Page 7 - Weekend Ruminations
Two routes to atmanirbharta: Why both China and India are looking inwards
While both have seen a drop in external trade in relation to GDP, the reasons are quite different - in China it is in part a problem of success, in India it points more to failure, writes T N Ninan
Amid grim fiscal outlook, this 'act of god' could salvage Sitharaman's Budget
If the Finance Commission recommends a smaller tax share for states, the Centre will get more money. On what that would do to 'cooperative federalism', you don't need to guess, writes T N Ninan
Looking at the canary: Do SBI Cards' bad loans have a deeper meaning?
If Covid-19 causes a fresh havoc to government-bank finances, it could be back to the old story of large-scale losses prompting further capital infusion by the government, writes T N Ninan
Don't bet just yet on Bangladesh as South Asia's economic champion
Bangladesh might overtake India this year by per capita income in nominal dollars, but it is not yet close to becoming South Asia's economic powerhouse anytime soon. T N Ninan explains why
Will the Modi govt's 'second push' get it right on the economy?
From an economic standpoint, the success of the Modi govt's recent policy and legislative action would depend more on interlocking process changes than on one-time announcements, writes T N Ninan
Necessary, not sufficient: Labour reforms a good start; will we see more jobs now?
If the law changes work, everyone can celebrate. If not, it will be for want of reforms in several other areas like land, transport, electricity, and tax laws, writes T N Ninan
Fixing farm income is not so simple; govt must take the hard path
The debate must go beyond the binaries spun out by politicians who either condemn the new farm Bills or consider them the agricultural equivalent of the 1991 de-licensing of industry, writes T N Ninan
'We're rising, you're rising': Let's stop pretending parity with China
India's subsequent under-performance since 2010, even as China has accumulated strength and influence, has increased the power imbalance between the two 'Asian giants', writes T N Ninan
Popular leaders and patchy economic legacies: Can Modi buck the trend?
The last three PMs who served full terms started out in their early 70s. Mr Modi is younger and fitter. Now he needs to find it in him to change course if he is to beat economic odds, writes T N Ninan
Will India's growth potential slip below rates achieved in 1980s and '90s?
The forces causing the growth slowdown and rising inequality were there before Covid-19, and these trends are now getting accentuated, writes T N Ninan
More hospitals, fewer schools: India's population trends require solutions
There will be more people in the north, but wealth will be in the south: good governance can manage such rifts, write T N Ninan
Bait and switch: The maths of promises and delivery will have to add up
On the three major subjects on which the country would like to hear from the prime minister - defence expenditure, healthcare spend, and economic difficulties - there is only silence, writes T N Ninan
The market as weapon: What China has long exploited India has rarely used
Opening up India's market to neighbouring countries can be as strategic as access denial to others. The game should be played both ways, even if it upsets domestic business lobbies, writes T N Ninan
Rollback time: What didn't work for govts earlier will not work even now
Long discarded policies like deficit monetisation, loan restructuring, higher tariffs and import licensing had not yielded great results even the first time around, points out T N Ninan
NEP's thrust on mother tongue, the fate of English, and a migrant question
It may never be the language spoken in most homes and remain much smaller than mother tongues, but English will continue to have its place as one of two official languages in India, writes T N Ninan
It is not enough to have a strong govt; you need a strong country
While the govt has done many things right, it has also made mistakes that have weakened India. It should acknowledge challenges, reverse economic slide, and build national cohesion, writes T N Ninan
Follow the money: Why parties are at pains to deny states to rivals
Much of the money to be milked from the govt system for political use is at the state level, not central. What's more, the same money can be denied to the Opposition, writes T N Ninan
The real defence failures: The price we pay for not building capacity
Mr Modi has been realistic about the facts on the ground, and chosen discretion over valour while resolving (hopefully) that India will prepare to fight another day, writes T N Ninan
Fiscal realities: Why govt cannot respond to Covid-19 crisis more fully
The problem is on both revenue and expenditure sides - the former is shrinking in relation to GDP, and the latter is rising despite a sharp drop in petroleum-related subsidy bills - writes T N Ninan
The seductiveness of borders: They have a habit of becoming sacrosanct
India has existed as a cultural entity from pre-historic times, but most people are not conversant with how and when the nation-state took shape, writes T N Ninan
