However, as is evident now, we were caught unawares. Mutated strain of the virus took India in its stride as we were yet to work out a robust vaccination strategy. To curb the spread and manage the health emergency getting out of control in view of paucity of beds, oxygen and ventilators, a large number of states-imposed lockdowns and other restrictions which continue till date. 

As is normal under such circumstances, the economy bears the brunt and that is what seems to have happened. The fragile economic recovery seen in the second half of FY21 seems to have gone derailed. Consumer confidence has hit a new low as shown in a recent survey. Different rating agencies and multilateral organizations have downwardly revised the growth projections for the current fiscal year. From a bullish 11-13% growth (in view of base effect), the projections are now for growths in single digits only.

Needless to say, the pitch for economic revival is queered.  But, curiously, as Covid infections come off from the peak levels and the recovery rates go up, a new kind of confidence is building up. The infection rates are coming down with as much alacrity as they had peaked.

Certainly, there is no room for any complacency as premonitions of a third wave have already been made. However, the vaccination strategy to inoculate a large number of Indians by the end of the year holds much hope. It has been observed that those countries that have already inoculated over 50% of their population have witnessed much less morbidity and mortality rates.

What also holds out hope are a range of high frequency indicators which show the resilience of the Indian economy and the entrepreneurship that shines through whenever an opportunity is provided. The economic growth in the fourth quarter of last fiscal has been better than expected. From a contraction of 24.4% and 7.4% in the first and second quarters, the economy turned around in the third one with 0.5% growth and ended the year with 1.6% growth in Q4.

There are a range of other indicators too. Industrial performance measured by IIP grew by 22.3 percent in March. Merchandise exports grew by 197 percent in April. The output of eight core infrastructure sectors grew by robust 7% in March. Manufacturing PMI has remained at a high of over 55 in March and April. GST revenue collection set a new record of Rs. 1.4 lakh crore in April.

If the tyre  production data for FY21, as released recently, is anything to go by, Tyre Industry will continue to put the wheels of economy in motion against all odds. No doubt, Tyre Industry's overall numbers are down in FY21. However when looked closely, there is ample evidence that points to the resilience  in the sector. Truck & Bus (T&B) tyre production, the bellwether of economy has turned in better performance in FY21 over FY20. And this despite the fact that April’20 was a washout in view of nationwide lockdown. Both T&B and Passenger Car tyre production touched significantly higher figures in March this year with T&B tyre production crossing 20 lakh numbers, a historic high.

FY21 will also go down as a landmark year when Radial Truck & Bus tyre production equalled that of Bias tyre production. Tyre exports from India have charted an upward trajectory in the second half of previous fiscal as the stability was achieved in the exports markets.

Forecast of a normal monsoon (third in a row) and the upcoming festive season can provide much-needed impetus to the economy if vaccination drive accelerates and Covid appropriate measures are followed strictly.

No doubt, the situation is still in a flux, and it is too nascent to gauge the true impact of the second wave on economic growth.  But ramping up the vaccination drive and inoculating the entire adult population as early as possible will help.

And there is a major shift again in the vaccination policy. As this column gets on the editor’s desk, the federal government has decided to provide free coronavirus vaccines to states for inoculation of all above the age of 18.

FY 21 could not live up to the expectations that most Indians had. Hope the next year will. (TT)

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The German Rubber Industry Association (wdk) has expressed deep frustration over the federal government’s failure to act on bureaucratic relief proposals. Association President Michael Klein noted that over the last three years, German industry has enthusiastically submitted concrete ideas to reduce red tape, including 250 top proposals recently put forward by the Federation of German Industries (BDI). Despite this engagement, the government’s current implementation efforts are more than disappointing.

Klein’s criticism follows a response from the Federal Ministry for the Environment regarding faster permitting procedures under the Federal Immission Control Act. Back in 2023, the BDI had proposed simplifying the legally mandated seven plus three month process for industrial plant permits, specifically by ending the need for continuous updates to application documents. The ministry’s suggestion to introduce inter agency expert opinions as an acceleration measure is seen by Klein as a joke. Under existing law, consulted authorities already have two months to comment; if they fail, the permitting authority can order an expert opinion at the defaulting body’s expense. The ministry claims this 2024 regulation sufficiently addresses the industry’s request.

Klein argues that bringing in third party experts instead of making timely decisions creates new delays and uncertainty over costs. Even if the negligent authority is meant to pay, taxpayers ultimately foot the bill. This single issue, while seemingly minor in the broader struggle against bureaucracy, reveals the authorities’ mindset and a profound administrative lack of understanding. Since the BDI’s 2023 proposals, German industry has had to hire 325,000 additional employees just to cope with new bureaucratic demands from Brussels and Berlin.

Klein concluded that these figures speak for themselves, calling on Merz to take immediate action. He also warned that further burdening struggling companies and industrial peace with a half-baked proposal for a voluntary energy bonus is definitely not helpful. The message is clear: bureaucratic overload threatens industry survival, and real relief cannot wait.

