Page 5 - Editorial Comment

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

Reforming tribunals: Rising vacancies at the top are hampering efficiency

According to legal think tank Daksh's State of Tribunals 2025 report, India's commercial tribunals face a backlog of 356,000 cases, worth ₹24.2 trillion (as of September)

MPC should wait for more clarity on inflation before deciding on rate cuts

With GST cuts fuelling festive demand and growth holding strong, the RBI's MPC is likely to stay cautious on rate cuts as it weighs inflation risks and uncertain global trade headwinds

Maritime ambitions: New policy can increase capacity substantially

Straddling major global shipping lanes in the Indian Ocean, India can serve as a hub for trade, logistics, and vessel maintenance

Efficient administration: GST Appellate Tribunal needs close monitoring

The launch of the GST Appellate Tribunal marks a key reform in India's tax system, but its success will hinge on capacity, efficiency, and fair handling of disputes

Justice in India: Cost, language, and distance keep millions unheard

Justice in India remains unequal as cost, language, and distance exclude millions - but reforms in legal aid, technology, and regional languages can make the system more inclusive

Trump's UN speech exposes both America's decline and UN's paralysis

Trump's rambling UN speech, met with silence, exposed America's retreat from global leadership and highlighted the urgent need for UN reform to reflect today's power realities

India must invest in sovereign data infra, AI skilling for a new economy

NITI Aayog projects AI could add up to $1 trillion to India's GDP by 2035, but success depends on sovereign infrastructure, skilling, and responsible adoption

Basic issues in discoms must be addressed to root out persistent problems

Discom losses and distorted tariffs threaten India's power reforms; a consensus on cost-reflective pricing and transparent subsidies is crucial for sustainable growth

Nepal on the brink: Ruling elites increasingly out of sync with the people

Nepal's youth-led protests, triggered by a sweeping social media ban, have exposed deep political and economic rot, forcing PM Oli's resignation and leaving the country at a crossroads

Trade overtures: India should support exporters, affected businesses

With the US imposing steep tariffs on Indian exports, New Delhi must support affected firms while pursuing new markets, as trade talks with Washington remain uncertain

Why the Supreme Court is right to question ECI's voter review in Bihar

The court has correctly stepped in to point out that, under the law as written, a unique ID must be accepted as proof of identity, more so as the ECI plans a countrywide SIR

India's contract labour surge carries risks for jobs and the economy

Contract workers are typically not directly employed by factories but are hired through third-party agencies

Healthy outcomes: Address key gaps to make infant survival universal

India's infant mortality rate hits a record low, but stark regional gaps in nutrition, immunisation, and newborn care threaten to slow public health gains

Market signals: A combination of factors has pushed up bond yields

Bond yields rise despite RBI rate cuts as fiscal risks, GST revenue loss, and global conditions fuel market anxiety, dimming hopes of easing borrowing costs

Bima Sugam can deepen insurance penetration, but must be fair, transparent

Bima Sugam aims to transform insurance with a digital one-stop platform for buying, managing, and claiming policies, targeting "Insurance for All by 2047

Updated industrial classification will help capture new economy data

India's NIC-2025 update to include digital, green, and gig sectors, ensuring accurate economic data, global comparability, and better policy planning

It's raining crises: Cities need urgent plans for climate change impacts

At first glance, the easy culprit to pinpoint is growing indiscriminate urbanisation

A new GST: The indirect tax system simplified for greater efficiency

The removal of the 12 and 28 per cent slabs and the shifting of items from these slabs to 5 and 18 per cent will make a large number of consumer items cheaper

Fighting air pollution will take more than masks and symbolic fixes

The human cost is staggering. If India were to bring its pollution levels down to WHO norms, life expectancy will increase for everyone