RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das rightly noted at the recent Business Standard BFSI Insight Summit that the inclusion of Indian government bonds in the JP Morgan Bond Index was a vote of confidence. He was also on the mark in saying that inclusion was a double-edged sword. While the index inclusion will lead to inflows, a change in weighting can also lead to outflows. The central bank, however, is well positioned to deal with such situations. In this context, our lead editorial notes that, while the RBI has done well in recent years, given the ongoing structural changes in the global economy, it may have to deal with a new set of challenges in the near to medium term. Read here
In other views:
The army needs a holistic approach to raising more cost-effective personnel and units, writes Ajai Shukla. Read here
Based on recent developments, Harsh V Pant and Aditya Gowdara Shivamurthy note that for China, diplomatic relations and dispute resolution with tiny-landlocked Bhutan is crucial for its status as an Asian power and for improving its offensive position vis-a-vis India. Read here