Page 6 - Editorial Comment

Protecting revenue: GST may need further reforms to safeguard collections

Govt hikes excise on tobacco, levies pan masala cess amid tepid GST growth, raising concerns over divisible pool

Hardware for AI: Google's entry will increase competition in market

However, Google's recent launch of Gemini3 has served as a good advertisement for the capability of its TPUs, which were used to develop the new model

Withering heights: Supreme Court verdict impacts the future of Aravallis

This much is clear from an internal assessment of the Forest Survey of India, which is reported to have stated that more than 90 per cent of the Aravallis falls below 100 metres

A binding national plan is urgently needed to tackle air pollution

The key message from this 10-year study is that despite policy intervention and technological improvement, India's major cities continue to suffer major air-quality challenges

Beating expectations: Recent reforms will improve the business environment

India's GDP surged 8% in the first half, defying global headwinds, but weak nominal growth and slowing tax revenues raise fresh questions ahead of the MPC's policy review

Banking on a bargain: Sandesara settlement raises important questions

The brothers, who had managed to abscond on the Albanian passport in 2017 and were running an oil and gas business in Nigeria, had a long list of cases against them

Policy framework: Sustained improvement will boost economic confidence

In the context of fiscal management, the IMF noted that with a revision in the gross domestic product base in 2026, India should revisit debt targets to make them more ambitious

India's child deprivation problem requires urgent, systemic reform

Further, development-aid cuts could lead to 4.5 million additional under-five deaths by 2030 and push six million children out of school by next year

Sharp fall in inflation strengthens case for RBI to ease rates again

The MPC reduced the policy repo rate by 100 basis points this year, and its decision in the December meeting will depend largely on how it expects the inflation rate to evolve in the coming quarters

Weighty matters for cars: CAFE row overlooks public-policy objectives

From the point of view of optimal urban-traffic management and, indirectly, urban pollution and public-health objectives, this exemption could, however, be seen as unexceptionable

An AI compact: The world needs operational standards to avert risks

In a world where AI can be weaponised as easily as it can be used for the public good, the cost of inaction could be heavy

Why India should selectively reopen door to investment from China

cGiven modern financial engineering, this effort is not absolutely straightforward, but it is one that many major economies are undertaking in an age of increasing geoeconomic contestation

Water budgeting: India needs better planning as scarcity risks rise

Erratic monsoon rains, longer dry periods, and more frequent floods mean India can no longer rely on historical rainfall patterns for planning

A diluted COP: Climate divisions hardened at Belem amid global warming

The headline omission in the agreement is the critical road map for the phaseout of fossil fuels

Factory reset: Making labour codes effective is a big step forward

While the Centre is expected to publish the draft rules and notify them in due course, state governments have made significant moves

Sustainable development: Retrospective clearances threaten rule of law

This concern is particularly relevant today, when prolonged air pollution episodes, groundwater depletion, deforestation, and climate impacts already impose enormous health and economic costs

Bridging the gap: Lagging states need a growth push amid rising debt

While the concerns of the southern states are understandable, in a federal structure it will always be expected that the lagging states are supported to ensure more equitable development

High claims, low payouts: Why India's health insurance cover isn't enough

These concerns reflect a deeper structural challenge. India's insurance penetration remains low at 3.7 per cent of gross domestic product, roughly half the global average

AI boom, gig surge: India's job market is entering a new work order

Reform in education and skilling should link classrooms with careers, moving toward project-based, industry-aligned learning

Counting migrants: A new survey promises granular data for policymakers

Perhaps the most significant innovation in the draft questionnaire is the recognition that migration is not just a journey but a process with consequences