Editorial Analysis

As India’s renewable capacity grows faster than transmission and storage infrastructure, there is a need for grid integration ensuring reliable, affordable electricity.

As China’s export competitiveness intensifies and India seeks to benefit from the China-plus-one strategy while countering the ‘China Squeeze’ on developing-country manufacturing, questions over the reliability of India’s manufacturing data have gained renewed importance.

The UDISE+ 2025–26 report highlights substantial expansion in India’s school education system while revealing persistent regional, social, infrastructure and teacher-related disparities.

The Centre’s fiscal position in 2026-27 is expected to remain broadly close to budget estimates, despite risks from weak tax collections, higher subsidies, geopolitical tensions and volatile crude oil prices.

India’s rapid e-commerce and quick-commerce expansion is driving warehouse modernisation, making AI-led optimisation and selective automation crucial to improving speed, efficiency and logistics competitiveness.

The transition from MGNREGA to VB-G RAM G has coincided with a sharp fall in rural employment generation, raising concerns over implementation, wage security and rural livelihoods.

The blue economy is gaining policy attention as India expands maritime infrastructure, fisheries, ocean technology and coastal development while seeking inclusive and sustainable growth.

The Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024, seeks to introduce simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies, reviving debate over federalism, accountability and electoral costs.

Recently, the Lok Sabha passed the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, seeking to centralise taxation of mineral rights after the Supreme Court’s 2024 ruling.

India’s universities continue to lag in major global rankings despite abundant talent, while institutions in China, Singapore and Hong Kong have rapidly strengthened research, autonomy and global competitiveness.