Green growth cannot be an afterthought. We need to promote climate-resilient agriculture, regulate construction, and community-led action for lifestyle changes.

The shifting sands of the South Asian trade landscape may be worthy of some serious reflection for India’s regional trade strategy.

Shivshankar Menon examines the shifting dynamics of global geopolitics, emphasising the historical evolution from empires to modern superstates and the continued relevance of small states.

We are staring at an employment crisis, which could get worse. But with policy support that could change.

As the energy transition unfolds, the role of the discom is transforming.

Developed countries and MDBs can raise just a third of the requirement. Carbon pricing and ETS will have to play a bigger role.

A comprehensive strategy is needed to propel India’s manufacturing capabilities.

Om Prakash Mathur talks about how India needs to manage its urban growth much faster, how the programme to develop smart cities has not helped and how, despite successive Finance Commissions recommending increasing the grant-in-aid to our municipalities.

India's leading urban scholar and the author of "Changing Paradigms of Urbanisation: India and Beyond" Om Prakash Mathur reveals how rigid urban land and labour markets have actually slowed down the rate of India's urbanisation.

Former envoys to Sri Lanka say the Ministry of External Affairs’s position for the past decade has been in line with previous government thus far

Laveesh Bhandari reviews "Stumbling Into Reforms (1977 to 1998)" the second volume of "India's Finance Minister" series by AK Bhattacharya.

Vikram Singh Mehta reviews the book book Climate Capitalism: Winning the Global Race to Zero Emissions by Akshat Rathi.

As Africa houses three-fourths of humanity and over 39 per cent of the global GDP, there's a growing call to reform existing structures towards a more inclusive and representative system focused on development.

Laveesh Bhandari and Rajat Verma examine the fiscal implications that are to be borne in mind to arrive at equilibrium in the taxes.

Pooja Ramamurthi argue that partnerships with bridging powers are increasingly vital to unpicking North-South gridlocks and effective climate cooperation.

Apart from being churned frequently, the regulatory norms entail high capital and operating costs.

With Big Oil's 2050 forecast that places oil and gas at the centre of energy basket, it will be difficult, if not impossible, to achieve net-zero carbon emissions targets

The falling share of food in households’ spending will help, given food inflation also drives inflation expectations.

In this episode, Shishir Gupta discusses the factors behind the high cost of housing in India and suggests possible solutions.

The National Rural Livelihood Mission, better targeting and delivering of benefits, wider reach of digital infrastructure have contributed to the spurt

Unlike Pakistan, Indonesia has harnessed its natural advantages to nurture a sustainable growth trajectory.

Shishir Gupta provides insights into the RBI urging the private sector to take over the responsibility of driving capex. Could it slow down the momentum of govt capex in FY25?

Optimists uphold that the productive deployment of AI will eventually increase prosperity and well-being universally, as had happened with electricity or telephones.

The first step in improving affordability is to release land supply in a planned and transparent manner. This will increase competition and put pressure on prices.

Constantino Xavier joins Milan Vaishnav to assess the Modi government's approach to managing India's relationship with its neighbors across the Indo-Pacific in this episode of Carnegie's Grand Tamasha podcast.

Regulatory panic could do more harm than good. Rather than poor risk management today, rules should anticipate the greater risks that lie ahead.

With growing capabilities and interests, India needs to reconsider the current terms of the partnership between the military and our diplomats.

Deepak Maheshwari talks about how national cyber security strategy should be one of the top policy priorities of the government post the elections in India.

The possibility of tax cuts in the upcoming budget is being speculated widely in the UK. But can the British economy afford them?

How will CNG bikes change the two-wheeler industry if it succeeds? Shyamasis Das shares his insights.

Vikram Singh Mehta advises businesses to integrate scenario planning into risk management processes to tackle political risk in an increasingly uncertain global context with upcoming elections in several countries.

The choice of a defence minister from the Chinese navy is also an attempt to avoid further embarrassment for China, domestically as well as externally.

In an industry already primed for concentration, creative alternatives for safeguarding the public interest are needed.

The evolving regional trade context should be the primary guiding factor for the AITIGA review.

Sanjay Kathuria discusses obstacles hindering India-Pakistan trade and explores insights on sensitive lists, solar partnerships, and a USD 37 billion trade potential.

The Israel-Hamas war has naturally compromised any significant movement on fleshing out the gigantic ambition of an economic corridor through one of the world’s most divisive, conflict-ridden regions.

The regulation of state-owned discoms can create challenges. Upon getting conflicting directives from the government and the regulator, such entities prioritise the former’s orders.

The International Monetary Fund’s deep dive into global trade fragmentation and restrictiveness shows lasting consequences of raised costs, feeding into inflation and weakening growth.

Hidden debt is a major problem across the world that the G20 Data Gaps Initiative needs to resolve, writes Anoop Singh.

Private final consumer expenditure (PFCE) growth is estimated tumbling to 4.4% this year from 7.5% in FY23, and one-third its growth rate at the recovery peak in FY22, 11.2%.

Sanjay Kathuria discusses how the geopolitical competition in South Asia is influencing trade relations and policies of the states engaged in the region.

India is experiencing extreme weather conditions. Is it time for a climate change resilience authority?

Two pressing issues have reignited the debate about the credibility of India’s GDP growth rate.

The authors outline the incidence of diseases in Indian states over the last two decades, and the role that the PMJAY programme plays to alleviate constraints to healthcare access

Montek Singh Ahluwalia, former Deputy Chairman of the erstwhile Planning Commission says India needs a better export strategy to take advantage of the shift in global demand away from China.

