Much of India is poorer than the sub-Saharan region
By RN Bhaskar
After all the talk about Viksit Bharat, last fortnight’s developments have highlighted the hollowness of such claims. What is ironic is that instead of focussing on the key economic...
The ghosts of demonetisation
By RN Bhaskar
On November 25, the Finance Ministry of India made a surprisingly candid statement before the Lok Sabha (https://www.business-standard.com/finance/news/fake-currency-notes-of-rs-500-rs-2-000-surge-threefold-in-3-years-finmin-124112700867_1.html). It admitted that the number of fake Rs.500 notes was on the rise. Effectively, it was...
The FM should look at the causes – Interest rates are the symptom
RN Bhaskar
In recent days the Finance Minister, N. Sitharaman has made public statements about the need for banks to lower lending rates (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/interest-rates-need-to-be-far-more-affordable-fm-nirmala-sitharaman/articleshow/115431945.cms). She said that the...
The world order changes swiftly; the West has become less relevant
RN Bhaskar
Last month had three momentous developments. First was the BRICS meet in Kazan, Russia (free subscription -- https://bhaskarr.substack.com/p/brics-gold-and-gdp)..
Irrelevant West; relevant BRICS
Today BRICS is an intergovernmental organization. It comprises...
The dangers of pushing ideology
RN Bhaskar
Last week, at a Business Standard conference, RBI governor, Shaktikanta Das made some observations that caused many observers to roll back their eyes. The governor said that the Indian economy and the financial sector...
India’s slip is showing- underperformance is the culprit
RN Bhaskar
India has been witness to a lot of bluster and chest-thumping. But recent numbers have begun to highlight the country’s underperformance. One of the first signs is the slowing of exports...
BRICS’ gold backed currency could roil the markets
RN Bhaskar
The BRICS conference in Kazan, Russia, from October 22 to 24 2024, is just over. It brought gold centrestage.
BRICS has expanded from the original five – Brazil, Russia, India, China and...
Chest thumping and masks can confuse economic policy analysts
By RN Bhaskar
Governments, world over, have a habit of setting the narrative to show the prettier side of economic development. In India it should be a bit more worrisome, because they...
Reinsurance and the dangers for India
RN Bhaskar
Reinsurance markets are in a state of confusion. They cannot comprehend what could have driven the IRDAI (an acronym for Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India -- https://irdai.gov.in/) to come up with...
The government creates godmen, destroys values, in pursuit of power and wealth
RN Bhaskar
Last week the police finally registered an FIR (First Information Report, a document which must be prepared before criminal investigations begin) against priest and ‘godman’ Yati Narsinghanand...
