Despite the depreciation of the rupee, India continues to be a magnet — safer than peers like Turkey, South Africa or Brazil, and offers greater returns than the US or Europe.
The Union Budget must cut revenue expenditure so growth-boosting tax cuts are possible, while monetary policy should focus on growth-inflation dynamics instead of defending the falling rupee.
Monetary Policy Committee Friday kept the repo rate unchanged at 6.50% for an eighth straight policy meeting, in a continued attempt towards bringing down inflation to 4% target.
In my view as the finance secretary during UPA II govt, the least RBI could have done was not to further depress the sentiment with doomsday prophecies.
Most global central banks acknowledge easing in inflation but note it remains above target. Recent geopolitical disruptions also pose upside risk to inflation, a view held by RBI as well.
Employment & education are some of the constraints. Plus, greater dependence on domestic sources of growth will deny India momentum that comes from accessing international markets.
While persistent inflation led to failure to achieve inflation target in 2022 for the first time since 2016 and exports slowed down, the banking sector continued to be resilient.
The Russia-Ukraine crisis has led to a rush towards safe haven assets such as gold and the US dollar. Investors are selling riskier assets such as Indian equities.
In 2022, athletes claimed they were asked to wind up training early at Thyagraj Stadium so that the IAS couple could walk their dog. Then came the memes and public outrage.
Instead of buying more Mirages outright in early 2000s, the requirement was tweaked in favour of a medium-weight, multi-role fighter with Mirage-like performance.
Pakistan not only has zero chance of catching up with India in most areas, but will inevitably see the gap rising. Its leaders will offer its people the same snake oil in different bottles.
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