Page 12 - Editorial Comment

Justice delayed: Fast-track special courts still aren't fast enough

Many existing courts struggle with severe staffing shortages, procedural inefficiencies, and inadequate infrastructure

Powering farms: Scaling up PM-KUSUM is smart climate and energy strategy

With about ₹34,000 crore earmarked, the scheme envisages the setting up of 1.4 million standalone solar agricultural pumps and the solarisation of 3.5 million grid-connected agriculture pumps

Alaskan encounter: Only Russian President Putin gained from the meeting

At most, it offers more compelling evidence of the US's abdication of its role as a principled interlocutor in global conflicts

Reforms for growth: Independence Day announcements can go a long way

Among biggest announcements was the formation of a task force for next-generation reforms, which would evaluate all laws, rules, and procedures related to economic activities in a time-bound manner

Not just 'friendly critics': Independent directors need more accountability

This era of the sinecure may be changing, however, with Sebi and the courts increasingly holding independent directors liable for corporate malfeasance

Independence Day resolve: India must work to strengthen its institutions

What India achieves in the coming years and decades will depend a lot on how its politics and governance evolve

Pak Field Marshal Munir is toying with nuclear fire, India must not blink

Indian decision-makers will have to be on high alert over the coming months. A Pakistan that is more secure in its relations with the US

India's bankruptcy law gets another reboot but will it work this time?

To its credit, the government has been constantly working to improve the code, and the latest Bill is a step in the right direction

Canine concerns: Municipalities ignore cost-effective, structured solutions

The Supreme Court's order amplifies justifiable concerns. But it is likely to fail because it betrays a misunderstanding of municipal capabilities and the dynamics of dog population control

The rupee should be allowed to weaken to cushion impending trade impact

While it is to be hoped that the Indian government will continue to engage with the US, the prospect of a 50 per cent-plus tariff on US exports will have serious consequences for the Indian economy

Revenue milestone: Airtel is leading the way with record-high Arpu

As Arpu is a key yardstick of a telecom company's financial health, telcos must work on effective monetisation strategies

Recharging the old: How retrofitting can help improve green mobility

Unlike new EV purchases, which remain unaffordable for many low-income users and small fleet operators, retrofitting leverages existing assets

India needs to make rational choices in tariff standoff with the US

While the near-term outlook is uncertain, India must begin preparing to confront the unfortunate reality it now faces

Impending disruption: India must look beyond schools for the AI juggernaut

There are no easy solutions to this problem. Firms cannot be stopped from adopting technology to remain competitive

Weighty issues: India's rush to make weight-loss drugs demands user caution

The global market for weight-loss drugs is estimated at $100 billion by the end of the decade

Unfair and unwarranted: US action will result in undesirable outcomes

The initial imposition of a higher 25 per cent tariff last week was also devoid of economic logic

Reckoning in Dhaka: A year since the coup, Bangladesh is in a shambles

An indecisive "interim" government under Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus is increasingly prey to non-democratic Islamists, who envisage a Bangladeshi caliphate. None of this augurs well for the country

RBI has done its part, solutions to external disruptions lie elsewhere

The MPC also reduced its inflation projection for this financial year from 3.7 per cent to 3.1 per cent, which is significantly lower than the target of 4 per cent

States must fix their own economies, address deeper structural cracks

The data suggests that of all states and Union Territories, 12 had their debt-to-GSDP ratio higher than 35 per cent in 2023-24, while around 24 had their debt above 20 per cent

A smart pay-per-view model could reshape film distribution economics

While Mr Khan's film earned over ₹250 crore in theatres, it reached only 2-3 per cent of the population