It must be noted that the demand signs are not unqualified. Private consumption, the prime driver for fresh business plans and investments, is not as correspondingly upbeat as the mood

The veteran economist said that the ultimate responsibility of regulating a PSB, including removing the Chairman, if necessary, should rest with the RBI, as is the case with private banks.

India actively works with the United Nations on South-South development, being one of its largest financial donors.

CoP meetings have routinely talked of the need for a fair and just transition, consistent with the principles of "common but differentiated responsibilities" but they never discussed how to apply it in practice.

The authors present an index of the 25 countries that are vying for global leadership on AI — and the factors that determine which nations will pull ahead.

An IMF analysis suggests that several low-income countries (LICs) have been at high risk of debt distress or are in debt distress. Between 2010 and 2022, interest payments on both domestic and external debt of developing countries increased by 64%, and of African countries by 132%.

The dominant drivers of the crude oil market today are not the fundamentals of demand and supply, but the non-fundamentals, the psychology of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Joe Biden and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

In the last one decade, India has cast itself as being part of the climate solution—which in turn has created the space for diplomatic negotiations.

The interview provides valuable insights into the complexities of the African job market and potential pathways to overcome its challenges.

If the smartest thinkers in the US can worry about its political dysfunction and can call for ‘rebuilding support at home’, Indians should worry too, about how our country’s external aspirations are articulated and achieved.

To achieve the levels seen in 2008, it is essential to increase corporate productivity, write Shishir Gupta and Rishita Sachdeva.

It is now time to invest in a strategic capacity so that India's climate diplomacy is better equipped to transform prevailing climate commitments into action.

India could dominate the global labour force by 2030 if it’s able to effectively utilise its growing young population.

Fully realising the potential of emerging technologies in the military requires altering existing organisations and approaches.

Shivshankar Menon writes about why the use of force is rarely a sufficient response to terrorism

CSEP Senior Fellow Renu Kohli provides a comparative illustration of the domestic context of the Indian economy then and now to identify critical aspects that could potentially affect the translation of high expectations into actual outcomes

Democracy has the built-in check of electoral accountability. But that happens only every 4- 5 years. In the interim, leaders have considerable latitude to exercise power ostensibly for the purpose of ‘national security'.

A key feature of a cap-and-trade system must be a steady reduction in allowances per unit of output over time, calibrated to the net-zero target, write Montek Singh Ahulwalia and Utkarsh Patel.

India’s progress in driving the need for climate mitigation and adaptation has been commendable and swift. A key question is whether results in terms of reduced carbon emissions will arrive.

There is a need to tap into the potential of Special Drawing Right (SDR), especially at a time when the global community is struggling to mobilise finances for sustainable development and climate change.

An IMF restructured to function more equitably would reinforce its role in global monetary and financial governance.

As the IMF strives to complete the 16th General Review and works towards some agreement on quota realignment as part of the 17th General Review, the IMF Board of Governors should strive to reach a consensus on three fundamental changes to the IMF’s resources and governance.

Defence reforms reimagine the relationship between the defence ministry and the military and foster greater inter-services collaboration.

The challenge is the production and distribution of doctors. The doctor availability across states is very variable, and there are numerous factors driving this: state’s economic status, public health expenditure, expenditure on medical education.

China’s economic, diplomatic, and military activities in South Asia and the Indian Ocean island states have New Delhi concerned about Beijing’s growing influence in its neighborhood. In this episode of Global India, Tanvi Madan discusses with Constantino Xavier about how India is responding.

Despite a pandemic, war, higher cost of living and interest rates, economic activity has not stalled or fallen into recession even as inflation continues to decelerate, writes Renu Kohli.

Anoop Singh elaborates the essential pillars of a radically renovated International Monetary Fund (IMF) to face the challenges of the future.

The goal of equity requires attention to incentives and encouraging migration to low-availability areas rather than restricting production. The policy focus, therefore, should be on addressing the barriers to scale.

Corporate investment, which plays a critical role in driving economic growth, has been in a slump in India for more than a decade. This op-ed analyses the behaviour of corporate savings and investment since 2007-08.

Ramu Damodaran writes about trust between states, governments and people as a means to extend, and not inhibit, the promise and possibilities of national sovereignty.

Edmund Burke is frequently seen as the forerunner of the conservative movement, not least for his fierce critique of the French Revolution. But both his admirers and his detractors have too often ignored the complexity of his thought, which in important ways challenges the politics of the contemporary right, writes Uday Singh ...

In an interview with ABC News, Shivshankar Menon discusses India Canada diplomatic relations.

CSEP Distinguished Fellow Shivshankar Menon discusses the Israel-Palestine conflict with Republic World.

In this episode of The Director’s Chair, Michael Fullilove speaks to the leading Indian scholar and diplomat, Shivshankar Menon on Hamas’s attack on Israel, how India manages its relationship with China, and why he is an optimist about the relationship between India and Australia.

Resuming trade with India is a chance to escape spiraling crises, writes Sanjay Kathuria in this article.

The total flow of financial resources to the commercial sector, which provides a good grip on the strength of the real economy, is compiled by the central bank.

If such data were to become available, markets could more effectively reward or punish governments at the Centre and states for their borrowing behaviours, write Kevin James and Shruti Gupta.

A happy convergence of circumstances and trends have created a perfect launchpad for India’s global economic ambitions. Unless there are some unexpected surprises, this trajectory, already underway, will fundamentally transform India.

