It’s more pragmatic than populist in the final analysis
It’s reasonably successful in the near impossible task of squaring the circle to meet divergent expectations
The Union budget for 2023-24 is rather well placed on fiscal math
Total public debt will at most reach 86.9% of GDP by 31 March after three high-spend years and onshoring of off-budget items
Climate-proofing India’s socio-economic trajectory
While the measures and schemes announced are crucial for a green industrial and energy transition, there is little mention of the actual physical risks of climate change.
Health budget opens avenues in research and skilling
The foundation blocks of sound infrastructure along with adequate and well-trained human resource can transform health and realise the full potential of a healthy population
Capex takes centre stage again in Sitharaman’s push for growth
The capex push is essentially the finance minister’s invitation to the private sector to resume investments
The case for a sectoral approach to insolvency resolution in India
The IBC may have to abandon its one-size-fits-all assumptions to prove effective in a swathe of industries with peculiarities
How we mourn the departed isn’t how it always was
Memorial gatherings are no longer always traditional affairs as bereaved families in India have begun to host what are often described as celebrations of the lives of their loved ones.
A nudge on income tax mustn’t become a shove
The budget did well to incline taxpayers towards a concessional tax regime that wipes the slate clean for taxation simplicity and also gives us a case study in behavioural economics
Chip wars: Cold battles over tiny wafers could spark hot hostilities
Geopolitical tensions over semiconductors are nearing extremes that may have deadly consequences
The Union budget ticks all the right boxes for India Inc
Its tax cuts could boost demand while fiscal restraint is good for credit growth. Steps to improve liquidity, incentivize states to spend on urban development, among others, will also help.
Indus Waters Treaty: Balancing national interests and global image
To fail to work out the kinks in the treaty or, worse, to appear like a bully itself in the process might reverse the impression that India has developed so assiduously after much work at home and diplomacy abroad
Mint Explainer: How AI helps activist short sellers queer the pitch for listed firms
Even as we debate the merits and demerits of short-selling activist investors, the fact is that publicly listed companies are increasingly putting out volumes of information, which makes it difficult for...
Economic Survey: Building narratives, side-stepping analyses
The Survey is right to posit that India is growing better and better, day by day, but would have been more useful if it had addressed the constraints that contain growth below optimal potential
Budget 2023: 5 ways to simplify tax compliances
Amid the usual requests, there is another important aspect which merits consideration, and that is simplification of the tax regime and making tax compliance easy for taxpayers