Onion prices have jumped 59% in a year — and now the Centre is deploying the ‘Kanda Express’ to bring prices under control. The all-India average retail price of onions rose to ₹43.53 per kg on August 24, up from ₹27.37 a year ago. In Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata, prices are even higher. In Maharashtra, tea sellers say rising costs of sugar, milk and tea are making the ₹10 cup increasingly difficult to sustain. The Tea and Coffee Association, representing around 6,000 tea sellers, has recommended ₹15 as a sustainable benchmark price. So, why are onion prices rising? Can Kanda Express actually bring prices down? And could your everyday ₹10 chai become a ₹15 chai? This NDTV explainer breaks down the latest onion price rise, government intervention, Kanda Express, onion buffer stocks and the growing pressure on everyday household expenses.