Has the Rajan panel BETRAYED Bihar?
While the rest of India marches towards the promised destiny of 'progress', Bihar - the heart of India- is doomed to poverty and the injustices of a caste-based society. Column: Decoding Governor Rajan
Raghuram Rajan's signal of a neutral stance is at odds with concerns about inflation and markets' revised expectation of more increases in the repo rate The real culprit behind the hike in onion prices
The most plausible suspect for the price surge, therefore, is the inability of the market to channel onions from growers to consumers without too many intermediaries adding to costs. Raghuram Rajan on the right track to save economy
Everything seems to be falling in place for the new RBI governor but there is a need to prepare for the imminent tapering by the Fed. COLUMN: Why diesel subsidy should be removed for all
In January this year, with a view to cutting the subsidy on diesel, the government had decreed that all bulk users, such as the railways, state transport corporations, armed forces and all commercial establishments, would be charged the market price for diesel. COLUMN: Honouring Solar Mamas
Bunker Roy, founder of the Barefoot College at Tilonia in Rajasthan, was awarded the Clinton Global Citizen Award at a ceremony in New York on September 25. Glaring errors in Modi's big claims will backfire
Narendra Modi should worry about fact-checking. How India can boost its foreign exchange reserves
Regrettably, another voluntary disclosure scheme may be needed to strengthen India's foreign exchange reserves. Rajan targets inflation, now will government go after growth?
Rajan was treated as the messiah who would rescue India from its current economic mess of growth stagnancy and high inflation. COLUMN: Of markets, politics and policy
The fragmentation of politics and the pressures of coalition management have contributed to a near-secular rise in budgetary social expenditures and spending on subsidies since 1991, leaving little fiscal space for government-led capital investment. How India can build world class cities
Between 2010 and 2050 India is expected to add about 500 million to its 2011 urban population of 377 million. It's the GDP, stupid
'India should exit Hubristan and stop patting itself on its back for 5 years of rapid growth, and all the Rolls Royces, BMWs and private jets owned by its billionaires, and instead focus on the urgently needed reforms to get GDP growth back in the 7 to 8 pc range and higher,' says Ram Kelkar. Why India cannot grow as fast as China
In the past two decades China grew at a breakneck speed keeping its debt low and the quality of its infrastructure high. The situation in India is grave but hardly hopeless
The immediate challenge to faster growth is to restore stability to the currency markets. The ugly spat between Vikram Bakshi and McDonald's
The war of words that has broken out between Vikram Bakshi and McDonald's Corporation is the latest in the long list of ugly spats between Indian businessmen and their overseas collaborators. Why thousands are losing jobs in India
India Inc's hiring outlook has become the weakest in the past eight years in the Asia-Pacific region, even as job losses have emerged as a critical concern. Food Bill: Lessons India should have learnt from Soviet Union
By throwing food at poverty that is result of faulty economics and lack of jobs, one is only trying to suicidal path. Why holding on to shares can save tax liability
Don't sell the shares immediately after you get possession. It might translate into tax liability, if not held for one year or more. Stagflation: Biggest challenge for Raghuram Rajan
Rajan's call to diaspora can't stem rupee rout. Rupee fall: India can revamp its manufacturing sector
Thanks to rupee depreciation, India has a chance to fundamentally rework its stifled manufacturing sector. COLUMN: Is Infosys losing its corporate governance sheen?
There are solid reasons recent observations at the company raise question marks about its adhering to corporate governance in spirit. Mr PM, the Bangladeshi taka is doing better than the rupee!
Based on the GDP numbers and the remarkable stability of the taka Bangladesh's Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, is a better manager than our 'economist prime minister',' says TVR Shenoy. Why restrictions on home loans is a good move
India's real estate sector, many fear, is unstable. H-1B visas: Why does the US blame Indian firms?
