Martin Wolf News

At a time when the world is grappling with shifting global narratives and macroeconomic challenges, India is experiencing a remarkable transformation. Strong demand, resilient supply chains, relentless innovation, rapid digitization at scale, energetic entrepreneurship and a conducive policy-and-investment climate are shaping a new wave of global optimism over India. From governments across Europe and the US to power centres in the Global South, India’s name resonates in discussions on alliances and strategic partnerships.

Indo-Pacific could offer an alternative trading framework, but many countries—especially India—will be uneasy about China’s dominant role within it, commented Martin Wolf, Chief Economics Commentator at the Financial Times. He set the tone for CUTS International’s webinar on geopolitics last week. The two-session brought together global experts, policymakers, and thought leaders to assess the implications of President Donald Trump’s second term on the Indo-Pacific region’s geopolitics, trade, and security frameworks. Ambassador Meera Shankar, former Indian Ambassador to the U.S., emphasised that “Collective security, collective prosperity, and a rules-based order drive the Indo-Pacific region.” However, she noted that while economic cooperation has progressed, collective security remains a work in progress.

A recent news report in The Times of India suggests that in order to curb mis-selling, “insurance agents may be required to maintain audio-visual records of [the] sales pitch" they make to prospective buyers of insurance policies. A letter suggesting the same seems to have gone from the Centre’s consumers affairs secretary to the financial services secretary.

In the early 2000s, India unveiled the globally lauded tourism campaign, “Incredible India." Fast-forward to the present. Harvard Business School posed a compelling question: If India were to initiate another global campaign today, what should encapsulate its essence? Its recommendation, “Inevitable India," carries a profound resonance with the contemporary global landscape and geopolitical dynamics. From governments across North America, Europe and the Global South to global CEOs worldwide, the name ‘India’ is at the forefront of discussions on alliances and strategic partnerships.

This week, the UK will see rail strikes as workers demand significantly higher pay raises. From Sunday, workers on London’s fabulous metro are threatening industrial action. Earlier this month, it was the turn of doctors of the National Health Service (NHS), who rejected Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s offer of a 6% salary hike and are demanding 35% to catch up with what in developed-world terms has been runaway inflation.

Martin Wolf Money has already evolved from coins, to notes, entries in balance sheets and bits on computers. The institutions that provide, operate, guarantee and regulate money have evolved with it.