opinion

India is far from being a dead economy — Here’s proof

With Russia at war, China slowing, and Brazil and South Africa mired in structural issues, India offers the rare combination of a young workforce, political stability, and policy clarity.

Trump’s AI Strategy: Beyond the race for global supremacy

The US AI Action Plan prioritises global dominance over safety, risking market concentration and weaker regulations worldwide. Open models and interoperable standards can spread AI benefits more equitably while safeguarding public interest 

Sugar mills headed for output-led bounty in 2025-26?

An 18 percent increase in estimated sugar output raises hopes of an improvement in their performance but a few major obstacles need to be tackled

Unlocking India’s potential in the global toy market

India’s toy sector shows strong export growth, but must deepen global partnerships, boost domestic production, and attract infrastructure investment to strengthen its role in the labour-intensive global toy market 

WTO joins multilateral bodies in a free fall as Trump tariffs knock out its foundation 

India and the U.S. are likely to narrow differences over trade and levies as the former’s strategic position in the Indian Ocean will influence American foreign policy. However, WTO’s most favoured nation principle which accounts for more than 80 per cent of cross-border goods trade has experienced a severe setback

Europe builds for war as arms factories expand at triple speed

FT radar analysis reveals historic scale of rearmament, stretching over 7mn sq metres of new development

ICICI Bank and the premiumisation of bank accounts

The biggest risk in hiking minimum balance is a slowdown in low cost savings account deposit and loss of market share to competition

India’s electronics exports pick up, but can this sustain momentum?

India’s reliance on imported components, particularly from China, results in higher input costs, which makes the final product less competitive globally

Chart of the Day: Bountiful rains fill up water reservoirs

July 2025 water levels at major reservoirs are higher than in similar month of previous four years

Why the stock market rally is on thin ice

It’s a dangerous moment for retail investors. They are stepping in as FIIs are exiting, even using borrowed money to back their conviction. History has proved unkind to such unbridled optimism

For Fortis, Gleneagles provides both a challenge and an opportunity

The O&M agreement with Gleneagles will add new clusters to Fortis Healthcare

Rahul Gandhi vs. EC: 'Vote theft' charge is dubious but electoral rolls have a problem

Rahul Gandhi’s example of Bengaluru’s Mahadevapura assembly constituency to make his case is unconvincing. However, he has brought to the fore a long festering wound which needs to be addressed squarely, rather than attacking and intimidating a leader, who after all is playing the role of a “messenger”

How police investigates terror cases in India, and how delay in trials is getting in the way of justice

With examples like the 2006 Mumbai Train Blasts and 2008 Malegaon Blast cases, an ex-IPS officer explains where our resource-strapped criminal justice system falls apart – and where the citizenry can put pressure for better results in the future.

Ruchir Sharma: America doesn’t have a monopoly on wealth creation

New research shows many other countries have a booming entrepreneurial culture generating serious wealth

India’s Distressed Asset Market: Ready for growth

The IBC and new RBI frameworks are transforming India’s distressed asset market, improving transparency, recovery rates, and investor confidence, while regulatory reforms and strategic partnerships create growing opportunities for global private equity participation

Unlocking India’s Rare Earth Potential: From policy to production

India’s vast rare earth reserves offer immense strategic potential. With policy reforms, technology, partnerships, and sustainable practices, the nation can reduce dependence on China and become a competitive player in the global REE value chain

The AI driven nuclear energy race is hotting up

Generative AI Models’ insatiable appetite for energy is fuelling the race for nuclear energy reactors

Chart of the Day: Can you trust the buy-and-hold approach to investing?

The Buy-and-Hold strategy may be timeless, but for retail investors, the real test lies in choosing companies with enduring management strength

RBI surveys confirm Indian consumption divide

RBI’s latest consumer confidence surveys reveal a deepening divide between rural resilience and urban hesitation in discretionary spending

Bihar’s pre-election focal point is the Election Commission, which makes for a strange campaign

The decision by EC to conduct Special Intensive Revision of the nearly eight crore registered voters stirred the hornet’s nest. The body in the past has faced questions, but its impartiality was not questioned as it is being done now

Trump tariffs — Be firm, but focus on farm

Modi’s pledge to safeguard farmers’ interests offers scope to leverage a trade deal with the US to gradually modernise Indian agriculture

AU Small Finance Bank’s leap to universal banking: A game-changer indeed, but what’s next?

Jaipur-based lender’s transition marks a historic shift, but challenges loom large

The Reading List: August 8, 2025

For your weekend read, our research and opinion teams have curated a selection of articles and social media gems from the world of economy, business and finance