opinion

Beyond Carbon: Why COP must bring life cycle thinking into the climate conversation

The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) framework, which evaluates environmental impacts from cradle to gate to well, offers the systemic clarity needed to avoid burden-shifting between sectors or resources

Tackling farmer distress requires imaginative long-term solutions

Farm loan waivers have been in vogue for decades, but have done little by way of materially altering the fortunes or sustainability of Indian farming

OPINION | Private participation in India’s space ecosystem will reach a milestone in 2026 with rocket launches

Investment and attention have been concentrated in satellites. Two startups aim to change this as they prepare to add to existing domestic capacity in the primary infrastructure: launch vehicles

Nvidia's $5 trillion m-cap milestone puts AI stock market hype to the test

This is to say that not all AI firms will emerge as winners, particularly if priced to perfection. Investors should approach AI as a multi-product thesis

India’s R&D push — The reality and the dilemma

The Rs 1-lakh-crore RDI Fund will be meaningful if it encourages industry to loosen purse strings to fund innovation

Chart of the Day: Lending to infrastructure grows -- at one-year high rate

Power and ports drove the credit increase to infrastructure sector in September

Is there finally light at the end of the tunnel for microfinance loans?

Microfinance loans are showing reduction in stress but growth isn’t in sight yet.

OPINION | Companies Act Amendments: A renewed push to ease doing business

Parliament’s winter session is expected to see a bill to amend the Companies Act, with the aim of removing superfluous requirements and also harmonising the law with contemporary business needs

Chart of the Day | L&T’s rising overseas orders -- more to flow?

The IEA estimates that the Middle East could account for about 20 per cent of global hydrogen-focused renewable capacity by 2028

Nvidia’s Jensen Huang says China ‘will win’ AI race with US

CEO criticises western ‘cynicism’ while Beijing loosens regulations and cuts energy costs for data centres

RBI’s huddle with dealers: Liquidity tightening or signalling risk control?

We have seen the system slip into meaningful deficit episodes this quarter

Data Story: Long haul for e-buses to make a mark on Indian roads

E-bus penetration is rising but here’s why the rate of adoption is still abysmal

OPINION | Bihar Votes: Women voters likely to stick to the tried and tested Nitish Kumar's promises

It’s raining sops for women in election manifestos as the two main alliances compete for their votes. A journalist who journeyed through the state argues that Nitish Kumar’s track record of delivery over 20 years appears to outweigh promises of greater benefits from the Opposition

Why brokers are demanding Bank Nifty's return

SEBI's crackdown on weekly options has triggered a revenue crisis across Indian brokerages and exchanges, with 26 lakh active clients exiting in the September quarter alone—prompting desperate appeals to restore Bank Nifty trading

IMF sees India’s fiscal deficit stalling after FY26

According to the IMF’s Fiscal Monitor, India’s fiscal consolidation is set to lose momentum after FY26, signalling deep-rooted structural limits in its public finances

Startup Street: Will the government’s mega RDI scheme boost innovation in startups?

India’s innovation model lacks patient and professionally managed capital to see R&D through to market

OPINION | Ensuring a Level Playing Field: How regulation can prevent AI from stifling competition

A recent study by the competition watchdog shows AI-led market concentration is rising. Expect a regulatory pushback as the still coalescing philosophy is directionally clear: data asymmetry is both a competition and a governance problem 

OPINION | Pakistan’s Taliban miscalculation 

The Pakistani State believed that its proxy, once in power, would remain subservient. However, the Taliban’s takeover in 2021 transformed an insurgency in need of sanctuary to a ruling administration providing it

OPINION | Ways to engender trust in AI

Despite its popular appeal, generative AI does not intrinsically inspire universal trust. Incorporating source references, continuous feedback and improvements to the AI systems will help users grow more confident and less sceptical

OPINION | Amol Muzumdar, the embodiment of Mumbai’s ‘khadoos’ cricketer

Mumbai’s fabled cricket culture has made an outsized contribution to India’s evolution as a power in the game. The coach of the women’s cricket team put behind a heartbreak-filled playing career to take fresh guard and impart an attitude of grit to his team. The outcome is players who are indefatigable

OPINION | Beyond Quick Fixes: India’s air pollution crisis demands a paradigm shift in development  

Sanghnomics: We are treating largely symptoms of a deeper malaise. The solution is to check reckless consumerism that has become the driving force of modern economic models

Asian markets’ reliance on AI boom raises ‘bubble’ fears

Some investors grow concerned that region’s markets could be hit by downturn in US tech sector 

Beijing is winning the Asia-Pacific

China is moving with strategic intent in the region, bringing countries closer with its regional integration efforts, while the US’ focus on tactical deals may see it lose out in the long run