Why Akzo Nobel India’s minority shareholders may have got a profitable exit
JSW Paints’ acquisition of the Dulux-maker has been designed as a win-win for all including shareholders, but much depends on what happens next
Quick Take: Torrent Pharma puts the money where its heart is
Torrent’s India business has been outperforming the domestic market
Chart of the Day: Diamonds are forever, at a discount
Diamond exports from India have plunged to a two-decade low, and the downturn isn’t over yet. As demand slumps and uncertainty looms over U.S. tariffs, FY2026 could see another painful year for the industry.
Reconfiguring supply chains in a world where trust’s eroding
Thinking about supply chains has moved from just-in-time to just-to-be secure following geopolitical turmoil. A risk-based framework for reconfiguring India’s supply chains can address security considerations without jeopardising the country's economic growth
Europe’s bid for strategic autonomy faces twin hurdles: Trump’s tariffs and China’s clout
The European Union’s quest for strategic autonomy is increasingly under strain, caught between an unpredictable US and an assertive China. As the trade landscape shifts, the bloc’s internal fractures and external dependencies are being laid bare
As the 2026 election nears, Bengal braces for more bloodshed
A nine-year-old girl was killed in a bomb blast days after a TMC by-election win in West Bengal’s Nadia district, once again exposing the violent underbelly of the state’s politics. With a history of crude bomb attacks and political killings, the countdown to the 2026 assembly polls already looks ominous
Weekend Wild Card: Dubious insider reveals Trump’s yuge Nobel Grand Slam
We submit below the transcript of an allegedly secret meeting of the committee to decide the Nobel Awards for this year, clandestinely smuggled to us by a shady source:
Policy stability is the key to expanding India’s renewable energy ecosystem
A smartly designed policy such as the interstate transmission waiver enhances market efficiency by transferring power from high resource states to others. Consequently, phaseout of policy support must be gradual and account for the prevailing state of the industry. Strengthening the demand-supply loop is essential
The Reading List: June 27, 2025
Our research and opinion teams have curated a selection of articles and social media gems from the world of economy, business and finance for your weekend read
Vault Matters | HDB Financial’s IPO is a much needed reality check
A host of issues has gone against the company. However, the key takeaway is that being a part of a big house alone is not enough to sell a story to investors
President’s Role in the Emergency: Fakhruddin Ahmed's unchallenged decision severely criticised
President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed’s approval of the 1975 Emergency proclamation, without Cabinet consultation, has been widely criticised for undermining constitutional norms and raising questions about the President’s discretionary powers and duty
We are the new gremlins in the AI machine
How users treat a product in the real world can diverge wildly from what the designers intended
Railways does not need Tatkal reform, it needs more tracks and expanded capacity
The Ministry of Railways’ Aadhaar-linked OTP system for Tatkal bookings aims to curb touts, but the real solution lies in expanding railway capacity, addressing the growing demand, and liberalising services
How RSS broke the stereotypes in Northeast and bridged the divide
RSSFACTS: The RSS’s work in Northeast India has played a crucial role in bridging ethnic, political, and social divides over the past century
Can AI transform Indian agriculture? Yes, but we need to learn from past failures first
From economic, societal and educational inequalities to differential access to existing support programmes, India presents a complex mosaic which defeats top down, one-size-fits-all solutions
CCI’s case against ad agencies points to the persistence of cartels in Indian business
Impunity among companies to collude rises if laws are not enforced effectively, publicly and swiftly
Fixed income strategies in a 'lower for longer' rate environment
In a lower for longer regime, fixed income investors must focus on high credit quality
Next GST Council meeting may eliminate 12% tax slab and shift items to other slabs
The 56th GST Council meeting is due soon. Its agenda is expected to include items such as GST slab rate rationalisation and a decision on consumer requests for an exemption of GST on health insurance premium
When markets discount a war, what's the message for investors?
If the ceasefire holds, investors can start looking ahead towards the upcoming earnings season. But selling by one set of institutional investors poses a risk
Chart of the Day: Creator of middle class, PSU banks are biggest lenders to small entrepreneurs
Micro firms have a higher incidence of delinquencies, but stress has reduced.
What the CD issuance pattern of Indian banks tells us
Public sector banks now dominate the CD market, signalling shifting liquidity dynamics and raising questions on long-term funding strategies
India's Clinical Trials: From emerging player to global leader in drug development
India's clinical trial industry has surged into the top three globally, driven by regulatory reforms, affordability, vast patient pools, and growing international confidence, positioning India as a key player in global drug development
Data Story: As China’s steel output dips in May, are Indian producers in a sweet spot?
China’s steel output has fallen sharply in May while India’s safeguard duty has helped crimp imports
A resilient economy makes a resilient market
Shocks? What shocks?
Justice HR Khanna’s dissent in the Emergency’s infamous ADM Jabalpur case still resonates
Emergency was one the worst phases for the Supreme Court as it failed to provide the necessary check on the excesses of the political and permanent executives. This failure was encapsulated in the ADM Jabalpur case when the majority in the five-member bench ruled that people could not question their detention. Justice HR Khanna provided the sole dissent and was superseded for it. His dissent, however, echoes to this day and serves as a reference point
