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Time of India
3 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Tariffs, Russia & the cost of autonomy: India must absorb pressure without losing its strategic balance
For nearly a decade, Manash Pratim Gohain has been a common face in various campuses of universities and colleges in Delhi. He can be easily spotted chatting with students, engaging with teachers over unlimited cups of tea and digging information to yield stories on city's schools, colleges and government's policies on education. He is assistant editor with The Times of India, Delhi. LESS ... MORE The recent imposition of a 25% tariff on select Indian exports by the United States — alongside threats of further penalties — signals a sharp turn in the tenor of India-US economic engagement. While framed as a routine trade enforcement action, the timing and broader context point unmistakably to a deeper message: Washington is uneasy with India's increasing strategic assertiveness, particularly its continued oil trade with Russia. Over the past two years, India has significantly ramped up its crude imports from Russia, capitalising on discounted prices amid Western sanctions following the Ukraine conflict. Russia is now India's top energy supplier. This has allowed India to cushion inflation, manage its current account, and maintain steady energy access. Yet, it has also drawn criticism from the West, which sees India's balancing act as diplomatically inconvenient, if not morally ambiguous. From Delhi's perspective, the policy is clear: national interest guides foreign policy, and strategic autonomy is non-negotiable. India has made it equally clear — at forums like the G20 and BRICS — that it will not be a passive recipient of geopolitical dictates. Whether it is importing Russian oil, opposing Western digital trade rules, or setting its own data governance norms, India is defining its own trajectory. This posture, while respected in principle by the US, is increasingly coming under strain in practice. The 25% tariff — potentially targeting sectors like steel, engineering goods, or chemicals — is not just about market access. It's a nudge, perhaps even a warning, that economic tools will be used when political alignment wavers. To be sure, the India-US partnership remains robust on many fronts: defence collaboration, Indo-Pacific cooperation, and critical tech initiatives like iCET are growing pillars of trust. But the tariff action highlights a recurring tension in India's foreign policy — how to deepen partnerships without compromising sovereignty. Politically, the Modi government is unlikely to back down. If anything, this development will be used to reinforce a familiar narrative: that India's rise comes with costs, and resistance from global powers is evidence of its growing clout. It also offers an opportunity to double down on domestic manufacturing, push for trade diversification, and strengthen south-south cooperation. The challenge, however, is real. Export sectors could be hit. Trade negotiations may stall. Investor confidence could waver if the friction escalates. But India's likely response will be measured — assertive but not confrontational, using diplomacy, WTO channels, and backroom talks to defuse tensions while preserving space for independent policy-making. For the US too, this is a moment to recalibrate. Using punitive tariffs against a strategic partner like India may offer short-term leverage but could erode long-term goodwill. Washington must reconcile its security interests with its economic assertiveness — and recognise that India's global rise will not always align with American preferences. Strategic partnerships in a multipolar world are not built on perfect agreement. They rest on managing differences with maturity. As India navigates this episode, the real test is whether it can absorb pressure without overreacting — and whether both nations can sustain a partnership built not on dependency, but on mutual respect. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
Strength every day : Bournvita emphasises the need for holistic strength among growing kids at the ‘Tayyari Taakat Ki' Summit
For over 75 years, Bournvita has consistently been partnering with mothers to support their children's holistic development. From iconic campaigns like Tann ki Shakti, Mann ki Shakti to Vitamin D ki Taakat , the brand has continually reinforced its belief in empowering children with 'Strength Every Day', be it physical strength, immune strength or mental strength. In a bid to deepen the understanding of building strength during foundational years of childhood, Bournvita, in collaboration with The Times of India, recently organised the 'Tayyari Taakat Ki' summit in Mumba,i bringing together mothers and renowned experts from diverse fields to share their perspectives on 'why strength is essential for growing children in India?'. Mandira Bedi, who has propagated the importance of an active lifestyle, moderated a panel discussion during the event. Namrata Purohit (Fitness expert and certified nutritionist), Dr Nihar Parekh (Paediatrician), Nitika Vig (Senior specialist, nutrition strategy, Mondelez International), and Farha Shaikh (Mom Blogger) were the pertinent voices of this panel. The panel discussion highlighted that the assessment of child's development goes beyond conventional markers like height and weight. Physical and mental strength, along with immunity, are vital. Dr Nihar Parekh emphasised the importance of fortification and explained how macronutrients like proteins and carbohydrates are essential blocks but micronutrients like Vitamin D, Zinc, and Iron are the cement that holds it all together and often get missed. These are vital to support physical, immune and mental strength. He also pointed out the significance of the morning milk ritual, which also provides these essential nutrients. Nitika Vig highlighted how recent surveys show that many kids fall short on vitamin D, iron, and zinc, and explained how Bournvita over the last 75 years has evolved its product formulation to bridge these gaps after doing extensive research on micronutrient deficiencies amongst kids in India. Two cups of Bournvita a day can meet up to 50% of the RDA for these essential micronutrients that are known to support strength amongst growing children – not only physical but also immune and mental health, making them a smart and convenient choice Namrata Purohit spoke about how a routine of sleep, physical activity and nutrition is key for strength. She also advocated maintaining a positive relationship with food for children by making nutritious foods more appetizing as a sustainable approach. The event also included activities and games to educate mothers with practical nutrition knowledge. For instance, there was a corner wherein mothers entered their child's daily meals on Bournvita's 'Nutricheck' tool to receive personalized reports that helped them identify gaps in their children's diet and areas of improvement. Explore this tool on Bournvita's website . Overall, the event was an insightful initiative by Bournvita and Times of India to broaden the perspectives of mothers, which left them feeling more informed and confident about supporting their child's strength for a stronger tomorrow.
