Opinion

In an age of social media, founder-led brands are the new business model

Interestingly, founder-led brands follow a very different marketing formula

Punjab's political climate turns fluid as old alliances lose their grip

Conditions of extreme fluidity hang over Punjab as the weather cools but election fever hots up

The case for keeping UPI free outweighs the costs of its infrastructure

It is worth seeing the argument from a perspective that does not limit itself to asking how UPI infrastructure costs ought to be funded

Failure, but please call it something else: The new language of losing

Startups pivot, companies rightsize, politicians introspect, and relationships evolve. We still fail; we've simply learnt to hide the wreckage behind respectable euphemisms

Great anxiety to Viksit Bharat: Tracing India's changing economic narrative

An analysis of India's Budget speeches since Independence reveals a growing confidence in tone

Best of BS Opinion: Mining reforms risk undermining fiscal federalism

Today's pieces examine mining reforms and fiscal federalism, India's need for a caregiving policy, stronger bank boards, urban governance and lessons in crisis leadership

No more fear of flying: India needs more competition in the skies

We are now in 2026. Indian consumers have taken to air travel in a big way and there will be continued demand as long as air fares don't balloon

India must redefine its cities before urban growth outpaces governance

A city is not an inventory of assets but a metabolism, drawing in water, energy, land and people and returning them in usable form or failing to do so

India needs a national framework to build a sustainable care economy

The Union Budget for 2026-27 announced measures to strengthen the care ecosystem, including the expansion of geriatric and allied services, and programmes to train 150,000 multiskilled caregivers

Bank boards need better processes, not just RBI governance rules

The RBI has been issuing directions to bank boards on matters to be taken up at board meetings

Mining an opportunity: New Bill prioritises business over states' rights

The amendment enables the Centre to confer upon itself the sole authority to control mines and mineral development in the country

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

Best of BS Opinion: Time to rethink Tata Sons, Tata Trusts relationship

Today's pieces examine Tata Sons' governance, India's compliance maze, the next phase of GST reforms, West Bengal's investment record and a book on entrepreneurial failure

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

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