Best of BS Opinion: India's trade ambitions and unfinished social reform

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

India’s public health debate has sharpened after the Supreme Court directed the FSSAI to consider mandatory front-of-pack warning labels on packaged foods high in sugar, salt and fat. The court has sought a response within four weeks as despite recommendations dating back to 2017, labelling norms have been delayed amid regulatory ambiguity and industry resistance. Existing rules bar misleading claims but do not define clear nutrient thresholds, resulting in inconsistent compliance, notes our first editorial. Yet labelling alone will not suffice. Stricter marketing rules, possible taxation of unhealthy foods and sustained public awareness campaigns will be necessary to address the scale of the problem.

 

Meanwhile, the transatlantic relationship between the United States and Europe is under strain. At the Munich Security Conference, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio attempted to reassure European leaders by invoking shared civilisational ties. The tone was conciliatory, but underlying differences remain, highlights our second editorial. The current US administration appears to frame common identity less around liberal democratic values and more around ethnicity and historical Western dominance. The shift suggests a focus on reshaping domestic social hierarchies rather than rebuilding global imperial structures. The relative silence of post-colonial nations, including India, raises questions about how they will respond to rhetoric that appears to legitimise older hierarchies.

 

Rajeswari Sengupta and Alicia García Herrero argue that the India-EU free trade agreement signals a return to export-led thinking in economic policy. Preferential access to a market of 450 million consumers offers Indian firms an opening, especially as supply chains diversify beyond China. Yet India’s global export share remains below 2 per cent. To convert access into gains, domestic reform is essential, they argue. The authors suggest that joining regional blocs such as the CPTPP could further anchor reforms. Hence, the agreement with the EU is a starting point, not a guarantee.

 

Nitin Desai turns our attention to the gap between economic growth and social transformation. Despite constitutional guarantees and reforms such as the Hindu Marriage Act of 1955, caste continues to shape opportunity. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes remain overrepresented in informal and insecure employment, with lower incomes and consumption levels than higher castes. Expanding quality education, skill development and formal employment is critical. Reservations and anti-discrimination policies may still be required to ensure representation. Social integration, the author argues, will depend on sustained economic empowerment.

 

Finally, Neha Bhatt reviews Vaccine Nation by Ameer Shahul, a book which traces India’s rise as a global vaccine producer. Institutions such as the Haffkine Institute and scientists including Waldemar Haffkine laid early foundations. After Independence, state investment in immunisation and manufacturing strengthened capacity. Firms such as the Serum Institute of India evolved into global suppliers. The book also addresses ethical concerns and regulatory challenges. It shows how policy, public investment, and scientific initiative combined to build India’s vaccine ecosystem.

 

Stay tuned!