Is 'Shadow' Economy growing larger than the system casting it?

 Every economy has two faces: the part that appears in budgets, tax returns, stock markets, and government statistics and another one which exists behind it that is far larger, quieter, and often more powerful. It is not printed in reports, yet it shapes prices, politics, and even people’s dreams. This is the shadow economy. It is the parallel system of unreported, untaxed, and illegal money that flows through societies like an invisible river of black money. The troubling question today is no longer whether this shadow exists, but whether it has grown so large that it now begins to distort and overpower the formal economy. What was once a hidden leak in the system now risks becoming the system itself.

The biggest contributor to this economy is tax evasion. Many of us don't know that only about 1.6% to 2% of Indians pay income tax! As a result, the government is unable to generate expected revenue through taxes, because of people evading taxes through loopholes like under-reporting of income, benami transactions, and round-tripping techniques. We need to understand that every rupee that is lost through tax evasion is a rupee stolen from building classrooms, hospitals, roads, research and development etc. Low public investment leads to low productivity further resulting in slow growth. Ironically enough, by definition, black money is the kind of money that the government is unaware of, but people in the government often understand its workings better than anyone else, and many even participate in it. A junior officer pays the one above him to secure his posting and that officer pays the one above him, creating a vertical chain of corruption.

The elite class hides their money, the middle class pays taxes honestly but gets fewer to no public services in return. Honest firms fall behind tax-evading counterparts and so formal job creation stagnates. The price of almost everything in the economy can be matched to your wallet as everything has become purchasable, from saving yourself from traffic challans to getting promotions and contracts. And things start to look really bad when the cost of two innocent lives come down to an essay to back an affluent teenager. In such cases the black economy acts as a shield for the wealthy people and thus a price tag is put on the life of a common man.

The shadow economy is a master at nourishing organised crime and somewhere threatens national security as illegal trade is practised like drugs, arms trafficking, or mining depending upon unaccounted cash flows. Mafias thrive through a three-way nexus between businessmen seeking shortcuts, politicians offering cover, and officials enabling illegal operations. As these networks expand, systems like Hawala channels grow stronger and ultimately become the connecting link to foreign criminal and extremist groups. What starts as local corruption can escalate into a national security risk if gone without surveillance.

As infamous as the shadow economy already is, it's not a big problem for society, at least not as big as normalising it. In popular culture the shadow economy is no longer portrayed as destructive, but rather stylised and aspirational. This cultural normalisation seeps into real life. A large section of youth aspiring for government jobs quietly sees public service not as a duty, but as access to stability, authority, and under-the-table income.

One of the most dangerous aspects of the shadow economy today is not secrecy, but acceptance. Black money has stopped feeling illegal and started feeling normal. From bribing a traffic policeman to avoid a challan, to paying in cash for land, to distributing money during elections... These acts no longer shock society. The shadow economy is not sustained only by criminals or elites. White-collar employees accepting cash components, professionals under-reporting income, businesses avoiding GST, consumers demanding “no-bill” discounts, this ordinary participation normalises illegality. The system survives because compliance has become selective and convenience now overrides ethics. Its impact on the environment is equally destructive. Illegal mining deteriorates landscapes, riverbeds, and ecosystems. Wildlife smuggling, timber theft, and unregulated construction projects damage biodiversity and violate environmental safeguards. These activities survive precisely because black money shields them from scrutiny.

The ever-present shadow of the ‘shadow’ economy stretches and contracts with policy, enforcement, and public attitude. Black money bends the shape of markets, and sectors that easily absorb black money get over-inflated like real estate, gold, luxury goods, and thus, prices become unfair for the layman. The shadow economy is not just a financial problem, rather a moral and institutional one. It quietly erodes trust, rewards dishonesty, and punishes those who try to play by the rules. When corruption becomes normal, legality starts to feel optional, and that is when a society begins to lose its spine. The greatest danger today is not that black money exists, but that people have learned to live with it, adjust to it, and even depend on it.

