TMS Ep278: Vande Bharat, wind power, markets, pre-packaged insolvency res.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the third Vande Bharat train on September 30. And in the next four years, there is a plan to roll out over 450 such semi high-speed trains. But in just 10 days since the launch, the nose of a train was disfigured twice due to collisions with cattle, while another Vande Bharat train faced a technical glitch. We ask today if our rail tracks and other infrastructure are ready for such a speed upgrade. 

Several European countries are now exploring the option to use renewable energy to fuel their trains. And as the world is trudging the renewable energy path, India too is keeping the pace with it. But wind power, which had a head start in India, has reported moderated growth in the last few years, with solar dominating the renewable energy mix. Why is it so? 

Moving on to markets, soaring inflation, and the steep interest-rate hikes deployed by global central banks have brought an end to a four-decade bull market in global bonds. However, Indian bond markets have been relatively resilient, and have seen single-digit cuts since their recent peaks. As strong labour markets in the US suggest more rate hikes, will Indian bonds break under the mounting global pressure? 

India had introduced a pre-packaged insolvency resolution process last year. It was projected as an alternative resolution process for MSMEs. This episode of the podcast tells more about it.