Opinion

Multilateral development banks (MDBs), chief among them the World Bank, were established to provide capital to developing countries that couldn't raise it at home or on affordable terms abroad. For decades, they filled that gap. But as more countries move from low- to middle-income status...

By Bhagirathi Jena As India celebrates the 12th International Day of Yoga on June 21, 2026, the theme ‘Yoga for Healthy Ageing’ carries profound significance for a nation undergoing unprecedented demographic transformation. Since independence, India has evolved from a predominantly agrarian society into a rapidly...

By Sahasranshu Dash & Dillip Kumar Muduli The rupee’s recent depreciation from around 83-84 per dollar in late 2024 to nearly 96 in June 2026 has reignited concerns about India's external vulnerability. Despite RBI intervention and reserve sales exceeding $30bn since February, the currency remains...

By Sujit Kumar Mishra Recently, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, through the International Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai released the state fact sheets of the National Family Health Survey, Round 6 (NFHS-6, 2023–24). This release is particularly significant for Odisha,...

By Shishir Gupta Current economic debates in India focus on why the rupee has fallen and how much to rely on foreign-exchange reserves. This is understandable, given the volatile geopolitical environment. But the biggest risks to the Indian economy today stem from more specific shocks:...

By Ravi Venkatesan In a recent commentary, Dani Rodrik, one of the world’s leading experts on the economics of trade and development, explains why he became a “manufacturing sceptic” after decades of seeing industrial production as the key to unlocking economic growth. Since traditional manufacturing...

When the Supreme Court (SC) recently (on 8 May) upheld the Appellate Tribunal for Elec tricity’s ruling against Indian Railways, in its judgement on Indian Railways versus West Bengal State Electricity Distri bution Company Limited and ORS by clarifying that Indian Railways cannot be treated...

There is a well-known adage about the United Kingdom that has been doing the rounds for years now -- the UK is a very poor country attached to a very rich city (London). But today, borrowing from “The Clash,” London is falling. The golden age...

The ceasefire that was reportedly just agreed between the United States and Iran reflects US President Donald Trump’s desperation to escape the quagmire that he created. Gone is the muddled array of objectives he touted in the war’s early days. All the Trump administration has...

Melvin Durai If you've been watching the 2026 FIFA World Cup, you probably noticed something different about this year's matches. About 22 minutes into each half, the referee blows his whistle, and the players take a three-minute hydration break. Three minutes is just the right...