NBFCs become more relevant to India. Is that a risk?
RN Bhaskar
All of a sudden, there’s renewed interest in what non-banking finance companies (NBFCs) are doing in India. Some are alarmed. Some canny observers are happy. Yet, the whims of...
Derivatives, USA and Armageddon
By RN Bhaskar
In a way, the world has been too gentle with the US. It has allowed that country to play around with other people’s money, to create and abrogate treaties at will, to stoutly deny...
The politics and economics behind the two DFCs
RN Bhaskar
By any reckoning, the dedicated freight corridor (DFC) idea was a great concept.
Immensely relevant
As J M Baxi, noted consultant, states (https://www.jmbaxi.com/newsletter/issue-xxvi/dedicated-freight-corridor.html), “The existing trunk routes of Howrah-Delhi on the Eastern Corridor...
Policy watch
Is India losing money faster than inbound FDI?
RN Bhaskar
Politicians in India love hyping up this country’s investment story. That means excellent FDI (foreign direct investment) inflows. A good example is the way the Union commerce minister likes to...
The govt continues to push other types of Census, but nor for its human population
RN Bhaskar
On 24 JUN 2024, the government announced (https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2028221) that it would soon begin work on the 21st Livestock Census. The Livestock Census is conducted...
India talks of growth, but it will continue shrinking unless . . .
By RN Bhaskar
It is when you look at the sustainability of economic growth that you realise that India could be shrinking.
Except for the super wealthy, the rest...
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...
Can the government be wiser than the markets when it comes to capital allocation?
By RN Bhaskar
Economists are generally agreed that governments can be terribly poor in allocation of resources for economic development.
Yes, there are exceptions. When a nation is...
A huge educational crisis confronts India – can it be saved?
By RN Bhaskar
In October 2004, IITD (Indian Institute of Technology – Delhi) ranked 13th in the first edition of the QS University Rankings (https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings-articles/brics-rankings/top-universities-india). By 2024, its ranking had...
Be careful! Spouting hopeful figures about the economy is not enough.
RN Bhaskar
If one listens to the euphoric outpourings of India’s Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) V Anantha Nageswaran, the country’s economy is in great shape. Just last week he exuded...