The Economic Times

Why just 10 posts for lateral entry into the bureaucracy? Why not 500? This column has argued for decades for the lateral entry of outside experts into top administrative positions to usher in world-class expertise, independence and a different worldview. […]

RBI should discipline states to end high cane prices that cause recurrent crises Farm distress in India currently flows mainly from excess production of one crop after another. This has depressed agricultural prices, yet left them too high to permit

India must take steps to attract global talent for cutting-edge technology This year’s Budget raised import duties on 40-odd items to meet the threat posed by Chinese competition in what GoI viewed as crucial areas such as kites, candles, plastic

Walmart should become India’s battering ram to crack the Chinese market   Walmart’s takeover of Flipkart for $16 billion has made global headlines. It is the largest takeover ever in India. It creates a new global strategy for Walmart, using

The US has placed India on its watch-list of ‘currency manipulators’. This is a warning: economic sanctions may follow if the US determines that India is, indeed, a manipulator. There is no immediate danger. The US has three criteria for

Finance Commission should prod states to empower city governments The terms of reference of the 15th Finance Commission have raised a storm of protest, because they mandate the use of 2011 census data, not the 1971 data used by earlier

Threats to global growth moderate Narendra Modi’s election prospects In January, this column highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s streak of lucky breaks (‘Modi is a Very Lucky Man,’ goo.gl/D6wxo4). These included awidely forecast surge in global GDP growth in 2018, spurring

India may end up gaining by losing the WTO case on export subsidies On the one hand, US President Donald Trump says the World Trade Organisation (WTO) does not provide a level playing field, and so threatens unilateral trade barriers. India

America Walling Itself In Why US President Donald Trump’s ill-advised protectionism is bound to fail Swaminathan S Anklesaria Aiyar In pursuance of his ‘America First’ policy, US President Donald Trump has imposed import tariffs of 25% on steel and 10% on

A good but incomplete report card from the PM on his government At the Economic Times Global Business Summit last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a detailed report card on India’s economic performance, and declared “India is open for business”.