A diplomat had nearly swung the honour for Gandhi in 1961

Dealing with common challenges requires a political compact that addresses how both countries view Canada’s Indian diaspora and mitigating its worst impulses, particularly those fanning separatist embers in India.

Shivshankar Menon shares his views on the India-China competition, the potential for cooperation or crisis, and what it means for India’s partners on the inaugural episode of Global India, in this podcast.

What prevents India's original equipment manufacturers (OEM) from transitioning to flex engines? Shyamasis Das discusses the challenges faced, including the high cost of flex engines.

A multipolar world with competing power centres, rising economic fragmentation, and deglobalisation will only compound the pressures on institutions like the G20. With great power tensions at an apogee, resolution might not matter as discussions and resolutions pivot to smaller and smaller “like-minded” groups, writes Karthik Nachiappan.

Time will tell if the geopolitically-driven initiatives prove economically sound, resolve the global debt-cum-climate challenges, and help invigorate the world economy

The inability of global governance to impose checks and balances to ensure that the health needs of less endowed countries are served is worrying, writes Sandhya Venkateswaran.

Nepal and India have renewed their transit trade agreement, improving Nepal's access to Indian sea ports and inland waterways, boosting supply chain resilience. This also marks potential breakthroughs in cross-border electricity trade and digital payments.

Montek Singh Ahluwalia discusses India's G-20 meeting with ANI News.

Rakesh Mohan's valedictory lecture at IHD recommends devising policies to encourage research to study the phenomenon of industrialisation and urbanisation in India, for manufacturing to be located in towns and cities and calls for a unified system of governance.

By strengthening the role of fiscal federalism in addressing climate change, it would enable India a more effective utilisation of financial resources (includin funds raised by green bonds), enhance state capacities, promote policy coherence and drive sustainable development across the country.

Is India’s economic rise inevitable? There’s good reason to think that this latest round of Indo-optimism might be different than previous iterations, but the country still has major challenges to address to make good on this promise.

Institutions have to be built that facilitate global cooperation, skill development and technology transfer and also enable the mediation of the domestic and international conflicts that have been inevitably aroused.

Ramu Damodaran reviews the book "The Cambridge Companion to Winstn Churchill."

Riya Sinha talks about India’s connectivity with neighboring countries, liberalization of the economy, and strategies to attract foreign direct investment.

In absence of significant governance reform, effectiveness of global financial safety institutions is eroding. India is better off relying, instead, on pursuit of prudent macroeconomic policies.

Rajesh Chadha discusses critical minerals and its essential role in the manufacturing of green technology for India, in an exclusive conversation with India Stats.

Shyamasis Das discusses India’s plan to buy 10,000 electric buses on the Business Standard Morning Show.

How well central and state-level administrations coordinate climate action will determine key outcomes, writes Anoop Singh.

India's renowned technologist, VS Arunachalam leaves behind a legacy of scientific accomplishments and institution-building efforts, writes Rahul Tongia.

An effective National Research Foundation would prioritise excellence over relevance, support a wide range of projects, and stress funding millions of individual researchers.

India’s objective has been to narrow the trade deficit with China by manufacturing at home. The tariff-raising, safeguard duties have explicitly and systematically targeted lower imports.

In this op-ed, Janak Raj and Harshini Kumari explain the large inter-state variations in out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) on health in India.

For India to attain high-income status by 2047, it must urgently prioritise trade as the primary driver for achieving accelerated growth.

Janak Raj on RBI Monetary Policy

We have to be connected to the Asian supply chain for us to be competitive in manufacturing of laptops, desktops, tablets and other computer equipment. That is what we need to do rather than shutting them off.

Post-1991 reforms did not achieve intended results, manufacturing competitiveness still a challenge, says Laveesh Bhandari.

In the ‘era of global boiling’, challenge can only be met if we act in political, economic, financial concert, says Vikram Singh Mehta.

In food-price management, factors that could hinder the government’s efforts seem to have been ignored, writes Renu Kohli.

Madhurima Nundy and Pankhuri Bhatt write about the challenges to voluntary health insurance and its expansion.

India cannot afford to let women suffer and then perhaps die of the most curable cancer. Important here is to also strategize vaccination with regular screening for women aged 30 and above.

By joining the US-led Minerals Security Partnership and pursuing other collaborations, India has taken significant steps towards ensuring resilient supplies of critical minerals.

Rajesh Chadha, Ganesh Sivamani and Karthik Bansal provide recommendations that address the government’s concerns about only granting mineral concessions through auctions.

Any activity with a longer-term perspective takes time to show desired results. However, the CSR mechanism requires companies to report on the allocation and a detailed impact assessment, says Laveesh Bhnadari.

In a conversation with Strait Times, Rajesh Chadha and Ganesh Sivamani highlights the importance of the Critical Minerals list by the government as an acknowledgement of how “skewed critical minerals supply chains will impact India’s green transition”, but adds that the government’s attention should now be on securing a supply of these ...

The government's intent is sensible, and infrastructure does seem to have improved over time. India jumped six places from 44 (2018) to 38 (2023) in the World Bank's Logistics Performance Index (LPI). However, there are two main fallacies in the argument that puts disproportionate importance on logistics cost as a key reason ...

Do not presume the business models that have worked for you elsewhere will be successful in India: Vikram Singh Mehta to potential investors.

Complexity of the clearance procedures and huge delays in granting them have become impediments to efficient use of mineral resources, write Karthik Bansal and Ishita Kapoor.

