Opinion

Making India attractive to foreign capital: Beyond the RBI's June measures

The RBI's June measures have bought India some time. The challenge now is to use that time wisely

Can India innovate? The innovation gap starts with its largest companies

India has the talent and startup momentum, but unless its largest companies invest boldly in R&D, the country risks falling behind in global innovation

Off-field divide: European football teams racially diverse but Europe isn't

White Europeans may be happy to watch foreign players from the distance of a football stadium win sporting laurels for their nations but are unlikely to welcome them elsewhere

Retail rulebook: India needs a clear policy framework for growth

With ecommerce emerging as the biggest disruptor, international marquee brands entered this space and, more recently, the quick-commerce segment

Best of BS Opinion: The missing links beyond visible progress

Visible progress matters, as these pieces show, but missing links decide how far it can go

India-UK origin rules trust exporters; subject to verification later

India-UK FTA origin rules require exporters and importers to ensure strict compliance with sourcing, documentation and certification to claim tariff benefits

The missing human growth factor: Bridging India's human-capital deficit

Human capital - not geography, culture or natural resources - now explains why some nations become wealthy while others remain stagnant

The poor's savings: The next frontier for NPCI and RBI Innovation Hub

For savings, the risk of default or malfeasance is borne by the vulnerable customer and, therefore, the regulator is cautious in allowing any latitude in experiments with savings products

What's next for insurance after 100% FDI: Governance challenges ahead

India's 100% FDI regime for insurance opens the sector to global players, but faster approvals, stronger oversight and AI safeguards will determine its long-term success

Indo-Pacific push: Modi's 3-nation visit strengthened geostrategic doctrine

The three-nation visit offered a coherent articulation of New Delhi's geostrategic aims at a time when trade and political relations with the US remain unpredictable

Boosting manufacturing: Lower import barriers will increase exports

While the decision on duty exemption must be welcomed, the end date underlines India's inherent reluctance in liberalising imports

Film celebrity held liable for no-show at event, ordered to refund fee

The actress failed to appear at the event, ruining the well-planned programme that had generated considerable expectations

Talent crunch: Why are there so few takers for top jobs in banks?

There are two key issues behind this phenomenon. The RBI and the government can solve this in a jiffy

How the controversy over 'Satluj' could reshape Punjab's electoral politics

The Diljit Dosanjh-starrer Satluj doesn't blame any political party or individual politicians. We only know the demographic in Punjab it's bound to trigger the most

Best of BS Opinion: Does the world need an international anti-ecocide law?

Today's opinions examine environmental destruction in war, the strategic race for frontier AI and the lessons India can draw from Brazil's ethanol transition.

Should the world adopt a law to recognise ecocide as a global crime?

From the Vietnam War to the crisis in West Asia, the environment is no longer just collateral damage. It is becoming a target in its own right

AI export curbs blur the line between security and mercantilism

Are restrictions on frontier models really driven by national-security concerns?

Brazil's ethanol journey offers India both lessons and cautionary tales

Brazil avoided it, but India seems to be rushing through the ethanol transition at consumers' expense viewpoint

The politics of image: How the World Cup became a battlefield of symbols

As several scholars have written, a symbol has language. But a symbol also has multivale¬n¬ce. It can mean many things at the same time

States' fiscal realities vary widely as debt, revenue and capex diverge

Revenue gaps and structural spending imbalances weigh on their finances, squeezing crucial infrastructure growth