In our Editorial section the most important topic for comment was the challenging year ahead for the India economy in the face of the Iran war-triggered oil supply shocks. The Editorial discusses how the four crucial macro variables – trade deficit, current account deficit, growth and inflation – will come under stress. The Budget assumptions have also gone awry under these times of uncertainty. But, the Editorial argues, if the war ends soon the damage can be contained as FY27 has just begun.
The recently concluded WTO meeting in Cameroon was another topic for comment. Our Editorial argues that the global trade body needs to find its relevance at a time when global trade rules have been completely upended. The Editorial also commended India’s stand for resisting China-backed trade facilitation proposal.
The steady easing of the minimum public shareholding norms was dissected in another Editorial. The Finance Ministry’s recent proposals on this issue were welcomed, but our Editorial argued that the focus must also be on reducing the complexity of the public holding rules.
In his weekly column Line&Length, TCA Srinivasa Raghavan talks about the severe economic pain that the ongoing war on Iran will inflict on the global economy. He argues that the Indian government must prepare the country for a period of erratic goods supply but wonders whether the administration has the wherewithal to handle direct supply management.
Lokeshwarri SK, in her Point Blank column, argues why the time is ripe for the internationalisation of the rupee. The increasing discontent over the dollar and erratic the policies of the Trump administration are slowly turning the tide in favour of the rupee, she says.
A Vasudevan, in an article titled ‘A severe test for monetary policy’, discusses the options before the RBI’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC). He cautions the MPC against increasing policy rates under the present state of geopolitical uncertainties.
Here’s our Cartoonist Ravikanth’s take on the world of business and economics:
Published on April 4, 2026