The Ministry of Mines released the first-ever list of critical minerals for India on June 28. The report referred to key findings from the CSEP Working Paper Critical Minerals for India 2023 authored by Rajesh Chadha, Ganesh Sivamani & Karthik Bansal.

Siddharth Varadarajan spoke to India’s former National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to the US, the deals signed, the politics and economics involved, and China's role in bringing the two nations together.

The explosion of interest in artificial intelligence has drawn attention not only to the astonishing capacity of algorithms to mimic humans but to the reality that these algorithms could displace many humans in their jobs. The economic and societal consequences could be nothing short of dramatic.

India has a unique opportunity to use the G20 presidency to drive climate cooperation as crises abound and the desire for deep climate action is dwindling.

Jaimini Bhagwati writes about the dangers of celebrities advertising pan masala and how it can impact the youth.

Addressing concerns such as differences in data-sharing rules and guidelines, building a robust digital infrastructure, streamlining accreditation and qualification of doctors etc. can aid in telemedicine gaining widespread acceptance.

This suggests that political leaders may gain electoral capital from prioritising health in their election campaigns and during their terms in office.

Laveesh Bhandari reviews AK Bhattacharya's book "India's Finance Ministers: From Independence to Emergency (1947-1977)".

Insufficient regulated tariffs are the dominant reasons for discom cash shortfalls. Fixing this is necessary and urgent says Rahul Tongia, Rajasekhar Devaguptapu and Nikhil Tyagi.

In the last few years, India prioritised enhancing railway development in Manipur and Mizoram, inching closer to the border with Myanmar, writes Riya Sinha.

Channels of information flow in real estate are limited; buyers rely on the media, intermediaries or hearsay to obtain information. This leaves buyers in the dark, impeding their ability to distinguish between good- and bad-quality housing. Ill-equipped with little to no information, they may purchase homes mired in litigation.

India's aspiration to become a global climate leader is getting a boost from an expanding ecosystem of homegrown policy and research institutes. Here are 10, new and old. | An interview with Laveesh Bhandari

Non-performance by discoms only explains a minority fraction of cumulative financial gaps of over ₹10L-crore — the real issues are more deep-rooted.

India and Australia can support the development of a Single Widow System in fellow Indian Ocean Region states for trade facilitation at the regional level, writes Riya Sinha. This article was also co-published by Observer Research Foundation.

Oliver Heath, Jyoti Mishra, Louise Tillin & Sandhya Venkateswaran examine how Indian citizens view health through a five-state survey on electoral perceptions around health in India

Shishir Gupta and Rishista Sachdeva suggest the need to push for household savings to acheive accelerated growth on a sustained basis.

Private firms should fill the vacancies of independent directors with those who are younger, technically savvy, with domain knowledge to tackle future uncertainties, writes Vikram Singh Mehta.

RBI’s report lays down a buffet of choices. Policymakers must now pick what is nutritious but also conforms to political taste.

While the International Monetary Fund has made great strides on climate change in a short time, emerging markets and developing economies need resources to invest in resilience more urgently than ever.

Sustained productivity growth would be better driven by technological capital deepening with related organisational changes and increased competition that can result in more efficient methods of production, says Anoop Singh.

It is not exactly true that India's rivalry with China is spoken of only in hushed tones. The Indian strategic community is quite vocal about this reality, & this rivalry is not limited to South Asia

India's renewables targets, while ambitious, will still not be enough to meet rising power demand, comments Rahul Tongia.

Bhaskar Chakravorti lays out 8 qualities of successful Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) projects, and how the public and private sectors can coordinate to build them.

Is the UK providing refuge to India's absconding financial scamsters? Jaimini Bhagwati examines.

With the National Health Accounts suggesting poor expenditure on health, it is hard to assess when and how the Universal Health Coverage goal will be achieved, writes Janak Raj

Analysing the GHE and OOPE data at national and state levels shows the need for deeper inquiry. The attribution of increased govt spending to declining out-of-pocket expenditure isn't apparent, write Alok Kumar Singh and Sandhya Venkateswaran.

Indian industry must see R&D as its way of building a future based on proprietary technology, writes Naushad Forbes, member of CSEP Board of Directors.

The discussion touched on many important aspects of India's growth trajectory, and the panelists agreed that India is poised for significant growth in the next 20-30 years.

In this India Energy Hour podcast episode, Rahul Tongia discusses how we can design equitable models for climate action.

The scramble to win the GPT race could divert essential resources from the development of more socially meaningful uses of AI, writes Bhaskar Chakravorti.

Its economy should adjust its growth model again and financial liberalization could set a ball rolling to accelerate expansion.

Yes, nuclear power has a role in climate change strategy, but we will have to rethink several aspects of our current policy on this form of energy before it can meet its promise.

Mixed views on AI reflect the international community’s inability to look beyond narrow interests to address problems of global commons, writes Vikram Singh Mehta.

There are questions on whether nuclear power, with its attendant concerns on cost and safety, remains a relevant option for a future that is fossil-free, particularly in India.

WION News speaks to Constantino Xavier on Operation Kaveri and the crisis in Sudan.

Does China have to inevitably face confrontation from the US and seek domination over India, asks Jaimini Bhagwati.

From ‘an idea whose time has come’ to ‘Digital India’, the words used in Budget speeches have set the theme for India’s economic emergence, write Ayush Khare and Shruti Gupta.

A national critical minerals strategy for India, underpinned by the minerals can help focus on priority concerns in supply risks, domestic policy regimes, and sustainability.