Economic Times
9 hours ago
- Business
- Economic Times
Lower wages, aging population, but still prospering: How Japan is quietly showing the world how to grow without growth
Synopsis Japan has spent over thirty years with barely any economic growth, stagnant wages, and ultra-low interest rates. Yet, it remains one of the richest, safest, and most educated nations in the world. As global birth rates collapse and ageing populations rise, Japan may not be an outlier but a warning or even a model. TIL Creatives Representative AI Image What happens when an economy stops growing, but life continues to improve? Japan may already have the answer. For over three decades, Japan's economy has barely moved. Growth flatlined, prices stayed low, and interest rates were cut to zero. Yet, the country didn't fall into chaos. Instead, Japan built something strange and quietly radical. It remains the world's fourth-largest economy. Unemployment is low, education levels are high, and people live long, healthy lives. Chandrima Banerjee, writing in The Times of India , asks: 'What if this seemingly stagnant economy isn't a cautionary tale, but a glimpse into humanity's future?' In the 1980s, Japan was seen as a global powerhouse, often called the 'relentless Japanese economic juggernaut.' America and Europe saw it as a rising threat, not unlike how they now talk about China. Then, the miracle slowed. After a dramatic rise, Japan's GDP peaked close to America's in 1995 and has since inched forward. In current prices, it went from $1.1 trillion in 1980 to $5 trillion by 2030, while the US soared to $37 the 1990s, Japan has lived with near-zero inflation, falling prices, and interest rates that hovered near or below zero. The Bank of Japan introduced zero interest rates in 1999, then pushed them into negative territory in 2016. That policy stayed in place until 2024. Even now, borrowing remains cheap. But if prices didn't rise, neither did wages. Workers stopped expecting raises. Companies stopped offering them. 'Deflation left lasting habits,' the report notes, and those habits stuck. Average annual wages barely moved between 1990 and 2023, from $46,694 to just $46,792. Living longer has made Japanese households more careful with their money. Real household spending rose only about 20 percent in three decades. People now spend more on healthcare and insurance, less on travel or shopping. Instead of investing, they save — mostly in cash. Nearly $15 trillion in household financial assets sit in bank deposits or physical currency. Half of all Japanese savings are held this way. That has a cost. 'That much idle capital means less flows into productive investment,' the analysis points out. The labour market is frozen in other ways too. Quitting a job is rare. In early 2025, only 17 percent said they wanted to change jobs. Of those, 63 percent weren't even looking. Just 5 percent actually made the The system rewards long-term employment. The longer you stay, the better your pay and benefits. But if you leave, you often end up in what's called 'irregular' work. Today, 48 percent of Japanese workers hold such jobs, which typically offer lower wages and fewer why mobility is low, and with that, wage growth suffers. Since the late 1980s, job change rates have barely moved — from 2.9 percent in 1984 to just 4.8 percent in is ageing faster than almost any other country. Its fertility rate has not touched replacement levels since 1974. Today, it stands at 1.21. The birth rate is just six per 1,000 people, a quarter of what it was in the 1950s. Life expectancy hovers near 85. The median age has risen to people now make up a large part of the workforce. In the 1960s, just 8 percent of workers were 60 or older. Now, it's nearly 22 percent. Meanwhile, the share of the working-age population has dropped to its lowest since at least projections suggest that 94 percent of the world's countries will have fertility rates below replacement by the end of this century. The share of nations with a median age above 40 is expected to rise from 23 percent today to 73 percent by of these countries are already showing Japan-like patterns. Greece and Italy now have more workers staying in the same job for over a decade than Japan. Greece and Poland also have more people storing wealth in cash than Japan far, immigration has delayed some of the effects. But Japan remains nearly closed, with migrants making up just 3 percent of its population. If other countries also close their doors, they may face the same demographic crunch. Despite this, Japan has not unravelled. It has built a society that works with low growth. Life expectancy is among the highest. A 65-year-old woman in Japan can expect to live another 24.7 years, compared to 20.7 in the US. Two in three young adults have a college degree. And unemployment is just 2.6 also holds up. 'Today in Japan, a jobless couple with two children can expect to exit poverty with 26 hours of weekly work on minimum wage,' writes Banerjee. 'In the US, they would need 80 hours.' If that same couple lost their jobs, unemployment benefits would cover 69 percent of their past income. In the US, the figure is 36 OECD says, 'Lower growth can have advantages — when it is the result of societal consensus.' Japan didn't plan it this way, but decades of preparing for a slower, older world may have helped it is not a country without problems. But it has managed to create stability without chasing endless expansion. For nations facing population decline, social ageing, and economic uncertainty, Japan might be a warning. Or it might be a working model of how to live well when growth slows.
