Opinion
Environmental goods at WTO - the question of tariff reduction
02 Feb 2003 |
Mr Sandeep Singh
| The Hindu Business Line
In WTO, the developed-developing dichotomies are more often than not insignificant, as countries adopt different positions on individual issues that suit their specific interests. At the Doha Ministerial Conference, for instance, the common position of developing countries failed to converge when they gave up on environment at the last moment. Consequently, substantial aspects of the trade-environment debate were made part of negotiations.
The pipeline of peace - What could also flow through the India-Iran pipeline: improved Indo-Pak relations
22 Jan 2003 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| The Indian Express
It is significant that the chief guest at this year's Republic Day parade would be the President of Iran, Mohammed Khatami. Prior to the visit of the Iranian President, a team of officials from that country led by the Deputy Foreign Minister Dr Mohammad Hossein Adeli have done valuable preparatory work.
Nuclear power pipedream
27 Dec 2002 |
Asha Ram Sihag2
| The Hindu Business Line
Nuclear power is back in the news again, with ambitious plans being unveiled for India going full speed ahead on this energy option. India's nuclear energy plan is based on the three-stage nuclear power programme drawn up by Homi Bhabha in 1954.
In defence of Kelkar
19 Nov 2002 |
Asha Ram Sihag2
| The Hindu Business Line
The draft report on direct taxes of the task force headed by Dr Vijay Kelkar has drawn much undeserved and ill-informed criticism. This is unfortunate, as the report presents a coherent vision of a modern and transparent tax regime and administration, which is simple, equitable and treats tax-paying citizens with dignity.
Reading between China's miracle lines
17 Nov 2002 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| The Indian Express
The most remarkable feature of China's growth in the past two decades has been its ability to set course and stay on it against all odds and eventualities.
Chinese vision, Indian blinkers
16 Nov 2002 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| The Indian Express
Now that the Prime Minister has highlighted the reality of India competing with China, this nation must reflect on the nature of this competition. At no stage must we compete with our neighbour in a spirit of confrontation, but essentially on the basis of mutual respect and also with growing bilateral linkages between us.
Reconfirming regulator's legitimacy
07 Nov 2002 |
Dr Syamal Kumar Sarkar
| The Economic Times
Of all the court decisions on infrastructure regulation, perhaps the most significant one in setting at rest the jurisdictional controversy between regulators and the judiciary, is the Supreme Court judgement of 3 October 2002 which has laid down important principles for regulatory governance.
Economics is key to policy on fuel blends
03 Nov 2002 |
Asha Ram Sihag2
,Mr R Guruprasad
| The Hindu Business Line
Indian refineries will have to move towards stringent product specifications to meet emission standards. And the Mashelkar Committee has drawn up a roadmap to achieve this. According to it, refineries will have two main technical options for Octane Number improvement, which has to be significantly increased.
Environment protection is big business
20 Oct 2002 |
Mr Sandeep Singh
| The Hindu Business Line
Environment protection is not only about green forests, tigers, blue skies and a handful of NGOs arguing for a noble cause. It is big business. With rapid population growth and the aggressive speed of industrialisation the world over, suppliers of pollution control equipment, cleaner technologies and related services are looking to cater to an enormous and growing market. It has been estimated that the global market in these goods and services is around $550 billion, and is likely to touch $640 billion by 2010, a figure comparable with the size of the pharmaceuticals and information technology industries.
Regulators: Who is better and why?
02 Oct 2002 |
Ms Ekta Bhardwaj
,Ms Anjali Garg
| The Hindu Business Line
Is telecom performing better than power? A sharper question: Is the telecommunications regulator performing better than the electricity regulator? Or is the opposite true?