Indian and Indian-American IT businesses are being scapegoated for abuse of the visa programme - using it for cheap, immobile labour - that actually pervades the entire industry. Food Bill: Boon for politicians, bane for economy
Whatever may be their flaws and the adverse impact on industry or the Centre's finances, the food security and land acquisition Bills are likely to be seen by voters as people-friendly initiatives COLUMN: All about the Food Security Bill myth
The Bill at best makes the existing public distribution system a legal right, an aspect that seems of little consequence to the lords of high finance, whose primary anxiety is the FSB-by-numbers. How the government can stabilise the rupee
The shortage of capital flows into emerging markets is unlikely to go away in a hurry. Why the market rally is likely to be short-term
Mass downgrades of GDP projections make it likely that there will be another wave of FII selling fairly soon How to cut oil import bill? Mr Moily has no clue
Veerappa Moily's suggestions on oil use do not inspire hope These 6 people are responsible for India's economic crisis
These six people have created a political climate more difficult for business, indeed more hostile to business, than at any time since the mid-1980s. The long-rumoured dollar rally in world markets is at hand
Don't catch falling knives or chase bear rallies no matter how enticing those eight pc green blips look. They may be mouse traps, warns Sonali Ranade COLUMN: The trouble with the richie itch
The basics and history of India's tax policy suggests that increase in the number of taxpayers has occurred and so has compliance with a reduction of tax slabs and moderate rates of tax. COLUMN: How policy dilemmas led to the economic mess
As concern about the unfolding economic crisis has risen in India, many experts have assured us that 2013 is not 1991. COLUMN: Fall of the rupee only a symptom of India's mess
India imports more than it exports, so the rupee's decline will hurt more than it may help. Reviving the economy won't be easy for Raghuram Rajan
The rupee's travails allow the RBI's incoming governor to renegotiate the objectives of monetary policy. Manmohan Singh's biggest failure in reviving the economy
When the prime minister thanked his predecessor during his Independence Day speech, it was significant because it was Dr Singh's final acknowledgement that political support for reform is essential. Why India's 'dream team' has failed
The 1990s team worked wonders because the leaders took care to build a tier of competent secretaries and advisors under them. COLUMN: Rupee approaching tipping point
India's fundamentals might be better served by allowing the rupee cycle to run its course. US equities stage routine pullback from 38 pc retracement level
The dollar's preliminary moves after the low 80.90 are supportive of a like dollar rally back to 85.50. We should see confirmation of that in the early part of next week, says Sonali Ranade Giving by force
Corporate Social Responsibility can become a serious tool for improving the lives of millions in any structural and long term way, writes Rajni Bakshi. COLUMN: How Tirupati Trust can help India counter economic crisis
While there are no definitive statistics available, the Tirupati Trust Foundation has well over 1,000 tonnes of gold. India's infrastructure development has come to a STANDSTILL
Infrastructure development has come to a standstill despite all the promises. COLUMN: Are politicians even in touch with reality?
If politicians are not even aware of the deep economic trouble a country is in, the crisis can only escalate. How India can revive the rupee, economy
All major financial markets - equities, bonds and currency - are on a slippery slope, with no respite in sight. Column: Making sense of the rupee
In the medium term what will truly matter for the rupee's fortunes are India's growth and inflation fundamentals. Why the supposed rupee-dollar parity of 1947 is a MYTH
Mr Modi should welcome the rupee's fall as overdue, not criticise it. COLUMN: Story of two devaluations
But an unimpressed finance minister plays King Canute. Please, let's not write the rupee off
It's in the same boat as other emerging markets with current account deficits, but the recent capital-raising measures may help How India has curbed child labour
An ILO study shows child labour has declined for girls from households that had taken up the work guarantee programme. After kicking out the Tatas, Didi plans 'industrial revolution'
Industrialists say they were bowled over by the West Bengal chief minister's 'charm and simplicity'. Column: A cloudy Independence Day
Silver linings in the India's economic gloom. Curbing CAD? FM FAILS to take right steps
The government has chosen the wrong way to control the current account deficit. Why even a brilliant RBI governor cannot help India much
There's no point in having a brilliant RBI governor if politicians do not listen to him. India's growth? Well, it comes last!
