Videos

Mint Budget 2021 Panel: Financing the Growth Revival

Should there be a bank recap plan in the Budget? Or should the govt announce privatization of major state-owned banks? What else can/should the Budget do to create a financial system that can support higher growth and job creation? How can the budget aid in better financial intermediation - banking or markets? Tune into the Mint panel discussion on the big questions in banking and the economy as we approach Budget 2021. Joining our moderator Mitali Mukherjee are Ashish Chauhan (MD and CEO, BSE), Roopa Kudva (MD, Omidyar Network India), Aymar De Liedekerke Beaufort (CEO, BNP Paribas India) and Ananth Narayan (Associate Professor, SPJIMR).

Watch: India's first vaccine recipients get shots after PM Modi's speech

After a wait of almost a year, the end to the Covid-19 pandemic seems to be in sight. India launched its vaccination drive against the disease on January 16, 2021 after Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation. Healthcare workers and frontline workers are part of the first phase of vaccination. Watch the full video for more.

'Please do not...': PM Modi's message amid Covid vaccine launch in India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched the nationwide vaccination drive for the novel coronavirus and urged people to positively get the second dose of Covid-19 vaccine. Emphasising to follow Covid protocols, PM Modi said the start of vaccination does not mean people should stop wearing masks or violate maintaining social distancing. Billed as the world's largest vaccination programme, covering the entire length and breadth of the country, the drive aims to first inoculate millions of its healthcare and frontline workers and reach an estimated 3 crore people by the end of its first phase. A total of 3,006 session sites across all states and Union Territories were virtually connected during the launch. Around 100 beneficiaries will be vaccinated at each session site on the inaugural day, the union health ministry has said. In the first phase government and private sector health care workers, including Integrated Child Development Services workers, will receive the vaccine.

Watch: PM Modi launches vaccine drive against Covid in India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched India's vaccination drive against Covid-19 on January 16, 2021. PM said that exactly a year ago, India had taken its first step to battle Covid, by forming a high-level committee to monitor the spread of the disease. He also appealed to people to take both the doses of the vaccine on time, and not stop taking other precautions like social distancing and use of masks. He said that India had set an example for the entire world in the fight against Covid. Watch the full video for more.

How Made-In-India vaccines are different from foreign ones: PM Modi explains

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched the nationwide vaccination drive for the novel coronavirus. He explained how Made-In-India vaccines are different from foreign ones. PM Modi said that the Indian vaccines are inexpensive and easy to use. Billed as the world's largest vaccination programme, covering the entire length and breadth of the country, the drive aims to first inoculate millions of its healthcare and frontline workers and reach an estimated 3 crore people by the end of its first phase. A total of 3,006 session sites across all states and Union Territories were virtually connected during the launch. The union health ministry has said that around 100 beneficiaries will be vaccinated at each session site on the inaugural day.

'Next year, huge recovery in revenues...': Shankar Acharya on Covid, Budget

• While saying that the government shouldn't get too worried about FRBM Act stipulations, Dr Shankar Acharya, former Chief Economic Advisor to the Government of India, said that the country's deficit has ballooned in the current financial year due to collapse of revenues, rather than a rise in expenditure. The discussion with journalist Mitali Mukherjee was part of Mint's Road to Recovery series focused on the upcoming Budget.

'Most sensible revenue thing...': Montek Singh Ahluwalia's Budget recommendation

• Montek Singh Ahluwalia, former deputy chairman of the erstwhile Planning Commission, spoke on the fiscal deficit challenge faced by the government, and how the Covid-19 pandemic can be an opportunity for the government to 'come clean'. The discussion with journalist Mitali Mukherjee was part of Mint's Road to Recovery series focused on the upcoming Budget.

'Smart but insipid recovery...': Sajjid Chinoy on Covid, economy & Budget

• Sajjid Z. Chinoy, Chief India Economist, JP Morgan commented on the state of the Indian economy in light of the Covid-19 pandemic and the consequent lockdown, and what the government must do to give a fillip to growth. The discussion with journalist Mitali Mukherjee was part of Mint's Road to Recovery series focused on the upcoming Budget.

'Master' set for big Pongal release, 'Sir' comes to Netflix

• Vijay's film Master, scheduled for the Pongal weekend, could prove to be a turning point for the local film business battered by covid-19. In the latest episode of its show, 'Business of Entertainment', Mint's Lata Jha goes through the financial aspects of what’s buzzing in the entertainment world.

Mint Budget 2021 panel: Reviving India’s Covid-hit economy

• Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Fr. Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission of India, Dr. Shankar Acharya, Fr. Chief Economist, GoI, and Sajjid Z. Chinoy, Chief India Economist, J.P. Morgan discuss with Mitali Mukherjee how the Covid-hit economy can be revived and what to expect from Budget. Watch full video

‘China’s leap in AI will not be limited to civilians’:Rajeshwari Rajagopalan

• Distinguished Fellow and Head, Nuclear and Space Policy Initiative, Observer Research Foundation, Dr Rajeshwari Rajagopalan said India is still in the initial stages of development in the AI front. Rajagopalan said, “What should be more important from an Indian National Security perspective is that China’s leap in AI will not be limited to civilian sectors but they will also move to military sector as well and that’s where we need to be more careful.” Watch the full video for more.