The lesson for us is that our supply system must be sufficient and flexible to allow such new technology to come in. And that raises another set of issues: Montek Singh Ahluwalia tells NDTV.

Crypto grew because we had near zero interest rates in developed countries for an extended period so people were searching for higher returns, says Rakesh Mohan.

As interest rates keep increasing in the developed economies there could be some reversal of capital flows, and consequent impact on the exchange rate and the economy, Rakesh Mohan cautioned.

Though there are multiple instruments to tackle inflation, every time there is a spike, the market expects monetary policy action, says Rakesh Mohan.

Constantino Xavier discusses India’s foreign policy and its relationship with Russia.

The challenge is to develop a carefully sequenced agenda for the next few years until political conditions allow a broader reform of the international monetary system.

As the transition to clean energy becomes imperative, India’s tryst with hydrocarbons can offer a roadmap of what not to do.

US and European regulators ignored basic risk management. But why do regulators allow financial sector firms to gamble with depositors' money?

CNBC TV18 News interview of Rakesh Mohan on whether the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will raise the repo rates amid the global banking crisis.

In this episode of South Asia Chat, Ramita Iyer, Research Analyst, ISAS, speaks to the editors of the report - Constantino Xavier, and Amitendu Palit about the prospects and challenges in the region.

Trade restrictions may put FTAs and global value chain integration at risk; external imbalances can be addressed with other tools, says Montek Singh Ahluwalia.

Few paid attention to the fact that the first alert of a mysterious new virus out of Wuhan, China, came through AI.

Rajesh Chadha discusses economic growth and geopolitical developments for India and Korea on Arirang News.

If India wants to achieve a growth rate of 7%-plus in the years ahead, it should also aim for a strong export performance. World trade is likely to grow more slowly in the future than it did in the past. But, even so, India should aim at expanding its exports at rates ...

Is there not a threshold beyond which the severity of human suffering renders meaningless words like “political sovereignty”, “national security” and “territorial integrity”?

In this episode of South Asia Chat, Devyani Chaturvedi, Research Analyst, ISAS, is in conversation with Rajesh Chadha, Senior Fellow at CSEP about India’s critical mineral supply chain and its vulnerabilities and opportunities.

To fortify their long-term relationship, both countries need to clinch more immediate opportunities while also insulating the relationship from episodic political turbulence.

The 5.9 million tonnes of lithium announced by Geological Survey of India are “inferred resources” at present. General and detailed exploration must follow, also roping in private mining expertise, if we are to see the lithium by 2030.

Ramu Damodaran's tribute to the late Ambassador Chandrashekhar Dasgupta who served as Indian ambassador to the European Union, Belgium, Luxembourg and China.

The Adani issue can bring about long ignored reforms in the country.

This article reflects on the alleged negligence of Indian regulators in the context of the anti-climactic return of capital to those who had subscribed to the Adani Enterprises follow-on public offer (FPO) of Rs 20,000 crore.

Man power and resources can strengthen India's vishwa guru ambition. It will need those resources for cooperation and competition with other countries.

For innovation to power economic growth, Indian industry must raise its investment in in-house R&D five-fold, writes Naushad Forbes.

A majority of the firms responsible for defaulted loans between 2017-2020 constituted iron and steel businesses.

Securing the supply chains of critical minerals will be imperative for India to meet its Aatma-Nirbhar Bharat goals and climate mitigation commitments.

India will prioritise inclusive growth and development along with women empowerment as it assumes the presidency of G20 this year. This is a desirable objective.

Who is deserving of a subsidy is difficult to answer, for this is a policy choice. However, we can benchmark policies by examining who gets how much subsidy.

Shivshankar Menon examines what a year of war in Ukraine has revealed.

US petroleum firms have benefited the most from sanctions on Russia. Europe has been pushed into a relationship of energy dependency with the US.

Ramu Damodaran writes for Indepth News.

Rahul Tongia and Jason Bordoff square off on a question that will confront emerging nations in the coming years.

At COP26, the PM set a clear target that India, with the help of global investment, will achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2070. For this it will undertake actions such as greater use of renewable energy, reduced energy intensity, etc. It's a tough task, but the process is on and ...

There’s no certainty if RBI will be able to replenish its forex reserve stocks. The process could be quite long drawn, says Renu Kohli.

Montek Singh Ahluwalia answers some pertinent questions on the Indian economy and upcoming issues.

Montek Singh Ahluwalia tells Outlook Business that a private sector-led economy can deliver sustained GDP growth. He also suggested a closer examination of the much touted double digit growth and cautions against protectionism.

In an exclusive interview with Moneycontrol, Montek Singh Ahluwalia speaks on the state of the economy, and what is needed to unleash India's growth potential. and delves into the reforms needed in the external sector.

The global pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war have had a dual structural impact that accelerated Asia’s regional transition, which has been slowly evolving amidst rising US-China competition. India sees the ongoing disruption as a challenge, but also as an opportunity to realize its role as a bridging power to shape a new ...

The large decline in metal prices during 2014-16, predominantly driven by Chinese imports, made domestic firms in the metals sector uncompetitive. A decline in profitability affected the loan repayment capacity of many firms in the metals sector and they defaulted, creating non-performing assets (NPAs) for banks.

Jaimini Bhagwati writes about how the Supreme Court should not be challenged, yet judges should not select judges.

Shivshankar Menon discusses what’s at stake in Ukraine, India’s place in this changing world, and what order could emerge from today’s great-power competition.

Ramu Damodaran reviews Kishan S Rana's book on Winston Churchill.

