India has only 2 percent of the world’s freshwater supply but 17 percent of the world's population. The present predicament of people in Bengaluru, skipping work to stand in long queues for a bucket of water is a sobering reminder.

While Dalits in India face atrocity, abuse and exploitation, in Pakistan there is "discrimination and distancing in the social and economic domains," Khangarani said. 

India’s basmati exports are significantly affected as over one-third of production is shipped to West Asia, Europe, North Africa and North America via the Red Sea.

India-US defence cooperation has made fair headway leading to  INDUS-X which has initiated the information network and regulatory mechanisms to deepen defence technology collaboration that is poised to strengthen the bonds of US-India partnership, innovation and deterrence.

The Indian Science Congress has for the last many years been accepting papers that have no scientific basis and are based on mythology. Pained by this all prominent scientists came together and issued a statement calling upon the government to stop the undermining of scientific methods and thinking

The overall contribution of agriculture to GDP growth this year will be below 1 percent as per the latest estimates. This is worrying for various reasons, most importantly for what it means for the livelihoods and incomes of rural families.

Manipur appears to be veering toward massive armed attacks against the tribals – both the Kuki-Zo and Naga, with the state administration remaining ambivalent.  This is a dangerous development - civil war in a state bordering Myanmar which itself is experiencing rising violence.  

While the government employees belong to organized class, there are an estimated 300 million people in India who belong to the unorganized class living on daily wages or are self-employed without economic and social security. 

In a chapter titled “Choice before Capitalists”, Gandhi writes, “At present, there is no proportion between the wholly unnecessary pomp and extravagance of the moneyed class and the squalid surroundings and the grinding pauperism of the ryots in whose midst the former are living.”

At present, there aren’t even any direct flights between Pakistan and Nepal, even as Kathmandu promotes itself as the meeting place of South Asia, noted journalist Kanak Mani Dixit.

While the Army, Navy and Air Force are doing whatever is required to maintain their battle effectiveness, there is a dichotomy that prevails in how New Delhi is dealing with China and Pakistan.

India did not get subdued by colonial culture in totality. What we are facing today is the promotion of religiosity and conservatism. Since politics is stalking the streets in the garb of religion, India's traditional syncretic culture is coming under attack from conservative and orthodox values. 

But what cannot be rejected is the increasing need to recognise the role of cities and make them the vanguard in combating climate change.

Unless there is a quantum jump in the expenditure on (quality) education and a massive generation of productive employment, the youth and the poor will remain marginalised and excluded. 

This exercise which began with just four countries and has now reached a participation level of over twelve times that number goes to show the recognition of India as a naval power and as a regional maritime security provider.