Best of BS Opinion: Buffett leaves stage, Trump eyes films, India rewinds

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

Warren Buffett’s exit from the helm of Berkshire Hathaway marks the end of a remarkable investing era. Over six decades, Buffett transformed the company from a struggling textile mill into a global investing powerhouse, generating average annual returns of around 20 per cent. At 94, Buffett remains mentally agile, but the recent loss of his longtime partner Charlie Munger may have hastened his decision, notes our first editorial. Succession now falls to Vice Chairmen Greg Abel and Ajit Jain. While Berkshire’s strength lies in its core insurance business, it also holds $265 billion in listed stocks and $348 billion in cash. Buffett leaves behind a legacy grounded in long-term thinking and patience — traits that will likely persist under new leadership. 

 

Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s proposal to slap a 100 per cent tariff on foreign-made films has raised eyebrows across the board. Claiming Hollywood has been "decimated," Trump overlooks the fact that the US enjoys a $15.3 billion trade surplus in movies and earns about 70 per cent of its revenue from abroad, highlights our second editorial. Critics argue that such tariffs could provoke retaliation and damage America’s global cultural clout. Moreover, US studios often film overseas due to tax incentives and lower production costs, not unfair trade. The move is being viewed as both unnecessary and self-defeating. 

R Jagannathan argues that the Modi government's plan to conduct a caste census alongside the decennial population count is politically expedient but fraught with consequences. It may drive demands for expanded and subdivided reservations — possibly exceeding the Supreme Court’s 60 per cent ceiling — and stoke caste-based tensions. While not inherently harmful, the census risks reinforcing identity politics rather than dismantling caste hierarchies. 

R S Sharma highlights how India’s digital public infrastructure — from Aadhaar to UPI — has the potential to revolutionise governance. But adoption has been hampered by bureaucratic delays and institutional hesitation. Whether it’s stalled KYC integration, underutilised eRUPI vouchers, or the sluggish rollout of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, the pattern remains the same: innovation without implementation. Faster action is needed to realise these platforms' full benefits. 

And finally, in The Undying Light, Chittajit Mitra finds that Gopalkrishna Gandhi delivers a rich, introspective memoir that blends personal history with India’s post-independence journey — marked by both pride and political critique.  Stay tuned!