Impact of higher oil prices on economy
With the oil prices zooming by over 100%, speculators are up in arms to paint a gloomy picture of the economy, when it is in the take-off stage for resurgency after a lapse of two years.

Technology transfer and foreign investment
Time to start talking potatoes and computer chips again. One effect of the new round of trade talks might be in the way technology is transferred between economies.

Judiciary - Protecting public interest or appeasing government
The Supreme Court is permitting the Union government to do a shoddy job of presenting its cases before it. This is clear from the steady stream of orders that are pouring out disposing cases of excise and customs.

Consensus blues
Good intentions are important but not enough for a meaningful strategy. This is clear from the way consensus -- by which Atal Behari Vajpayee swore on assuming office -- has eluded the government in the Lok Sabha.

Net result
The initial entrepreneurial interest in setting up ISP services, which saw the emergence of 170 licence-holders appears to have died down. Only about 30 of these have made attempts to start operations.