Business Standard Editorial Comment

Demand-supply mismatch: Affordable housing shortage must be addressed

A Knight Frank study shows that India will face an affordable housing shortage of 31.2 million units by 2030. There is already an existing shortage of 10.1 million units

Marketing reforms: India's agri-marketing system needs an upgrade

Agricultural reforms should, therefore, not remain limited to factor-market reforms, but should also include efforts to liberalise constraints to marketing

Lingering debt danger: External debt levels dangerously high globally

The IDR focuses specifically on external debt and classifies countries by income level

What extending T+0 settlement to 500 stocks may mean for market liquidity

According to the Sebi circular, the T+0 cycle will be available on an optional basis for the top 500 companies by market capitalisation from January 31, 2025

Engaging with Dhaka: Foreign secretary Vikram Misri's visit suggests a thaw

This week's meeting may stabilise the temperature on frosty exchanges between New Delhi and Dhaka in the immediate post-Hasina phase

Unfavourable design: Sovereign gold bonds are a drain on govt finances

Officials may argue that the scheme has outlived its purpose since India no longer has a troublesome current-account deficit

Turning the page: Focus on external front new RBI governor's first test

Mr Das' term over the past six years was fairly challenging for both the Indian economy and the RBI, largely because of the pandemic

Reckoning in Syria: Bashar al-Assad's ouster adds to West Asian tumult

al-Assad's overthrow was the result of the distractions of his chief backers, the Iran-sponsored Hezbollah and Russian President Vladimir Putin

Repo rate status quo shows RBI's continued focus on inflation over growth

Monetary policy support to growth will be limited

Delay in global treaty on plastic pollution raises environmental risks

A recent study reveals India accounts for almost 20 per cent of global plastic waste annually, which is the fallout from rapid urbanisation and faster economic growth

Making POSH work: Govt institutions must lead in ensuring workplace safety

When applied to the public sphere, such as district-level public institutions, the chauvinism of Indian society considerably raises the odds against women complainants

Unusual moves: Investors should tread carefully in smallcaps space

While there are surely pockets of value and potential multibaggers in the smallcap space, investors should be cautious due to the elevated valuations in this part of the market

Improving GDP calculations: Why accurate national accounts matter

Methodology concerns must be addressed in the new seriesAttention to India's national accounts statistics is overdue, and it is welcome news that the government is taking steps to bring it up to date

Why Trump's tariff threat over Brics currency may be false alarm

While there is a strong case for tariff reduction, India must be prepared to engage with the US establishment more actively to present its position

A comprehensive review: GST Council needs to address all aspects

The idea should be to simplify the structure. This will increase compliance and reduce disputes

Strengthening cooperatives: Building capacity to increase opportunities

At this juncture, it is critical to extend support to cooperatives for their long-term survival and sustainability

Age restrictions: Australia's social-media law set to be a case study

The platforms are upset. The ban impacts a large chunk of their user base, and young people are among the most engaged users

Reversing family planning: Mohan Bhagwat's three-child idea is regressive

Unchecked population growth will undo the societal gains India has made since independence

Sharp slowdown: Solutions will need to go beyond interest rate cuts

Some economists believe that a pickup in government capital expenditure will help accelerate growth

Unintended consequence: The poor face the brunt of pollution control

Construction bans are becoming the norm each winter, it is incumbent on state authorities to design a mechanism to compensate temporarily unemployed workers