Large Indian firms are yet to become global champions. Given the global headwinds, India should focus on improving the competitiveness of these companies so that they can tap into large external markets far more than they have managed so far, say Shishir Gupta and Rishita Sachdeva.

There are, indeed, some green shoots visible, especially on the corporate and export front, which may help accelerate growth in the short run. However, transforming this head-start into faster long-term growth requires an improvement in competitiveness.

Another effect of the energy transition that needs to be considered is the impact on employment; in some states, a significant proportion of the people are engaged in coal mining. The effect on employment may not be severe but it will be challenging because it is concentrated in a few states.

Anoop Singh discusses how “data for development" will be an integral part of India's G20 presidency.

Against this international backdrop, India must pivot the needle of its energy compass towards short-term energy security and long-term decarbonisation. Irrespective of who is to blame for global warming, India cannot afford to develop first and clean up later.

Digital currency and fail-safe wireless connectivity should have preceded demonetisation, says Jaimini Bhagwati.

India has been playing a silent but important role in pushing Brussels...and other European capitals, to recognise that the future global balance of power hinges on what happens in Asia.

It is advisable for banks to build a counter-cyclical commodity price buffer during upswings in commodity prices which can be used during periods of downswings.

India must make a fiscal transition alongside the energy transition. Here's how it could make a start.

India's economic recovery calls for a focus on labour-intensive formal manufacturing. High under-employment and poor-quality employment have hampered a much needed move away from agriculture.

Ramu Damodaran writes about Brazil in UNICEF and the UN.

To resolve the environment-development conflict, begin with local initiatives that can be scaled-up and provided market access through support of government and collaborative linkages with corporates, NGOs and specialists, writes Vikram Singh Mehta.

Has merit become a bad word in India? For India's exceptional human resources to remain in the country, it needs to phase out all caste, community, and income-based reservations, writes Jaimini Bhagwati.

In an interview to Karan Thapar for The Wire, Rakesh Mohan discussed the state of the economy six weeks before the end of the year, focusing specifically on growth, investment, unemployment, poverty, inflation and the state of the rupee.

Musk’s conflicts of interest make him too dangerous to run the global public sphere, writes Bhaskar Chakravorti.

The loss-and-damage fund is welcome but other vital issues were left hanging. India’s G20 presidency may help us find clarity.

States have been significantly overestimating CSS receipts. CSSs are typically co-financed by the Centre and the states, and the central grant under the CSS is only received when the states release their own contribution. Unsurprisingly, poorer states find it harder to reliably avail central CSS grants under this model.

Rahul Tongia speaks to Kai Ryssdal of NPR Marketplace about how current climate initiatives are unfair towards developing nations.

A graded form of an ecological tax must be levied on the value of outputs of sectors that are polluting, write Rajat Verma and Ganesh Sivamani.

Hindustan Times Leadership Summit 2022: Many envisage a return to fiscal rules to strengthen credibility. But today’s situation offers an opportunity to rethink fiscal rules and the underlying fiscal frameworks.

Securing the critical minerals required for manufacturing green technologies must become an urgent priority, or else India – and the rest of the world – risks falling short of its climate change mitigation targets.

Since the 1950s, a cocktail of partisan domestic interests has resulted in the Reserve Bank of India and the Indian government favouring an overvalued rupee, writes Jaimini Bhagwati.

How will global slowdown affect India? When will RBI's steps to rein-in inflation start show results? Rakesh Mohan answer these in a conversation with Business Standard.

The issue of how India handles China is likely to remain India's most complex external challenge.

Experts emphasize that while a statistic such as GDP does a good job of showing the value of goods and services exchanged in markets, it does not reflect the dependency of the economy on nature, nor its impacts on nature, such as the deterioration of water quality or the loss of a ...

Probing the links between twin balance sheet crisis and external commodity shocks could lead to a better understanding of the problem.

The many challenges facing electricity distribution certainly need attention. But focusing on multiple discoms in an area, particularly when an alternative for providing choice exists, may distract from more fundamental issues. And it could create more problems.

What makes an event newsworthy? Shishir Gupta and Nandini Agnihotri shed light on what drives media reporting in this virtual session.

India has a long way to go before it can fully wean itself off fossil fuels. During this transitional phase, gas producers should be granted unfettered marketing and pricing freedom.

UVU’s upcoming conference, “Why it Matters” connects the United Nations with the farmsteads of Utah.

We should scale down expectations and time expended on preparing for the SCO and G20 summits, says Jaimini Bhagwati.

The most serious drawback of SVAMITVA is its refusal to integrate gender into the scheme, writes Kaveri Thara.

More than a moral mission, by nurturing a feminist dimension in its Neighbourhood First policy, India will be able to better achieve its regional interests, says Riya Sinha and Constantino Xavier.

Former Indian foreign secretary and national security advisor Shivshankar Menon on the changing power dynamics in South Asia, India’s political turmoil, and SAARC.

Benefit coverage has to be comprehensive to include preventive, curative, rehabilitative services to ensure continuity in care, rational practices and a cost-efficient system, write Madhurima Nundy and Pankhuri Bhatt.

Podcast | Montek Singh Ahluwalia discuss independent India’s sociopolitical, cultural and economic history with Kunal Kamra.

Anchoring Change: lessons from seventy-five years of successful grassroots intervention.

By understanding Kathmandu’s domestic aims and regional balancing, both New Delhi and Washington can play to their strengths and maximize the developmental impact of their projects in Nepal.