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TyreSafe, UK’s charity dedicated to raising tyre safety awareness, is reinforcing a crucial message as UK police intensify enforcement under the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s Operation Spotlight. While the campaign rightly targets seatbelt offences as one of the ‘Fatal Four’, TyreSafe says both seatbelts and tyres play critical roles in road safety – one protects people during a crash, while the other helps prevent the crash from happening at all. The organisation urges drivers to see these safety features as complementary, not interchangeable.

Seatbelts remain among the most effective lifesaving devices, cutting a driver’s death risk by roughly half. Yet dangerous habits persist, especially among younger users. In 2022, four unbelted young people were killed or seriously injured every week, and nearly a third of car occupant fatalities aged 17 to 29 involved no seatbelt. Those aged 17 to 34 have the lowest wearing rates and highest accident risk, with young men most likely to forego a belt on short or familiar night journeys.

A similar neglect appears in tyre safety, particularly among younger drivers. While most motorists prioritise safety when choosing tyres, younger drivers are significantly drawn to performance. Over a third have never heard of the 20p coin test, and despite 72 percent knowing a legal tread depth exists, nearly 3 in 10 cannot name it. Only 40 percent check tyre pressure monthly, and 10 percent admit they never check tread depth.

Younger drivers also face greater risk through part-worn tyres, with more than one in five buying them, rising to 27 percent among under 30s. Worn tyres at 70 mph add 27 metres to stopping distance. In wet motorway conditions, worn tyres affect stopping distance seven times more than alcohol. On average, 153 people are killed or seriously injured annually in defective tyre incidents, with 172 such casualties in 2024.

Forensic investigations reveal that 75 percent of tyre defects linked to fatal crashes stem from poor maintenance, making most preventable. Surviving a crash should never be the first line of defence. Properly maintained tyres provide grip in emergency braking, while seatbelts offer protection when prevention fails. TyreSafe reminds every driver that road safety begins before the crash, not after it.

TyreSafe urges road users to embrace the simple ACT protocol: regular checks of air pressure, condition and tread depth.

Stuart Lovatt, TyreSafe Chair, said, “Operation Spotlight highlights the importance of wearing a seatbelt, and rightly so – seatbelts save lives. But road safety also depends on preventing collisions in the first place. Tyres are the only part of the vehicle that touches the road, and their condition determines braking, grip and control. Checking your tyres once a month using the ACT method is a simple step that could make the difference between a near miss and a serious collision.”

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The Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) recently hosted a significant courtesy visit from Izal Nazrin, Head of the Corporate Communication Unit at the Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB), at its Secretariat. This meeting served as an important opportunity to deepen ties between the two organisations.

Discussions focused on enhancing cooperation in media engagement and joint publication efforts concerning the natural rubber industry. Both sides stressed that strategic communication plays a vital role in raising the sector’s visibility and public awareness, particularly regarding upstream activities such as production and raw material management.

This exchange highlights a mutual dedication to advancing the natural rubber sector through effective partnerships and coordinated outreach. By working together, ANRPC and MRB aim to strengthen industry communication and support sustainable growth across the supply chain.

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Road Ready Foundation, a nonprofit focused on tyre safety and roadside education, has entered a new collaboration with Anyline, a company known for artificial intelligence driven mobile tyre inspections. By joining forces, they plan to use Anyline’s TireBuddy system during live events to show how technology can bring more honesty and uniformity to checking tyre health. Their shared goal is to make safety lessons more hands on and widely available.

The TireBuddy tool is not meant for everyday drivers but rather for service centres and dealerships looking for consistent data and digital records. Trained personnel can measure tread depth using only a smartphone, avoiding the need for special equipment. Major names like Discount Tire, EchoPark and Michelin already use this technology. Road Ready will adapt it as a teaching aid during community outreach, proving that business focused solutions can also serve the public good.

Throughout the coming year, Road Ready will feature TireBuddy in its national roadshows to offer live insights into tyre conditions and dangers. Alex Bebiak, who leads the foundation, will present these demonstrations at the upcoming Lifesavers Conference in Baltimore from 19 to 21 April. Anyline’s co-founder Lukas Kinigadner, who recently joined the Safe Tread Alliance board, believes this partnership shows how corporate tools can reduce preventable roadway harm.

Bebiak helped create the Safe Tread Alliance in 2025, a coalition pushing to modernise American tyre safety rules and phase out outdated habits linked to traffic deaths. This new partnership expands tyre safety education and highlights what industry and nonprofits can achieve together. By blending advanced software with real world demonstrations, Road Ready and Anyline hope to change how tyre safety is taught and understood.

Bebiak said, “For too long, tyre safety has been overlooked in driver education, despite being something every driver can control. This partnership is about using technology for good – taking industry-grade tools and turning them into powerful educational moments that help drivers make safer decisions and prevent tragedies.”

Kinigadner said, “When technology is built responsibly, its impact can extend well beyond its original use case. By partnering with Road Ready Foundation, we are using our technology to support safety education, raise awareness and help drivers better understand the importance of tyre safety.”

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