Best of BS Opinion: Cybersecurity, ageing and women's financial freedom

Today's opinions examine cybersecurity in connected vehicles, India's ageing challenge, Karnataka's regional inequalities, women's entrepreneurship and the hidden world of trees

Hello, and welcome to the Best of BS Opinion, our wrap of the day's Opinion page. 

A recent hacking incident involving electric vehicle battery management apps underscores the growing cybersecurity risks associated with modern connected vehicles, notes today's first editorial. As automobiles become increasingly dependent on software, internet connectivity, and remote management systems, vulnerabilities extend beyond infotainment platforms to sensors, wireless keys, and cloud infrastructure. The proposed rollout of AIS189 cybersecurity standards is an important step, but implementing effective safeguards will remain challenging because of fragmented software ecosystems and proprietary technologies. Treating vehicles as mobile computers will require continuous regulatory oversight, stronger digital defences, and regular security audits to protect both safety and consumer privacy. 

 

Kerala’s decision to create a dedicated Department of Senior Citizens Welfare, a Senior Citizens Commission, and an Elderly Budget reflects the need to prepare for rapid population ageing and its economic consequences. Today's second editorial argues that rising dependency ratios, slower labour force growth, and higher spending on healthcare and pensions will increasingly shape public finances across India as more states age. However, healthier ageing, longer working lives, reskilling, and greater female labour force participation can mitigate these pressures while creating new economic opportunities. Given all these factors, India must use its remaining demographic dividend to build a more productive workforce before that window of opportunity closes. 

Karnataka's remarkable economic rise, driven by technology and services, has made it one of India's richest states, but deep regional and social disparities threaten the sustainability of its growth. While Bengaluru and a few coastal districts generate a disproportionate share of income, much of northern Karnataka continues to lag because of historical infrastructure, governance, and educational deficits. Despite high per capita income, the state performs poorly on several human development indicators. M Govinda Rao argues that addressing these imbalances requires stronger investments in education, healthcare, skills, infrastructure, and tourism to ensure that economic gains are more broadly shared across regions. 

New survey data show that cities with higher women-owned businesses also record greater female employment, highlighting the link between entrepreneurship and workforce participation. However, women remain underrepresented in both employment and earnings, while access to institutional credit continues to lag because of restrictive lending norms and limited collateral ownership. Kanika Datta points out that existing financial inclusion efforts have failed to adequately support women entrepreneurs beyond traditionally accepted sectors. Improving access to tailored business finance is essential for expanding women's economic participation, strengthening financial independence, and addressing persistent gender inequalities that continue to limit both opportunity and agency. 

Harriet Rix's The Genius of Trees: How Trees Mastered the Elements and Shaped the World is an engaging blend of science, history, and travel writing that deepens readers’ understanding of trees and their ecological role, writes Saurabh Sharma. The book traces how trees have shaped the planet over millions of years while weaving contemporary research with historical narratives and literary references. It also questions popular assumptions, including the celebrated concept of the “wood wide web”, by distinguishing scientific evidence from compelling metaphor. Rix, writes Sharma, offers an authoritative and accessible account without sacrificing intellectual rigour.