India’s ambitious overhaul of its direct tax system — billed as a cornerstone of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for a transparent, investor-friendly economy — has come under sharp scrutiny …
R. Suryamurthy
R. Suryamurthy
R. Suryamurthy is a Contributing Editor at South Asian Herald. He has worked for The Telegraph, The Tribune, and Press Trust of India.
-
Modi, Starmer Pledge Deeper India–UK Partnership Across Key Sectors
by R. Suryamurthy 7 minutes readThe India–United Kingdom relationship entered a new and more comprehensive phase this week as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart, Sir Keir Starmer, concluded two days of high-level …
-
Global Trade Faces 2026 Slowdown as Tariffs Bite; India Braces for Shifting Headwinds
by R. Suryamurthy 5 minutes readThe World Trade Organization (WTO) has warned that global trade growth will sharply decelerate in 2026 as the full effects of higher tariffs, weaker demand, and inventory corrections reverberate through …
-
NITI Aayog’s Roadmap Aims to Formalize India’s 490 Million Informal Workers—but Faces Steep Structural Hurdles
by R. Suryamurthy 8 minutes readIndia’s policy think tank NITI Aayog has released a sweeping blueprint to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) for inclusive growth, aiming to integrate nearly 490 million informal workers into the formal …
-
ISPL Season 3 Trials Begin Across 101 Cities, 4.4 Million Players Vie for Spot in Grand 2026 Edition
by R. Suryamurthy 4 minutes readThe Indian Street Premier League (ISPL), the country’s pioneering tennis-ball T10 cricket tournament, has kicked off player trials for its third season, marking its biggest expansion yet. The nationwide trials, …
-
“Are You Alright, Bud?”: Pittsburgh Killing Deepens Fears Over Rising Violence Against Indians Abroad
by R. Suryamurthy 6 minutes readThe final words of 51-year-old motel manager Rakesh Ehagaban — “Are you alright, bud?” — now echo as a chilling symbol of vulnerability for a diaspora under siege. Ehagaban, an …
-
GST Cuts, Festive Spirit Drive India’s Biggest Consumption Surge in a Decade
by R. Suryamurthy 2 minutes readIndia’s consumer economy clocked its strongest Navratri sales in over ten years, underscoring the return of robust household demand at the start of the festive season. Retailers and manufacturers credited …
-
India Weighs Presumptive Taxation to Break Cycle of Foreign Investor Disputes
by R. Suryamurthy 3 minutes readNITI Aayog has released a detailed working paper proposing reforms to India’s international tax regime, with an emphasis on enhancing certainty and transparency in Permanent Establishment (PE) rules and profit …
-
Book Review: Unlocking the Wisdom of the Ramayana, Bridging Itihasa and Self-Help
by R. Suryamurthy 7 minutes readFew texts in world literature have proved as infinitely malleable as the Ramayana. Recast across millennia, languages, and geographies—from Valmiki’s Sanskrit original to Kamban’s Tamil Iramavataram, from Tulsidas’s Ramcharitmanas to …
-
From Lab to Coastline: Can IISc’s Siphon Desalination Really Quench India’s Thirst?
by R. Suryamurthy 3 minutes readIndia’s chronic water crisis has long been a paradox: surrounded by seas yet struggling to provide clean drinking water to millions. Now, scientists at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) …