Best of BS Opinion: Knowing when to act, when to pause, and when to rise

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

Have you felt the winds of the season change? Right after winters, it felt like we skipped the famous Delhi springs and jumped straight to the horrendous scorching summers. But here we are, the blooming flowers, kissed by the powerful winds, bringing back a semblance of some normalcy, and of course beauty. Power blooms like spring, flourishes under summer’s heat, fades in autumn’s retreat, and lies dormant in winter — only to return in new forms. This cycle plays out in economies, geopolitics, and even silence itself. Let’s dive in. 

Consider India’s investment landscape. Post-pandemic, the government nurtured growth with record capital spending, like the welcome spring rain. Yet, the private sector hesitates to put down roots, wary of global uncertainties — the looming winter chill of Trump’s return and China’s economic headwinds. Without bold steps, this could be another spring of missed opportunities. Read our first editorial for more. 

Trade, too, faces shifting seasons. India lowers tariffs to attract global players, yet the growing thicket of Quality Control Orders (QCOs) adds an unexpected frost. Our second editorial highlights how originally meant to weed out low-quality imports, these regulations have become tangled vines, slowing trade and raising costs. If India wants its manufacturing ambitions to blossom, it must prune protectionist tendencies before winter sets in. 

In Europe, winter threatens to linger. With Trump likely to abandon Ukraine, the continent can no longer wait for assurances of springtime from the US. Joseph Stiglitz and Andrew Kosenko argue that European leaders must seize $220 billion in frozen Russian assets, using them now to strengthen Ukraine’s defense. If power is left to hibernate, authoritarian forces will claim the next season. 

Meanwhile, the gender inclusion debate reflects the slow thaw of winter into spring. From airport security inefficiencies burdening female personnel to the unspoken scrutiny of women board members, progress is uneven. The question is: Will institutions nurture it like a gardener in spring or let it wither in the cold? Read Rama Bijapurkar’s column for more. 

And then there’s silence—the deep winter of thought. In her review of Pico Iyer’s Learning from Silence, Arundhuti Dasgupta reminds us that even in stillness, transformation brews. Like nature lying dormant before renewal, silence allows us to reflect, reset, and return stronger. 

Stay tuned, and remember, it’s important to know when to embrace the heat of action — and when to let the seasons do their work!