Trade deficit falls, inflation steady, but industry is still frozen. UPA has 'managed' to take the economy back to the 80s
The eight years and more since 2004-05 have seen a continuous non-oil trade deficit, the first such period since the 1980s. A few points for India's new RBI governor
It was the RBI which destroyed our $-job economy. It is for the RBI to resurrect it by instituting news ways of managing the INR, says Sonali Ranade Can Jeff Bezos invent a new future for newspapers?
By buying The Washington Post in his personal capacity, the Amazon founder and internet pioneer may just be looking to save an American institution. COLUMN: Has RBI actually MANAGED to stem the rupee fall?
It is logical to believe the measures that have been introduced are 'temporary'. Insurance bill: The reasons behind BJP's puzzling about-turn
Reports suggest that the BJP may now be willing to support the Bill in the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament provided some of its conditions are met. The US dollar could surprise with a massive rally
Hoard cash. There will be plenty of time and opportunity at far lower levels, warns Sonali Ranade in her weekly Market Notes COLUMN: Beyond the Bhagwati-Sen slugfest
Recent growth has wrought enormous environmental destruction and degradation in India, says Praful Bidwai. The danger of defending the rupee revealed
To first take a position that the currency would be managed, and then to witness it fall, is a grave loss of credibility for any government, and for any central bank. India's darkest hour: Hopes recede of economic recovery
Companies, bankers and experts have all given up hope of an economic recovery Will shale gas become a game-changer for India?
Seeing the potential of shale gas, Reliance Industries moved early to secure a foothold in the Marcellus shale reserves in the US. COLUMN: Murphy's law at work in India
Last year this time, India was grappling with an imminent sovereign downgrade, with an uncontrolled fiscal deficit, policy paralysis of the highest order with no economic reforms for eight long years and a weakening rupee. Is India planning to take a loan from IMF?
A rapidly deteriorating balance of payments may warrant that but the political climate is too risky US equity markets are approaching an intermediate correction
The dollar is king in an intermediate correction, says Sonali Ranade The Sen-Bhagwati slugfest: Not the 1st in history
Is the unfolding Bhagwati-Sen debate likely to have the same impact on economic policy in India as Hayek versus Keynes had on the West? Can we trust India's poverty figure? Well...
The Planning Commission has issued poverty estimates based on the Suresh Tendulkar methodology, while admitting it was not taking this seriously. Singur: A tale of ambition, politics and BLATANT LIES
Mamata Banerjee and Singur share a history that dates back to 2006. COLUMN: Vexing issues of gold import, current account deficit
The external current account deficit remains our biggest worry today. Digital media turns into a money spinner in India
As both video and streaming services take off, online entertainment is finally showing signs of making money. Bihar and India's uncertain glory
There are reasons for India to hang its head in shame," says Amartya Sen in an interview this week. How the govt bent rules to appoint Ramadorai as PSU chief
The senior Tata Group executive's appointment as NSDC chairman raises the vital question of conflict of interest Black money: Tackling the controversial Mauritius route
Mauritius is back in the news, and as usual not for the right reasons. When the market offers you money for jam, take both and run!
Time to take profits and move to the sidelines in an euphoria, says Sonali Ranade India faces growing problem of more skilled workers than jobs
In 10 years, we will have two college-trained aspirants for every job. Fliers beware! AirAsia in India may not be good for you
The airline's entry may trigger charges for every extra service such as baggage and seat selection. If Indian companies don't spend on R&D, they will die
At present, India spends 0.9 per cent of its GDP on research and development (R&D), which is well below what developed countries. How G5 power can revive emerging economies
Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa are still a logical grouping. COLUMN: Govt's move on FDI welcome, but insufficient
Simple fact is that this will not be enough to get pools of long-term funds interested in India again. How a telecom miracle can happen in India
The mistrust between the authorities and service providers can end if the contentious issues are addressed as a package deal. Myths and reality of the Food Security Bill
All those who have been dismayed by the food security ordinance should thank Manmohan Singh and his colleagues for a neat optical trick, says T N Ninan. As the markets hit new highs, look to take profits
Keep exit plans handy, D-day could be the second week of August, writes Sonali Ranade in Market Notes. COLUMN: Why have some students rejected IIT?
