New Delhi, April 20 -- The global turmoil set off by the flapping of tariff wings in the White House has got many wise men offering sage advice on how to navigate the thorny path ahead. India's predicament, of finding ways around the prickliness of its strategic partner and key trading counterpart, also finds myriad policy experts providing gratuitous advice.

Amid this welter of unsolicited advice, articulated mostly through oped columns, one common suggestion is to use the current global policy flux to carry out long-pending economic reforms. On offer, almost always, is a dog-eared list of policy initiatives.

Well, here is some news for all those brandishing the old reforms placard: keep hoping.

It is not that these reforms are undesi...