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Chris Kay

@christopherkay.ft.com
1.6K followers 550 following 77 posts

Mumbai bureau chief at the Financial Times. Previously with Bloomberg in India, Pakistan, Nigeria and the UK. chriskay.co.uk www.ft.com/chris-kay

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Reposted by Chris Kay
Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 21/09/2026
The food safety sheriff on a hygiene crusade in Mumbai ft.trib.al/C4OYdjd | opinion
ft.trib.al
The food safety sheriff on a hygiene crusade in Mumbai
Restaurants, ice cream parlours and even elite members’ clubs have all been sanctioned for stomach-churning violations
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Chris Kay @christopherkay.ft.com · 21/09/2026
“Those businesses who are following the norms, they have nothing to fear from us.” My piece on Tukaram Mundhe, the bureaucrat on a hygiene crusade whose stardom also reflects the low expectations Indians have of their civil servants | as.ft.com/r/2f8ac210-9... via @financialtimes.com
as.ft.com
The food safety sheriff on a hygiene crusade in Mumbai
Restaurants, ice cream parlours and even elite members’ clubs have all been sanctioned for stomach-churning violations
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Chris Kay @christopherkay.ft.com · 20/09/2026
India gets hooked on ‘snackable’ micro-dramas. “Micro-dramas are the future of our industry . . . big production houses are jumping into it. Every studio is booked” | as.ft.com/r/718f64d3-f... via @financialtimes.com
as.ft.com
India gets hooked on ‘snackable’ micro-dramas
Popularity of short-form videos has created employment for many actors, technicians and producers
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Reposted by Chris Kay
Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 20/09/2026
Billionaire Tata scion faces battle of his life to avert a listing ft.trib.al/5vQhuV7
ft.trib.al
Billionaire Tata scion faces battle of his life to avert a listing
Noel Tata is up against the 150-year-old business empire’s chair and his well-connected New Delhi allies
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Reposted by Chris Kay
Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 11/08/2026
The AI threat to India’s IT jobs machine ft.trib.al/OKH8JNx
ft.trib.al
The AI threat to India’s IT jobs machine
The country has bet big on tech services but disruption is coming
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Reposted by Chris Kay
Gavin Jackson @gavinjackson.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
There’s always a local angle
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Reposted by Chris Kay
Tony Tassell @tonytassell.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
This column by @christopherkay.ft.com highlights an important issue - as AI becomes more important and powerful, how do countries avoid becoming dependent on US centric models? is open-source AI enough? www.ft.com/content/3729...
ft.com
What Ambani’s deep-tech ambitions reveal about India’s AI limits
Country still needs to play catch-up if it is to become self-reliant in the use of the technology
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Reposted by Chris Kay
Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 25/06/2026
What Ambani’s deep-tech ambitions reveal about India’s AI limits ft.trib.al/m3twLa3 | opinion
ft.trib.al
What Ambani’s deep-tech ambitions reveal about India’s AI limits
Country still needs to play catch-up if it is to become self-reliant in the use of the technology
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Chris Kay @christopherkay.ft.com · 25/06/2026
What Ambani’s deep-tech ambitions reveal about India’s AI limits - www.ft.com/content/3729... via @financialtimes.com
ft.com
What Ambani’s deep-tech ambitions reveal about India’s AI limits
Country still needs to play catch-up if it is to become self-reliant in the use of the technology
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Chris Kay @christopherkay.ft.com · 22/06/2026
India plays ‘whack-a-mole’ with finfluencers. “They thought they could sell dreams that many people have made profits,” Sebi chair tells @financialtimes.com. “These dreams were completely hyped and were even outright lies in some cases.” www.ft.com/content/79ef...