The inference that the IIT brand name has been devalued is unfair; this could as well reflect a wider market for student choices COLUMN: Is the Indian economy shrinking?
The toxic brew of fiscal populism, crony capitalism and bad economic management has ensured the collapse of economic growth, industrial stagnation, stubbornly high consumer inflation, declining savings and investment, shrinking employment opportunities, and a dangerously vulnerable external financing situation. COLUMN: Why measures to arrest rupee fall are not enough
Recent measures by the Reserve Bank of India and the Securities and Exchange Board of India are being seen by observers as an attempt to reverse the inexorable decline of the rupee. COLUMN: UPA and the economic consequences of Amartya Sen
One may fault this government for incompetence, corruption, and delayed action but it cannot be faulted for lacking a vision. COLUMN: Justice and the Indian-American way
Is focusing on Rajat Gupta and Raj Rajaratnam the best way to chronicle the South Asian-American Diaspora's rise? Is the Food Security Bill a game-changer?
Food insecurity and hunger are rooted in bad policies, faulty design, poor governance and a lack of political will. Tough times for emerging markets
India is hugely vulnerable to a sudden stop in emerging market liquidity. Why India lags behind in innovation
Stricter intellectual norms can help India grow faster. Major problems with the Food security Bill
There continues to be several major problems with the food security scheme that deserve to be more thoroughly discussed at the highest level of law making than they have been so far. US equities resume rise amid surging $, crashing commodities
A resurgent US dollar is the key feature of the current scenario and its value continues to drive other markets, from euro, yen to the INR. Most currencies continue to seek lower valuations against the greenback. This trend is likely to continue until the dollar peaks out by yearend at around 89 as opposed to 84.5 right now, says Sonali Ranade Why India should take care of the telecom sector
DoT, has decided that it will not cancel the GSM licences of dual-technology companies. Uttarakhand disaster: Should govt ban dam construction?
These activities need proper environmental assessment, disaster potential assessment, and climate change assessment before giving the green light. How the India-Europe bilateral trade pact will help
Time is running out for a possible India-Europe bilateral trade investment agreement that would be beneficial for both parties. New banks: Why RBI must be cautious
New banks will mean the RBI must improve oversight. India's aspiring banking moguls fail to impress
The scarcity value of the licences has attracted a motley crew of hopefuls, ranging from India's humble postal department to billionaires. Zombie wheat case: GM food safety debate far from settled
Efforts by Indian activists to challenge the Biotechnology Regulatory Authority Bill, now pending in Parliament, may get a boost from a controversy that has broken out in the US How India can improve its highway network
If India had a road regulator in the late nineties, the capacity-building model based on public-private partnerships would not have been in tatters. How FM, RBI handled the economic crisis
The response by the finance ministry and the RBI to the churning in financial markets is mature. COLUMN: Don't bet on the rupee's story to end soon
Rupee's misunderstood fall is far from over despite some near-term respite. COLUMN: Why malnutrition, not hunger, is the problem in India
UN report shows holes in govt's food security proposal. What keeps China from playing fair?
