So, the assessment for the fifth largest economy is that this is a slowing phase, as growth drivers need to pick up along with investor sentiment
Two Years After the July Uprising, Bangladesh's Press Freedom Remains Under Question
Another defining feature of Bangladesh's current media environment is the emergence of "mob culture." The attack on The Daily Star and Prothom Alo offices is a serious example of mob attack. Media owners often hesitate to invite commentators associated with the previous government or opposing political viewpoints because they fear public backlash, protests, or attacks
India Loves Political Scandals, But Don't Care How They End Up
For decades, Bofors was treated as a national scandal of almost Biblical proportions, with international ramifications. All guns ablaze. Yet when its judicial afterlife finally reaches a dead end, the story seems to have lost its political ammunition. Not even a recall that the much-maligned gun, which was accused of backfiring at those who fired, not at the target, had vindicated its purchase during the 1999 Kargil conflict.
From Hashtags to Handcuffs: When Digital Democracy Becomes Digital Surveillance
India therefore needs a serious conversation on algorithmic accountability. If AI increasingly informs policing, citizens deserve clarity on its legal basis, safeguards against misuse, limits on data retention, independent oversight and effective judicial remedies.
Changing Architecture of the Indian State: Public Trust can Neither be Legislated nor Certified
The recurring examination scandals were failures of governance. Likewise, concerns regarding foreign influence should not preclude critical examination of how regulatory institutions themselves function.
More on Public Policy and Governance
Developing unity in diversity: A prescription to unite India culturally
Efforts should be made to translate the literary heritage of each state and union territory into each of the national languages of India. This will create a whole new education, employment and business ecosystem in the publishing and media industries, sensitising each Indian to the national and civilisational heritage they inherited and building a sense of unity and common purpose.
Sealing the Ozone Hole: Lessons from the Montreal Protocol
The progress of the Montreal Protocol till now is, however, not without hiccups and bumps
INS Vikrant in its new incarnation marks India as a major warship-building nation
Both these carriers, which are floating cities with massive flying and firepower, still do not adequately fulfill India’s maritime force requirement. With two vast seaboards and the Indian Ocean region and two rogue adversarial nations, the considered assessment by old-salt veterans is that even three aircraft carriers, meaning two on the sea and one in refit, are not enough
Making India a developed nation by 2047: An agenda for the nation
The other pillars of democracy, the judiciary and media, must remain steadfastly independent and impartial guardians of the Constitution. The people still repose their greatest faith in them to protect their rights and uphold their aspirations
Importing wheat for India’s food security is an imperative
Thus, more than one third of the world’s hungry and undernourished people are in India, which is alarming and embarrassing, if not shameful. India’s rank in the global hunger index also (GHI) has dropped to 101 out of 116 countries
Rupee convertibility: Can it make the Indian currency stronger?
Days are ahead when the rupee will tend to become fully convertible. Full convertibility means fully capital account convertibility in the balance of payment. It opens the market for foreign investors, businessmen and trade partners
Is Bangladesh heading for stagflation?
Bangladesh is going through a tough economic situation; the government’s two largest sources of foreign currency revenues are the export of readymade garment products and remittances from overseas. Remittances are already suffering
On their 75th independence anniversary, peace pilgrims from India bring message of love to Pakistan
This is part of a long tradition of celebrating the two countries’ independence days together, started by activists like the late Dr Mubashir Hasan, Nirmala Deshpande, Asma Jahangir, Kuldip Nayar, and others. Peace groups on either side have been doing this for a couple of decades now, even as administrations in both countries try to prevent them
Indian cultural diplomacy - and creation of a South Asian identity
The basis of all Indian philosophy is the recognition of divinity in the human species and giving respect to all faiths and shades of opinion
Indian Navy’s all-woman aircrew creates history
Over the years, women officers in the Indian armed forces have begun notching various types of achievements
Welfare spending is not freebie culture
It must be understood that welfare spending is essential to partly redress the widening inequality in Indian society
Ameliorate plight of cross-border prisoners: Joint appeal by South Asian organizations
Release prisoners on completion of jail term, decriminalise inadvertent border crossings, especially for fisherfolk and minors
Misuse of Indian Army uniforms has dangerous consequences: Army’s distinctiveness must remain paramount
Uncontrolled proliferation of the existing combat uniform has led to many cases of breach of security of military establishments and personnel and, while it has been a cause of concern, not enough action has been initiated
Save the children: Millions of children victims of acute malnutrition, hunger and diseases in Afghanistan; girls shut out of education
The country is already one of the worst places in the world to be a child, And, in the past year, the situation has become grimmer because of crippling poverty, violence, and drought, according to UNICEF.
