Category Public Policies, Programs and Schemes

GST Cuts and the Illusion of Relief Amidst Global Tariffs

Insights, Center for the Study for Finance and Economics, Economy and Infrastructure, Public Policies, Programs and Schemes

The recent Goods and Services Tax (GST) rate cuts in India have come against the backdrop of U.S. President Donald Trump's penal tariffs. On August 7, Trump signed an executive order imposing an additional 25% tariff on certain Indian goods so that these exports would now face at least 50% tariffs, compared to 30% on Chinese exports and 19% on Bangladeshi exports. Naturally, India's competitors stand to benefit, while Indian exports would decline sharply.

IMPRI Desk and Arun Kumar
March 20, 2026

Rebuilding Industrial Depth: India’s Strategy in a China-Centric Manufacturing Order

Insights, Center for International Relations and Strategic Studies, Economy and Infrastructure, International Relations and Strategic Studies, Public Policies, Programs and Schemes, South Asia Studies Center

The current manufacturing push in India is not a marginal adjustment in the overall policy trajectory; it is a structural realignment in the global system dominated by China. The allocation of ₹10,000 crore for the manufacture of shipping containers in the Union Budget 2026 is a paradigm of this shift.

IMPRI Desk
March 18, 2026

From Opaque to Open: The Quest for Algorithmic Accountability in Indian Public Services

Insights, Governance and Law, Policy Update, Public Policies, Programs and Schemes

In the 21st century, the machinery of governance is no longer just composed of legislative halls and administrative offices; it is increasingly defined by code. As India integrates Artificial Intelligence into its Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), algorithms are becoming the primary arbiters of resource allocation and citizen welfare.

IMPRI Desk
March 18, 2026

Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitat and Tangible Income (MISHTI) – A Gender Perspective of Mangrove Governance in India (2026)

Policy Update, Center for Habitat, Urban and Regional Studies, Environment, Energy, Climate Change and Sustainable Development, Gender Impact Studies Center, Insights, Livelihoods, Employment and Well-being, Public Policies, Programs and Schemes

Mangroves are one of the keystone species that cover 0.15% of the total geographical area of India as per the Indian State of Forest Report 2023 (ISFR 2023). They play a vital role in maintaining the biodiversity of the coastal ecosystem. They also act as natural barriers against storm surges, protect the coastline from erosion and help fight climate change by serving as carbon sinks thereby storing blue carbon.

IMPRI Desk
March 18, 2026

External Partnerships vs. Internal Divisions: A Sovereignty Paradox

Public Finances and Macroeconomics, Agriculture, Food, Nutrition Security and Rural Development, Center for Human Dignity and Development, Center for ICT for Development, Center for International Relations and Strategic Studies, Center for the Study for Finance and Economics, Economy and Infrastructure, Entrepreneurship, ICT and Innovation, Insights, International Relations and Strategic Studies, Livelihoods, Employment and Well-being, Public Policies, Programs and Schemes

TK Arun Beyond concessions, deal improves market access, strengthens strategic signalling; it could catalyse India Inc’s adaptation to era of AI and machines that embody AI. It will come as a surprise only to the politically naïve that the India-US…

IMPRI Desk and TK Arun
March 16, 2026

Platform Accountability, Not Prohibition: Rethinking Social Media Regulation

Center for Human Dignity and Development, Center for ICT for Development, Center for Work and Welfare, Entrepreneurship, ICT and Innovation, Gender Impact Studies Center, Gender, Pluralism and Social Inclusion, Generation Alpha Data Centre, Governance and Law, Insights, Public Policies, Programs and Schemes, Science and Technology

Protecting young users and democratic discourse requires platform accountability, not age bans that are hard to enforce and easy to evade. T.K. Arun The plans to ban social media access for young people are misguided. There is no disputing the harm that…

IMPRI Desk and TK Arun
March 16, 2026

India’s Health Budget and the Urgent Need for Stronger Lung Cancer Policies

Center for Human Dignity and Development, Center for the Study for Finance and Economics, Center for Work and Welfare, Economy and Infrastructure, Insights, Public Finances and Macroeconomics, Public Policies, Programs and Schemes

Urvashi Prasad India’s Union Health Budget 2026-27 and the release of the country’s first evidence based lung cancer guidelines have sparked important conversations about whether our health system is keeping pace with global standards. These announcements are not just policy…

IMPRI Desk
March 16, 2026