Editorials

The announcement by the Indian Air Force (IAF) on phasing out the entire fleet of the MiG aircraft, which have earned the nickname ‘flying coffin’ for their terrible safety record, is a welcome development, though belated. The decision came after yet another crash of MiG-21 trainer aircraft in Rajasthan’s Barmer district killing two IAF pilots. […]

If there is one area where the NDA government has achieved success, it is in weaponising the central investigating agencies to relentlessly go after the opposition leaders. There is a clear and systematic pattern of using probe agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to muzzle the voice of the opposition and intimidate them into submission. […]

It is like rubbing salt into the wounds. The decision of China and Pakistan to invite third parties to participate in the controversial China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that runs through Pakistan-occupied territories is illegal and unacceptable. India has been consistently opposing the $60-billion CPEC on the grounds that the project is being built on territory […]

Cybersecurity poses a bigger threat than any other spectrum of technology. Cybercriminals misuse technology-controlled devices to commit frauds and thefts. India is among the most vulnerable nations in terms of cyberscams affecting individuals and cyberattacks targeting institutions. There were nearly 6.74 lakh instances of cyberattacks in the country this year until June — almost 3,700 […]

Though there is considerable excitement in the telecom circles as India kicks off its first-ever auction of 5G spectrum, an unreasonably high reserve price set by the government could be a dampening factor. It seems that the Centre is driven more by the impulse of revenue maximisation in the 5G airwaves auction. Striking a balance […]

With the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring monkeypox as a global health emergency, the healthcare administration must gear up to meet the new challenge without spreading panic. India has learnt some hard lessons from the devastating Covid-19 pandemic, scaled up its healthcare infrastructure and response systems and, therefore, is now in a better position to […]

The prolonged emotional stress in the most trying working conditions is taking a heavy toll on our security personnel. The growing number of suicides among the armed forces is a disturbing trend that needs to be stopped. According to the official figures submitted in Parliament, there have been 819 suicides — 642 in the Army, […]

While the future, no doubt, belongs to electric vehicles, safety issues plaguing the fledgling industry must be fixed now before penetrating the market. The safety of users is paramount and there should be no compromise on this. A spate of fire accidents, including explosion of batteries, has shaken the industry and could potentially bring down […]

Newly elected Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has an unenviable task on hand as the island nation is gripped by an unprecedented economic crisis and social unrest. The immediate challenge is that Wickremesinghe himself is largely seen as part of the problematic political establishment led by the discredited Rajapaksa family. The tiny nation of 22 […]

The findings of the aviation regulator after surprise inspections reveal an alarming state of affairs as far as safety issues are concerned. A recent string of technical glitches and mid-air scares involving private domestic carriers has raised concerns over air safety. Spot checks conducted by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) revealed that the […]

Given the intransigence of Beijing over the border issue, it is no surprise that the 16th round of high-level military talks between India and China, held after a gap of four months, ended without any breakthrough. New Delhi has done well to stand firm on two key demands: early disengagement of troops from all remaining […]

It’s a diplomatic win for India. The US House of Representatives passing a legislation to waive sanctions on India for purchasing Russian S-400 missile defence systems reflects a strong bilateral bond that can withstand the vicissitudes of the changing global geopolitics. This removes an irritant in the Indo-US relationship that has otherwise been growing strong […]

Despite progress in education and health, women continue to face economic hurdles, dwindling political participation and workplace challenges. The coronavirus pandemic has further widened the gender gap in the country’s inequalities. The latest World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report ranks India 135 out of 146 countries surveyed. In 2006, when the gender gap report […]

Cervical cancer is the second most common cause of cancer deaths, after breast cancer, in women of reproductive age. India accounts for about a fifth of the global burden, with 1.23 lakh cases and around 67,000 deaths per year. The disease is largely preventable and a combination of early screening and vaccination can be a […]

In a country where inordinate delays in the justice delivery system force undertrials to languish in jails for years and even those granted bail must wait till the court order reaches the jail authorities by post, the urgency of reforms need not be overemphasised. A key component of reforms concerns changes in bail provisions. In […]

It’s no brainer that population growth adversely impacts economic prosperity. The latest ‘World Population Prospects 2022’ report says India is on course to becoming the world’s most populous country. The population is projected to be 1.429 billion next year when China would have 1.426 billion people. By 2050, it is estimated that India will have […]

The pandemic has exposed India’s creaky healthcare system, abysmally low public spending and skewed priorities when it comes to addressing the challenges of infectious diseases. It also laid bare the gaping holes in the 125-year-old Epidemic Diseases Act, which is devoid of provisions for the management of a Covid-like national health emergency. Learning lessons from […]

The surreal images of protestors storming the presidential palace and Prime Minister’s residence represent utter chaos enveloping Sri Lanka. The scenes of the protestors having a free run inside the official residences may be disturbing but they demonstrate the sheer power of street protests and frustration of the people over the deepening economic crisis. The […]

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, […]