opinion

Sugar mills are in for a good fiscal but for one risk

A healthy growth in sugar output is forecast in 2020-21, assuring mills a good fiscal year as long as the industry’s support system stays intact

‘Dharavi Model’ is the silver lining in Mumbai’s COVID-19 cloud

It’s worthwhile to unpack the strategies that succeeded in Dharavi as they not only reveal much about the settlement, but also hold lessons for rest of Mumbai, and indeed the rest of India

Chart of the Day: PMI data show Indian private sector continued to shrink in June

China, on the other hand, saw its second month of expansion

Realism and flexibility will deliver rail privatisation

International experience of rail privatization has been mixed

Centre’s railways reforms continue unabated

The BJP-led central government is focusing on the 360-degree development of the Indian Railways — inviting greater private participation in running trains is one of the many steps towards modernising this lifeline for millions of Indians

Indian corporates have one of the largest funding gaps, finds BIS study of 19 countries

If the government doesn’t plug the funding gap, it could lead to a wave of bankruptcies, affecting banks and NBFCs

Pandemic adds fuel to the central bank digital currencies race

The spread of the virus has led to concerns over using physical cash for payments despite limited evidence of the cash being a carrier

Pakistan’s lame attempt to pin the KSE attack’s blame on India distracts attention from its own problems

Hating India has always been an escape route for a regime under stress

Chart of the Day | New investment announcement falls to at least 16-year low in June quarter

The good news is that the stock of stalled projects fell

Chart of the Day: Prolonged impact of COVID reflects in future output expectations

The manufacturing PMI’s future output index for India is below its June 2019 levels

Keeping an eye out for malicious apps

Banning 59 Chinese mobile apps is a knee-jerk reaction, but we do need proper systems to vet an app for potential danger before it gets introduced in the country.

The wrong way to go about curbing imports from China

Let the axe first fall on low quality non-essential imports like cheap toys. Then have a graded strategy of domestic manufacturing of items according to how important they are and what scope there is for value addition

A new exercise in corporate branding

Facebook ad boycott campaign underlines the power of inclusivity in marketing and product development

Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan: A true commitment or a cosmetic gimmick?

A self-reliant farmer is fundamental to the vision of a self-reliant India. Has the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan taken care of these concerns?

Jayaraj-Bennix killing | A fatal mix of police brutality and State inaction

The brutal custodial torture and killing of father-son duo Jayaraj and Bennix in Tamil Nadu has presented an opportunity to demand and push through the Prevention of Torture Bill that has been pending for over a decade

Ban on Chinese apps alone will not address long-term information threats

Millions of China-branded smartphones sold in the country are likely to capture far more sensitive user data than standalone apps and require greater scrutiny, as does telecom gear from Huawei and ZTE

Seasonal loan contraction lower this year compared to the last

Data seem to indicate that firms, especially large companies, seem to be drawing up to their limits and not repaying, thanks to the moratorium

COVID-19: Spike in cases at factories a risk for industrial India

Industrial activity is gradually picking up but fresh outbreaks of COVID at some large units flags a new risk

Chart of the Day | PMI shows Indian manufacturing continued to shrink in June, albeit at a slower pace

China, Vietnam and Malaysia saw expansion in manufacturing sector in June

Forget fiscal boost -- Government expenditure fell in May

Revenue receipts of central government in April-May less than a third of the same period last year

It’s not just the pandemic that may prevent L&T from achieving its high RoE goal

Return ratios will be under pressure due to elevated need for working capital

As India picks a side against China, geopolitics changes forever

As long as a dictatorial Chinese regime is in power, India cannot return to status quo ante. This is a new situation for the foreign policy establishment, but India has the confidence, flexibility and creativity to influence world affairs for the good of all

Darkness refuses to lift around Indian power sector

More than a liquidity lifeline is needed now

India cannot afford more lockdowns

The half-hearted lockdowns of today are worse than useless