Even as many developing countries conserve their foreign exchange reserves to guard against a nasty worsening of the economic environment, the Reserve Bank of India—the country’s central bank—has sold more than $40 billion from its reserves in the last nine months to prevent the rupee from weakening further. India’s exchange rate has gone from Rs 70 […]
India Must Not Artificially Prop Up the Rupee Read More »
The defence of India is not a job creation scheme, as many rioters seem to believe. India urgently needs to modernise its military capability, focusing on high-tech areas such as cyberwarfare, drones, missiles, and even space weapons. Boots on the ground still matter, but less than before. A thorough overhaul of human resources is imperative.
India needs Agnipath, not pensionpath Read More »
In earlier columns, I have highlighted the sad slump in India’s global rankings on various measures of democracy, freedom and human rights. Economic trends have been muddied by an unexplained slump – part of a global slump – in 2019-20, followed by the disruptions of Covid and the Ukraine war. The jury is still out
So, how well has India’s relative performance been under the Modi government? Read More »
The BJP has expelled its media chief Naveen Kumar Jindal and suspended a prominent spokesperson, Nupur Sharma, for making insulting remarks about the marriage of the Prophet Mohammed. This followed protests from all major Islamic countries. Many of Sharma’s supporters are apoplectic on the social media at her dismissal. Some portray Muslims in general as
Child marriage: Why we should not point fingers Read More »
India celebrated its 50th anniversary of independence in 1997 by showing that a billion people could overcome multiple barriers of language, religion, caste, ethnicity, and cultural traditions to form a glorious whole upholding democratic values and human rights. As we approach the 75th anniversary, that old syncretic “idea of India” is getting replaced by a
Searching for ‘historical truth’? Don’t be selective Read More »
Despite US rhetoric on ‘defeating’ Russia in the Ukraine war, the US military is wary of supplying weapons to Kyiv with the range to attack Russia. This may drag the US into the conflict. With such limited military aid, Ukraine will never push Russia out of its territory altogether. Nato allies – Italy, Germany, France
Why a quick compromise for Russia will be bad for India, encouraging for China Read More »
Narendra Modi’s eight years in power have produced fantastic political success for the BJP, a slide in India’s democratic and civic freedoms, and a struggle to overcome global economic headwinds. After winning an absolute majority in the 2014 general election, Modi was re-elected with an increased majority in 2019. The BJP’s thumping re-election in the
India has shown resilience but jury still out on the economy Read More »
The Ukraine war has cast its shadow on the state election in Gujarat in December via the government’s sudden ban of wheat exports. The government has defended its decision, saying the ban will help it manage food security. The great unspoken reason seems to be the political need to ensure that sky-high food prices do
A total ban on wheat exports is an overkill Read More »
For those who wonder why India has not joined a “coalition of the free” against Russia, the news is that India is not that free anyway. It has fallen from 142nd to 150th position in the World Press Freedom Index 2022 of Reporters Without Borders. This is a telling comment on growing government pressures as well
India Slips to 150th Position in Press Freedom Index Read More »
Indian democracy is flawed, but pessimists claiming that Modi will crush all dissent, abandon secularism, and make India a Hindu state have been proved wrong. NOVEMBER 24, 2020 • POLICY ANALYSIS NO. 903 By Swaminathan S. Anklesaria Aiyar India’s constitution guarantees democracy, civil liberties, and secularism. But fears of India becoming a Hindu authoritarian state have been voiced
Despite Modi, India Has Not Yet Become a Hindu Authoritarian State Read More »
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