 "Best of BS Opinion: Global trade trends and Budget initiatives and more")
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s decision to reduce Customs duty on about 50 products must be welcomed. It can be seen as a move to shift the focus on increasing India’s external competitiveness, notes our lead editorial. Read here
By prioritising investment in agricultural research, India can better prepare its agricultural sector to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate variability, notes our second editorial. Read here
In other views
The Budget signals a move toward a more open trade policy, but further broadening and deepening are essential, writes economist Amita Batra. Read here
The idea that large companies need demand visibility to invest, so lower-income demand needs to be stimulated, does not hold water, writes Rama Bijapurkar Read here
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Quote
“We are complying with the fiscal deficit trajectory and will bring it down to below 4.5 per cent by 2025-26.”
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman