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Business Standard

Best of BS Opinion: India's growth story needs harmony, not exits

There are some mornings when you catch a group of teens with mismatched instruments rehearsing in the park. An off-key trumpet, a scratched-up guitar, and sometimes one hesitant drummer. It sounds like noise at first. But wait a few minutes and suddenly, the pieces fall in place. The rhythm kicks in, the melody gels, and something real begins. Not perfect, but promising. That's when the choice appears: sharpen the sound, perfect the sync, or walk away. Let's dive in. India faces that very choice across vastly different stages. The ASEAN Free Trade Agreement which came into force in 2010 and is currently under review, might seem like a discordant alliance to some. Domestic lobbies want out, citing dumped Chinese goods and lagging farm exports. But as our first editorial argues, that's like quitting the band when your mic isn't loud enough. Instead, India should fine-tune the rules, harmonise better with the region, and use the pact as a strategic amplifier in the Indo-Pacific. Then there's the Gini index, a stat that suggests India is one of the world's most equal countries. Cue the applause? Not quite. As our second editorial explains, consumption-based metrics mask deep distortions. Behind the curtain, rural-urban divides blare on like untuned basslines, and state-by-state income variations clash like overlapping tempos. To fix the score, India must orchestrate policies that bridge regions and generate inclusive growth before the dissonance drowns the melody. M Govinda Rao shows Karnataka as a cautionary concert. Bengaluru leads with unicorns and tech gigs, while North Karnataka stays muted, underfed and overlooked. Historical baggage, lopsided investment, and uneven governance have turned one state into two different playlists. It's time policymakers re-tune subsidies and capital flows, and let every region play its own solo. Meanwhile, Ajay Kumar's column on undersea cables reminds us that even backstage tech can make or break a performance. These digital lifelines, vital for India's data-heavy future, are exposed to sabotage and surveillance. Without tighter laws, more repair ships, and Quad-aligned strategy, India's internet symphony risks being cut mid-note. And Devangshu Datta's review of Commanded by Destiny: A General's Rise from Soldier to Statesman by General S M Shrinagesh brings us back to the roots: a soldier-statesman's memoir that echoes with history's crescendos and silent interludes. It's a reminder that enduring legacy, like good music, requires discipline, foresight and knowing when to let each instrument lead. Stay tuned, and remember, because the band's off-sync, don't quit on the song. Just rehearse harder!