-Krutika Mali

प्रदीर्घ युद्धे : संघर्ष निवारणापासून ते अगतिकतेपर्यंत

दरवेळी युद्ध सुरू होतं तेव्हा एकच भाषा ऐकू येते, “ही शेवटची लढाई आहे.” सुरक्षेसाठी. सन्मानासाठी. सीमांसाठी. अस्तित्वासाठी. पण मग वर्षे जातात, पिढ्या बदलतात आणि युद्ध संपत नाही... आज जगभरात आपण पाहतो, रशिया–युक्रेन संघर्ष तिसऱ्या वर्षात, गाझामध्ये पुन्हा-पुन्हा भडकणारी हिंसा, मध्यपूर्वेतील अस्थिरता, आफ्रिकेतील सशस्त्र संघर्ष आणि आपल्या उपखंडातही सतत तणावाची छाया... प्रश्न असा आहे, ही सर्व युद्धे अजूनही 'उद्दिष्टां'साठी लढली जात आहेत, की ती आता फक्त सवय झाली आहेत? सर्वात जास्त अस्वस्थ करणारी गोष्ट म्हणजे हिंसा सामान्य होणं.

जेव्हा एखादं मूल सायरनच्या आवाजात मोठं होतं, जेव्हा बॉम्बस्फोट ही ब्रेकिंग न्यूज नसून रोजचं वास्तव असतं, जेव्हा सीमा भागात तणाव ही 'नैसर्गिक अवस्था' मानली जाते– तेव्हा समाज हळूहळू संघर्षाशी जुळवून घेतो; आणि ही जुळवणूकच धोकादायक आहे. 

युद्धाची अधिकृत कारणे नेहमीच भक्कम असतात– राष्ट्रीय सुरक्षा, दहशतवादाचा प्रतिकार, आक्रमणाला उत्तर, परंतु दीर्घकालीन युद्धात एक वेगळीच राजकीय गती काम करत असते. बाह्य शत्रू असला की अंतर्गत प्रश्न कमी विचारले जातात. राष्ट्रवादाची लाट निर्माण झाली की मतभेद 'देशद्रोह' ठरतात. आपत्कालीन परिस्थिती जाहीर झाली की उत्तरदायित्व पुढे ढकलले जाते. इतिहासात आणि वर्तमानात आपण हे अनेकदा पाहिलं आहे. युद्ध कधी कधी सुरक्षेचं साधन असतं; पण ते सत्तेच्या टिकावाचं साधनही बनू शकतं. हा केवळ राजकीय नाही, तर नैतिक प्रश्न आहे– 

जर शांततेमुळे सत्ता कमकुवत होत असेल, तर काही जणांना शांतता नकोशी वाटू शकते का? आज युद्ध फक्त रणांगणावर लढलं जात नाही; ते अर्थव्यवस्थेतही लढलं जातं. संरक्षण-उद्योग, शस्त्रास्त्र करार, पुनर्बांधणी प्रकल्प, संसाधनांवरील नियंत्रण– युद्ध संपलं तर अनेकांचे आर्थिक गणित बिघडू शकते. म्हणून कधी कधी असं वाटतं – आपण शांततेपेक्षा अस्थिरतेत जास्त गुंतवणूक करत आहोत का? शांतता चर्चा होतात, करार होतात, पण ते वारंवार मोडतात. जागतिक संस्थांमध्ये राजकीय मतभेद, व्हेटो राजकारण, निवडक हस्तक्षेप – यामुळे न्याय सर्वांसाठी समान राहत नाही. जेव्हा लोकांना वाटू लागतं की आंतरराष्ट्रीय व्यवस्थादेखील राजकारणाने नियंत्रित आहे, तेव्हा शांततेवरील विश्वास कमी होतो.