As the demand for artificial intelligence (AI) grows, so does the demand for AI talent. To find diverse AI talent, companies will need to look outside the usual technology talent hubs, such as the San Francisco Bay Area.

The low and deteriorating level of delivery of urban services needs to be addressed urgently. Cities contribute about 63% of India's net domestic product (NDP). Hence, deterioration in service delivery levels will impact their growth potential.

A new book provides valuable snapshots of the evolution of Indian policymaking while also pointing out where policy shifts are needed.

Rajesh Chadha and Ganesh Sivamani reflect on India's critical minerals supply chain and the risks associated with not securing mineral needs.

Infrastructure created through programmes such as PM Gati Shakti and the production-linked incentive scheme will allow private investment to pick up gradually, write Ayush Khare, Divya Srinivasan and Rishita Sachdeva in The Economic Times.

A 10-year-plan will help increase public consciousness and generate a public debate on aspects of the strategy that may seem contentious, write Montek S Ahluwalia and Utkarsh Patel in Mint

Leadership to balance short-term pressures of elections with longer-term imperatives of sustainability is needed, writes Vikram Singh Mehta.

India is undergoing an energy transition, but it must not write off coal. The most cost-effective way to balance the grid in 2030 will be to keep both thermal power and renewables in the basket of options.

The increasing range and automation of drone strikes are a matter of global concern, says Jaimini Bhagwati.

A reflection on the challenges to adoption of alternative technologies in mass housing projects and the way forward for the Global Housing Technology Challenge program.

Indian diplomacy has been bold and innovative but today's challenges require another reworking of statecraft in pursuit of the country's 'unvarying concerns' – safeguarding its sovereignty and overcoming poverty.

The US economy isn’t in recession but may slip into one, writes Anoop Singh.

How did all the major powers—even the United States—became revisionists.

Constantino Xavier and Gil Rozman trace the evolution of Indian thinking about China from 2018-22 and recognize linkages with its response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Too many people believe that India cannot fulfil the promise of its founding fathers. There are stories and examples that show it is possible, writes Vikram Singh Mehta.

How do Indian minerals and metals fare in trade and FDI? Rajesh Chadha and Ishita Kapoor explain.

The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) has military ramifications, but the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) does not, says Jaimini Bhagwati.

Constantino Xavier looks at how Sri Lanka’s governing choices over many years led to crisis, the difficult reforms ahead, and the implications of the collapse for other developing nations throughout Asia and Africa.

Understanding the US-India trade composition is also important, as the US is the only big trading partner with which we have a trade surplus, says Abhishek Kumar and Divya Srinivasan.

Why a growing number of countries want to avoid getting stuck in a great-power tussle—again.

Economic miracles only happen when globally competitive firms tap into external demand, says Shishir Gupta.

Bhaskar Chakravorti writes: It is time we reformed the education of future entrepreneurs and disruptors and the many stakeholders who enable them, to put the human cost of disruptive innovation front and center.

Integration with global value chains will require a rethink of our high and uncertain tariffs as well as bolder trade alliances, say Montek Singh Ahluwalia.

Ramu Damodaran explores how High Level Political Forum (HLPF) is a remarkable innovation that led to its in inception as part of the sustainable development agenda.

Despite the laudable intentions, Biden's "Internet for All" initiative will likely not be able to achieve its goals as it’s currently conceived, writes Bhaskar Chakravorti.

Montek Singh Ahluwalia joins Amit Varma in episode 285 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss his life, his learnings and the liberalisation of 1991.

India should consider moving toward a new principles-based fiscal strategy, rather than returning to a fiscal framework based on rigid numerical fiscal targets, writes Anoop Singh.

Vikram Singh Mehta writes: Ukraine war has disrupted old energy order. We cannot afford to continue with our existing siloed approach

"It is surprising that the Indian insurance regulator allows so many exceptions under private health insurance."

Ramu Damodaran reflects upon the journey of women's representation at the United Nations on the ocassion of International Day of Women in Diplomacy.

Rakesh Mohan answers Bloomberg HT's questions about the causes of global inflation and the effectiveness of central banks' policies against hyperinflation.

The key need for improving storage is innovation, which is not just a technical issue but extends to business models and regulatory frameworks. While there is a need to scale up production, we should also revamp how we integrate and plan for storage, writes Rahul Tongia.

Vikram S Mehta writes: Issues related to energy security, climate change mitigation have been brought to the forefront.

भारत में जलवायु परिवर्तन के कारण हो रही घटनाओं को अब ‘अप्रत्याशित’ नहीं कहा जा सकता है इसलिए सरकार को उनके लिए वैकल्पिक तरीकों के साथ तैयार होना पड़ेगा.

The verdict recognises the legitimacy of state-Centre contestations, setting a precedent for state autonomy and Indian federalism, says Kevin James.

We’ll have to re-examine our traditional positions wherever needed to make the most of economic integration under the Indo Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), says Montek Singh Ahluwalia.

India can no longer label extreme climate events as ‘unforeseeable’. The Union govt must prepare for them with alternate approaches.

Jaimini Bhagwati argues how India, as a swing state could seek greater accommodation of its strategic and economic interests with the West in light of the undeclared war with Russia and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) countries.

Realising the right to health requires a system that enables quality and affordable access to health services for citizens, writes Sandhya Venkateswaran and Nikhil Iyer.

Ukraine’s tech outsourcing sector, one of Europe’s largest, has adapted nimbly to the war.

