bank’s retail banking revenue in India stood at $278.3 million for the financial year ended March 31, 2025, respectable but not enough to justify long term capital in a market dominated by domestic heavyweights and nimble private lenders.
For Kotak, the acquisition is less about scale and more about sharpening its retail edge, customers, cards and cross sell opportunities bundled into one tidy purchase. For Deutsche, it is another clean cut in a global reshaping.
Deals like this rarely shout. They quietly redraw the map.
Brands
Škoda Auto India unveils ‘Easy to Love’ campaign for new Kushaq
Nostalgia meets humour as new SUV charms hearts with a Hindi cinema-inspired story
MUMBAI: Škoda Auto India, in collaboration with BBH India, has launched its latest integrated campaign, ‘Easy to Love’, celebrating the arrival of the new Škoda Kushaq. The campaign fuses nostalgia, humour and cinematic flair, drawing inspiration from the timeless Hindi cinema romance Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge to showcase just how effortlessly the Kushaq wins hearts.
Following teasers and a feature reveal aired during the ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup, the main film now brings the car to life with an emotional narrative that positions it as aspirational, relatable and irresistible for modern SUV buyers in India.
Set against everyday urban backdrops, the film follows a corporate professional, a young woman and a family man who, on spotting the Kushaq, are whisked into dreamy mustard-field sequences inspired by the iconic tune from the Hindi cinema classic. Each whimsical daydream snaps back to reality, revealing the car as the spark behind the fantasy. The film concludes with sweeping shots of the Kushaq cruising through mustard fields while highlighting the SUV’s key features.
Škoda brand director Ashish Gupta said the campaign strengthens Škoda’s position in India’s SUV segment, combining safety, quality and driving dynamics with premium features accessible to a wider audience. He added that the narrative blends nostalgia with contemporary storytelling, cementing the Kushaq as both aspirational and approachable.
Propagate India and BBH India chief creative officer Parikshit Bhattaccharya noted that the campaign taps into cultural memory to dramatise the SUV’s appeal. By juxtaposing everyday moments with larger-than-life fantasy sequences, it shows how effortlessly people can fall for the new Kushaq.
‘Easy to Love’ is now live across television, digital, social, print, cinema, OOH and radio. The campaign will also expand into a social-first micro-drama series and brand collaborations designed to keep audiences engaged and deepen cultural resonance over time.
