Best of BS Opinion: India's EV path, quantum leaps, and nuclear reality

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

The horizon is a deceptive boundary — what seems like an end is merely the edge of the known. For centuries, explorers have pushed beyond, charting new worlds, expanding possibilities. Today, the same spirit of exploration defines technological leaps, corporate leadership, global security, and even the rivalries that define our cultural fabric. Those who dare to go beyond the visible limits find themselves shaping the future. Let’s dive in. 

India’s high-speed rail project might seem like a transport upgrade, but it holds the key to an unexpected revolution: the rise of electric vehicles, highlights Andy Mukherjee. Just as China's bullet trains catalysed its EV adoption, India’s rail expansion could turn long-distance travel into an electric dream. Yet, will this alone push India beyond its 3 per cent EV penetration? Maybe. Maybe not. But history has shown that once infrastructure lays the path, the journey speeds up. 

But infrastructure alone doesn’t shape the future—leadership does. And in an age of turbulence, corporate leaders face an unsettling truth: intelligence alone is no longer enough. R Gopalakrishnan points out that the old compass of stock prices and quarterly gains no longer points north. In times of uncertainty, wisdom must take the wheel. Because real success isn’t about steering clear of storms — it’s about knowing which winds to ride. 

Speaking of shifting winds, global security is now drifting into uncharted waters. Shekhar Gupta alerts us that the post-Cold War dream of a world free from nuclear brinkmanship is fading fast. As Trump’s policies erode traditional security alliances, countries once content under the US umbrella now reconsider their options. From Japan to Saudi Arabia, the nuclear question is no longer theoretical. The world is once again entering an era where nations feel safer holding their own keys to deterrence. 

If nuclear deterrence is a return to the past, Microsoft’s quantum breakthrough is a leap into the future, notes Devangshu Datta. Quantum computing, long trapped in the realm of theory, is moving towards real-world impact with Microsoft’s Majorana 1 chip. With DARPA backing, the race to build a truly scalable quantum computer has entered uncharted waters. 

Yet, some rivalries remain timeless. India and Pakistan’s cricketing saga continues to defy the limits of politics and history. Archis Mohan reminds us that from its early days in the 1950s to the high-stakes drama of ICC tournaments, the rivalry has evolved into a clash of narratives as much as talent.  

Stay tuned, and remember, history belongs to those who push beyond the obvious and chase the unseen!