Best of BS Opinion: Institutions for development, reaffirm trade, more

Here is the best of Business Standard's opinion pieces for today

Reports say the Department of Commerce will ask the Union Cabinet for its assent to “fresh guidelines” for negotiating free trade agreements (FTAs), following a meeting with the Prime Minister’s Office on the subject of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for such negotiations. A review of the FTA process is welcome and is to be hoped that any SOPs that are firmed up as a result of these discussions do not push India further towards protectionism.  Overall, the idea should be to tap emerging opportunities in global trade, partly because of the changing global economic and political environment, the top edit argues. Read it here

   

In other views:  

 

Nitin Desai discusses the diverse ways in which institutions for development and growth have evolved across the world. Read it here

 

The second edit examines the value of MS Excel, which has been the dominant spreadsheet software for nearly 40 years. Read it here

 

Pallavi Bajaj says the world needs collaborative regulation to minimise risks while optimising the uptake of AI. Read it here

   

QUOTE OF THE DAY

 

‘My gut says Donald Trump. … But I don’t think you should put any value whatsoever on anyone’s gut — including mine.

 

Nate Silver, American statistician and writer