In this paper, we aim to identify the challenges and opportunities in financing regenerative agriculture within the context of smallholder farming in India and offer suggestions for enhancing the financing of regenerative agriculture in the country.

In this note, we present a citizen-centric framework to study the factors that limit the effectiveness of state-sponsored health insurance schemes.

When AI-driven decisions are fair, respect privacy and are not opaque, they foster customer confidence

Almost 65% of India’s population lives in its rural areas.1 India’s financial sector has seen unprecedented expansion, driven by policy initiatives, digital infrastructure and regulatory reforms. Initiatives like Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), Aadhaar-linked banking, Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and digital lending have significantly improved access to financial services, particularly for underserved segments.

This study sought to understand the impact of the new regulations on the microfinance sector through the lens of different categories of stakeholders – customers, leadership at microfinance institutions (MFIs) and intermediating staff.

The response presents our thinking on the governance of artificial intelligence (AI). It is divided into two parts. Part A summarises our key inputs which are also presented below in the form of this write-up. Part B provides a section-by-section paragraph-wise detailed feedback as per the Ministry’s Consultation Form requirements.

Establishing principle-level guidance on operationalising Responsible AI would induce clarity and confidence

Mobile Instant Credit (MIC) is rapidly growing as a financial inclusion tool, attracting policy and research interest. However, its impact remains understudied, with a weak Theory of Change. The blog highlights three overlooked impact areas and calls for insights from microfinance research.

Debt distress among microfinance borrowers is on the rise, sufficiently so that it may be characterised as a crisis for the sector. This is driven by factors across the supply- and demand-sides, as well as factors inherent in the nature of the credit cycle, where periodic booms and busts have been present throughout history. To address this, we propose two sets of recommendations for the regulator: a set of recommendations that can be initiated in the short-term and another set that can be initiated over the medium-term.

In India’s policy environment today, think tanks perform a crucial function. Where the high-intensity and daily pressure of execution and implementation leaves policymakers little time to reflect deeply on policy goals and policy design, think tanks render a valuable service by attempting to fill the gap.