A 'wall' that is hard to breach
Telangana’s Assembly this month passed a bill with the support of the state’s major political parties to push overall reservation beyond the 50 percent barrier. That’s a tall order as attempts by states such as Bihar and Maharashtra in the recent past have been struck down by the Supreme Court. Decades of jurisprudence on reservation have accommodated multiple points of view but getting past the 50 percent barrier is anything but easy
The key drivers behind March's market rally
Indian markets have rallied by 8 percent from their lows this March. What sparked this sudden surge, and have investors missed the boat?
It may be premature for India to mandate emissions trading
India’s energy transition is crucial, focusing on low-cost green energy, nuclear power, and renewables. The potential introduction of a mandatory Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) could impact manufacturing competitiveness
Data at a glance: Who are the market leaders in this rally and why
After months of decline, Indian markets have turned a corner in March. But what’s driving this unexpected rebound, and could it be a sign of things to come?
Is a beneficial tariff deal on agriculture with the US possible?
Can seasons greetings with mangoes win a diplomatic deal for agriculture trade with US?
Trumponomics is putting lipstick on a policy pig
How do technocrats expect the needed macroeconomic adjustments to occur?
Data at a Glance: Will realty firms achieve pre-sales guidance for FY2025?
Pre-sales values achieved until the December quarter show that the ask rates are reasonable
Are NBFCs back to being reckless in unsecured retail lending?
Non-banks are beginning to take big bites out of unsecured lending again
Chart of the Day | Will RBI's new priority sector lending guidelines make a difference?
If executed efficiently, these guidelines can significantly boost financial access, particularly for housing, green energy, and underserved communities—ensuring that PSL fulfils its true purpose.
China’s military industrial complex has quality issues. Self-reliance is some way off
A sharp drop in China’s share of global arms imports may give the impression that its MIC has crossed a critical hurdle. It’s however premature to reach this conclusion as supply disruptions in both Russia and Ukraine, among largest arms suppliers to China, may have distorted the data. It’s China’s dwindling share in global arms exports that provide a truer picture of China’s MIC
Salary hike for MPs: A pragmatic move, not an arbitrary decision
In 2016, it was Prime Minister Modi’s strong view that MPs should not decide their pay package and decisions on such matters should either be taken by a body like the pay commission or that it be linked to hikes given to certain posts and ranks from time to time.
The tragedy of Nagpur, a bastion of cosmopolitanism
Its cultural identity mutilated, Nagpur sits uneasy right in the heart of a communally surcharged India. What's most unfortunate is that Muslim patience finally gave way in a city to which communal harmony came naturally despite being the cradle of Hindutva movement
Quick Take | Retail security redemptions surge: What It means for banks, ARCs
The landscape of stressed asset resolution is evolving, with significant changes on the horizon for Asset Reconstruction Companies (ARCs). A projected shift in redemption rates could redefine recovery strategies and impact key stakeholders in the financial ecosystem
China is suffering its own ‘China shock’
Labour-intensive manufacturing is vanishing and millions of jobs could be lost, with repercussions for stability and growth
Share of kiranas in FMCG is declining, which channel is gaining share?
Kantar’s Asia Pulse Report for Q4 sheds light on the changing shares between kirana, online shopping and supermarkets, and whether rapid expansion of Quick Commerce is showing up in the data
From Technological Rivalry to Global Governance: The path forward
The current geopolitical landscape is shaped by technological nationalism, driven by competition in AI and semiconductors. However, game theory and historical examples suggest that this phase will evolve into co-operative frameworks, balancing national interests with global technological cooperation
Secondary tariff on Venezuelan oil is Donald Trump’s latest effort at arm-twisting
Donald Trump’s secondary tariffs teach nations a valuable lesson: sovereignty is great, as long as it aligns with US foreign policy
Will Turkey’s ban on short selling succeed?
Regulators and governments panic when markets tank but rather than curing the ailment they end up targeting short sellers who present a soft target
April Price Hikes: Will passenger vehicle sales stall further?
Given the declining PV sales and rising inventory levels with dealers, all eyes are on the three to four per cent hike expected in April by PV makers
Can India handle the policy dilemmas thrown up by Trump, China and the EU?
Amid shifting global power dynamics, escalating tariff wars, and the evolving centrality of manufacturing, India finds itself at a crossroads. With opportunities to reshape its economic future and vulnerabilities to address, the path it chooses now could redefine its role in the geo-economic landscape
Operation Searchlight: The genocide that propelled the Bangladesh Liberation War
Operation Searchlight, launched on March 25, 1971, marked the brutal military crackdown by West Pakistan on East Pakistan, triggering the Bangladesh Liberation War. Rooted in political, economic, and linguistic oppression, this genocide ultimately led to Bangladesh’s independence after nine months of struggle
Jammu’s simmering terror activity
In Kathua, civilians, who are neither informers nor Village Defence Guards, but wandering in the dense jungles for livelihoods or travel pose a threat to terrorists when they stumble upon them or their hideouts. It has a led to a series of killings. Security forces can’t let their guard down
What does inward remittance data tell us?
Indian migrants are no longer predominantly working in blue-collar jobs in the Gulf
Chart of the Day | How Trump’s tariffs are changing IT companies’ demand outlook
Tariffs are not expected to uniformly affect all business segments of IT companies
Can the judiciary ever be made accountable?
Official misconduct and impropriety are not rare in any branch of the state. What sets the judiciary apart is its lack of accountability. The judges of the higher judiciary, that is, the Supreme Court of India and High Courts, are accountable only to Parliament. However, enforcement of accountability through this mechanism is practically non-existent
