Every form of politics that cloaks itself in religion tends to preserve feudal values and promote hostility toward the “other.” Even Christian fundamentalism reinforces patriarchal norms. Nazi Germany, too, confined women to the three Ks—Kirche, Küche, Kinder (Church, Kitchen, Children). As we condemn patriarchy and the denial of human rights, we must recognize that all sectarian nationalisms—those rooted in religious or racial superiority—share these regressive traits.
Reservation in education has achieved moral legitimacy and expanded access, but it has also created new inequalities and stagnation. Its future lies not in expansion or abolition, but in redefinition. Affirmative action must evolve from symbolic arithmetic to structural reform, grounded in data and fairness.
In Ladakh, it is not just 150 sq km of pasture land allotted to corporates for solar power projects, but also the mining on land of corporate choosing. Why bother about the ecology, environment and disasters?
If executed smoothly, this transaction will serve as a template for future cross-border collaborations, especially within the framework of CEPA and the broader India–UAE economic corridor. It demonstrates that when capital, strategy, advisory prowess and bilateral ambition converge, remarkable outcomes follow.
India, like the rest of the world, is a vast garden of diverse cultures and traditions. To single out Hindus as solely responsible for the country is divisive. All Indians, regardless of their religion, share equal rights and responsibilities in shaping the nation’s future.
One of the concerns of India has been the expanding Chinese presence in Sri Lanka. The China-funded mega projects like Hambantota Port and Colombo Port City have caused some discord in the India-Sri Lanka relations. Growing Chinese presence in South Asian nations - Nepal, Bangladesh, Maldives and Sri Lanka - has been a cause of major security concern for New Delhi.
Diamonds remain a cornerstone of the Belgo-Indian economic relationship, but in recent years strong growth has been visible in various other sectors. The port city of Antwerp is considered to be the international centre of diamond trade which is dominated by Indian diamond traders mainly from Gujarat.
It is good to be ever wary of a nation and a leadership that is and has historically been all about itself at the cost of others, driving others to misery as it gobbles up resources and pushes the idea of American exceptionalism.
It is in this light that one welcomes a new report from US-India Policy Institute and Centre for Development Policy and Practice, ‘Rethinking Affirmative Action for Muslims in Contemporary India’. This report takes an approach away from quotas for Muslims as a whole. They recognize that Muslim community has different economic layers.
Tharoor is acutely aware that he is not particularly liked by the Congress leadership, especially the Gandhi family because of his independence. Things have come to a stage where even Tharoor posting a selfie of him with India’s Minister for Commerce and Industries Piyush Goyal and Britain’s Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds is seen as unfurling the red flag.
The assertion of "first comers" is central to sectarian nationalism but contradicts the values enshrined in the Indian Constitution and the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. We must aspire to equality for all citizens, regardless of language or religion. Digging into history to serve political ideologies should be left to academics, not wielded as a tool for divisive politics.
Despite venture capital investments in Indian startups, recent innovation has been lacking. Many Indian companies are run by MBA graduates, business heirs, or marketers. Successful western startups, however, are often founded by engineers. Engineers have a higher propensity for innovation, and promoting this culture may help foster investment.
In past years, Indian Army was making its Pakistani counterparts pay by way of bombarding its locations/defences along the Line of Control (LoC). However as per an agreement between India and Pakistan in February 2021, this practice was stopped for the sake of peace for the civil population residing in the LoC belt. Otherwise, Pak army was paying at least some price for every terrorist attack in the Kashmir Valley by terrorist groups that it supports.
The rise of India and China in the 21st century will surely challenge the hegemony of the dollar. India’s rise is benign, while China’s rise threatens the west. Their evolving bilateral relationship will surely shape world trajectory as well as affect the dollar’s dominance. But for now, the dollar is king
The Trump administration is now redefining the migrant policy and methodology of dealing with the migrant issues for the rest of the world to observe, evaluate and practice.It is likely that those from South Asia and a few other countries would think several times before trying to enter the USA in an illegal manner and perhaps would stop indulging in such misadventure.
The planned deportation of 20,000 Indians from the US will require an endless stream of flights, if all of them are to be sent back, not to speak of more who are being caught as raids by US immigration continue. None of them should be allowed to be detained without access to lawyers, medical aid and humane conditions in the facilities they are kept. None of them should be allowed to be sent back in chains.
Three journalists were murdered in Bangladesh last year, and authorities detained four journalists seen as supporters of erstwhile Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, unseated by the ‘monsoon revolution’ last August after a despotic 15-year rule. The subsequent caretaker government has targeted dozens of journalists, whose reporting was considered favourable toward Hasina’s government, in criminal investigations.
While no legal framework is entirely immune to exploitation, democratic societies must continuously refine their regulations to balance security and individual freedoms. Rejecting PECA 2025 outright ignores the fact that unregulated digital spaces can be just as detrimental as overly restrictive regulations.
Overall, India needs 7.0 to 8.0 % growth for 25 years continuously to become a developed economy. This does not seem to be plausible or possible at present. It appears that the government is neither able to define the term Viksit Bharat clearly and in detail nor has it been able to design the pathway to Viksit Bharat.
