Page 5 - Business Standard Editorial Comment

Labour reform 2.0: India's digital blueprint for jobs and inclusion

To harness this shift, the Shram Shakti Niti draft outlines a series of interventions to bridge the divide between skill and opportunity

COP30 in Brazil faces world at its hottest and most divided on climate

As COP30 opens in Brazil, record CO₂ levels and faltering global leadership leave climate goals in peril, testing the world's resolve to act on its promises

Deep-sea opportunity: India must get the basics in place for growth

While the road map is ambitious, the present economic context too matters. External shocks often derail attempts to carry out internal reforms

Hot question: Stubble burning in India needs sustainable solutions

Experts have suggested direct cash transfers to farmers to buy CRM machines, which are currently being sold at inflated prices on account of the subsidy element

Leadership positions: Public sector banks should focus on grooming leaders

The government's plan to open senior roles in public-sector banks to private executives aims to boost efficiency but may clash with institutional values and pay disparities

Safeguarding competition: Digital world will need policy intervention

India must act early to define what 'gatekeeper' firms in AI are, ensure that Cloud, compute, & chip providers are not allowed to self-enforce lockins, & force transparency in pricing

Future trajectory: Policy rate cut uncertain despite cooling inflation

The decision at the December MPC meeting will depend on a range of factors, and the incoming data until then will be crucial in shaping the consensus view

The year ahead: Global uncertainties set to influence asset prices

The last 12 months have been characterised by economic uncertainties and geopolitical tensions

Building capacity: Data centres in India to improve AI capabilities

These centres are physical facilities housing the computing and networking equipment required to collect, process, store, and distribute data

MNC listing in India has a strong message on market depth, resilience

But now large companies are voluntarily listing in India, a development that must be welcomed

How GatiShakti Public could rewire India's infrastructure playbook

The GatiShakti framework, launched in 2021, sought to correct this by integrating geospatial data across the transport, energy, logistics, and urban sectors

EPFO's returns shine brighter than bonds, but are they built to last?

The EPFO manages or oversees a retirement corpus worth about ₹25 trillion, which is expected to grow sharply as India's workforce becomes more formalised

A new beginning: Geopolitical shifts drive the reset in Indo-Canadian ties

For all the visible diplomatic affability, hard geopolitical realities have dictated the swiftness with which both sides have worked to revive relations

Uncertainty continues: IMF highlights risks beyond trade, investment

It is worth noting that tariffs are not the only uncertainty. Policy changes related to immigration, for instance, will also affect growth in both advanced and low-income countries

High-voltage reforms: Draft power law could be a game changer for sector

Most significantly, the amendments propose to allow distribution licensees to supply power through shared networks.

A Nobel for innovation: Without a creative culture, growth will not happen

The lesson from last year's Nobel, which was awarded to scholars of institutional economics, was that long-term growth emerges from the institutional basis of an economy

Easygoing, transparent UK-India relationship has room for expansion

Starmer's India visit strengthens economic and security ties, with £1.3 billion Indian investments in the UK and deeper collaboration in fintech, biotech, and naval operations

Known unknowns in Gaza: Lack of clarity mars Trump's ambitious peace plan

Hamas rejects Trump-led peace plan as doubts linger over hostages, Israeli withdrawals, and post-war governance in Gaza, casting uncertainty over durable peace

Tax certainty: Presumptive regime key to boosting India's FDI flows

The challenge is not India's assertion of its tax rights but the opacity of the rules.

A promising telecom stack, but India must address sector's health, duopoly

Despite the challenges, the telecom sector in India has scored well on tech advancements. The indigenous 4G technology stack, figuring among the elite five, is an example