Finance and Economics – NICKELED AND DIMED

E20 FUEL IN INDIA- A GREEN ROADBLOCK

By – Aashrith Rajesh Abstract India’s shift to the E20 blend aims to cut pollution and reduce crude oil imports but faces major economic and practical challenges. Ethanol while being renewable, corrodes fuel systems since the older vehicles are not equipped for this higher ethanol content. On the supply side, diversion of sugarcane for the…
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When Pork becomes Geopolitics: Chinese Tariffs and the Chances for Retaliation on Trade

By Geetaali Malhotra Abstract: China’s tariffs on EU pork mark a new phase in trade wars, extending retaliation from industrial goods to food staples. By targeting Europe’s largest exporters, Beijing ties disputes over electric vehicles to a commodity central to its own diet, signalling the politicization of food security. This “porkification” of trade wars echoes…
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War as a Business Model: Global Investment in Gaza’s Erasure

By — Bhavya Shivhare Abstract: In the age of algorithmic warfare, corporations have become embedded in the machinery of conflict, not as observers, but as financiers and enablers. This article traces how dual-use technologies, research subsidies, and private capital sustain the AI-driven assault on Gaza, revealing a war economy where destruction generates dividends and the…
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The Economics of War and Peace

By – Siddharth Gokhale Abstract The Economics of War & Peace presents a compelling and deeply critical re-evaluation of conventional economic policy in post-war and fragile states. Its core thesis is straightforward yet profound: economic policies and analysis, often seen as neutral tools for development, are in fact powerful instruments that can either lay the…
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The Cost of Peace

By – Geetaali Malhotra Abstract The Cost of Peace: What War Leaves Behind is a reckoning with the brutal arithmetic of postwar life. When the guns fall silent, the battlefield shifts to balance sheets where deficits deepen, welfare shrinks, and the poor pay the highest price for conflicts they did not choose. From Ukraine’s trillion-dollar…
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Opportunity Costs in War-Torn States: Defence Spending vs. Social Welfare

A critical examination of the allocation of resources in conflict areas By – Soha Khan Abstract It is truism that the money spent on defense systems cannot be used for other needs. In conflict-ridden States, one of the biggest concerns is deciding the opportunity cost of choosing defense spending over social welfare. These are perennial…
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Skirts, Stocks, and Sentiment: The Economic Undercurrents of the Hemline Index

By – Niyati Mishra Abstract: The Hemline Index is an economic theory that links the lengths of skirts to economic cycles as they occur, in an attempt to link cultural trends to macroeconomic health. It is often dismissed as anecdotal, however, recent studies show the impact of fashion choices on consumer behaviour and economic forecasting.…
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The Price of Protectionism

By : Geetaali Malhotra Abstract When the WTO rolled out the TRIPS Agreement in 1995, it was sold as a grand plan to fuel innovation and reward pharmaceutical breakthroughs. Instead, it has become the world’s most effective paywall for survival, turning medicine into an exclusive club where only the wealthy get VIP access. By locking…
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The ARC Model: An Endeavour in Asset Reconstruction or Recovery?

This article examines the evolution, practice, and impact of India’s Asset Reconstruction Company (ARC) model—enacted under the SARFAESI Act, 2002—to address the country’s chronic Non-Performing Asset (NPA) crisis. Tracing the model’s origins in pre-1990s policy proposals through its formal establishment, it highlights how ARCs have shifted from their intended role of operational and managerial revival…
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The Economics of Haul Culture in Shaping Consumer Behavior

Although the facade of influencer culture lies in glamorous hauls, shopping and materialism that may seem justifiable, underneath it all rests a compounding story about overconsumption, impulsive buying and its effect on return economics. This is a story about more than just shopping or a trend, this is a reflection of the way people interact…
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The New Income Tax Structure: Relief or a Mere Adjustment?

The Union Budget 2025-26 introduced revisions to the personal income tax structure, raising the tax-free income threshold to ₹12 lakh, with an effective exemption of ₹12.75 lakh for salaried individuals. While positioned as a relief measure for the middle class, this adjustment fails to address deeper economic challenges. Wage growth remains stagnant despite rising living…
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Evolution of India’s Landscape for Private Equity & Budget

The newly introduced Union Budget of 2025 has introduced numerous measures that will provide significant progressive reforms to the Private Equity (PE) sector in India. From tax exemptions and tax holidays to foster growth in startups and changing limits on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to the introduction of new policies, committees and regulatory frameworks, all…
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