Page 118 - Opinion

The blind state of media metrics: Publishers unfazed by lack of data

Maybe newspaper publishers are right - if the biggest platforms and advertisers don't give a damn about data, why should publishers?

Ambivalence on PSU policy: Budget 2025 eyes higher dividends, lower equity

In a departure from the past many years, its contribution to the PSUs' capital outlay by way of equity and loans will decline

Learning to grow: India needs greater investment in higher education

Overall public expenditure on education (Centre plus states) is also woefully short of the National Education Policy target of 6 per cent of GDP

Trump's trade order: India has an early opportunity to present its position

Economics and geopolitics are intertwined, at least in the context of China, and it is in the interests of both the US and India to continue cooperating

Close encounters in Israel-Palestine: Original Sin traces history, conflict

The book is structured around the pivotal events of October 7, 2023-the Hamas attack that reshaped regional discourse-and is divided into seven chapters

The illusion of decoupling from China: Costly trade barriers vs engagement

The G7 economies have continued to run massive trade deficits with China, a key issue in US presidential elections

Best of BS Opinion: How India's renewable energy success turned sour

Today's pieces cover diverse topics: our editorials examine how India's renewable energy sector is now a victim of its own success, and ponder the government's inexplicable pause on privatisation.

Cloud over RE: India's green energy becomes a victim of its own success

Green energy is a victim of its own success

A health financing perspective: Fiscal space for social sectors shrinking

In the 2025-26 Budget, the finance minister addressed public health seven times, emphasising accessible, high-quality, and affordable healthcare

Refocus again: Despite stated policy and disinvestment has slowed

Expectations that the government would increase the speed of strategic disinvestment or privatisation have been dashed

Delhi's next act: BJP should focus on improving governance in the city

The new administration in Delhi will certainly have some challenges it will need to address

Best of BS Opinion: Looking beyond boundaries in search of the better

In today's newsletter, we take a look at our opinion pieces through the idea of boundaries and limits, and how they may be applicable to understanding different issues

AI and the human soul: What new books reveal about us and our purpose

Could AI ever function as a spirit ambulance, shuttling us through the uncanny valleys that keep us, as Shantideva knew, from accepting others?

Which road to Viksit Bharat? Charting India's path to development by 2047

Historically, most nations have managed to move only one income bracket higher over the past 80 years

DeepSeek versus ChatGPT: Is another tech revolution on the horizon?

But I can see one thing for sure: The tech community, which was getting ready to use the ChatGPT fever and raise unlimited capital for their businesses, is going to face tougher obstacles now

RBI's repo rate cut: The global environment will pose risks

The RBI expects the consumer price index-based inflation rate to average 4.2 per cent in 2025-26 - assuming a normal monsoon - compared to the projection of 4.8 per cent this financial year

Donald Trump's belligerence will help China's image as reliable partner

Trump has threatened to increase the import duties on goods from Taiwan, Europe and India

Central banks have work to do on price stability and inflation targeting

The consumer price index (CPI) has extensive relevance in people's daily lives. Periodic review of CPI composition and weights assigned will keep it robust and relevant

Give retirees the choice of variable annuities to hedge against inflation

Truth be told, the government can also benefit from a successful variable PPP. If private-sector employees adopt it, government employees could follow

The phoenix of India's financial system: Microfinance's path to recovery

Karnataka is going the Andhra, Assam way to take the microfinance industry head-on. Will it rise from the current mess?