Editorials

The Uttar Pradesh government appears to be caught in a catch-22 situation after the Ayodhya Development Authority (ADA) named 40 persons, including the Ayodhya Mayor, an MLA and a former legislator in a land scam. There are two aspects to the emerging scam, one about the illegal plots being sold on which colonies are built […]

The economic blockade of the national highways in Manipur called by the All Tribal Students’ union Manipur (ATSUM) has begun to have its impact with trucks being lined up along the NH-2 Imphal-Dimapur highway and NH-39 Imphal-Hiribam highway. The ATSUM called for the blockade to protest against the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council 6th and […]

India’s decision to enhance the existing targets on climate change is a welcome development but the country has a long way to go as it has an unenviable task of balancing the imperatives of development and the urgency of environmental protection. New Delhi’s move to update the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), under the Paris Agreement, […]

One of the key reasons cited by the NDA government while revoking the special status of Jammu & Kashmir three years ago was that it would lead to the decline in militancy. However, recruitment into militant ranks remains a cause for concern for the security apparatus in the union Territory. This is a disturbing trend […]

The NDA government’s decision to withdraw the much-debated and contentious Personal Data Protection Bill from Parliament is hardly surprising, given the widespread concerns over the proposed legislation and the complex dynamics surrounding the issue. The Joint Parliamentary Committee itself has recommended 81 changes in a Bill of 99 sections. It also made 12 recommendations for […]

More than two decades after the 9/11 terror attacks, one of its masterminds and al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri has been brought to justice. His death in his hideout in Kabul in a high-precision drone strike by the United States forces has dealt the biggest blow to the terror group since its founder Osama bin Laden […]

Though India is the largest importer of weapons and military equipment in the world, according to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, the country’s arms imports fell 21% during 2017-21 compared with the 2012-16 period. This trend demonstrates that the emphasis on ‘Make in India’ drive and indigenisation is yielding positive outcomes. The embargo on the […]

Without reliable data, no welfare programme can be effective, however lofty its objectives may be. While the aim of any affirmative action programme is to reduce the socio-economic inequalities and lift the disadvantaged sections out of poverty, the key ingredient in this task is the data that is accurate, reliable and reflective of the ground […]

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 […]