Op-Eds

The time for incremental progress has passed. Bold policy measures, cultural shifts, and institutional support are required to break the barriers that hinder women’s leadership. The Women’s Reservation Bill, 2023 now enacted and set to be implemented after the census and delimitation exercise marks a significant milestone in ensuring greater representation for women in governance....   Read More

India is gearing up for green transition through policy and budgetary support to reduce dependence on finite fossil fuels, to curb greenhouse gas emissions, and to mitigate climate change. The Viksit Bharat 2047 vision aims to transform India into a developed nation, which will drive a significant rise in energy demand across industries, infrastructure, and...   Read More

India’s public debt, at about 80 percent of GDP, is disproportionately high for its per capita income. Yet committed constituencies advocating for smaller or higher quality debt are largely absent. The complacency is because high debt has neither resulted in runaway interest rates or rollover risks nor is it seen to be a drag on...   Read More

When taking the G20 gavel, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that he will focus on problems of debt sustainability in low income countries. He made it clear that the first African Chair of the G20 is there for all of Africa, acknowledging the continent is home to 22 of the world’s 26 low income countries—half  of...   Read More

Enhancement of the limit is not sufficient to make the scheme more accessible or beneficial to a broader section of farmers. The repayment schedule is also a significant challenge. Budget 2025 is one of the most promising Budgets in recent years, aiming to address the needs of the masses after a long time. One of...   Read More

A shift in focus from continuous expansion to ensuring sustainability and effectiveness of programmes is imperative for achieving policy success. The world is at a crossroads, navigating unprecedented economic, technological, geopolitical, and environmental challenges. Donald Trump’s uncompromising “America First” policies and the use of coercion to achieve his objectives have heightened economic and geopolitical uncertainties,...   Read More

The global banking system has faced mounting disruptions in recent years, from the 2008 financial crisis to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, another force is threatening to reshape the financial landscape: the rise of reciprocal tariffs and protectionist trade policies. The idea of reciprocal tariffs appears straightforward: if a country imposes tariffs on U.S. goods, the...   Read More

Boosting female labour force participation is not just a matter of gender equality but is also an economic imperative. India’s quest for high economic growth and social equity hinges on an obvious but underrated lever — its women’s workforce. Despite significant progress in education and health care, the country lags in enabling women’s economic participation....   Read More

Perhaps US efforts to cut off China’s access to advanced semiconductors will be more successful than analogous restrictions on tech exports to France in the 1960s. But we now have at least one data point – DeepSeek – that suggests otherwise. BERKELEY – Starting in October 2022, the late, lamented (by some) administration of President Joe...   Read More

After maintaining the status quo for nearly two years, the RBI has lowered the policy repo rate by 25 basis points, lowering it from 6.5 percent to 6.25 percent. The cut-first in five years- is justified, whether one looks at India’s own record over the last few years or its record relative to the rest...   Read More