Time of India
10 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Lower wages, aging population, but still prospering: How Japan is quietly showing the world how to grow without growth
What happens when an economy stops growing, but life continues to improve? Japan may already have the answer. For over three decades, Japan's economy has barely moved. Growth flatlined, prices stayed low, and interest rates were cut to zero. Yet, the country didn't fall into chaos. Instead, Japan built something strange and quietly radical. It remains the world's fourth-largest economy. Unemployment is low, education levels are high, and people live long, healthy lives. Chandrima Banerjee, writing in The Times of India , asks: 'What if this seemingly stagnant economy isn't a cautionary tale, but a glimpse into humanity's future?' When growth stopped, life didn't In the 1980s, Japan was seen as a global powerhouse, often called the 'relentless Japanese economic juggernaut.' America and Europe saw it as a rising threat, not unlike how they now talk about China. Then, the miracle slowed. After a dramatic rise, Japan's GDP peaked close to America's in 1995 and has since inched forward. In current prices, it went from $1.1 trillion in 1980 to $5 trillion by 2030, while the US soared to $37 trillion. Since the 1990s, Japan has lived with near-zero inflation, falling prices, and interest rates that hovered near or below zero. The Bank of Japan introduced zero interest rates in 1999, then pushed them into negative territory in 2016. That policy stayed in place until 2024. Even now, borrowing remains cheap. Live Events But if prices didn't rise, neither did wages. Workers stopped expecting raises. Companies stopped offering them. 'Deflation left lasting habits,' the report notes, and those habits stuck. Average annual wages barely moved between 1990 and 2023, from $46,694 to just $46,792. Cautious spending, cautious living Living longer has made Japanese households more careful with their money. Real household spending rose only about 20 percent in three decades. People now spend more on healthcare and insurance, less on travel or shopping. Instead of investing, they save — mostly in cash. Nearly $15 trillion in household financial assets sit in bank deposits or physical currency. Half of all Japanese savings are held this way. That has a cost. 'That much idle capital means less flows into productive investment,' the analysis points out. No job hopping, no pay jumping The labour market is frozen in other ways too. Quitting a job is rare. In early 2025, only 17 percent said they wanted to change jobs. Of those, 63 percent weren't even looking. Just 5 percent actually made the switch. Why? The system rewards long-term employment. The longer you stay, the better your pay and benefits. But if you leave, you often end up in what's called 'irregular' work. Today, 48 percent of Japanese workers hold such jobs, which typically offer lower wages and fewer protections. That's why mobility is low, and with that, wage growth suffers. Since the late 1980s, job change rates have barely moved — from 2.9 percent in 1984 to just 4.8 percent in 2025. Ageing before the world does Japan is ageing faster than almost any other country. Its fertility rate has not touched replacement levels since 1974. Today, it stands at 1.21. The birth rate is just six per 1,000 people, a quarter of what it was in the 1950s. Life expectancy hovers near 85. The median age has risen to 49. Older people now make up a large part of the workforce. In the 1960s, just 8 percent of workers were 60 or older. Now, it's nearly 22 percent. Meanwhile, the share of the working-age population has dropped to its lowest since at least 1950. Other countries are not far behind UN projections suggest that 94 percent of the world's countries will have fertility rates below replacement by the end of this century. The share of nations with a median age above 40 is expected to rise from 23 percent today to 73 percent by 2100. Many of these countries are already showing Japan-like patterns. Greece and Italy now have more workers staying in the same job for over a decade than Japan. Greece and Poland also have more people storing wealth in cash than Japan does. So far, immigration has delayed some of the effects. But Japan remains nearly closed, with migrants making up just 3 percent of its population. If other countries also close their doors, they may face the same demographic crunch. Slower growth, but still living well Despite this, Japan has not unravelled. It has built a society that works with low growth. Life expectancy is among the highest. A 65-year-old woman in Japan can expect to live another 24.7 years, compared to 20.7 in the US. Two in three young adults have a college degree. And unemployment is just 2.6 percent. Welfare also holds up. 