Opinion

West Bengal's mega-project ambitions face old and familiar obstacles

The state could be the Bharatiya Janata Party's real test case of its business-friendly policies swot 

Nine years on, GST needs a more ambitious reform agenda starting now

The discussion on addressing its remaining shortcomings, including features adopted as compromises at the time of implementation, should start now policy pillars

Let's treat fair deals fairly by reforming off-market share valuations

A large chunk of foreign and domestic venture capital and private equity investments, mergers and acquisitions (M&As), as well as non-strategic asset reallocations, are done through off-market deals

Burden on businesses: Regulatory fragmentation increases cost of compliance

While fragmentation is a particular problem, the four Labour Codes illustrate why consolidation on paper may not automatically mean simplification in practice

Bombay House Blues: Chandrasekaran's exit must spur an introspection

Listing Tata Sons is expected to limit the control exercised by Tata Trusts on the holding firm of the estimated $400 billion group

Best of BS Opinion: Tribunals Bill can make hiring framework more robust

Today's opinions examine tribunal appointments, aviation leadership, consultation gaps in ethanol and UPI policy, philanthropic capital for science, and a true-crime investigation.

New Bill will make tribunal appointments transparent and independent

Courts have settled that tribunals that take up the jurisdiction of high courts must have the latter's independence and capacity

Expats in aviation: Indian carriers must nurture domestic talent

The current scenario, where airlines are unable to find suitable top candidates in India, can be partly traced back to the country's chequered aviation history

India's next scientific revolution needs patient philanthropic capital

Private wealth built the institutions that gave India its scientific capability long before the nation had economic strength or independence. There is a need to do it again

Good policy needs good process: Lessons for Modi government's reforms

Lessons from ethanol blending in petrol and levying a fee on digital payments should not be ignored

The money never really left the bank: Bill for repricing has now arrived

Mutual funds did not drain India's deposits. Banks repriced their own liabilities - and the bill has now arrived

Best of BS Opinion: Systems must build safeguards before crises hit

Weak measurement systems distort markets before trust breaks down. Artificial intelligence raises human questions long before the technology becomes impossible to govern

The drama over ratings: Why TV's digital shift needs a regulatory reset

In 2019, over 210 million Indian homes had a television set - an audience size of almost 900 million

Cyber storm ahead: India needs an urgent framework to tackle rising attacks

In India, we may need to implement a cash-for-clunkers programme to encourage our state-level infrastructure providers to upgrade to the latest software

West Asia's 'Nato': Why New Delhi faces a new diplomatic challenge

Turkiye has a geographical and institutional foothold in Europe and West Asia. It is a founding member of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, but it is also the largest Nato member after the US

Improving fiscal credibility: States need a transparent reporting framework

The RBI has argued that fiscal-responsibility laws should evolve from merely monitoring deficit numbers to assessing broader fiscal risks

Best of BS Opinion: Prosperity depends on execution, not entitlement

India's development ambitions will depend not on promises alone, but on sustained reforms, better-designed welfare, inclusive products, capable leadership and accountability

Comprehensive support: PM-KISAN should include fertiliser subsidy

PM-Kisan's extension offers an opportunity to widen support to tenant farmers and use its DBT infrastructure to make fertiliser subsidies more targeted, transparent and efficient

Reforms for higher growth: India must capitalise on international trade

India needs faster tariff cuts, deeper trade integration and stronger investment treaties to boost exports, attract FDI and sustain the high growth needed to become a developed economy

Exim matters: Buyer's failure to pay should not undo export tax rebates

Export tax remissions should not be recovered when genuine foreign buyers default, as the goods have already left India and the underlying duties and taxes have been borne