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Tuesday, February 3, 2026
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Opinion

India needs derivatives for high economic growth. STT hike is a bad move

A sound tax system is one based on the ability to pay or economic surplus. But the STT taxes the circulation of capital and not its returns, making it deeply distortionary.

India-EU FTA gives template for shared governance. It will rewire a market worth €27 trillion

The most obvious impact will be trade liberalisation, but the architecture of the agreement goes far beyond tariffs.

Budget 2026 signals a business-as-usual approach to farm financing

The Budget does not speak of agriculture as a standalone sector. Instead, it embeds agriculture across seven priorities.

India spooks investors instead of calming them

Union Budget brings home to markets the unpleasant reality of fiscal dominance where RBI ends up prioritising deficit financing over its primary function of inflation control.

India’s love-hate relationship with foreign capital holds it back. What Budget 2026 hints at

Reviewing Foreign Exchange Management rules is fine, but India needs to stop being so suspicious of foreign money to hit 10 per cent growth.

Indian-Americans are leaving Hinduism. We must reimagine faith

We need to give space to American Hindus to challenge, reform, and even get rid of practices that perpetuate harm.

From populism to productivity—why the Budget 2026 makes a structural turn

The Budget proposals seek to balance sustained high economic growth with fiscal discipline and structural transformation.

Budget 2026 squarely puts manufacturing at the centre of India’s growth strategy

The Budget’s emphasis on seven ‘strategic and frontier’ manufacturing areas is clearly not random. These are areas of high import dependence, strong employment, and rising geopolitical sensitivity.

Budget 2026 is deliberately boring. Given the global climate, it’s a smart decision

Budget 2026 does not seek to redefine India’s growth model; rather, it reinforces the existing framework characterised by fiscal restraint, public investment, and manufacturing depth.

Confident politics, anxious geopolitics. Modi govt’s Budget is an exercise in contrast

The Budget has indeed woken up the sleeping markets, just not the way the government’s fans would have expected.

On Camera

Floundering PM Internship Scheme has seen 44% drop out since 2024 launch. Budget deals drastic blow

Only 21 percent of interns complete programme as Centre slashes budget by over 50% after poor joining and high attrition.

CDS Gen Chauhan in Armenia, focus on deeper defence ties including new deals

Armenia has procured significant defence equipment from India, including artillery guns, multi-barrel rocket launchers, air defence system, sniper rifles, weapons locating radars, anti-drone weapons.

Swiss report should now close Op Sindoor debate. Knowing when to stop the fight is key too

The key to fighting a war successfully, or even launching it, is a clear objective. That’s an entirely political call. It isn’t emotional or purely military.