November 26, 2021

Khadi tangled in regulation, bureaucracy

Trademark and procurement norms are impacting artisans and ease of doing business in the sector A century ago, Mahatma Gandhi sat behind a spinning wheel and spawned a revolution with a humble cloth called khadi. As a fabric, khadi is […]
November 12, 2021

Lessons from the Economic Debacle in Sri Lanka

The neighbouring island nation- Sri Lanka is caught in a downward spiral as it faces an economic crisis fuelled by depleting foreign exchange reserves, deteriorating currency and soaring inflation. The forex reserves of the nation have nearly halved to USD […]
October 27, 2021

Is Modi’s khadi as inclusive as Gandhi’s?

There is a need to categorise khadi based on the production technique involved to create more transparency for consumers. On the eve of Gandhi Jayanti, Prime Minister Narendra Modi alluded to the “glory” of khadi in the 81st edition of […]
July 8, 2021

Kitex controversy is a sign Kerala is yet to shake off its anti-industry image

The apathy towards business and investments in Kerala is once again in the limelight with the recent remarks by Sabu M Jacob, Chairman of Kitex Garments. Kitex is a leading garments manufacturer with a significant export market share in the […]
June 5, 2021

KN Balagopal delivers healthy budget during health crisis

The  maiden budget of the second LDF government presented by Finance  Minister KN Balagopal comes in the middle of the  second wave of Covid-19. Ahead of the possible third wave of Covid-19,  the budget prioritised the health sector and put […]
April 16, 2021

Enabling policies will address COVID-19 vaccine shortage

With an established pharmaceutical industry and a strong network of manufacturing units, one should ask if this vaccine shortage in India is because of the absence of production capacity or is it because of misdirected policies As India battles the […]
February 1, 2021

Budget 2021 | Feel-good factor that would nudge consumption is missing

The Budget does not have any big-bang announcements and the message that goes out is that one should be conservative in spending in the immediate future as well. Tabled in the backdrop of a crisis-struck economy, the Union Budget 2021-22 attempted to nurse […]
May 20, 2020

Stimulus package falls short of meeting immediate concerns

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced five tranches of economic stimulus under Atmanirbhar Bharat to save the ailing economy. The first tranche was comprehensive, and responsive to the plight of the Micro, Small Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). The sector, contributing over 28 percent […]
April 10, 2020

How Geographical Mapping Is Helping India In Its Fight Against COVID-19

From contact tracing to creating buffer zones around #COVID19 clusters, India is using mapping and location-tracking technology to fight the pandemic. Maps have been used to assess and tackle diseases at least since the 1850 cholera outbreak in London. IndiaSpend looks at […]
March 27, 2020

COVID-19 Relief Package: Can India Tide Over the Crisis?

Within 36 hours of the 21-day lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Union Finance Minister announced a slew of measures to avert economic distress that the COVID-19 pandemic would bring to many. The relief package announced by the […]
March 24, 2020

India should Tap GIS’ Potential to Combat Contagious Diseases

The prospect of Geographic Information System (GIS) in healthcare is remarkably broad. Its ability to link geography and data unleashes critical information which can guide health researchers, policymakers and medical practitioners to make targeted medical intervention. Although the usage of GIS […]
March 20, 2020

Covid-19 pandemic | A grim forecast for the tourism sector

The tourism and hospitality sector that is in need of financial assistance is less likely to find any favour from the banking sector as the past record of the hospitality sector is riddled with loan defaults. The Covid-19 outbreak, now […]
February 3, 2020

Repair at the cost of India’s fiscal health?

Budget 2020, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, attempted to set an optimistic tone for reversing the economic slowdown. It offered something for everyone. However, the Budget had misaligned economic priorities where supply-side was yet again given a push. The […]
January 24, 2020

We need a consumption wave. Budget 2020 must give it a try

As the Budget session approaches, it is expected that prompt measures will be taken to mitigate various challenges faced by the economy that have strangulated its growth in recent times. However, laying out a clear and singular path to recovery […]
September 24, 2019

The role of reinsurance companies in building resilience

India in the recent past has seen extreme weather events triggered by climate change. With rapid human advancements and escalating climate change, studies show that natural disasters are going to be a frequent phenomenon than ever. Economic losses due to […]