Best of BS Opinion: The perils of Covid policy, normal monsoon, and more

Here's a selection of Business Standard opinion pieces

From zero to 1.1 per cent, the prognosis for economic growth in FY21 is expectedly dire. But what about the shape of politics and international relations in the post-Covid-19 world? Columnists examine these questions in the opinion section today. Kanika Datta sums up the views.

India has the harshest lockdown anywhere in the world with the least amount of preparation. Yet Mr Modi’s popularity remains intact. How he wields this power to reshape India is the principal point of concern, says Aakar Patel here.

The biggest armies and the biggest economies failed against a microscopic virus, pointing to the limits of hard power in the world order. Arunabha Ghosh examines the good, bad and ugly aspects of the new forms of international cooperation that are likely to emerge. Read his assessment here

The Indian met’s forecast of a normal monsoon is a rare silver-lining in the despondency created by Covid-19 and bodes well for agriculture, which supports the livelihood of over half the population, says the lead edit here.

Kerala has emerged as a success story in its proactive and common-sense approach to containing the Covid-19 outbreak, says the second edit. Read it here

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Japan tested 11.7 people per one positive; for Italy the number is 6.7, in US its 5.3; UK its 3.4. Here we do 24 tests for one positive. Can’t say we are testing less,”
 

Dr R R Gangakhedar of the Indian Council of Medical Research