Apropos ‘FTAs set to drive luxury car market: Audi India’ (March 18). Many Indians aspire to own luxury cars despite crowded streets and pothole-ridden roads. High-speed driving is rarely possible, yet comfort, smooth suspension, and stylish interiors make the ride enjoyable. For most buyers, the appeal lies less in utility and more in prestige and display of wealth. Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) could lower prices, encouraging wider adoption. Still, the pride of ownership often outweighs practical challenges. However, Indian roads remain unsuitable for such vehicles. The first priority should be building infrastructure fit for luxury cars before expanding imports or manufacturing them locally.

O Prasada Rao

Hyderabad

Uplift of rural areas

This is with reference to ‘Rapidly developing Naidupeta emerges as a key industrial node in southern AP’ (March 18). If India has to achieve all-round growth and development the contribution of the rural economy is vital. Due to lack of employment opportunities in rural areas people migrate to urban areas resulting in over-congestion of urban areas and all the problems relating to migration. To arrest this, it is important to start industries in rural areas. In this background it is refreshing to read about industrial development in Naidupeta, a small town in Tirupati district.

Investments in infrastructure projects in rural and semi-urban areas will go a long way in creating employment opportunities for the youth in villages.

Veena Shenoy

Thane

Pulling up insurers

This refers to ‘Wrongdoing by insurance cos will not go unnoticed’ (March 18). That the list of those subjected to penalties for various misdeeds, reads like a veritable who is who of Indian insurance industry, is not a matter of solace. It is proof of the extent of malfeasance unbecoming of institutions entrusted with fiduciary responsibility and trust. Collecting hefty sums as fines does not equate with good governance. Proactive monitoring, timely enforcement, are the abysmally lacking in Indian insurance, evidenced by reactionary fines. High time, the authorities thrash out the pain points in designing plans with adequate insurance cover for all, at affordable rates and on practical conditions.

Jose Abraham

Vaikom, Kerala

Stabilisation fund

Apropos ‘Scenario planning’ (March 18), government’s decision to institute an Economic Stabilisation Fund constitutes a judicious and forward-looking policy intervention amid escalating geopolitical tensions in West Asia. With crude price fluctuations exerting inflationary pressures and straining fiscal balances, such a mechanism assumes critical importance. By creating a financial buffer to absorb external shocks, the fund can facilitate price moderation, macroeconomic stability, and policy flexibility during periods of uncertainty. It also reflects a calibrated approach to economic governance in an increasingly unpredictable global landscape. If operationalised efficiently, this initiative could significantly bolster India’s resilience, ensuring sustained growth while mitigating the spillovers of energy-driven disruptions.

N Sadhasiva Reddy

Bengaluru

Published on March 18, 2026