This corporate pragmatism makes sense individually, but may undermine efforts to make China one day 'do the right thing'. COLUMN: Govt courts controversy by increasing gas prices
India's reforms are business-friendly rather than market-friendly, says T N Ninan. Equity markets resilient but precious metals collapse
If the dollar continues to rally as expected, commodities will continue to tank after a short counter-trend rally.The same holds true for precious metals, says Sonali Ranade India sees deficit falling, debt rising
There is vulnerability on both current and capital accounts. COLUMN: Difference between super-rich and rest of the world
A recent incident has underscored one more way in which the lives of the super-rich are diverging from the lives of everyone else. COLUMN: Asia's emerging markets should be called 'submerging'
Everything, from stocks to bonds and currencies, has been hammered by indiscriminate selling. Mobile remittances: A potential game changer in India?
While Indians are increasingly using mobile platforms and technology for various financial transactions and purchases like bill payments, ticket bookings, entertainment, travel and banking transactions, cross border mobile remittance is yet to see the light of the day. COLUMN: Why the rupee needs to fall some more
The calculations on the inflation-adjusted value of the rupee are deceptive COLUMN: Microsoft needs narrower focus and more realism
Microsoft has done well in selling software to enterprises, but it has never really figured out consumers or hardware. Column: Why India must support start-ups
We need to make start-ups, instead of small businesses, part of the priority sector, says Shubhashis Gangopadhyay. The upturn in the interest rate cycle cracks SPX and DAX
The crack in the equity markets is serious and portends a deeper correction ahead. The markets will almost certainly attempt to complete the interrupted up move next week, says Sonali Ranade COLUMN: Rise of the winner-take-all economy
Number of people in the world with more than $1 million to invest soared to a record of 12 million in 2012, a 9.2 per cent increase over 2011. Succession plan: Why India Inc STRUGGLES to find a leader
Too many corporate leaders cherish the crown of indispensability. The UNHOLY nexus between business and politics
The unholy nexus between business and politics has taken a whole new form, says Bhupesh Bhandari. How rupee fall adds to India's external sector risk
As the rupee falls to new lows, the author reviews India's external sector risk indicators. European banks: The elephants in the room
With non-performing loans rising, European banks may be forced to reduce their India exposure, putting more pressure on the rupee. COLUMN: For India, high growth is now a mirage
Policy focus should shift to targeting modestly good growth and using its fruits to improve lives. Blacklisting companies? What the govt must do
Governments must give companies a hearing before blacklisting them. COLUMN: Economic worries and the global elite
Making capitalism work for everyone, and not just the plutocrats, is our most pressing political and economic problem. Water: By the people, of the people, for the people
Six villages in Maharashtra that are within the drought affected area have remained water secure even in an extremely bad year. World equity markets may attempt to stake out a new high
The fall in equity values following the spike in interest rates was sharp but very shallow; stopping just at the 50 DMA for most markets even after the first 5-wave leg down was complete. That shows markets could have another leg up that could make new highs, says Sonali Ranade COLUMN: Why is the rupee under pressure?