मानसशास्त्रात एक संकल्पना आहे, 'Learned Helplessness.' वारंवार अपयश आलं, आणि परिस्थितीवर नियंत्रण नाही असं वाटलं, की माणूस प्रयत्न करणं सोडतो. दीर्घकालीन युद्धात समाज याच अवस्थेत जातो. गाझामध्ये जन्मलेली मुलं युद्धाला नियती मानू लागतात. अफगाणिस्तानात दशकानुदशके संघर्षानंतर राजकीय उदासीनता वाढते. काश्मीरमध्ये संवाद प्रक्रियेवरचा विश्वास अनेकदा डळमळीत होताना दिसायला लागतो. लोक बदल घडवणारे नागरिक राहात नाहीत, ते फक्त जगणारे बनतात. युद्धाचा सर्वात मोठा पराभव इथेच होतो, जेव्हा माणूस स्वतःच्या आवाजावरचा विश्वास गमावतो... मग खरंच युद्धाची गरज आहे का? हा प्रश्न टाळता येत नाही. हो, काही वेळा संरक्षणासाठी प्रतिकार आवश्यक असू शकतो. पण दीर्घकालीन युद्ध? पिढ्यान् पिढ्या चालणारा संघर्ष? सतत भीतीवर उभा असलेला समाज? ह्यांचं काय? खरे पाहता, युद्ध हे कोणाच्याही विजयाचं प्रतीक नसून मानवी विकासाचं सामूहिक अपयश आहे. ते न्यायाच्या संकल्पनेला शांततेची शिकवण देत स्वतः मात्र हिंसेचा मार्ग स्वीकारणाऱ्या दुटप्पीपणालाही उघड करतं.

जर आपण शस्त्रास्त्रांवर अब्जावधी खर्च करू शकतो, तर आपण संवाद, शिक्षण, आणि समावेशक विकासावर तितकाच खर्च का करू शकत नाही? युद्ध जिंकता येतं, सीमा बदलता येतात, सत्ता टिकवता येते; पण हरवलेली आशा परत आणणं सर्वात कठीण असतं. खरी लढाई सीमांवर नाही ती मानवी मनात आहे. आपण भीतीवर उभं असलेलं जग स्वीकारणार आहोत का? की संवादावर उभं असलेलं जग निर्माण करणार आहोत? युद्ध अपरिहार्य असू शकतं, पण दीर्घकालीन युद्ध अपरिहार्य आहे का? हा प्रश्न कदाचित, आपण सगळ्यांनी विचारायला हवा...

-उत्कर्षा निगड़े 

The Nightingale of India

 

"Can ye measure the grief of the tears I weep

Or compass the woe of the watch I keep?”

Not just a poet, not just an activist, but the Nightingale of India, the voice of the citizens, and the strength of its women, Sarojini Naidu was truly one of a kind. Born on February 13, 1879, in Hyderabad, to a scientist-linguist and a poetess, language was bound in her blood. With her gift of poetry, she produced music, not in a literal sense, but by using her words, she created rhythm in her poems. In one of her renowned poems “The Gift of India” she discusses the martyred Indian soldiers of the First World War. She not only honors their sacrifice but also educates the people about the soldiers’ roles in providing protection.

The poems were the special thing about her, because they expressed the Indian sentiment, the nationalism felt not just by her, but by the vast majority of India. She wrote for the people. Aside from being a weaver of words, she was also a great orator. She advocated for freedom and for women’s rights across the globe, although the media records regarding most of her speeches are lost, her sentiments, her beliefs, and her persistence still reside in our hearts. “We want deeper sincerity of motive, a greater courage in speech and earnestness in action”, she said in one of her speeches.

The poem “Indian Weavers”, wherein the life of the weavers in India was portrayed, she uses the weavers and the hours of the day as metaphors for the journey of life. This poem particularly resonated with millions of her admirers, because it describes the vulnerability of life and the fragility of time.

But was poetry all she ever did? Definitely not. She advocated freedom, she delivered great speeches, and was an ambassador for the freedom struggle of India abroad. She was a fierce, witty woman who never hesitated to stand up for the injustice faced by Indians. Even in the freedom struggle, she never backed away, she led protests even when the other freedom fighters were being arrested left and right. She joined the Indian National Congress, became its first female President, and later the first woman Governor of an Indian state (Uttar Pradesh). This strengthened her movement in the struggle for women’s rights. Becoming the first female Governor inspired many girls, teaching them that women can do something as well as anyone else can.

Padmaja Naidu’s biggest inspiration was her mother, Sarojini Naidu. “A living embodiment of courage and compassion” were the words used by her daughter to describe her.

“Words must serve action, and action must serve humanity” was Sarojini’s advice to her daughter as remembered by her. That is why not only Padmaja, but also other pivotal women like Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (the first Indian and the first female President of the United Nations General Assembly), and many other female freedom fighters chose Sarojini Naidu as their inspiration.

