Swapnil Karkare

Pilgrims, patients and working women are the real travellers, and the system hasn't quite caught up with them.

There is a hidden commuting cost, especially for women. It is not just about women paying more than men. It is about women paying much more in cities than in villages.

Religious journeys dominate overnight travel, while social visits, education, business and shopping make up a sizeable share. And that shapes where they stay.

Domestic travel has picked up, especially after Covid. This may be true for many people, including readers of this column and me, but not everyone.

From daily commutes to national economies: understanding the cost of ambition.

The Household Travel Survey 2025-26 shows how walking, cycling and urban-rural differences shape monthly commuting costs across India.

Two-wheelers are the most popular way to get to work in India, accounting for nearly 43% of workplace commutes.

For years, Indonesia has benefited from a young workforce, steady economic growth and a reputation for fiscal discipline. Now, that reputation is under pressure.

From France's debt crisis to global diesel shortages and advertising-cluttered railway stations, three stories explore one question: who benefits, who bears the cost, and who gets to decide?

When ads get priority over train schedules, commuters pay the price.

Combined oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, Bab al-Mandeb and the Suez Canal fell to 9.99 million barrels per day in September, 61% below their February pre-war level.

Let's look at how the French economy and politics evolved under Nicolas Sarkozy, Franois Hollande and Emmanuel Macron.

India has successfully concluded several trade agreements. More deals will also follow. These can bring more export orders, more investments and more business opportunities. But things can still go wrong along the way.

Although India's steps are in the right direction, they remain modest compared with India's growing dependence, and most projects are still years away from meaningful production.

India needs stronger domestic food-safety and labelling standards, with best practices becoming part of everyday business for farmers, traders and food companies.

The question is no longer just whether India can attract companies and capital. It is how much value they create here, how deeply they invest, and whether India remains relatively attractive when they have plenty of other options.

For Indian investors, this hasn't been a great year. Equities, bonds, gold all have been a disappointment. Moreover, foreign investors have been pulling money out of Indian equities for much of the year.

Usually, yields and currencies go hand-in-hand. The logic is simple. When yields are high, investors flock in and demand for that currency rises. That's what has happened with the US dollar and Treasury yields too. But the story isn't so simple.

VinFast, Tesla and BYD highlight a shift in India's auto industry, with newer entrants weighing imports, assembly and partnerships against deep localisation.

I have observed that even though countries celebrate self-reliance in their internal politics, they are keen to strengthen partnerships with other countries (sometimes desperately).