ft.com
India plays ‘whack-a-mole’ with online financial influencers
Regulator targets scammers who give stock tips under guise of financial education as ranks of retail investors grow
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Reposted by Chris Kay
Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 17/06/2026
Ambani’s Jio set to file for IPO as hopes grow for end to India’s listings drought ft.trib.al/MKlOviH
ft.trib.al
Ambani’s Jio set to file for IPO as hopes grow for end to India’s listings drought
Iran war has hit country’s equity market and disrupted what was positioned to be another record year for flotations
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Reposted by Chris Kay
Tony Tassell @tonytassell.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
Cricket fans - a column here from @christopherkay.ft.com on how India’s cricket cash machine - the IPL - faces a slower commercial run rate www.ft.com/content/eefd...
ft.com
India’s cricket cash machine faces a slower run rate
The commercial pitch has become tougher for teams amid less competition for streaming rights and an advertising crackdown
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Chris Kay @christopherkay.ft.com · 11/05/2026
The Indian Premier League transformed cricket’s flagging economics and entrenched India’s global political dominance of the game. But the IPL's commercial pitch is set to become tougher with limited to no competition for the next media rights cycle. www.ft.com/content/eefd...
ft.com
India’s cricket cash machine faces a slower run rate
The commercial pitch has become tougher for teams amid less competition for streaming rights and an advertising crackdown
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Chris Kay @christopherkay.ft.com · 11/05/2026
Modi calls on Indians to tighten their belts amid Gulf crisis, as well as avoid travelling abroad for holidays and weddings. “Now that the elections are over, Modi can be more realistic about the economic issues” www.ft.com/content/39a9...
ft.com
Narendra Modi calls on Indians to tighten their belts amid Gulf crisis
PM asks citizens to work from home, limit gold purchases and stop travelling abroad to conserve foreign exchange
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Reposted by Chris Kay
Tony Tassell @tonytassell.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
always loved this photo of Churchgate station in Mumbai in 1995 (i lived around the corner at the time) by the great Raghu Rai who has just died. NYTimes obit here www.nytimes.com/2026/04/27/w...
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Reposted by Chris Kay
Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 22/04/2026
No dosa today: India’s cooking gas crisis ft.trib.al/w0n2sFd | opinion
ft.trib.al
No dosa today: India’s cooking gas crisis
Households are buying up induction stoves and chaiwalas have closed as Iran conflict hits the country’s supply of LPG
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Reposted by Chris Kay
Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 11/04/2026
The outspoken founder of Biocon on the pros and cons of weight-loss drugs, misogynistic trolling — and how to get India’s tech capital moving again: ft.trib.al/PBmbRX1
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Chris Kay @christopherkay.ft.com · 10/04/2026
Biotech billionaire Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw: ‘I’ve always been very unconventional’ The Biocon founder on building an Indian pharma powerhouse, weight-loss drugs — and how to get Bangalore moving again. Do read my first Lunch with the FT. www.ft.com/content/08e9...
ft.com
Biotech billionaire Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw: ‘I’ve always been very unconventional’
The Biocon founder on building an Indian corporate powerhouse, weight-loss drugs — and how to get Bengaluru moving again
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Reposted by Chris Kay
Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 08/04/2026
The question over Trump’s ‘historic’ refinery deal: $300bn or $40mn? ft.trib.al/2jya0Ao
ft.trib.al
The question over Trump’s ‘historic’ refinery deal: $300bn or $40mn?
Reliance Industries has made no announcement to the stock exchange about the project in Brownsville, Texas
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Reposted by Chris Kay
Michela Tindera @mtindera.ft.com · 02/04/2026
The downfall of Byju's, once India's most valuable start-up worth $22bn, turned into a global courtroom drama. The @financialtimes.com's Mumbai bureau chief @christopherkay.ft.com takes us inside the saga on this episode of Behind the Money. 🎧: podfollow.com/behind-the-m...
