A look at Japan and China shows how familiar policy instincts can trap economies in slow-growth loops, even when policymakers believe they know better.
V Thiagarajan
iStock.com
About 85% of India’s US Exports Show a Two-Step Pattern as Tariffs Rise: Sharp Fall, Then Partial Recovery
Ajay Srivastava
iStock.com/MAGNIFIER
Contradictions in India’s economic data persisted in November, with exports to the US rising sharply despite the punitive tariffs.
Datametricx
With inflation decisively benign and growth risks rising, the MPC’s December minutes reveal a clear pivot towards supporting demand, using a rare disinflation window to reinforce momentum and pre-empt a broader economic slowdown.
BasisPoint Insight
NITI Aayog’s presumptive tax proposal could cut disputes, boost FDI, and give foreign firms tax certainty by replacing PE litigation with fixed rates.
Sangeeta Jain
For India, the most visible gains lie in merchandise exports. Oman has offered immediate zero-duty access on about 98% of its tariff lines, covering roughly 99% of India’s exports by value.
PIB
Election-time freebies are straining state budgets as debt stays elevated, revenues lag and committed spending crowds out investment. Case studies from Bihar, Punjab and West Bengal show how giveaways risk locking states into deeper borrowing and fiscal stress.
Abhishek Dey
https://fincomindia.nic.in/
The Thailand–Cambodia conflict is less about borders than memory, pride and politics—revealing how identity disputes endure, escalate, and defeat regional diplomacy.
Rami Niranjan Desai
Istock.com
Global AI investments bring scale to India, but sovereignty depends on ownership, data control, and capability, not just capital, data centres, or big headline numbers.
Shubhranshu
Alvarez/Istock.com
The structure of the CEPA broadly mirrors the commitments India offered the United Arab Emirates under their bilateral trade pact, reflecting New Delhi’s evolving template for Gulf trade agreements.
As Annapurna Bhandar of Chandini Chowk faces closure, can Indian cities take a cue from Paris or San Francisco to protect legacy shops?
TK Arun
Via WikiCommons
India’s malnutrition problem is not about shortages. It is about neglecting protein in food policy, even as domestic sources remain abundant and underused.
G. Chandrashekhar
India’s industrial policy remains a patchwork of ambitions, reversals and stalled schemes, where lofty declarations outpace execution, coherence and long-term vision.
Sharmila Kantha
istock.com
India’s exports rose sharply in November, but a closer look reveals the boost may stem from base effects and a few sectors, raising questions about the sustainability of the trend.
Rajesh Mahapatra
Despite rapid growth, India’s currency continues to weaken. That divergence is structural, not cyclical, and it points to a faster depreciation cycle ahead.
Dhananjay Sinha
A 96% drop in net FDI is real. Treating it as a verdict is the mistake. India’s challenge lies in reading capital cycles, not panicking over single data points.
Kirti Tarang Pande
BlackRock’s India renewable bet hinges on the draft Electricity Bill, which reshapes captive power economics, derisks tariffs, and rewrites industrial energy math.
Dev Chandrasekhar
As 2025 ends, the Middle East remains in flux—Gaza quiet but unresolved, Iran under strain, Gulf cautious, and global powers navigating a region where pauses don’t mean peace.
Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd)
Jaber Jehad Badwan/Via WikiCommons
India’s unemployment dipped to a fiscal low in November, aided by rural hiring and women’s participation. Yet some divides remain.
Akshi Chawla
IStock.com/paulprescott72
Michael Patra is an economist and former RBI Deputy Governor.
Arun is a seasoned writer on economic and policy matters.
Abheek is an Independent Economist and the Former Chief Economist at HDFC Bank.
Ajay Srivastava is the founder of the Global Trade Research Initiative.
Vijay, trade expert & ex-IRS officer, works with Deloitte India and Ashoka University’s ICPP.
Dhananjay, a D-School alum, is CEO and Co-Head of Equities at Systematix Group.
Kriti is a psychologist specialising in mental health, org behaviour, and brand strategy
Srinath is an author, corporate advisor, and independent director on corporate boards.
Ex-civil servant Chavaly held key Railways, Finance roles; specialises in infra & PPPs
Nilanjan Banik, Professor at Mahindra University, specialises in trade and development economics.
Sachin was till recently an MD with Standard Chartered Bank.
Rajesh Mahapatra is the former Editor of The Press Trust of India
Krishnadevan is Consulting Editor at BasisPoint Insight.
Chandra advises companies on big-picture narratives on strategy and markets.
Kalyan Ram co-founded Cogencis. He now leads BasisPoint Insight.
Gurumurthy is an ex-central banker who handled markets, and later, financial stability for RBI.
Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain is a former Commander of India’s Kashmir Corps.