The rupee has been falling for five straight weeks, taking its losses this quarter to 6.6 per cent, making it the worst performing currencies in Asia during this period. COLUMN: Halfway to an emerging bear market
One culprit behind the poor recent performance of emerging markets is growing bond market volatility and the knock-on effect that that may be having on so-called carry trades, under which investors borrow money cheaply in one currency and then invest it for what they hope will be higher returns elsewhere. Address the current account deficit with concrete steps
Given recent tendencies, it was only a matter of time before the rupee fell below its previous low. Downslide: Rupee to FALL further
All the indicators point to a further steady weakening of the Rupee. Any rally in RUPEE will be short-lived
Emerging markets, including India have been large beneficiaries of global monetary easing. How India's urban poor also HELPS the economy grow
Most informal enterprises in slums employ local residents, generating benefits for the local economy. Equities all set to resume bid for new highs
The structure of the rallies that unfold will determine if they make new highs or not, and there is scope for new highs, says Sonali Ranade Real Estate Bill: How it makes buyers the KING
The provisions in the bill will curb malpractices by developers and it even proposes to penalise them if norms are violated. ANALYSIS: Founders at helm is Infosys' BIGGEST problem
The stranglehold of the founders over the Infosys management has strengthened after the recent changes. Narayana Murthy: A big BRAND in the IT sector
Narayana Murthy is akin to being the first man on the moon for the IT services industry. Apple patent case EXPOSES trade arbiter's flaws
A US ban on imports of older iPhones and iPads is example of the International Trade Commission being too quick to block products on dubious grounds. Why austerity can be BAD for economy
In the current circumstances, aggressive efforts to rapidly reduce budget deficits may backfire and affect industrail output and jobs. Column: The rupee's FALL still makes waves
An immediate aftermath of the recent fall in rupee is rise in fuel prices, the decision made politically easy by simply blaming it on the exchange rate. Mohandas Pai: How Murthy can TURN AROUND Infosys
A centralised, founder-led model that relies on organic growth is no longer workable. COLUMN: Why there's a twist in the GM tale
Anti-GM voices have inadvertently spurred farm scientists to support the use of gene manipulation for producing stress-resistant crops. New RBI norms: They are tough but necessary
After 2015, all re-structured assets will be treated on a par with non-performing assets, requiring the same level of provisioning. Column: RBI should explain 'liquidity'
There seem to be several concepts of liquidity floating around. And a distinction is sought to be made between money supply and liquidity. Murthy's return shows DEPTH of malaise at Infosys
The company should reward the confidence of the shareholders by returning some cash to them. COLUMN: Protecting customers from 'banksters'
The RBI must apply its mind to the heart of the issue: are bankers competent to advise customers on anything other than their own banking product? Next market rally could be last before major correction
If the corrections underway across most markets hold first support, the probability of another leg to the rally until mid-August is fairly certain, says Sonali Ranade COLUMN: What's behind the spooked stock market?
The outlook appears to be improving as policy shifts away from austerity and toward growth. Warren Buffett needs luck for Las Vegas gamble to pay off
The Billionaire investor is under pressure to deploy the $44 bn cash on Berkshire's balance sheet. LESSONS from China's public transport system
A network of interchangeable transport systems with seamless access, like in China's Guangzhou city, can go a long way in easing urban commuters' woes. COLUMN: Open fight over sustainability
While the violence of guns gets more media attention the war between votaries of sustainable development and those who favour rapid industrial growth rages on. Why RBI reducing policy rates will not REVIVE economy
It's not the high interest rates that's affecting the economy but the policy bottlenecks. The DANGEROUS aristocrats of finance
Despite the financial crisis of 2008, the finance industry is still arrogant, isolated and ridiculously lucrative. Should you trust Delhi govt's claims on the city's growth?
Once you analyse the data, you will realise the state government wants to take credit for achievements that do not belong to it. Why safety concerns over Bajaj's quadricycle are overblown
Due to the low power engine, the chances of serious accidents are less compared to other four-wheelers. How the West's central banks' turbulence will AFFECT India
Winding down quantitative easing will be messy for the West and a big problem for India. COLUMN: Global inflation slide stirs the bogeyman
Policymakers now have to start worrying about deflation. World commodity markets continue to slide, equities pause
There is no ignoring the fact that world equity markets at this point are in unsustainable parabolic trajectories. The question is when, not if, a deep and sharp correction arrives. Investors need to be prepared for a quick exit if they are riding the rallies at this late stage, says Sonali Ranade Why global companies are betting BIG on India
Global businesses still believe that India consumption story is intact despite the slowdown of the past couple of years. COLUMN: How India should reform its trade?
Focus should be on integrating India into regional trade blocs and helping professional services transcend borders. Expect equity markets and dollar to consolidate
Clearly the DXY is overbought and needs to work off overbought conditions. That will trigger consolidation in US equity markets that are just as overbought, says Sonali Ranade Call the doctor, toll free
A Piramal social venture enables people all over Rajasthan to call 104 toll free to seek medical advice. New Mercedes S Class is MAKE or BREAK for Daimler
If the car flops, Daimler's goal to regain leadership in the premium segment by 2020 will be a pipe dream. Markets: Preparation for volatility a must
Low volatility, in general, means low risk, which highlights another anomaly -- when any asset gets into uncharted territory, risk, almost by definition, should be high. Corporate group-run banks: Are they useful?