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Reposted by Chris Kay
Tony Tassell @tonytassell.bsky.social · 31/03/2026
always here for takes on the state of Bollywood - read here from Krishn Kausik and @christopherkay.ft.com www.ft.com/content/f1d6...
ft.com
Bollywood tries to get back its glitter
The Indian cinema industry now often makes many predictable films that fewer people want to pay to see
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Reposted by Chris Kay
Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 19/03/2026
India’s central bank battles to protect rupee from Iran war fallout ft.trib.al/xiB0xNE
ft.trib.al
India’s central bank battles to protect rupee from Iran war fallout
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Chris Kay @christopherkay.ft.com · 23/01/2026
In May, India's law ministry refused to serve the SEC's legal summons to Adani, citing “the absence of an ink signature on the SEC’s cover letter and a seal”, which the US regulator argued was not required. www.ft.com/content/64f0...
ft.com
US regulator steps up effort to serve charges against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani
SEC asks for permission to send summons by email after India’s government refused to formally notify tycoon
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Chris Kay @christopherkay.ft.com · 11/01/2026
“Private Indian energy giants could make a killing from refining more Venezuelan heavy crude, and India could achieve its goal of better diversifying its sources of foreign oil — and especially if it continues to scale back Russian oil imports.” ft.com/content/5d0f...
ft.com
Indian oil refiners see opportunity in Donald Trump’s Venezuela action
Groups including Reliance stand to benefit as they seek low-cost alternative to sanctioned Russian supply
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Reposted by Chris Kay
John Reed @johnreedwrites.ft.com · 28/12/2025
www.ft.com/content/8070... India’s turbulent year in aviation: “In the US and China, there are several peer-sized airlines that can step in to ease shocks. India doesn’t have that.” @christopherkay.ft.com
ft.com
India’s turbulent year in aviation
Travel meltdown at IndiGo and fatal Air India crash spur calls to break duopoly in world’s third-largest air transport market
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Chris Kay @christopherkay.ft.com · 17/12/2025
RBI governor Sanjay Malhotra tells the @financialtimes.com that he expects India's interest rates to remain low for a “long period”. He also admitted that the blistering 8.2% GDP figure “was surprising” and the central bank had to “improve” its forecasting ft.com/content/55cd...
ft.com
India’s central bank governor signals rates to stay low for ‘long period’
Sanjay Malhotra celebrates ‘Goldilocks’ growth that could be boosted further by trade deals with US and EU
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Chris Kay @christopherkay.ft.com · 09/12/2025
Earlier this year, IndiGo's CEO told the @financialtimes.com that the airline's rise was “one of the most incredible aviation stories in the world”. But that triumphant narrative has been devastated after a major air travel meltdown - www.ft.com/content/e3f7...
ft.com
Flight chaos brings India’s biggest airline back to earth
Low-cost carrier IndiGo’s cancellation of thousands of flights prompts passenger fury and regulator scrutiny
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Chris Kay @christopherkay.ft.com · 05/12/2025
India’s airports in chaos as largest airline IndiGo cancels over 1,000 flights on Friday following days of turmoil. The airline's CEO says cancelling more than half the its flights would help it to “start afresh” - www.ft.com/content/6451... via @financialtimes.com
ft.com
India’s airports in chaos as largest airline cancels over 1,000 flights
Crisis at IndiGo forces government to suspend pilot rest rules
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Reposted by Chris Kay
Climate Adaptation and Restoration Team @clubadaptation.bsky.social · 29/11/2025
The costs of India’s hunger for cheap steel-The scale of that growth, however, comes with significant costs. Despite its essential role in engineering and construction, steel is one of the world’s dirtiest materials… www.ft.com/content/c9f4... @christopherkay.ft.com @financialtimes.com
ft.com
The costs of India’s hunger for cheap steel
Booming production may buoy the domestic economy, but is causing environmental damage and trade tensions
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Chris Kay @christopherkay.ft.com · 26/11/2025
Today's FT Big Read: India's steel production has boomed in the past decade. But that growth comes with significant costs. “We are creating a big carbon monster that we will not be able to tackle in the future,” says @globalenergymon.bsky.social's Henna Khadeeja - on.ft.com/4oVZzWI
on.ft.com
The costs of India’s hunger for cheap steel
Booming production may buoy the domestic economy, but is causing environmental damage and trade tensions
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Chris Kay @christopherkay.ft.com · 20/11/2025
Only 4.4% of India's workforce aged 15 to 29 is formally skilled, according to the government, which has acknowledged that just over half of the country's graduates have the “skills needed by a modern economy” - on.ft.com/3LMDICt via @financialtimes.com
on.ft.com
India aims to train vast pool of poorly skilled workers
New Delhi steps up programmes to close workforce skills gaps in competition with China
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Chris Kay @christopherkay.ft.com · 15/11/2025
Inside the war over Bangalore Palace. Since India's independence, the Mysore maharajas have waged a slow battle for control over their historic real estate, flitting between political parties and attempting to protect their legacy. My latest for the @ftweekend.com magazine - on.ft.com/3JXqphR
on.ft.com
Inside the war over Bangalore Palace
In the heart of south India, a legal battle is raging over the future of a royal residence
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Chris Kay @christopherkay.ft.com · 13/11/2025
PM Narendra Modi heralded India’s growing “concert economy” after Coldplay gigs. But India still struggles with a scarcity of venues and opaque red tape. “We always had a gun to our head in terms of who’s the next guy going to be coming to ask for a piece of the action” | www.ft.com/content/fea1...
