WHY THE PAINT INDUSTRY IS FACING A CRACKED SURFACE? The Indian paints industry, long admired for its steady growth and consistent margins, is entering an unfamiliar territory. Once insulated from macroeconomic shocks, the sector is now feeling the heat from multiple stress points, waning consumer demand, aggressive new entrants, and…

CAN CARBON PRICING BECOME A GLOBAL STRATEGY? In the global effort to combat climate change, carbon pricing has steadily shifted from a niche economic proposal to a mainstream climate strategy. As countries search for effective, scalable tools to curb emissions, the once-radical idea of putting a price on carbon has…

IS LOOP HEALTH REIMAGINING HEALTHCARE OR JUST A NICHE EXPERIMENT? In India’s increasingly crowded health-tech landscape, Loop Health has carved out a unique position. Founded in Pune in 2018, the company has taken a fresh approach to employee health benefits by combining traditional group insurance with integrated, always-on primary care.…

WHY DID SPOT ELECTRICITY PRICES BRIEFLY FALL TO ZERO? On the morning of May 26, 2025, something quietly extraordinary happened in India’s electricity market. As monsoon clouds rolled gently across the skies in parts of North and Western India, electricity prices on the Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) fell to near…

HOW MARKETS FALL, RISE AND SHAPE ECONOMIES? In the world of finance, a rebound refers to a recovery following a period of decline. This could mean a stock rallying after a crash, an economy bouncing back from a recession, or a company recovering after a string of poor quarters. But…

Why ONDC Can’t Take Down Zomato and Swiggy? In 2022, when the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) was launched, it was touted as a revolutionary initiative that would democratize e-commerce in India. Backed by the Indian government and a consortium of public sector entities and banks, ONDC aimed to…

CAN APPLE REALLY SHIFT FROM CHINA? For more than two decades, China has been the cornerstone of Apple’s global manufacturing operations. From iPhones and iPads to MacBooks, nearly every piece of Apple hardware has been assembled in vast Chinese factories known for their scale, speed, and efficiency. However, rising geopolitical…

What is the Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI)? The Panchayat Advancement Index is designed as a composite performance metric that evaluates grassroots-level governance through the lens of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It employs 435 carefully selected indicators, mapped across nine thematic areas aligned with the framework of Localisation of Sustainable Development…

 Is Co-Lending India’s Answer to Inclusive Credit Growth? The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has taken a decisive step toward reshaping India’s co-lending framework with the release of its draft guidelines in April 2025. While co-lending isn’t a new concept, having first emerged as a “co-origination” model in 2018, its…