Page 16 - Opinion

India's 10-minute delivery obsession meets its first reality check

India's fascination with instant delivery is not unique. It took root during the pandemic, when lockdowns made rapid doorstep access to essentials a necessity

Engineering the future: India's opportunity in synthetic biology

The Union Cabinet's approval of the BioE3 policy is a landmark step in the right direction. But the window of opportunity is narrow

India Inc is flush with cash, but private investment is still missing

With private investment slow to revive, the burden of sustaining economic momentum has fallen disproportionately on the government

Why a weaker rupee is riskier than it appears for Indian borrowers

The rupee's depreciation is often seen as an opportunity - but this narrative overlooks its impact on borrowers of foreign-currency debt

2025 was a reckoning for 'experts' who claim to forecast the future

There's no shortage of forecasts for 2026, but 2025 shows why we should treat them with scepticism

Best of BS Opinion: What looks solid is always quietly re-engineered

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

Union Budgets reflect shift in focus from tax changes to expenditure revamp

Of course, there are a few changes in the taxation regime in most Budgets, but these have become fewer over the years

India's Olympics-sized ambitions need governance, institutional reforms

Hosting mega sporting events can boost infrastructure and the public interest, but without adequate institutional preparedness, the benefits are neither efficient nor enduring

Building partnerships: German Chancellor's visit raises hopes of EU FTA

The signing of the India-EU FTA will likely give a significant boost to trade between the two countries

The board's 2026 agenda: Evolving amid uncertainty and sharper scrutiny

Overseeing how regulations affect strategies and processes in an uncertain environment, amidst sharper scrutiny from institutional and retail investors, will shape the priorities for the year ahead

Best of BS Opinion: Growth, power and the imminent fear of the spill

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

Prospects for faster growth amid lingering macro and structural constraints

While the economy is well poised, key macro numbers and structural constraints continue to weigh

Signing free-trade deals is not enough to secure real economic gains

FTAs can open doors, but real gains will depend on domestic factors

Responsible growth: India must ensure data centres are sustainable

India's production of over 1.5 million engineering graduates annually and its share of more than 20 per cent of the workforce for global semiconductor design reinforce this appeal

Fed under fire: Undermining the institution can have serious consequences

The dollar's position in the international market not only reflects the size of the US economy but also the strength of its institutions, particularly the central bank

Will Budget 2026 synchronise Customs law with India's FTA ambitions?

Customs regimes can lead to labyrinthine legal disputes. Budget 2026 must recognise that an excessively defensive Customs posture can itself become a trade barrier

Best of BS Opinion: Fresh US tariffs could wipe out India's goods exports

Today's Best of BS Opinion covers US tariff threats linked to Russian oil, the Grok AI content debate, small finance banks' record, cracks in India's growth story, and a Cold War spy tale

Surprising overreach by the US, BCCI puts power and restraint to the test

From US military adventurism abroad to the BCCI's intervention in cricketing choices, overreach-state or non-state-risks undermining diplomacy, rules and trust

Compliance to compassion: A cultural shift at India's financial regulator

A cultural shift for India's financial regulator - from rule-based monitor to human-centred facilitator

Increasing discomfort: AI and social media need new norms of regulation

The Grok controversy shows how fast-moving AI is outpacing laws, forcing governments to rethink how to curb explicit content without undermining free speech