Finally, a day that all the citizens of India should know is the thirteenth of February not simply because it is Sarojini Naidu’s birth anniversary, but also because it is celebrated as the National Women’s Day, because of her efforts and her role in fighting for women’s rights in society. Through her wit and her words, through her confidence and her resilience, she taught us how to soar in the sky of freedom and patriotism, with words and rhythms.

-Isha Barve 

Mother Of All Deals

 

Besides forcefully interfering in the home issues of fourteen different countries, and castigating a sitting president of a nation, Donald J Trump, the President of the US, did something incredible in oblivion. His unpredictable and audacious nature forced India to diversify its trade and break the two decade long streak of not signing an FTA with the European Union. 

On the 26th & and 27th of January, India signed a deal with the EU, which they call ‘The Mother of All Deals’. And so as the name suggests, it is the mother of all deals, as it caters 25% of the global GDP, encompasses 1/3rd of the global trade, unlocks preferential access of $75 billion in exports, abolishes tariffs on 9425 lines of Indian exports, thus accounting to 99% of the Indian exports, and most importantly integrates 27 economies in one single agreement connecting 2 billion people across the globe.

Undoubtedly, India and Europe made this deal to offset Trump tariffs. As the reports suggest, Europe has been experiencing deteriorating economic stability driven by sluggish growth, high debt, and structural weaknesses, with GDP growth potential slowing from ~1% to 0.5% over the next five years. India on the other hand, initiated its GST 2.0 which cushioned the consequences of 50% tariffs on the Indian exports which jeopardized major export industries in India. 

So the India–EU Free Trade Agreement talks does bring to the fore the question, 'Have we wimped out on our long-standing “protectionist” position by moving out of the WTO regime?' The answer is not to abandon them, but to transform them. The WTO that was supposed to level the playing field has proved helpless in the face of uneven tariff wars, unilateral sanctions, and geopolitical bullying. In this fractured global order, the strategic FTAs sought by India are not a jettisoning of protectionism but a recalibration of it.

With a few exceptions, the nation is not resisting multilateralism so much as remedying its paralysis by piecemeal market openings and vigilantly protecting its domestic interests. The agreement with Europe thus signals a strategic, not ideological, shift from protectionism to economic resilience in which sovereignty is maintained not through isolation but through diversified engagement.

-Soham Sonar

Where Presence Becomes the Journey

 

One of my most surreal experiences has been standing in front of the Ganga on a quiet evening, where the water keeps moving, bells ring in the distance, and monks chant mantras. You close your eyes, say a small prayer and suddenly the air feels lighter and slower. You don’t do much there, you just exist. And somehow, that is enough to make it one of life’s best moments. Travel often begins like this. Not with checklists or planned destinations, but with a moment. A moment where you pause just to feel something. In Rishikesh, it feels peaceful, in Goa, it feels cheerful, and in places like Jaipur or Varanasi, it feels chaotic, yet deeply alive.

When travel makes space for such moments, it's slow tourism. It is not about how many places you visit, rather about how deeply you experience each and every spot. You stop counting attractions and start noticing every small detail. Here, travel is more about presence than movement. Yet, not every place asks for stillness. Some places are meant to be loud, crowded, and constantly moving. This is where loud tourism finds its meaning. The chaos and overlapping sounds are not distractions, but the identity of these places. Cities like Mumbai or Bangalore feel alive because so much happens at once, the rituals, conversations, and daily life unfolding together. Even amidst the rush, there are moments worth noticing.

Over time, travel starts to feel like a conversation. Not a loud one, just an exchange happening quietly between you and the place. The way you enter a city, how long you stay, what you choose to notice, all of it adds to that exchange. On National Tourism Day, it feels right to think about more than just travelling, and focus on what it asks of us. Because being a traveller also means remembering that this place isn’t new to everyone, it’s someone else’s everyday life.

Visitors eventually leave. With memories, with moments, with pieces they carry back home. But the place stays, it absorbs the footsteps, voices, and habits. It changes, slowly, with every person who passes through. Maybe tourism isn’t only about discovering new destinations, but also about becoming more aware of ourselves, and of how deeply we move through such new spaces. So the next time you travel, even if it is in your own city, try to slow down the experience. Take that local transport to experience the hustle, and above all, stay present. Let the place meet you halfway.

- Mrunmayee Pataskar