Indian Economy
Why we cannot abandon GDP and what the world can do to improve its utility as a statistical gauge
Gross domestic product (GDP) has been long criticized for its inadequacy in measuring economic activity or welfare. True, it is imperfect. But it is too deeply embedded in the institutional architecture of governments, markets and global organizations to drop.
4 min read03:00 PM ISTThe India-UK CETA is finally in force—now it’s for businesses in both countries to make the most of it
The historic pact inked last year by New Delhi and London went into effect this week. Besides a tariff-reduction trade boost, the deal has plenty of avenues for business gains on both sides. Some duty rollbacks are gradual, but their calendar bears no uncertainty.
7 min read17 Jul 2026Beyond the blackboard: India needs a fluid education policy in the age of AI
A structural recalibration is needed in favour of a curriculum with modular learning blocks that evolve dynamically. India has a vast demographic opportunity, but to maximize its value, we must close the gap between policy intent and classroom reality.
4 min read17 Jul 2026RBI governor Malhotra flags West Asia, weak monsoon as biggest risks to Indian economy
The governor said the rupee remains relatively stable despite a stronger dollar, while citing services exports, remittances and FDI as external-sector buffers.
2 min read17 Jul 2026Delays in the delivery of justice impede the economy and impact a key promise of democracy
No, your honour, this is not something that can be dismissed lightly. The huge and growing backlog of cases that are pending before Indian courts must be addressed on a war footing. Should the judiciary persist with its colonial-era summer breaks?
2 min read17 Jul 2026Rahul Jacob: London is an awfully frightful place to visit nowadays—until you get there
Western media coverage of the developing world used to focus on catastrophe, but the script seems to have flipped now. Yet, despite hair-raising reports of recent goings-on in the UK, a visit can be a reminder of the folly of going only by the news.
4 min read16 Jul 2026Why four Asian countries got a World Bank income upgrade—and India didn’t
India has remained stuck in the lower-middle-income group as Vietnam and the Philippines have moved up. The gap exposes the harder challenge facing the world's fastest-growing major economy: turning aggregate growth into higher incomes.
4 min read15 Jul 2026July rains ease monsoon deficit, but crop and inflation risks persist
The cumulative shortfall in rainfall eased to 19.3% during 1 June-13 July from 38% at the end of June. However, the improvement was uneven, with east and northeast India still reporting a 35.5% deficit, followed by the south peninsula (21.5%), northwest (11.9%) and central India (8.5%).
4 min read15 Jul 2026Inflation breaches RBI target as patchy monsoon adds fresh risks
Driven by rising food prices, CPI-based retail inflation accelerated to 4.38% in June from 3.93% in May, breaching the Reserve Bank of India's medium-term target of 4% for the first time since January 2025—and the first time since the new CPI series was introduced in January 2026
3 min read14 Jul 2026ADB cuts India's FY27 growth forecast to 6.6% as energy shocks weigh on demand
The multilateral lender has trimmed its FY27 GDP outlook from 6.9%, citing prolonged disruptions in global energy markets after the West Asia conflict, while retaining its FY28 forecast.
2 min read9 Jul 2026Wait for it…
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