US-China Trade War | The global economic environment is at an inflection point
The escalating US-China crisis is more than a mere bilateral dispute between two major powers. It underscores the unravelling of the post-Cold War consensus on global economics and politics.
Policy | Devendra Fadnavis’ FSI booster is not only too little too late, but also misses the point
The government’s measures are a band-aid. What is needed is surgery
Corporate Governance | CG Power’s disclosures are one more wake up call for investors
CG Power's disclosures reveal numerous holes in its financial picture and adds to a growing list of Indian companies that have tripped on the corporate governance front
Politics | Challenges before the Yediyurappa government
In the short term, the BJP-led Karnataka government will be accessed on how it runs relief and rehabilitation in flood-affected areas. In the long term, it will be judged on whether it can bring in investment and development.
Chart of the Day | With tender and order finalisation on slow lane, investment won’t pick up soon
There has always been a lag of 2-3 months between tendering and order finalisation. So, a cascading effect of the declining trend is unavoidable at least for a quarter or so.
All hands on the deck: Will animal spirits be back for the economy?
Perceptions about future economic prospects will determine responses to the revival measures.
From demographic dividend to population explosion: How India squandered its human capital advantage
Population growth cannot be used as a strawman target to cover up policy failures on other fronts such as protecting natural resources and the environment.
Politics | Hooda’s impending exit and Congress’ hara-kiri in Haryana
The Congress high command hasn’t been receptive to Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s demand that PCC chief Ashok Talwar be removed. With patience wearing thin, Hooda is reportedly planning to launch a breakaway party soon.
Policy | Put an end to tax terrorism
What prompts a revenue official to go overboard in his/her drive to assess taxpayers? The main culprit seems to be the government’s need to fill up its coffers.
The auto sector crisis in India is largely a government creation and the solution is in their hands
Erratic government policies have deepened the downturn
Trump and WTO | India must be prepared by reshaping its strategy
Going by his previous actions where he has gone back on many multi-lateral agreements, the world cannot ignore Donald Trump’s threat to pull out of the WTO as just another political rhetoric.
Startups | Differential voting rights could light a funding spark for successful tech entrepreneurs
The ability to issue differential voting rights shares gives startup founders more room for raising funds without losing control.
Homebuyers’ property rights are sacrosanct. Don’t play with it
Registration of undivided share (UDS) of land can go a long way in saving hapless buyers from marauding builders
Macro Matters | How bad is the current slowdown in the Indian economy?
Bank credit numbers give us an insight about the extent of the slowdown
Policy | Modi’s call to empower every district is an economic and cultural opportunity
The idea of ‘One District, One Product’ is derived from the ‘One Village, One Product’ movement in Japan. The movement, launched in the Otia prefecture of Japan in 1979, was aimed at revitalising the village economy and social communities.
Legal Matters | Constitutional issues on proposed ban on Bitcoins
The Draft Banning of Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill, 2019 not only bans any use of cryptocurrency within India, but also recommends a maximum jail sentence of 10 years.
Monetary Madness | Why are global markets so nervous?
Since the early 1980s economic downturns have been triggered more by financial booms gone wrong than by monetary policy tightening to quell inflation flare-ups.
Kashmir | India has prepared well, but Pakistan is unlikely to remain quiet
For now India seems to have taken all the right precautionary steps, but, in case of India’s reaction to impending agitations in Kashmir going awry, pressures on Pakistan’s army from its terror proxies would be considerable.
Policy | Who regulates public sector banks: Government or RBI?
The web of the finance ministry and the RBI on regulation of PSBs is making things murkier.
Floods | For Kerala, salvation is in accepting the Gadgil report
Governments in Kerala, led by both the Congress and Left, have dismissed the Report of the Western Ghats Ecology Export Panel, 2011. As the consecutive floods have shown, the government can no longer ignore the state’s fragile ecology.
Floods | Who will pick up the tab for property damage by floods?
There is always a chance of the flat buyer being short-changed. It’s all about making a fair disclosure to her
Here’s yet another way to kill Animal Spirits
Investigative agencies should not treat all decision to sanction loans which have gone bad as crimes. Fear psychosis among bankers will kill lending.
Defence | A Chief of Defence Staff will not address the armed forces’ problems
A two-decade-old bureaucratic reform cannot solve a deep human problem the Indian military is facing.
Macro Matters | Contraction in non-oil, non-bullion imports yet another sign of faltering domestic demand
Non-oil, non-bullion import growth has been negative every month since January 2019