ft.com
India bets on the global concert economy
International artists are putting on big shows but the country needs less red tape and more venues
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Chris Kay @christopherkay.ft.com · 10/11/2025
India’s grid deadlock threatens green power rollout - on.ft.com/4p0PYNW via @financialtimes.com
on.ft.com
India’s grid deadlock threatens green power rollout
Expansion of the country’s power network has not kept pace with a surge in renewable projects
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Reposted by Chris Kay
Ian Hall @drianhall.bsky.social · 19/10/2025
India is estimated to spend less than 0.7% of GDP on R&D, less than half what it needs to spend.
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Chris Kay @christopherkay.ft.com · 19/10/2025
‘Shoestring’ R&D budgets force India to rely on Chinese tech, steel tycoon Sajjan Jindal tells the @financialtimes.com - on.ft.com/4nbBwBm
on.ft.com
‘Shoestring’ R&D budgets force India to rely on Chinese tech, says steel tycoon
JSW chair Sajjan Jindal calls for country to boost research and development spending as he prepares to launch EV brand
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Chris Kay @christopherkay.ft.com · 10/10/2025
Tata “fighting multiple fires” after cyber attacks and boardroom splits. “A lot of the day-to-day issues are coming from the operational level . . . but there’s also stuff coming from the top with the disagreement between Noel Tata and some of the other trustees” | on.ft.com/4ofUA2p
on.ft.com
Tata Group ‘fighting multiple fires’ after cyber attacks and boardroom splits
Powerful Indian conglomerate has suffered repeated crises in recent months
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Chris Kay @christopherkay.ft.com · 08/10/2025
Electric scooter makers find opportunity on India’s clogged streets - on.ft.com/3KCRXct via @financialtimes.com
on.ft.com
Electric scooter makers find opportunity on India’s clogged streets
Manufacturers in the country grapple with policy shifts and supply chain disruption
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Chris Kay @christopherkay.ft.com · 23/09/2025
Trump’s H-1B visa turmoil threatens Indians’ American dream. “This is going to crash the number of foreign students applying to the US,” says a recruiter at a US tech company. "They’re going to be saddled with astronomical student loans and no way to work in the US.” www.ft.com/content/0f84...
