Editorial Comment

Beyond policy sales: Insurance companies must prioritise customer retention

Rising life insurance policy surrenders highlight weak policy persistency, underscoring the need for reforms focused on better products, sales practices and consumer retention

Policy prospects: Inflation projections demand monetary tightening

The RBI's decision to hold rates reflects easing inflation risks for now, but rising price pressures could warrant policy tightening in the coming months

Justice delayed: India needs comprehensive justice system reforms

Raising the Supreme Court's strength is a welcome step, but filling vacancies and reforming lower courts remain key to tackling India's mounting judicial backlog

Price protection: Minimum import price for PVC will increase costs

The MIP on PVC resin may support domestic producers but risks raising costs for MSMEs, infrastructure projects and exporters while failing to address supply shortages

Export ambitions: States can play only a limited role in the push

India aims to raise its share of global merchandise exports from just 1.8 per cent in 2024 to around 10 per cent by 2047

Copyright in AI era: Deeper judicial, legislative scrutiny is needed

The substantive issue concerned the applicability of "fair dealing" under Section 52 (1)(a), for which the court has adopted an ample interpretation

Sustained uncertainty: RBI's MPC is unlikely to change the policy rate

The RBI has projected an average inflation rate of 5.1 per cent for this financial year and is unlikely to change it much at this stage

Dominating the skies: Indian aviation needs more competition and choice

The consolidation has left the market with two airlines of consequence - IndiGo and the Air India group

SC draws firmer line on environmental compliance and approvals

The latest judgment can be seen as seeking a balancing act between a May 2025 judgment of a two-judge Bench and its recall in November

AI stock correction reflects a more rational market reassessment

AI is transformative. People expect it to not only generate gargantuan profits but also to alter the way society functions

States need faster fiscal consolidation as debt redemptions loom

A possible reason for the expansion in the debt stock is the higher Budget deficit of state governments

Agricultural research needs greater funding to sustain long-term growth

Agricultural extension, which carries innovations from laboratories to farmers' fields, yields ₹7.40 for every rupee invested

Rogue AI incident exposes urgent need for stronger autonomous safeguards

An AI agent autonomously exploiting vulnerabilities to hack systems exposes gaps in current safeguards and highlights the urgent need for stronger AI safety frameworks

India should avoid digital tariffs despite WTO moratorium lapse

India should avoid imposing tariffs on digital trade after the WTO moratorium expiry, as seamless data flows are crucial for services exports and global investment

Unnecessary division: A modern ecommerce policy is the need of the hour

The retail sector in India has faced multiplicity of rules for decades, and that issue should be addressed fast at a time when newer formats, such as quick commerce, are emerging as a driving force

Starting anew: Despite Delhi connections, Bengal govt has its task cut out

There is no doubt that West Bengal's economy performed way below potential, and Mamata Banerjee's 15 years in power compounded the damage

A fresh slate: Protests must spur urgent education, exam system reboot

Leaks of questions for examinations have been part of India's landscape for long, and the NTA was set up in 2017 to address these issues

Trump's tariff playbook: India must continue to engage with the US

Tariffs are central to Mr Trump's economic agenda and are also an instrument of choice to address other issues, including geopolitics

Reviving the 1991 spirit: Reform lessons from then should not be ignored

Thirty-five years after the landmark 1991 Budget, India must revive the reform spirit with fresh policy changes, stronger institutions and wider reforms beyond the economy

Offline payment push: Innovation must include stronger consumer protection

NPCI's offline NFC-based UPI can expand digital payments and financial inclusion, but robust security, fraud safeguards and strong consumer protection must underpin its rollout