G. Chandrashekhar

Chandrashekhar is an economist, journalist and policy commentator renowned for his expertise in agriculture, commodity markets and economic policy.

My car, a guinea pig?

Opinion

Our cars are running on E20, and reports of lower mileage and damage to vehicle engines are now surfacing. Car owners are often unaware they are getting blended petrol because no one has told them; nor is there any formal intimation available at petrol stations.

G. Chandrashekhar

July 6, 2026 at 8:20 AM IST

India’s Water Crisis Is the Price of Years of Policy Neglect

India's water crisis did not begin with this year's weak monsoon. It is the result of years of treating water as an abundant resource.

G. Chandrashekhar

July 3, 2026 at 6:45 AM IST

istock.com

Weak Monsoon Threat Raises Prospect of Wider Policy Intervention

A deficient monsoon poses risks to kharif output and food inflation, potentially requiring policymakers to deploy a mix of trade, fiscal, administrative and monetary measures.

G. Chandrashekhar

June 19, 2026 at 9:39 AM IST

Istock.com

Indonesia’s Resource Nationalism: Is India Ready with a Plan?

Indonesia’s push towards resource nationalism could reshape global commodity trade. With India reliant on Indonesian palm oil, coal, and nickel, is New Delhi prepared to secure supplies and manage emerging risks?

G. Chandrashekhar

June 9, 2026 at 3:41 AM IST

Istock.com

El Nino May Lower Harvest; But Won’t Compromise Food Security

The southwest monsoon may be deficient, but significant procurement in the past has ensured that India has adequate supply of foodgrain for her population.so

G. Chandrashekhar

June 4, 2026 at 9:27 AM IST

Istock.com

Crop Output Targets For 2026-27 Are Out, But Are They Realistic?

The government’s crop production targets seem to have ignored ground realities such as the looming El Nino, the West Asia unrest and a monsoon at 90% of the LPA.

G. Chandrashekhar

June 3, 2026 at 5:23 AM IST

istock.com

India’s Sugar Export Ban May No Longer Be Just About Sugar

Rising oil prices, ethanol demand and tightening sugar balances suggest India’s latest export ban may reflect fuel-security concerns as much as food inflation worries.

G. Chandrashekhar

May 15, 2026 at 9:58 AM IST

iStock.com

Is Cotton Mission a Strategic Sovereignty or a Statistical Chimera

India’s cotton revival plan aims to reclaim self-sufficiency, but low yields, weak R&D and climate risks may test its ambitions.

G. Chandrashekhar

May 6, 2026 at 12:16 PM IST

Istock.com

UAE’s OPEC Exit Could Erode Cartel's Cohesion

The UAE stayed in OPEC for six decades. It took one strategic pivot and $150 billion in capacity investment to end that relationship. The consequences for global oil supply and pricing could be far-reaching.

G. Chandrashekhar

May 5, 2026 at 8:53 AM IST

istocks/imaginima

El Nino Tests Kharif and India’s Farm Economy

A weak monsoon threat amid El Nino risks could hit Kharif output, widen import dependence and strain rural incomes, testing policy preparedness.

G. Chandrashekhar

April 29, 2026 at 9:00 AM IST

iStock.com

India's Gold Addiction Is Bleeding Its Foreign Exchange Dry

India imports billions in gold while hundreds of millions go hungry. The policy contradictions demand scrutiny, and the exchequer is paying the price.

G. Chandrashekhar

April 28, 2026 at 5:29 AM IST

iStock.com/D. Talukdar

Palm Oil Panic Is Misplaced as Supply Buffers Temper Indonesia’s Noise

Indonesia’s B50 rhetoric has lifted sentiment, not altered fundamentals. Ample supply, peak output and India’s policy levers should keep palm oil risks manageable.

G. Chandrashekhar

April 22, 2026 at 12:55 PM IST

iStock.com

Will the Iran War Accelerate or Delay Energy Transition?

War-driven energy shocks raise costs and uncertainty, forcing a trade-off: accelerate the shift to renewables or delay transition as economies fall back on fossil fuels for stability.

G. Chandrashekhar

April 12, 2026 at 7:09 AM IST

iStock.com

The Watchword in This VUCA World is ‘Security’

A decade of shocks—from pandemics to wars and trade disruptions—is reshaping policy priorities, with nations and firms racing to secure supply chains, energy and resilience

G. Chandrashekhar

April 8, 2026 at 4:20 AM IST

Istock.com

Towards Smarter, Greener, Indigenous Fertilisers

With global supply chains increasingly fragile, fertiliser security has become central to India’s food security. Reducing import dependence through more sustainable and efficient nutrient use must be a priority.

G. Chandrashekhar

April 6, 2026 at 11:55 AM IST

WikiCommons

Inflation’s Triple Shock: Crude, Crops and Currency Pressures

A volatile oil market, fragile farm outlook and weakening rupee threaten to stoke inflation, testing policy credibility and burdening India’s most vulnerable.

G. Chandrashekhar

March 27, 2026 at 8:21 AM IST

iStock.com

Be Wary of Gold Price Correction

Gold’s rally, inflated by a $700–1000 war risk premium, is colliding with rising yields, a stronger dollar and weak demand, raising the risk of a deeper correction.

G. Chandrashekhar

March 24, 2026 at 3:24 AM IST

iStock.com/rvimages

India’s Rabi Crop Estimates May Be Too Optimistic

The government’s second advance estimates project record wheat and mustard output, yet heat stress, weak rainfall, and yield math suggest caution.

G. Chandrashekhar

March 16, 2026 at 2:50 AM IST

iStocks/branex

Twin Risks of War and Weather Threaten Indian Economy

A widening West Asian conflict and a looming El Niño are creating a dangerous mix for the Indian economy, as higher energy costs and weather-hit crops could push inflation up and complicate growth prospects.

G. Chandrashekhar

March 11, 2026 at 9:03 AM IST

WikiCommons

India’s Trade Pact With Europe Offers Promise, Not Quick Gains

The India–EU FTA offers scale and promise, but strict standards, climate rules and structural gaps mean gains will be gradual, uneven and hard-earned.

G. Chandrashekhar

February 18, 2026 at 4:34 AM IST

PMO

The Bureau

India June CPI Highest Since December 2024 as Food Inflation Tops 5%

Trump says Hormuz open for non-Iranian ships, but for a fee

Equities Recover on IT Rally; Rupee Falls as Oil Rises

Asia Rises Despite Escalating US-Iran Conflict and Higher Oil Prices

Equity MF Inflows Revive in June; Debt Withdrawals Keep Overall Flows Negative

India–UK CETA: Mapping UK's Export Winners

Brent jumps above $76 as US strikes Iran, sanctions return

India’s Water Crisis Is the Price of Years of Policy Neglect

Flawed Design, Poor Planning Make Extreme Heat Conditions Worse For Indian Cities

The Foster Mother of Lodhi Garden

Shyam Sundar Sharma