CATEGORIES

WE HAVE TO GET TO 4-5% OF GDP IN RESEARCH

While the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, in 2019, recommended that India more than double its expenditure on research and development (R&D) to 2 per cent of GDP by 2022, N.R. Narayana Murthy, the legendary founder of Infosys, thinks this wouldn’t be enough to solve the pressing problems facing the nation. He advises a much higher spending on research and stresses that taxpayers should fund not only applied research but also fundamental research, which can take several decades to show results. In an interview to Business Today’s Goutam Das on the sidelines of Infosys Prize, an annual award that honours achievements of researchers and scientists, Murthy also explained why India needs to change some of its cultural approaches to learning. Edited excerpts:

PLUGGING IMPORT LEAKS

ANTI-DUMPING DUTIES HAVE OFTEN FAILED TO SUPPORT DOMESTIC INDUSTRY

New-Age NBFCs

A NEW BREED OF TECH-SAVVY PLAYERS IS TARGETING NICHE LENDING SEGMENTS NOT COVERED BY BANKS AND TRADITIONAL NBFCs. THEIR JOURNEY IS NOT WITHOUT CHALLENGES.

OVERSPENDING FOR GROWTH

The Budget reveals the government is willing to stretch its finances by going off the fiscal glide path

LOW ON CHARGE

In India and elsewhere, the electric vehicle story has not quite lived up to the overzealous projections of a few years ago. A course correction is under way.

FUELLING ECONOMIC GROWTH

A dozen experts interpret Budget 2020 and its impact

How To Save Tax

Here are some tips for smart tax planning in 2020

FUTURE OF WORK

Leading experts on the radical changes in jobs, workplace, skills, privacy and employee well-being

Smart Lending

P2P LENDING IS EMERGING AS AN ATTRACTIVE INVESTMENT OPTION IN THE DEBT SEGMENT PROMISING 15-20 PER CENT RETURNS

Save LTCG Tax on Stocks

GAINS ABOVE ₹1 LAKH ON SHARES ARE TAXED. HERE IS HOW YOU CAN CHURN THE PORTFOLIO TO PAY LESS

Best Advice I Ever Got

“YOU HAVE TO PROTECT YOUR RESOURCE-GENERATING ENGINE”

Government Doesn't Have The Bench Strength To Handle The Economy

The Indian economy is going through one of its longest spells of slowdown — six quarters and counting. Even as government and independent commentators are groping in the dark for possible ways to turn around a decelerating economy, Business Today’s Dipak Mondal and Joe C. Mathew caught up with P. Chidambaram, who has presented eight Budgets as finance minister. Excerpts from his analysis of the crisis:

The Slowing Economy Will Remain So For Some Time

Will the Narendra Modi government announce a populist Union Budget to arrest the economic slowdown? Will Budget 2020 offer tax sops and income tax relaxation to stimulate demand? Unlikely, says Bibek Debroy, Chairman, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM). Debroy tells Business Today’s Joe C. Mathew that a stimulus is neither feasible nor desirable and a clear and credible roadmap for fiscal consolidation is the need of the hour. Edited excerpts:

How To Steady A Wobbly Economy

Prescriptions from top experts in business, economics, politics and taxation

New Fault Lines in Banking

Even as banks lower their NPAs for the year, new areas of stress are emerging that may create headaches for the financial sector and the RBI.

Knocked Out

PESSIMISM RULES AS CORPORATE LEADERS EXPECT A DULL BUDGET AND BELOW 5 PER CENT GROWTH IN 2019/20, FINDS THE LATEST BUSINESS TODAY-C FORE BUSINESS CONFIDENCE SURVEY

MALLS WITH AIRPORTS

The land of duty-free has grown to such an extent that these stores are now destinations by themselves

GOING WITH THE TIDE

MARKET BUOYANCY LED TO A STELLAR SHOW BY IPOs THOUGH FUNDS RAISED WERE LOW

BAYER-MONSANTO POWER OF TWO

HOW THE MERGER OF MNC GIANTS BAYER AND MONSANTO IS LIKELY TO PAN OUT IN INDIA

A Potential Hire

More and more companies are hiring people with disabilities to strengthen their brand and tap into new customer segments

Your Money in 2020

Innovation in products will be the key factor, be it banking, mutual funds, insurance or loans

GST Shock For States

Many states are facing severe revenue constraints as GST collections remain subdued and centre delays transfer of their share of taxes

WHEN MANUFACTURING GOES 3D

A number of industries have started using 3D printing to make goods. Makers of 3D printers expect the trickle to soon turn into a flood

Work in Progress

India’s data protection Bill has implications for citizens, companies and the government. But many questions need answers before it can near implementation

Legal Shocker

THE NCLAT DECISION TO REINSTATE CYRUS MISTRY AS TATA SONS EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN HAS TURNED THE TABLES ON THE TATA GROUP. WHAT NEXT?

Lacking Bite

DESPITE BEING ARMED WITH STATUTORY AND ARREST POWERS, SFIO INVESTIGATIONS HAVE LED TO FEW CONVICTIONS. THIS RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT ITS EFFECTIVENESS

High Risk, High Reward

ALTHOUGH PMS PLANS PERFORM BETTER THAN MUTUAL FUNDS IN THE LONG RUN, INVESTORS MUST BE AWARE OF THE RISKS INVOLVED

PEACE FOCUS WORK

How leaders are using mindfulness to improve productivity

IF THERE'S AN ELEMENT OF FAILURE, TRY TO FAIL FAST

The over $22 billion pharma major AstraZeneca has seen one of the most remarkable turnarounds in drug research history. With 144 projects in clinical trials and 16 new molecular entities in final Phase-III trials, it boasts of a new drugs pipeline bigger than that of rivals Pfizer and Roche – both more than double its size in revenue. Yet, the world’s 14th largest pharma company faces multiple challenges, two of which are Brexit and the US-China trade war (18% revenue from China and 30% from the US). Business Today’s Rajeev Dubey caught up with AstraZeneca’s Non-executive Chairman, Leif Johansson, during his recent India visit. Edited Excerpts:

GAMING GST

BUSINESSES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE INDULGING IN LARGE GST VIOLATIONS. NO WONDER THERE IS A HUGE SHORTFALL IN COLLECTIONS