There is a cartel in the cement and steel industry: Nitin Gadkari

Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Nitin Gadkari lashed out at the Cement and Steel industry and said they are exploiting the present situation in the real estate market. Watch the full video for more.

‘Levy additional tax’: Dr Laxman Kumar on solution to step up defence sector

As the India-China border tension stretches on, Dr Laxman Kumar Behera, Associate Professor, Special Centre for National Security Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University spoke on a solution to step up the defence sector. Dr Kumar said that levying additional taxes could be one of the solutions. The discussion with Mitali Mukherjee, Fellow, ORF was part of Mint's Road to Recovery series focused on the upcoming Budget. Watch the video for more.

‘If we’re able to reduce redundancies…’: G Mohan Kumar on defence expenditure

G Mohan Kumar, former defence secretary spoke on the defence expenditure. Kumar said that if India is able to reduce redundancies, then expenditure can be saved. The discussion with Mitali Mukherjee, Fellow, ORF was part of Mint's Road to Recovery series focused on the upcoming Budget. Watch the video for more.

'Today, wars not fought only on land, sea, air': PS Raghavan on China tension

Ahead of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s third budget, a key question is whether India will increase defence spending and by how much in FY 2021-22. Former Chairman, National Security Advisory Board, PS Raghavan said that India needs to first see what it requires for national security and then figure out the finances for it. “Today, wars are not fought on land, sea and air. It is fought with technology, cyber, space, electronics, information and many of these may not come in the defence budget,” said Raghavan. Watch the full video for more.

'Indian defence budget disappointing': Rajeshwari Rajagopalan on China tension

Distinguished Fellow and Head, Nuclear and Space Policy Initiative, Observer Research Foundation, Dr Rajeshwari Rajagopalan said that India’s defence budget has been disappointing over the years. “From the perspective of defence modernization, the Indian defence budget has been disappointing year after year with significant implications for national security. In fact in 2018, the Army Vice-Chief Lt. Gen. Sarath Chand made an unusually strong case in the parliamentary committee on defence stating the difficulty of the three services on account of the falling budget allocation,” said Rajagopalan. Watch the full video for more.

Do Indian forces need more money? Lt Gen Narasimhan on status amid China tension

Director General, Centre for Contemporary China Studies, Lt Gen (Retd) S L Narasimhan said that it is difficult to peg the defence expenditure to a percentage of GDP. “I don’t think India has been complacent. Yes, there have been constraints on the budget, however, the budget alone is not the capability of the Indian armed forces. It has got many facets of training, experience and leadership,” said Narasimhan. He added, “Yes, we definitely need more money. There is no question about that.” Watch the full video for more details.

Mint Budget 2021 Panel: How India can counter the China challenge?

• Ahead of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s third budget, a key question is whether India will increase defence spending and by how much in FY 2021-22. Tensions with China are simmering. It has emerged as the key strategic challenge for India. Besides seeking parity with the US in military terms in Asia by 2027, Beijing is also putting in big money into Artificial Intelligence, space and cutting edge technologies like drone swarms. With the Indian economy just recovering from the Covid-19 shock, where are the resources for the defence sector going to come from? From the borders to cyberspace, how can India counter the China challenge? Join this LIVE panel discussion in Mint’s marathon run up to the Union Budget coverage for answers these and other questions. Joining our moderator Mitali Mukherjee live for this conversation are PS Raghavan (Former Chairman, National Security Advisory Board), Dr Laxman Kumar Behera (Associate Professor, Special Centre for National Security Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University), G.Mohan Kumar (Former Defence Secretary), Dr Rajeshwari Rajagopalan (Distinguished Fellow and Head, Nuclear and Space Policy Initiative, Observer Research Foundation) and Lt Gen (Retd) S L Narasimhan (Director General, Centre for Contemporary China Studies).

'Huge loss of income for farmers...': Rosa Abraham on Covid & rural India

Rosa Abraham, senior research fellow, Centre for Sustainable Employment, Azim Premji University, commented on how the Covid-19 pandemic affected India's rural economy. The discussion with Mitali Mukherjee, Fellow, ORF was part of Mint's Road to Recovery series focused on the upcoming Budget

'They will have more pain...': LinkedIn India manager on hospitality sector

Ashutosh Gupta, India country manager, LinkedIn, commented on how the Covid-19 pandemic and the consequent lockdown impacted the country's hospitality sector. The discussion with Mitali Mukherjee, Fellow, ORF was part of Mint's Road to Recovery series focused on the upcoming Budget.