Far from condemning Russia for invading Ukraine, some Indians admire it. One person asked me: “Why can’t we be like Russia and invade Pakistan-occupied Kashmir?” He saw nothing immoral in it. An amoral answer is that India lacks Russia’s immense […]
Ukraine will upend Sitharaman’s dream budget Read More »
Industrialists have delightedly hailed the government’s new green hydrogen policy offering incentives to produce 5 million tons of hydrogen by 2030. India already produces solar and wind energy more cheaply than new thermal power. But while renewables can replace fossil
Why it is too early for government to bet big on green hydrogen Read More »
Well done Shaktikanta Das! The RBI Governor has slammed cryptocurrencies as “a big threat to the country’s financial and macroeconomic stability” and a trap for unwary investors. “Cryptos have no underlying asset, not even a tulip.” History is replete with
Crypto craze can go the same way as tulip mania Read More »
The Budget has been widely praised for avoiding populist freebies before the coming state elections and focusing instead on a big investment thrust to accelerate economic growth and lift all boats. The black spot is the failure of privatisation this
FM could privatise 1% at a time Read More »
I have always wanted the statue of King George on Rajpath to be replaced by one of Mahatma Gandhi, Father of the Nation. But now the BJP has decided to install a statue of Subhas Chandra Bose. This is a
Don’t oppose Bose statue, re-claim him from BJP Read More »
Readers may be horrified that a new survey of YouGov, Mint a and CPR suggests that 51% of Indians are disillusioned with democracy and would prefer rule by a strongman, General or technocrat. However, be careful in interpreting these finding.
Do Indian voters really prefer rule by a strongman? Read More »
Last year, India got an economist\’s budget. But with five states going to the polls soon after the Budget, radical reform is unlikely this time. An “election budget” is typically one before a general election, high on populism and low
Politics will dominate this year’s budget Read More »
Covid cases are rising exponentially in India with the third wave causing one lakh infections per day. The US has crossed one million cases per day, and India is likely to exceed that soon. Should upcoming elections in five states
Why poll panel should return to single-day voting Read More »
The International Monetary Fund has projected India’s GDP growth at 9.5% in 2021 and 8.5% in 2022, making it the fastest-growing economy in the world. Deepak Parekh of HDFC, doyen of the private sector, says he is more optimistic than
Bangladesh was created fifty years ago when Pakistani forces in Dhaka surrendered to Indian troops on December 16. The official Indian version is that the war began when Pakistan bombed India on December 3 and was concluded in a mere
Some die for their country, some lie for it Read More »
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