On February 22, 2013, the Reserve Bank of India issued guidelines on 'Licensing of New Banks in the Private Sector'. FDI in retail: Why govt's policy is completely FLAWED
The conditions imposed on prospective investors in the retail sector betray a lack of understanding of the dynamics of the business. How CORRUPTION has engulfed the Railways
Lucrative contracts negotiated through influential middlemen, gratification for officials and their political patrons has become a norm in Indian Railways. How the US immigration Bill will hit Indian cos
The immigration Bill from a bipartisan group of US Senators will hurt US companies as much as Indian IT service providers. India needs to focus on e-vehicles for public transport
The future of sustainable transportation in India lies in developing electric vehicles across transit automobile segments. Did the CAG overstep the mark?
The Comptroller and Auditor General reports saw senior politicians, powerful ministers and top bureaucrats end up in jail. Thanks to those reports, public scams such as 2G, Coalgate and the Commonwealth Games became part of the popular discourse. US markets make new highs while Nifty plods on
Nifty could consolidate below 6100 for a week or so. Those who missed the bus at 5400 could consider buying their blue chips in the consolidation that ensues, says Sonali Ranade COLUMN: Five days below the poverty line
A look at the lessons learnt by the columnist in his experiment to whittle down the weekly food bill to sub-poverty levels. Why India should WORRY about US' trade pacts in Asia
US is fast forging partnership with Asian countries. To grow its international trade, India needs to engage with the US urgently. Why CAG appointment procedure needs to be CHANGED
Currently, the appointment is at he discretion of the Prime Minister. It needs to be more transparent and non-partisan. When AGING provides a business OPPORTUNITY
The aging of the population is creating market demand for new products and services at an unprecedented pace. How to rewrite India's GROWTH story
The RBI issued a fairly gloomy forecast in its monetary policy statement last Friday. Why does India need balance sheet reforms?
In the absence of market opportunities, the management will need to persuade shareholders that legitimate methods of valuation were used and the transaction price was justifiable. How India can RAISE $1 trillion for infra projects
The government needs to create a sustainable bond market and cut the fiscal deficit. S&P 500 makes a new high, Nifty begins a new super cycle
On April 10, the Nifty could have begun a new super cycle which could run to 2025, says Sonali Ranade How to SELL India to the US
We need to create more effective programmes to show that life in modern India is not that different from life anywhere else. Why it's DIFFICULT for India to manufacture chips
Infrastructure require for making chips is not available in the country. Revealed! How Unilever PROFITS from HUL open offer
It borrowed cheaply in the West and now investing in high-earnings assets in India. Why India DESERVES a rating upgrade
East European countries have better rating than India though their economies are not as stable as the latter. Expect the equity markets to retest recent supports
The rally from supports averted an immediate meltdown but the correction is far from over, says Sonali Ranade. Brown rice and Bluetooth
Brown and organic rice were just words to many who lived in cities Vedanta and international standards on mining
The most significant development over the last 10 years is that such organisations have accepted the need to operate on the basis of the principle of FPIC, namely Free, Prior and Informed Consent, by the local people whom a mining project affects. COLUMN: Know your city to set it right
India's cities are in poor shape and it is axiomatic that unless you have proper systems of governance in place working through the right kind of institutions, there is no hope for their uplift. COLUMN: All about Bengal's Saradha scourge
The collapse of a large deposit taker, the Saradha group, has brought protesting collection agents right to the doorstep of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, whose government has given a free hand to such firms. Column: Will tax havens FALL APART?
