Newspaper editorials — Friday 21 August, 2026

Central government finances for 2026-27 may remain close to budgeted levels

The top court’s verdict closes existing environmental clearance regularisation routes while leaving scope for a new framework

West Bengal should rebuild its crumbling, hazardous infrastructure

Affordability issues propel democratic socialists in the U.S.

Census authorities should explain the rationale of new entries in the questionnaire India’s first census under the Raj asked 17 questions. The ongoing 16th Census will ask 40. That’s not a bad thing because data...

Nodal testing agency is fast losing legitimacy. UGC-NET’s exam issues were sheer incompetence NTA is becoming a burlesque act. The latest fiasco – three papers of UGC-NET, the qualifying test to teach in colleges, and...

India sits on a conservatively estimated 35,000 tonnes of gold, valued at well over 115% of GDP. We are the only country in the world with this distinction, yet we behave like Kasturi Mrig –...

Assam’s floods are often described as inevitable. From a civil engineer’s perspective, that is an incomplete diagnosis. Brahmaputra and its tributaries will overflow during extreme monsoon events, but flooding becomes a disaster when int…

In a poignant moment at a checkpoint in Ladakh, a woman's remarks about the Indian Army sparked a reflection on the sacrifices made by soldiers.

This piece elaborates a few reasons behind the scepticism over IndiGo's plan, some internal to the airline and some external and/or structural factors.

India’s welfare State has been hidden inside the household. That arrangement is dissolving under urbanisation, migration, and women’s entry into paid work.

Donald Trump’s obsessions may have exacted serious costs and turned off sections of the electorate, but two factors may shield his party in mid-term elections.

The US Treasury’s plan to double buybacks of its long-dated bonds has made investors sit up across the world. Capital costs held down this way could face resistance from market forces—especially from investors who value policy reliability.

Sugar prices are rising and policy curbs are in place for bulk stocks. To what extent is sugarcane diversion to ethanol production for blending with fuels to blame? Policymakers need a big-picture review of how policies and markets inter…

Companies often confuse lofty corporate slogans with meaningful ambition, but real progress comes from practical, achievable goals, the writer argues. While “constructive aspirations” focus on improving products, customers, costs and eve…

India’s rare earth strategy must extend beyond magnet manufacturing to build a resilient, China-independent supply chain, EY-Parthenon partners argue. Rising demand from EVs, air conditioners and wind turbines makes domestic capacity urg…

Bangladesh seeks a favorable environment for PM Tarique Rahman's upcoming visit to New Delhi. India's high commissioner emphasizes engagement and shared interests between the two nations. Rahman's 'Bangladesh First' approach aligns with …

Modern life’s information overload and constant pressures have increased the need for inner peace. The piece argues that lasting peace cannot depend on external places or circumstances because the Divine resides within every person.

Second Innings: Don't panic if you've been defrauded; file a complaint as soon as possible- दूसरी पारी: फ्रॉड हो गया, तो घबराएं नहीं; जल्द से जल्द शिकायत दर्ज कराएं

Looking Back: Age is merely a measure of time; being 'elderly' is not a negative identity - मुड़-मुड़ के देख: उम्र तो सिर्फ समय का हिसाब है, 'बुजुर्ग' होना कोई नकारात्मक पहचान नहीं

Issue: Where should pedestrians go and how will they find their way? - मुद्दा: पैदल यात्री आखिर कहां जाएं, कैसे निकलेगी राह

Why is there such contradiction in West's policies, and what, then, is the justification for lecturing Putin? - दुनिया: पश्चिम की नीतियों में इतना विरोधाभास क्यों, फिर पुतिन को नसीहतों का औचित्य?