IPA Staff
16505 stories by IPA Staff
India At The Crossroads Navigating Global Trade Headwinds In Tariff War
By T N Ashok The World Trade Organization’s latest assessments paint an increasingly sombre picture of global commerce. After an unexpectedly robust first half of 2025—when merchandise trade volumes surged 4.9% year-on-year—the momentum has decisively shifted. The WTO’s November Goods Trade Barometer dropped to 101.8 from 102.2 in June,...
America’s Tariff Shock Is Rewriting Global Trade Making WTO Of Little Relevance
By R. Suryamurthy The global trading system is edging into a colder, more brittle phase, and the numbers emerging from Geneva and New Delhi tell the story with an uncomfortable clarity—one that Washington’s political class has not yet fully owned. The World Trade Organization’s latest Goods Trade Barometer, released...
Despite The Controversies, ‘Your Party’ Of Britain Has Great Potential
By Ben Chacko LONDON: Despite the disputes that have troubled its launch, the founding conference of “Your Party” this weekend is an important moment. Its gestation dates back further than the (itself controversial) announcement it was coming by Coventry South MP Zarah Sultana in July. People have called for...
Judicial Discretion In The Era Of Illiberalism In Independent India
By Rohit Sarma The era of illiberalism in India and beyond has offered many lessons to those studying constitutions, constitutionalism and the nature of the judicial process. It has shown that the demise of constitutionalism does not necessarily take the form of the dramatic dismemberment of existing institutions and...
Economic Growth May Exceed 7 Per Cent, GDP To Cross $4 Trillion Mark In FY26: CEA
NEW DELHI: Buoyed by more-than-expected 8.2 per cent GDP growth rate in the second quarter, Chief Economic Adviser V Anantha Nageswaran on Friday expressed optimism that India’s economic growth will exceed 7 per cent this fiscal and the size of the GDP will cross the $4 trillion mark. The...
Manufacturing Muscle Lifts Q2 GDP Growth To 6-Quarter High Of 8.2%
NEW DELHI: India’s economy expanded at its fastest pace in six quarters, growing 8.2 per cent during the July-September period of FY26, outstripping both official and private forecasts by a significant margin. Data released by the statistics ministry on Friday showed that while a low base and a soft...
Despite Growth Surprise, Economists Bat For 25 Basis Points Rate Cut Next Week
MUMBAI: Despite the surprising Q2 growth numbers of 8.2% that surpassed the RBI’s estimates, economists are still batting for a 25 bps rate cut next week, saying the economy will lose steam in the second half, necessitating support at a time when the inflation pressure is off the table....
Govt’s Fiscal Deficit Touches 52.6% Of The Budget Estimates Till October, Capex Increases 32%
NEW DELHI: The government’s fiscal deficit for the first seven months of 2025-26 (FY26) widened ₹8.25 trillion to 52.6 per cent of the Budget Estimates (BE) compared to 46.5 per cent in the corresponding period last year as capital expenditure (capex) increased by 32 per cent over last year...
Capex By States To Grow A Modest 4-6 Per Cent In FY26: Crisil
NEW DELHI: State governments are set to increase capital outlay by a modest 4 to 6% in FY26, pushing total spending to ` 7.4–7.5 lakh crore, according to a Crisil Ratings analysis of 18 major states that account for 94% of the country’s state-level capex. This is a sharp...
The Great AI Gold Rush By US Big Tech Companies Through Huge Investment
By Ashok Nilakantan Ayers SILICON VALLEY / SAN FRANSISCO / CALIFORNIA: The numbers are staggering. Microsoft has spent over $20 billion building data centres stuffed with the most powerful computer chips ever made. Meta is burning through billions more, weaving artificial intelligence into Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook. Google and...
Congress High Command To Settle Karnataka’s Leadership Tussle Soon
By Rahil Nora Chopra The Congress high command seems to have finally woken up to the dire need for resolving the tricky leadership crisis lingering on in Karnataka, with AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday saying that both Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar would be summoned...
IMF’s Latest Paper On India Underscores The Need For Effective Social Security
By Anjan Roy International Monetary Fund’s latest country level consultations with India reveal a flattering picture of the state of the economy. The executive directors have submitted their consultation report to the government, along with their recommendations for the government and its economic managers. Two observations stand out from...
India Constitution Has Admirably Dealt With The Issue Of Caste Society
By Dr. B K Kango Since the advent of 19th century and spread of education and awareness, the injustice done in the name of the caste has come into focus. Many reformers like Periyar, Mahatma Phule and Dr. Ambedkar and others have focused this issue of caste injustice and...
India’s Latest Rare Earth Minerals Production Move Is Sure To Boost Its Geopolitical Status
By T N Ashok In the unassuming coastal sands of Kerala and Tamil Nadu lie minerals with an outsized claim on the future. Rare earth elements—seventeen chemically similar metals with unpronounceable names like neodymium, dysprosium, and praseodymium—are the sinews of modern civilization. They power the motors in electric vehicles,...
The Truth About The Failed “Gen Z” March In Mexico On November 15
By Kurt Hackbarth NEW YORK: A youth march in Mexico city with the notable absence of youth. A march against violence that ended with deliberately provoked violence. A nonpartisan march with one of its key proponents in the pay of the nation’s conservative party. A march inspired by imagery...
IMF Projects India’s GDP To Grow 6.6% In Fy26 As GST Reforms Cushion US Tariffs Impact
NEW DELHI: India’s economy is estimated to grow at 6.6% in 2025-26, the International Monetary Fund said, noting that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) reforms are likely to help cushion the country from the adverse impact of the 50% tariffs imposed by the US. “India’s economy has continued...
GST Rate Cuts Gave Economy Momentum: FinMin Report
NEW DELHI/CHENNAI: The GST rate rationalisation gave a “measurable” boost to consumption, and the Indian economy is on a stable footing to navigate risks and maintain growth momentum through the current fiscal, a finance ministry report said on Thursday. The Finance Ministry’s Monthly Economic Review for October said that...
India Urges UAE To Follow Quota System For Gold Exports
NEW DELHI: India briefed the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on the recent changes in the way it allocated quota for imports of gold on concessional duties under the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) to make the process more transparent. Through this briefing at the third meeting of the Joint...