'Today in Japan, a jobless couple with two children can expect to exit poverty with 26 hours of weekly work on minimum wage,' writes Banerjee. 'In the US, they would need 80 hours.' If that same couple lost their jobs, unemployment benefits would cover 69 percent of their past income. In the US, the figure is 36 percent. The OECD says, 'Lower growth can have advantages — when it is the result of societal consensus.' Japan didn't plan it this way, but decades of preparing for a slower, older world may have helped it adapt. It is not a country without problems. But it has managed to create stability without chasing endless expansion. For nations facing population decline, social ageing, and economic uncertainty, Japan might be a warning. Or it might be a working model of how to live well when growth slows.
Time of India
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Delhi govt to launch 'Rashtraneeti' in schools: Student polls, committees & civic lessons
The Delhi government is preparing to launch its new civic education initiative, Rashtraneeti , aimed at reshaping how students learn about democracy, leadership and civic responsibility , The Times of India reported. Set to roll out across all government schools on August 15, the programme will cover students from kindergarten to Class XII, integrating civic values into school life. 'At the core of Rashtraneeti is a mission to instil ethical governance, democratic participation and national pride through active, student-led engagement,' an official told ToI. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Others Project Management MBA Product Management Healthcare Data Science Cybersecurity Technology Artificial Intelligence Operations Management Data Science Digital Marketing MCA Data Analytics Management Finance CXO Leadership Degree Design Thinking others Public Policy healthcare Skills you'll gain: Duration: 16 Weeks Indian School of Business CERT-ISB Transforming HR with Analytics & AI India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 28 Weeks MICA CERT-MICA SBMPR Async India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 7 Months S P Jain Institute of Management and Research CERT-SPJIMR Exec Cert Prog in AI for Biz India Starts on undefined Get Details To ensure smooth implementation, the State Council of Educational Research and Training recently conducted an orientation for master trainers who will lead the rollout across schools. According to officials, the session was designed to familiarise trainers with the programme's vision, structure and goals to ensure effective classroom delivery. As part of the initiative, each school will set up at least seven student-run committees, including those focused on environment, anti-bullying and canteen management, to mirror real-world governance systems. 'Students will conduct elections, make decisions and implement plans while teachers will guide them in the background. This hands-on model offers a first-hand understanding of governance and builds essential life skills like leadership, teamwork and ownership,' the official said. 'This will not only give them insight into policymaking and governance but also nurture a strong sense of ownership, collaboration and active citizenship,' he added. Rashtraneeti is expected to engage nearly every student in Delhi government schools, either through direct participation in committees or through related sub-groups and school-level activities. Officials described it as an effort to build civic consciousness from the ground up, turning governance into a lived experience rather than just a theoretical subject. Live Events The programme also signals a shift from some of AAP's earlier education initiatives, including Happiness Curriculum, Business Blasters and Mission Buniyaad, which will be gradually phased out, officials said. Alongside Rashtraneeti, the government will also launch NEEEV (New Era of Entrepreneurial Ecosystem and Vision) and Science of Living. NEEEV, targeted at students in Classes VIII to XII, aims to foster entrepreneurial thinking through innovation challenges such as 'startup stormers,' where students will develop, pitch and prototype their business ideas. It will also feature 'NEEEV dialogues,' a speaker series featuring entrepreneurs and industry leaders to inspire students, ToI reported.