ft.com
Donald Trump’s H-1B visa turmoil threatens Indians’ American dream
New $100,000 application fee sparks consternation in India’s IT sector and among those hoping to make careers in the US
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Chris Kay @christopherkay.ft.com · 29/08/2025
‘Massive’ oil reserves? Trump baffles Pakistanis, who have mocked his claims and shared images of oil-filled cauldrons used to cook fatty samosas, suggesting the US president may have confused lipids for fossil fuels - on.ft.com/4pfUBVB
on.ft.com
‘Massive’ oil reserves? Donald Trump’s energy plan baffles Pakistan
Analysts question US president’s pursuit of natural resource deals
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Chris Kay @christopherkay.ft.com · 26/08/2025
Today's FT Big Read: The unsustainable boom in India’s Silicon Valley. Bangalore has become one of the starkest illustrations of India’s struggles to build the infrastructure needed to keep its economy growing at a brisk rate - on.ft.com/3HTISej
on.ft.com
The unsustainable boom in India’s Silicon Valley
Over the past two decades, Bengaluru has seen explosive growth in its tech sector. But the city’s infrastructure is not keeping up with the expansion
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Reposted by Chris Kay
Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 19/08/2025
China and India seek to repair strained ties ahead of Modi-Xi meeting on.ft.com/45qPFFr
on.ft.com
China and India seek to repair strained ties with high-level visits
Beijing’s foreign minister visits New Delhi as rivals ease tensions amid Donald Trump’s trade war
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Chris Kay @christopherkay.ft.com · 12/08/2025
Trump tariffs threaten Modi’s ‘Make in India’ manufacturing drive. “It’s been insane,” says an executive at a garment exporting firm, which has been fielding calls from US clients. “At 50 per cent tariff there is no business to be done.” www.ft.com/content/7b22...
ft.com
Trump tariffs threaten Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ drive
Manufacturers fear US duties totalling 50% could scupper effort to offer supply chain alternative to China
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Reposted by Chris Kay
Tony Tassell @tonytassell.bsky.social · 12/08/2025
Indian whisky has come a long way but now faces disruption after the UK-India trade deal - great column by @christopherkay.ft.com www.ft.com/content/e0a0...
ft.com
Disruption looms over India’s whisky industry
The country’s booze market has long been mired in a web of levies and complex regulation
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Chris Kay @christopherkay.ft.com · 11/08/2025
India’s award-winning whisky industry is bracing for disruption. The UK–India trade deal slashing import tariffs on Scotch, “will pose some challenges for us,” says the head of Amrut Distilleries. www.ft.com/content/e0a0...
ft.com
Disruption looms over India’s whisky industry
The country’s booze market has long been mired in a web of levies and complex regulation
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Chris Kay @christopherkay.ft.com · 10/08/2025
India’s IT services giants race to reinvent themselves for the AI age - on.ft.com/45lnms1
on.ft.com
India’s IT services giants race to reinvent themselves for the AI age
Outsourcing sector struggles to adjust as clients shift budgets to artificial intelligence projects
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Reposted by Chris Kay
John Reed @johnreedwrites.ft.com · 09/08/2025
My essay for @ftweekend.com on the grand refurb of the Indian capital's government quarter - and the extent to which Delhi does and doesn't serve India's people. Happy Saturday from the megacity! on.ft.com/3HscD5D
on.ft.com
A grand new government quarter glimpsed through the Delhi haze
[FREE TO READ] Departing FT bureau chief John Reed on a transformation to match India’s ambition — and the old challenges that remain
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Chris Kay @christopherkay.ft.com · 08/08/2025
US-India trade war throws spotlight on Mukesh Ambani’s Russian oil windfall - on.ft.com/3UkjrW0
on.ft.com
US-India trade war throws spotlight on Mukesh Ambani’s Russian oil windfall
Reliance group chaired by Asia’s richest man has benefited from cheap crude imports now targeted by Donald Trump
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Chris Kay @christopherkay.ft.com · 07/08/2025
‘Never compromise’ or ‘Narendra Surrender’? India’s Modi navigates showdown with US - on.ft.com/4frQqRX via @financialtimes.com @johnreedwrites.ft.com
on.ft.com
‘Never compromise’ or ‘Narendra Surrender’? India’s Modi navigates showdown with US
Donald Trump’s announcement of punitive tariffs puts Indian prime minister in a difficult position
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Chris Kay @christopherkay.ft.com · 04/08/2025
In a @financialtimes.com interview, the chair of India's market regulator calls for “structural reform” of derivatives market & rejected Jane Street's defense in manipulation probe. “I know these guys are brilliant mathematicians and PhDs, but we can have PhDs from our side” ft.com/content/ccac...
ft.com
Indian regulator calls for ‘structural reform’ of derivatives market after Jane Street probe
Sebi hints at further restrictions as it moves to reduce trading volumes in world’s biggest futures and options market
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