The central bank affects the real economy not just through short-term interest rates but through a host of other instruments, including the quantity of money, the level of credit and liquidity and, more broadly, financial stability, says Montek Singh Ahluwalia.

Riya Sinha argues that simultaneous developments on both the security and socio-economic fronts will be key in India's renewed approach to land border management.

NSE has blotted its record even with separate chairman and managing director roles, says Jaimini Bhagwati.

If there were an India-led peacemaking initiative, Jaishankar might be the best qualified to crack the Ukrainian diplomatic impasse, writes Vikram Singh Mehta.

Government and judiciary must collaborate and investigate into Kalikho Pul's accusations, says Jaimini Bhagwati.

What influences media reporting? Shishir Gupta and Nandini Agnihotri's study explores reader interest as a factor that drives news coverage.

The fundamental issue remains woefully short stockpiles. With a recent increase in the domestic demand, and high global prices, the key is to address crucial issues of planning, feedback (or lack thereof), and risk, says Rahul Tongia.

An FTA with the UK can help recover ground lost to Bangladesh on textile exports because of its LDC status, say Abhishek Kumar and Divya Srinivasan.

CSEP scholars Laveesh Bhandari and Asheerwad Dwivedi analyse how governments’ (both Centre and State) revenue from coal, oil and natural gas, will be affected over the next two decades as India shifts toward renewable energy sources.

Russia’s war in Ukraine might be a pivotal episode in a global contest between autocracy and democracy. Chastened by Putin’s gross violation of norms, democracies will band together in a muscular reaffirmation of the liberal international order.

Higher oil prices are the main problem for India if peace is not restored soon, says Montek Singh Ahluwalia.

It is the same energy security imperative that drove Europe’s decision to continue buying crude from Russia, says Vikram Mehta.

In a 45-minute interview with The Wire, the former national security adviser Shivshankar Menon said the Indian government must play a forceful and active role in finding a solution acceptable to all sides.

Under PMKKKY, 60 per cent of the DMF fund has been allocated to high priority areas such as drinking water supply, environment preservation and pollution control, health care, education, women and child welfare, the welfare of aged and disabled people, skill development and sanitation.

Trade incentives, border infrastructure or any other such unilateral initiatives are simple, low-cost ways for Delhi to reverse the lost time and rising costs of India-Pakistan disconnectivity.

In an interview with India Today, Vikram Mehta shares his perspective on how India should navigate the oil crisis as prices continue to rise globally.

Despite the rising tensions with China, it is hard to see how the Ukraine war could set a precedent for a confrontation with a vastly bigger economic power such as China.

The pandemic could have been the moment when AI made good on its promising potential. There was an unprecedented convergence of the need for fast, evidence-based decisions and large-scale problem-solving with datasets spilling out of every country in the world.

In an interview with Strat News Global, Vikram Singh Mehta assesses the impact on India of gas, oil and financial sanctions on Russia after it invaded Ukraine, fuel prices, the repercussions on India and Russia’s energy assets in each other’s countries, and many more.

Montek Singh Ahluwalia discusses Atmanirbhar Bharat, Russia - Ukraine crises and many more in an interview with the New Indian Express.

To deal with energy volatility, India must build reserves, revive conversations on pipeline with Iran, Turkmenistan

In an interview with Mirror Now, Montek Singh Ahluwalia discusses the country's economic health and predictions for the post-Covid world.

Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) runs the risk of financial disintermediation, which can alter saving-investment strategy and impact banking system in India, says Aasheerwad Dwivedi.

in 2015, India announced its Nationally Determined Contributions, including reducing its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) emission intensity by 33-35% in 2030 from 2005 levels. This commitment has been revised to a 45% reduction during COP26. Critical minerals shall play an important role to achieve these goals.

Not only is the frequency of media reporting on urban conflicts greater, but each urban conflict is also covered much more extensively than those in rural areas; this is despite the fact that a much larger number of people are potentially impacted in the latter.

Semiconductor blockades are powerful sanctions—but may not prove effective with Russia.

A study of 714 land conflicts in India find that beyond being ‘influenced’ or ‘sensationalised’, there are objective reasons that decide media coverage.

The budget’s capital-expenditure plan could support our recovery but reforms in important areas can’t be held off any longer.

For a financially aware and empowered India, considerable effort and calculated steps need to be taken.

The delayed feedback from wholesale inflation to retail inflation is also reflected in the household inflation expectations survey of the RBI.

In an interview with Times Now on the Budget 2022-23, Montek Singh Ahluwalia speaks on a host of issues including unemployment, job creation and the various measures taken to boost the economy.

Ahead of the Union Budget 2022-23, Business Today interviews Montek Singh Ahluwalia to take a deep-dive into the contours of the economy and understand what the government needs to do to boost India's growth.

Though the Indian economy is in recovery mode, the underlying growth impulses are weak, says economist Montek Singh Ahluwalia.

While the Indian government has rolled out policies to promote exports, trade policy is more inwardly oriented. The ‘Make in India’ initiative ignores the decades-long geographical fragmentation of the global production process, a reality that increases the import dependence of exports.

Take the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). It is assigned the task of monitoring air and water quality, and to also check commercial or industrial units that may pollute them. It is also allocated the task of supporting State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs), which carry out the monitoring, permitting and enforcing functions ...

When the government presents the 2022-23 Budget, there will be relatively little attention spent on correlating the budget numbers with recent CAG reports or the deliberations of the PAC, says Jaimini Bhagwati.

The pattern of China’s internal politics and development has given a particular cast or shape to China’s external behaviour in the last decade.