Blogs

When the asset being traded is human attention, behavioural profiles, algorithmic insights and predictive monetisation, the old tax rules — tethered to territory and physical presence — begin to crumble like chalk on blackboard. The world’s tax cabinets now face a stark choice: retool jurisdiction, or watch revenue slip into the intangible. India’s journey illustrates…

‘Development’ and ‘redevelopment’: two much The old familiar city is disappearing before our eyes. Blame the two swag words, so-called ‘development’ and ‘redevelopment’. In the first, sarkari agencies are rewriting Mortimer Wheeler’s Still Digging. In the second, builders have appropriated the motto of mountaineers, ‘Higher Still and Higher’. Both sell a swanky future, but at…

SC upholds press freedom. But govts find it too easy to ignore constitutional provisions  Revoking Punjab govt’s shutdown of a daily’s printing press in Ludhiana, for alleged discovery of liquor bottles on premises, Supreme Court said, “Don’t hamper publishing of the newspaper (Punjab Kesari)…shall continue to function uninterruptedly.” Leave aside merits of the case –…

Going to Davos in Switzerland right now has many attractions — clean air, lots of snow, and a big meeting called the World Economic Forum (WEF). At this meeting, Indian states often sign lots of MoUs. MoU means Memorandum of Understanding. It’s basically a document that says, “We plan to work together.” But it’s not…

“We don’t need an army of actuaries to tell us that the catastrophic impacts of climate change will be felt beyond the traditional horizons…” said Mark Carney – the then Bank of England Governor – in his memorable “Climate change is a tragedy of the horizon” speech in 2015. AMOC One red flag in the…

By Jayant B Dave One jocular message on a mobile phone read: What is your business? The witty answer was: ‘Mind your own business’. It implies both a refusal to answer and right answer, too. ‘Mind your own business’ is a versatile virtue from personal, social, ethical and spiritual viewpoints. Instead of trying to fix…

Here are 5 ways a 5% currency depreciation has quietly squeezed Indian households India’s rupee lost over 5% against the US dollar in 2025. By mid-Dec, it had slipped past Rs 91 to the dollar, marking one of its sharpest moves in years. Volatility was equally striking. By year-end, the currency was swinging by more…

The summit of the elites feels different this time, thanks to Trump and the disruptions he is wreaking on the world. When the going gets crazy, in-person meetings reacquire significance for decision-makers Davos is back in the spotlight, not as just any old, tired networking event, but as a stocktaking opportunity for leaders of govts…

The Supreme Court recently protected press freedom by stopping the Punjab government from shutting down a newspaper’s printing press in Ludhiana. The government said liquor bottles were found there, but the newspaper said it was being punished for writing stories that criticised the government. The Court said the newspaper must be allowed to print and…

They are like Valentine’s cards. You can sign as many as you want without landing a date, or a dollar There are many reasons to be in Davos right now, not least its AQI. There’s snow too, something Himachal and Uttarakhand have missed this winter. At Davos, the snow is deep enough for activists to…