Elon Musks fiendish conundrum

Unlike 10 years ago, the Indian prime minister isnt promising major economic reforms. And that suits investors just fine.

The politics of redistribution has brought various versions of a UBI into focus. While people in deprivation clearly need relief, a UBI alone cant be relied upon to make poverty a problem of the past.

RBI has barred Kotak Mahindra Bank from issuing new credit cards and enlisting new customers through its website and app because of tech compliance failures. The private lender should get its house in order quickly.

While most economic indicators looked quite vibrant in the last two-three years, much of it can be attributed to base effects. A more comprehensive view of Indias economic performance before and after covid shows that there is still some distance to be covered.

A left-behind India could plausibly catch up with China as both seek an economic rebalance in the decades ahead. An Asian Century looks close.

Big decisions taken by big powers like the US that impact the whole world might well be different if the millions impacted overseas also had a vote.

A drop in voter turnout should put soaring temperatures under scrutiny as a factor. With global warming afoot and long waits in line a given for voting, India should consider sparing its voters such discomfort.

We mustnt adopt child-tracking apps. These violate privacy and could even set gender parity back. We should focus instead on inculcating a fine sense of responsibility.

The companys size achievements stand outits top-line crossed 10 trillion and annual pre-tax profit 1 trillionbut its small dividends are a reminder of the low yields of Indian equity in general. Could Indias biggest business help effect a big reversal?

An Indian shoe size system has been developed by researchers after a pan-India survey that involved taking 3D scans of Indians' feet to study how they are typically shaped. Are we going to get better shoe comfort if its adopted?

The latest effort by the US Congress to channel billions of dollars in aid to Ukrainian war efforts may be adequate for now, but that cant mask the fact that Kyivs American support has been wearing out. A change in the White House may even end US aid.

Policy emphasis, coupled with enhanced geopolitical influence, could bolster our space economy after the opening up of this sector placed it on an upward trajectory.

State-level curriculums should align with the National Curriculum Framework while incorporating state-specific elements, ensuring that all students receive a robust educational foundation that can satisfy national standards and suit local contexts.

We must recognize the mark left by our species on the planet. The role we have played justifies renaming the ongoing era.

Imagine a common ledger for all assets that embeds the rules and assures us high system integrity. It may be hard to implement but we must strive to make it work.

Vodafone-Ideas 18,000 crore follow-on public offer got subscribed over 6 times by the end of bidding. This relieves the worry that India will end up with a telecom duopoly.

As Indias finance minister has indicated, economic growth matters as a welfare enabler, above all. While politics has settled this point, how politics itself could shape our economic destiny is open to contest.

Reforms must take city-ward migration into account, enlarge urban supply and make use of rental vouchers for the needy.

We can afford a large welfare system and even a universal basic income, but the tax burden must be shared much wider. Our direct tax collections need to increase.

At a time of heightened tension with Iran and all the insecurity that comes with it, it has never been more important for Israel to defuse the anger of Palestinians living in territories under its occupation.

Modi's inflation-targeting RBI mandate is a case of good politics, one that can be a bigger vote winner than many leaders around the world may think.

First came the Ukraine war and then Gaza. Conflicts with geopolitical dimensions spell a danger unseen since the 1960s.

Having navigated a tough FY24, Indias leading IT firms are aiming for a comeback. Key areas to watch include strategic shifts, new technology investments, and market expansions as they aim to foster significant growth in FY25

Owning gold is most advantageous as a form of insurance. While it might slightly reduce your overall returns, it offers significant mental peace and security

Data released on Sunday showed that its net direct tax collections in 2023-24 hit 19.58 trillion, up 17.7% from 2022-23. This could be good news on two counts.

Its a hard question to answer but Hamass human shield tactics in Gaza force us to confront it.

Technological changes have made boosting manufacturing-sector employment resemble chasing a fast-receding target. We need policies that focus on fostering productivity and labour-friendly innovation.

Indias sovereign gold bond scheme has been of benefit to retail investors as well as the whole economy. Whats good at the micro level need not be bad for the macroeconomic picture.

The first half of this year should be a nadir for luxury demand but the industrys top player owns reliable labels like Louis Vuitton and Dior that could help pull it through.

Both the BJP and Congress have turned this election into a battle of personalities, rather than making it a battleground for new ideas by challenging paradigms and encouraging meaningful debates.

What sets the scheme for division apart is its transparency and meticulous planning, setting an example for Indian business families to emulate

The Israel-Iran conflict holds lessons. As technology improves defences, countries must resist the temptation to use force instead of diplomacy.

Such panels need a clearly framed charter of intent to be effective. What exactly they monitor could differ but a common mandate would be to keep watch of emerging trends.

Heavy US fiscal stimulus after covid is often cited as a reason, but its unclear how government spending can lift work efficiency. As Europe ponders how to fix its problem, it needs to come up with new ideas for a change.

An investigation by Public Eye and International Baby Food Action Network found that sugar was added in the companys infant milk-mix meant for less developed markets, but not in the stuff aimed at Europe and the UK. Why so?

As elections begin, the silent messages of political parties gain salience across India. Lets admit it: A party symbol can speak a thousand words. Its also what a voter usually spots first on the ballot.

Its carmakers would not be served well by protectionist measures. As the US ups the ante, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz should try to de-escalate trade tensions.

A recent global ranking report featured 83 Indian cities among the worlds 100 most polluted but a large number of them cant be said to have statistically sound air quality monitoring systems. Lets tackle this problem.

Sooner or later, numbers will speak and the truth will be out. Spin and dodgy arguments win only in the absence of data.

The relevance of corporate academies is waning, both globally and in India amid the growing use of technology, emergence of 5G, and sophisticated e-learning platforms

As geopolitical tensions threaten to disrupt energy supplies and economic stability, investors keep a wary watch

The groups aim to be among the top three in major financial-service markets evokes a rule of three that top leaders of businesses in competitive markets find they must contend with.

Plenty for all sounded like a utopian dream till new digital tools emerged to reveal their wonders. Free and fair abundance by design now seems possible, thanks to open-source technologies.

It has not just boosted state finances but also raised taxation efficiency, enabling the region to fast-track economic growth.

The city got as much rainfall in two days as it usually gets in a year-and-a-half. Whats to blame: Cloud seeding or global warming?

If advertising were to be a done by AI, wed realize that prompting isnt just another rational process. It takes human creativity to come up with the sort of creative briefs that give rise to effective ads.

Research on the impact of social media on kids must be stepped up and companies must use scientific learnings to protect them.

One of the worlds most closed societies has found that its economy must open up to immigrants.

Hybrid vehicles are a stop-gap solution at best, and since we already have a robust electrical grid, EVs could be rolled out faster than hydrogen cars, which would need an entire ecosystem to be built from scratch.