New Delhi, July 8 -- Economist and author Surjit Bhalla has said that despite maintaining a robust growth rate of 6 per cent, the Indian economy is suffering from a "standstill" in ambition.

Speaking exclusively with ANI, Bhalla, a former part-time member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Economic Advisory Council, stated that India's manufacturing sector remains trapped in a cycle of stagnation because government protectionism has disincentivised corporations from taking the risks necessary to compete globally.

Bhalla highlighted a paradox in the current economic landscape: while Indian firms possess healthy balance sheets, they remain reluctant to commit to large-scale manufacturing investments. He argued that this hesitation is a rat...