Category: Economy

Modi-Trump Washington meet: In the shadow of reciprocal tariffs

This Opinion piece was first published in the Quint February 14, 2025 https://www.thequint.com/opinion/modi-trump-meeting-washington-reciprocal-tariffs-implications-for-india The recent Narendra Modi-Donald Trump meeting in Washington was overshadowed by the US President, who, just hours before, upended global trading arrangements in favour of the US, by establishing the principle of reciprocity as the foundation of trade relationships. Based on the […]

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Budget 2025: Scorecard of Hits & Misses

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman crafted the budget around four key targets of accelerating growth, promoting inclusive development, enhancing private investment, uplifting household sentiments including by income tax reform to enhance income in the pockets of middle-class consumers- those earning up to Rs 1.2 million a year, who account for over 80 percent of the total […]

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Sane Budgeting for a Crazy World

India has a budgeting problem, like any other middle-class household. Aspirations are larger than means, possibly, driven by the doubtful glory of being the fourth largest economy and politically primed, by future expectations of becoming a “developed” country by 2047. Coddled by obliging import tariffs, clunky private corporates are risk averse and the financial sector […]

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Book Review: India’s infra journey: Growth & Gaps

Tarmac to Towers: The India Infrastructure Story Pratap Padode 2024 Westland Business 373 pages Rs 799/- Pratap Rodode is a financial journalist and publisher of Construction Update, a magazine launched in 1996, followed by Infrastructure Today, Power Today and Project Reporter. This book comes favorably pre-reviewed by industry veterans Nandan Nilekani, founder Chairman, UIDAI, S.N. […]

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Book Review: Can India be Rich at 100?

Will India get rich before it turns 100? A reality check Author: Prosenjit Datta Publisher: Aleph Pages: 138 Price: Rs 499 Economic treatises, says Prosenjit Datta, a distinguished Indian editor and business journalist, can be frustratingly obtuse and reader unfriendly. This attractively written book is anything but. It packs a punch despite being deceptively slim, […]

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BOOK Review: Making debt Sustainable

Debt Sustainability of Subnational Governments in India Author: Hari Krishna Dwivedi Publisher: OUP Pages: 256 Price: Rs 1,162 Worrying about the debt sustainability of subnational governments (SNGs or state governments in India) is an acquired taste even amongst financial analysts. In the hands of an experienced professional, like the author — a distinguished civil servant, […]

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Budget for the right results: Government to step back.

India has excelled in welfare payments since 2020, though the focus on “saturation” targeting encourages large, inefficient spill overs in distribution of free food, free electricity and water supply, cash transfers to all farmers and subsidized “affordable” homes. Nevertheless, many would say, it is better to over supply welfare goods and services, including to the […]

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