Best of BS Opinion: The ipse dixit problem, India's trade policy, and more

Here's a selection of Business Standard opinion pieces for the day

The weekend opinion pages take a rare break from the Covid-19 pandemic to discuss the prospects of an ageing population, India’s isolation in global trade alliances and the contempt of court case against Prashant Bhushan. Kanika Datta sums up the views

India’s population is growing at a slower rate than earlier assumptions had suggested, and these new population dynamics demand different policy responses -- from more hospitals and old age homes to coping with the overburdening of cities, says T N Ninan. Read it here

Amita Batra explains why reorienting India’s trade policies proactively in favour of stronger links with ASEAN will serve our economic interests better than the emphasis on trade agreements with the US and EU and an apparent objective of achieving self-sufficiency. Read it here

T C A Srinivasa Raghavan weighs in on the debate on the Supreme Court’s contempt case against Prashant Bhushan, suggesting that the basis of the law requires no proof for the apex court to rule against him. Read it here

Devangshu Datta describes a giant biological experiment with genetically modified mosquitoes due to begin Florida next year that will have significant outcomes for global public health and environment policy. Read it here

QUOTE OF THE DAY

‘The Davos crowd’s consistent ability to be overtaken on the main issues of the day … suggests the need for a different kind of assembly’

Bloomberg columnist Clara Ferreira Marques on the annual World Economic Forum