banking reforms in India

Banking reforms must go beyond Viksit Bharat branding

The real challenge for banking reforms is not weak balance sheets, but ownership, supervision, digital regulation and resolution. Read more »
state debt

Rising state debt: Welfare politics meets fiscal limits

Rising state debt, widening revenue deficits and welfare commitments are exposing deep structural stresses in India’s finances. #statedebt Read more »
flexible staffing

Flexible staffing model needs stronger labour safeguards

India’s flexible staffing industry has slowed as labour-code uncertainty and weak global conditions make firms more cautious about hiring. #flexiblestaffing #hiring #labourcode Read more »
sin taxes, tobacco taxation

Why sin taxes work better than anti-smoking warnings

Tobacco use does not respond to price the way normal consumer goods do, but sin taxes still work by turning distant health risks into immediate financial pain. #tobacco #sintax Read more »
Chinese investment

Chinese investment returns to India through a narrow opening

New Delhi’s narrow reopening to Chinese investment reflects a hard lesson: global supply chains still run through China, whatever the rhetoric says. #China #FDI Read more »
fertiliser subsidy

Fertiliser subsidy bill faces fresh geopolitical risk

India’s dependence on imported fertilisers, ammonia and LNG has once again exposed the fiscal risks built into its fertiliser subsidy regime. #fertiliser #imports Read more »
China’s 15th Five-Year Plan document

China’s 15th Five-Year Plan bets on tech-led global power

China’s 15th Five-Year Plan is less about growth and more about commanding future technologies, supply chains and standards. Read more »
high-speed rail corridors

India’s high-speed rail ambitions face tough funding test

India’s seven new high-speed rail corridors promise faster travel, but the real test is whether the state can finance and execute them without repeating Mumbai-Ahmedabad’s delays. #IndianRailways Read more »
energy security

India’s energy security dilemma over Russian oil

US pressure to curb Russian oil imports exposes India’s deeper vulnerability: dependence on imported crude for energy security in a weaponised global market. #Russianoil #Energysecurity Read more »
Maharashtra economy

Maharashtra economy: Regional imbalance threatens long-term gains

The Maharashtra economy is set to grow at 7.9% in 2025-26, but regional inequality, agrarian stress and urban overload could limit long-term gains. Read more »