Editorial Analysis

India enters its next employment decade with a larger workforce and stronger foundations in infrastructure, formalisation, skilling and entrepreneurship. The challenge now is to convert this scale into productive, formal, well-paid and inclusive employment.

Recently, a devastating flash flood in Nepal’s Bhotekoshi River system caused widespread destruction across Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading.

India needs technological capabilities along with increasing R&D expenditure and private-sector participation to be globally competitive.

Nepal is scheduled to graduate from the UN’s Least Developed Country (LDC) category on November 24, but has sought a three-year deferral to better prepare for a smooth and sustainable transition.

The debate over theatre commands gained renewed attention following recent conflicts and discussions on air-power reforms, with the IAF urging a measured approach to integration without disrupting proven operational structures.

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.