Opinion

Why India needs Russian oil: Energy security outweighs US pressure

Oil prices have already risen 23.6 per cent, from about $72 per barrel a day before the war began on February 28 to around $89 per barrel now

A clear derating: Markets risk underperformance without growth revival

Absolute foreign ownership of the Indian market is at a 15-year low, and we see foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) selling on a daily basis

A broken model: China is unwilling to implement the reforms needed

China's growth model has lasted longer than expected but is now losing momentum, as the government runs out of fiscal space to sustain investment-driven expansion

Rising external uncertainties: Iran war can complicate economic management

Economists expect a CAD of about 1 per cent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) this financial year. This could increase to about 1.5 per cent in 2026-27

India's urban reset: What 16th FC report, Budget 2026-27 mean for cities

Record Finance Commission grants promise greater fiscal autonomy for cities, but sharp cuts in central schemes shift the burden of urban transformation to states and municipalities

Best of BS Opinion: Broader ecosystem response needed to check cyber fraud

Today's Opinion highlights RBI's draft digital fraud framework, Nepal's political churn under Balen Shah, questions around India's growth optimism, LBS reforms, and a book on plastic's global spread.

EXIM Matters: Deferred duty payment scheme extended to eligible importers

Now, CBIC has prescribed the eligibility criteria not only for manufacturers but also for traders who send imported goods to job-workers registered under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) laws

Building trust in open finance framework anchors India's financial future

In the wake of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, the industry must transition from passive compliance to radical transparency

Bullish outlook on Indian economy is simplistic as well as unrealistic

Almost any economy can grow at 8% for few years. Sustaining that pace for decades is far rarer and requires policy continuity, relentless implementation, and the ability to correct course when needed

Lead Bank Scheme needs to contextualise recent changes instead of tinkering

The draft circular makes changes in the coordination structure, with subcommittees for inclusion and literacy; agriculture; micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs); and payment systems

Fraud safety net: RBI's new framework will boost trust in digital payments

The framework comes at a time when India's digital-payment ecosystem is rapidly expanding

Himalayan hopes: RSP's decisive victory raises Gen Z's expectations

Mr Shah, popularly known as Balen, rode a wave of GenZ discontent to defeat four-time former Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli

Consumer Protection: Bank faces higher penalty for delayed card closure

The Karnataka State Commission questioned why bank had failed to close the card in 2010, and had raised a demand after seven years

The road to 2047: Some thoughts for banking panel for Viksit Bharat

Issues the high-level committee can look into to prepare the Indian banking system for 2047

Best of BS Opinion: War in West Asia and the risks India cannot ignore

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

David vs Goliath: Iran war reveals pricing asymmetry of weapons systems

Wars, as the historian Correlli Barnett once argued, are the ultimate audit. They reveal the strengths and weaknesses of states, economies, and institutions

Even as Trump humiliates allies, Indian govt must adopt humility at home

Mr Trump has ushered in the age of humiliation. His method is to push around America's friends rudely and publicly. He knows none of them can afford to fight back

Energy shocks from West Asia will have knock-on effects on India's economy

The Strait of Hormuz is currently closed to shipping, choking off 20 per cent of global oil and gas supply

The world must ensure Iran retains a functioning post-war state machinery

On February 28, the United States and Israel launched a large-scale and unprovoked air and missile attack against Iran, killing Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader

Best of BS Opinion: Governance debates and the next phase of reform

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