Best of BS Opinion: Navigating India's road ahead in trade and gender gaps

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

Do you remember lighting up a firecracker? Once the fire touches the fuse and it starts sizzling, you know it’s coming, but you don’t quite know when. It adds to the adventurism but is also laden with risk if one is not careful. In today’s stories, we cover something similar. From geopolitics to gender gaps, fiscal priorities, and tales of diplomacy, the threads all lead to one inevitable conclusion: the spark is burning closer to the explosion. Let’s dive in. 

The fuse is already lit for global trade, and Trump 2.0 is the flame. His proposed tariffs are raising alarms across the world, not least in India. With BRICS nations facing the threat of economic penalties for moving away from the dollar, India must tread cautiously, cautions our first editorial today. The government’s challenge lies in distinguishing itself from China while avoiding economic signs.  

And then, even as we hear faint bursts of progress from the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme, the louder cracks of societal bias persist. The sex ratio has improved, and more girls are in schools, but deep-seated son preference and systemic neglect echo ominously, highlights our second editorial. 

Meanwhile, the Finance Minister is tasked with holding a sizzling sparkler — balancing the upcoming Union Budget. From MSME growth to income tax adjustments, there’s no shortage of priorities. But with demand in manufacturing dipping and service sectors dominating, will this year’s measures douse the flames or fan them further? Read Nitin Desai’s column for more. 

On the other hand, in the global marketplace, India’s strategy is a lit firecracker juggling opportunities and challenges. Harsh V Pant & Soumya Bhowmik highlight in their column that navigating a volatile “China Plus One” strategy and strengthening ties with Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia could ensure the flame burns bright without combusting. 

In today’s book review of Amitabh Kant’s How India scaled Mt G20: The inside story of the G20 Presidency, Aditi Phadnis reveals that the book takes us behind the scenes of a firework display that dazzled the world. His account of India’s G20 presidency reveals the strategic choreography required to prevent crises and ensure consensus. 

Stay tuned, and remember, these fuses are destined to ignite transformative moments!