Best of BS Opinion: India is faced with a strategic turning point

Here are the best of Business Standard's opinion pieces for today

There’s a moment in every fight, every conflict, every country’s economic strategy, where the shield cracks. The noise outside gets louder, the sand underfoot more uncertain. It’s not just a question of survival anymore. It’s what you do next. You lunge, adapt, recalibrate or you’re trampled. The same test of resolve applies now across India’s economic, strategic and scientific frontiers, where shields once considered strong are showing signs of stress. Like gladiators, the dent in the armour is visible and now we must choose when and where to strike. Let’s dive in. 

China has just driven a spike into India’s rare earth supply shield. With new export controls on vital metals and magnets, India’s green and defence ambitions are exposed. Japan faced this once and countered swiftly with strategic deals and stockpiles. India, though, is only starting to build its moat, through ventures like KABIL and domestic processing, notes our first editorial. But these are still early moves. Without stronger regional alliances and a clear long-term plan, Indian manufacturing could be caught off guard. 

In space, however, India’s aim is high and its resolve stronger. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is poised to soar aboard SpaceX’s Falcon rocket under the Axiom-4 mission. Supported by Isro, this journey to the International Space Station will test the limits of India’s readiness for manned missions, highlights our second editorial. It’s a proving ground for Gaganyaan, and perhaps even future space habitats. What Shukla brings back, in terms of data, insight, and instinct, could patch the cracks before the next big lift-off. 

Back on Earth, the fiscal shield is looking thin again. A K Bhattacharya writes that revenue overestimation is back after a four-year break. Personal income-tax collections have missed by Rs 74,000 crore. Spending has been reined in. And while capital expenditure was protected, the crack in the armour, 6.5 per cent GDP growth, down from 9.2 per cent, can’t be missed. 

Deep Kapuria flags another chink: the QCO regime meant to upgrade product quality is under strain. With only 769 out of 23,000 BIS standards enforced, and trade partners grumbling, India's quality crusade is caught between ambition and implementation. The solution? Less brute force, more finesse: decentralised certification, smarter MRAs, and a phased, strategic charge, not a wild swing. 

And when it comes to the marketing colosseum, Siddhesh Joglekar reviews Marketing Mixology: Four Essential Ingredients for Marketing Success by Ambi Parameswaran — a swift, jargon-free training manual for modern brand warriors. Less textbook, more battle guide. Whether you’re a fresh grad or a founder, the book is a well-timed reminder that even when the battlefield shifts, the fundamentals of storytelling, empathy, and timing stay firm. 

Stay tuned!