612 Indians are among those who had parked their money in tax havens around the world. Clawback in commodities last week was a dead cat bounce
Most commodities are on the verge of tipping over into deep long-term bear markets not seen for decades, says Sonali Ranade Why govt export schemes are INEFFECTIVE
India's exports need free trade and reform. The government, however, is extending failed schemes. COLUMN: Legitimising myths about gold imports
The massive buyers of gold in the past two years have not been the distressed farmers or the manual scavengers, writes Ajit Balakrishnan. COLUMN: Indians unwilling to set up productive cos
Devesh Kapur asks why FDI is not attracted to India - and why Indians themselves are unwilling to set up productive enterprises. Should you be brave and buy gold, or silver?
We are in a general commodity correction wherein we must expect all commodities to bottom more or less simultaneously since money is fungible and you have no means of knowing which bull is trapped where, says Sonali Ranade COLUMN: Struggle for life saving drugs
People die from diseases like AIDS, TB, etc because life saving essential medicines are either too expensive, or not available because they are not seen as financially viable. Gold crash sets up market for correction in commodities
The best part of the collapse in the price of gold [bullish for India on its own merits] was in what it says for commodities in general but for crude in particula, says Sonali Ranade An economic DISASTER is brewing in India
Rising CAD, low growth & inflation may spark off an economic crisis in India. COLUMN: How to prevent future slums
Many people's groups have taken up the cause of Mumbai's slum dwellers, especially since the city municipal authorities set up the Slum Rehabilitation Authority. India-EU FTA: A parting kick from UPA?
Barring a few exceptions India has a chronic trade deficit with most of its existing FTA partners as it is with most of its proposed FTA partners. Should pharma MNCs be peeved?
In spite of all their complaints, pharma MNCs have been gaining market share in India. And this growth has come largely with generics. RBI's exchange rate policy should favour exports
The daily movement in exchange rates should favour exporters, and not importers, in a visible transparent manner. The RBI owes this to exporters, says Sonali Ranade Column: What was the Novartis case really about?
The drug Glivec was a genuinely new and important discovery deserving of patent protection. US markets in short-term correction but no reversal sign
Signs abound of money flowing out of commodities and equities into US treasuries, indicating we are nearing a top even in the US markets, says Sonali Ranade COLUMN: India's love affair with gold
India does not regard gold merely as an investment, it is also the preferred form of hoarding tax-evaded wealth. India Inc is equally to BLAME for the current MESS!
Business has paid a pittance for farmers' land, indulged in widespread illegal mining, and cheated on 'green' commitments. Why foreign investors are LOSING faith in Vietnam
Foreign investors are losing faith in Vietnam, which was sought-after destination just three-four years back. Due to slow reforms and rising corruption the growth in foreign investments has turned negative. Why the food security bill will NOT help the POOR
'Food security' will, unfortunately, become a giant boondoggle. COLUMN: Can we have waterless agriculture too Mr PM?
We need a master plan to increase our water storage capacity, improve irrigation facilities and create water networks across the country that links the draught prone with those experiencing floods. Will Aakash SUCCEED even as it FAILS?
Aakash is now two years beyond its initial delivery date. NASDAQ 100, SPX make all-time (closing) highs, DAX sags
Unless the markets confirm a downtrend, don't short the markets. Investors should wait till a direction to US markets becomes clear, says Sonali Ranade How India can ensure fuel security
The one fact of life that will be unchanged into the foreseeable future is that India will remain hugely import-dependent for energy, while rival countries are booking sources of supply, or blocking other sources through trade embargoes. The many PROBLEMS with a BRICS bank
The BRICS bank is simply too expensive a proposition for a group of developing countries that includes many who are already overspending domestically. January - March 2013 | September - December 2012 | May - August 2012 | January - April 2012 | August - December 2011 | April - July 2011 | January - March 2011 | October - December 2010 | August - September 2010 | May - July 2010 | February 2010 | March 2010 | April 2010