The anticipated implementation of the India–UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) around April 2026 marks a pivotal moment in the economic relationship between two historically connected yet strategically evolving economies. Signed on July 24, 2025, this agreement is not merely a tariff-reduction exercise, it is a comprehensive framework aimed at deepening trade integration, unlocking sectoral op
Walk through the narrow lanes near any temple in India, and you will notice something interesting. In the market there, a bangle seller, sitting on a small stool, reads customers better than most trained professionals. He knows who will return, who is just browsing, and who needs a small push to buy. He rotates his stock smartly, throws in a freebie when needed, and even adjusts his pricing dep
India is widely celebrated as one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies, with strong domestic consumption, a booming digital sector, and rising global influence. Yet, beneath this optimistic narrative lies a structural vulnerability that continues to shape the country’s economic trajectory: its heavy dependence on imported oil. In an era marked by geopolitical tensions and
The maiden public issue of NHAI-sponsored Raajmarg Infra Investment Trust (RIIT) listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) Tuesday in the presence of union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari. The listing marks a key step in the Government of India’s asset monetisation strategy. Under the national monetisation pipeline (NMP-1), the Ministry
India set itself an extraordinary deadline. While the rest of the world aimed to eliminate tuberculosis by 2030, India said it would do it by 2025, five years ahead of the global target. That deadline has now passed. We are in 2026, and tuberculosis is still the leading infectious disease killer in this country. The question worth asking on World TB Day is not just whether we missed the target,
The Supreme Court’s recent suo motu intervention in the street dog issue has reignited a complex debate at the intersection of law, public health and animal welfare. While India’s policy framework aligned with global scientific standards emphasises sterilisation and vaccination, its implementation remains deeply flawed due to inadequate funding, weak monitoring, and limited inst
By integrating sustainability with financial returns, solar energy is gradually reshaping the way homeowners and developers perceive property investments. Traditionally, property value has been determined by factors such as location, design, connectivity, and infrastructure. However, as energy costs continue to rise and sustainability becomes a global priority, energy-efficient features are eme
The Ministry of Consumer Affairs’ recent notification tightening rules for online retail by mandating searchable, sortable “country of origin” filters for packaged commodities sold on e-commerce platforms is a small but significant nudge toward a fairer digital marketplace. The amendment to the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 (“LMPC Rules”) makes
The 2026 Union Budget highlights the necessity of making scientific agricultural research more accessible to farmers in India. The announcement of Bharat- VISTAAR (Virtually Integrated System to Access Agricultural Resources), a multilingual AI tool for farmers to increase agricultural productivity, indicates this. The tool will integrate data from the state-wise Agristack portals with ICAR&rsq
When violence becomes lawful in one place and tolerable everywhere else, the bruises are no longer Afghanistan’s alone; they belong to all of us. Somewhere a woman walks in silence, Counting the bruises no one will see. The law may measure broken bones, But who will measure broken dignity?
Every year on the 8th of March, governments issue statements, corporates run campaigns, and social media fills with tributes to women`s resilience and achievement. International Women`s Day has become a moment of visibility. What it has not become, at least not consistently, is a moment of accountability. And hence we need to ask a question that celebratory rhetoric tends to avoid: not whether
The Union Budget 2026-27 signifies a substantial transformation in how India regards tourism. The government proposes to treat the tourism sector not only as a cultural soft power but also as a catalyst for employment generation, regional development and economic growth. The specific strategies to transform India into an international tourist destination by focusing on infrastructural dev
The promise of grocery deliveries within minutes has become a defining feature of contemporary urban convenience. Behind this pace, however, is a labour force whose strength has reached 12 million in India, and is expected to grow to 24 million by 2030. The gig economy is now a significant pillar in the Indian labour market, valued at almost $20 billion, and with 12 unicorns. &n
As India enters 2026 amid optimism about growth and Viksit Bharat 2047, a harder question remains unanswered: who is this growth actually for? Currently, India is the most populous country, with the largest labour force and labour market. This huge working-age population, if invested properly in health, education, and skills, could generate a demographic dividend that could multiply income, sav
In the high-stakes theatre of Indian elections, a recurring script has emerged: a cascade of promised "freebies" disguised as empowerment. While these promises offer immediate relief to marginal communities, they often mask a transactional political culture that prioritises short-term electoral gain over long-term economic stability. As state budgets stretch to their breaking po
The India–EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), concluded in January, is India’s most consequential trade deal for labour intensive manufacturing in decades. It eliminates tariffs on about 96% of traded goods by value, with an emphasis on sectors that employ the most people, textiles and apparel, leather and footwear, marine products, gems and jewellery, carpets and handicrafts. For these
India’s Union Health Budget 2026-27 and the release of the country’s first evidence based lung cancer guidelines have sparked important conversations about whether our health system is keeping pace with global standards. These announcements are not just policy milestones – they are litmus tests of whether India can deliver care that is equitable, affordable, and responsive to
India’s cities are expanding at an unprecedented pace, absorbing people, infrastructure, and economic activity at scale. What urban governance frameworks have been slower to absorb is a reality already playing out on the ground: animals are an inseparable part of urban life. From community dogs and pigeons to cattle and urban wildlife, animals intersect daily with public health systems, w
A silent re-calibration is going on in the international system, which is becoming more polarized, volatile, and entered of spheres of influence. The world does not evolve in the new era of bipolar competition of the United States and China, nor does it evolve on the setback of Russia in the role of a spoiler of the world strategies. Rather, a third gravity force is developing, which is not con
On February 2 at around 10 PM, Sergio Gor, who had become US ambassador to India just three weeks ago, posted a cryptic message on his official handle on X, stating, “President Trump just spoke with Prime Minister Modi. STAY TUNED….” This created a buzz across media in India as the two leaders are known for their nationalistic stand. They appear to have retained personal chem
