Editorials

In the untimely death of Shinzo Abe, the longest serving Prime Minister of Japan, the world has lost a truly global statesman who passionately advocated closer India-Japan ties and sought to move beyond Tokyo’s post-war pacifist worldview. Having served two terms as Prime Minister from 2006 to 2007 and then from 2012 to 2020, Abe […]

A string of technical glitches involving budget carrier SpiceJet has raised concerns over air safety. Added to this were the frequent delays and instances of technical malfunctions reported by IndiGo and Vistara. The show-cause notice issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to SpiceJet after its planes were involved in eight incidents of […]

As the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime completes five years this month, a closer look at the implementation challenges makes it clear that the States are losing out a lot in the bargain. At the time of the rollout in 2017, the GST was considered a prelude to the countrywide integrated market but in […]

Terrorists infiltrating the mainstream political parties to carry out their activities surreptitiously is a new and dangerous trend in the trouble-torn Kashmir Valley. Reports of alleged links of Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Talib Hussain and Udaipur murder accused Riaz Akhtari with the BJP have laid bare this alarming trend. Hussain, who was overpowered by villagers in Reasi […]

Despite the rapid growth in digital payments over the last few years, cash remains the king in India. As a proportion of the gross domestic product (GDP), Indians still hold a relatively large share of cash, one of the highest in the world. The Currency in Circulation (CiC), as a proportion of GDP, has grown […]

Given India’s ambitious plans to switch to electric vehicles in a phased manner, the time is ripe for diversification of battery technology to meet the growing energy storage market. The off-grid energy storage market is expected to expand exponentially as the country aims to fulfil 50% of its energy demands from renewable sources by 2030, […]

This is an exciting time for particle physicists around the world. Nearly ten years after the discovery of the Higgs Boson, a subatomic particle that gives mass to all matter, scientists are engaged in expanding our understanding of the cosmos, the birth of our universe and its fate. After a gap of three years, the […]

The success of any environmental campaign depends on the extent of involvement of all stakeholders and the consistency of the awareness drive. The goal to make the country plastic-free is quite ambitious and calls for sustained efforts at all levels with active public participation. Effective implementation holds the key to the success of the new […]

Like how a buyer on an e-commerce portal adds items to the cart before checking out, the BJP has just added Maharashtra to its political cart in yet another display of mastery in the toppling game. After multiple twists in the suspense-filled drama, the saffron party has decided to join the government headed by Shiv […]

Media freedom is one of the key indicators of a successful democracy. In mature, liberal and open societies, journalists are allowed to express themselves freely and without the threat of any harassment from the governments. Unfortunately, over the last several years, India has seen a clear deterioration on this front, with a growing number of […]

Despite growth in the economy and the working-age population in India, the participation of women in the labour force has been declining. This is an alarming trend when seen against the backdrop of increasing crime against women and widespread gender discrimination. India has one of the lowest female participation rates in the workforce across the […]

Unveiling of the $600-billion infrastructure fund at the ongoing summit of leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) countries is a timely and necessary initiative, widely seen as the West’s response to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The new fund will help developing countries tackle climate change. The decision was announced in the midst […]

The rules governing surrogate pregnancies, notified recently by the union Health Ministry, are largely well-intended but the key part lies in their implementation. While stringent rules to regulate private surrogacy clinics are welcome, a blanket ban on commercial surrogacy could actually prove counter-productive. A well-balanced approach with a strong regulation and oversight would be helpful […]

There is now a ray of hope for Americans who are fed up with their governments’ failure to control gun violence

The political drama in Maharashtra, following the shocking rebellion by senior Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde, is unfolding as per the script and direction of the BJP which has been waiting in the wings to take revenge against its former ally. The potboiler carries the imprint of the toppling template followed by the saffron party […]

Terrorism is a global menace that demands joint international response and coordination. It cannot be tackled in isolation, nor can it be condemned selectively. The nations which infamously pursue the ‘good terrorist, bad terrorist’ line of policy are bound to swallow their own bitter medicine. By blocking the joint bid by India and the United […]

The terrorist attack on a gurdwara in Kabul, killing two people, comes as a grim reminder of the challenges that India faces in its engagement with Kabul. An extremist group with a medieval mindset that makes no secret of its animosity towards minorities and women and has bombed and killed its way to grab power […]

Despite the growing international condemnation, Pakistan refuses to mend its ways on terror funding and cross-border misadventure. As an instrument of state policy, terrorism is so well entrenched that the Deep State has no means to come out of the self-created trap. No wonder the global anti-terrorism watchdog —Financial Action Task Force (FATF) — is […]

The continued protests over the Agnipath scheme, a short-term contractual employment in the armed forces, reflect poorly on the NDA government’s style of policy making, amounting to repeating the mistakes made in the case of farm laws. In both the cases, the decisions were taken in haste and sought to be thrust upon people without […]

The imminent rollout of 5G services will give a major fillip to digital connectivity and boost new-age businesses but an unreasonably high reserve price set by the government could be a dampening factor. It seems that the Centre is driven by the impulse of revenue maximisation in the 5G airwaves auction, to be held in […]

Deploying bulldozers to target the houses of the accused in criminal cases and political opponents has been a disturbing trend, fraught with communal overtones. The ‘bulldozer justice’, being mastered by the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh, is a direct assault on the fundamental constitutional rights of citizens. What is appalling is the way the […]

Touted as the historic reform in the recruitment policy for armed forces, the new scheme ‘Agnipath’, a short-term appointment of soldiers on a contractual basis, will certainly help in reducing the burgeoning defence pension burden and giving a more youthful look to the defence forces. However, there are certain concerns that need to be addressed […]

The sudden spurt in the new coronavirus cases in the country, the biggest jump since January, comes as a wake-up call for those who have dropped their guards and slipped into complacency in the battle against the pandemic. While there is no need to panic, the governments and the public, in general, must adhere to […]

Rattled by the international backlash over the BJP spokespersons’ derogatory comments against Prophet Mohammad, the NDA government appears to be making desperate attempts to repair the damage caused to India’s secular image. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), on his return from the G7 summit in Germany later this […]