India’s decision to vote against Iran in the UN has brought protests from left parties and media. They say India is abandoning its independent foreign policy. I am amazed by the mendacity and hypocrisy of such talk. It implies that […]
Myth of independent foreign policy Read More »
Several reasons, some bogus and some real, have been advanced for the rise in prices of oil and gas since 2003. These include the Iraq war, constrained OPEC production, falling non-OPEC production, speculation by hedge funds, and China’s fast-rising consumption.
Hurricanes stoke the energy crisis Read More »
Oil prices have gone through the roof this year. Yet inflation remains modest, and in recent weeks has decelerated. Year-on-year inflation was just 3.08% in the latest week for which data are available (ending August 20). This contrasts with 6.5%
Oil prices up, inflation down Read More »
The shahtoosh shawl is the most prized of all, beloved of Mughal emperors. It is very warm, yet to soft and fine that it passes through a ring. But buying a shahtoosh shawl today is illegal, and the industry is
Farm chirus, save shahtoosh Read More »
Bihar is among the poorest, most misgoverned states. More Plan funds or public sector projects are not remedies. The state was India’s industrial heartland in the 1950s, boasting the giant Tata complex at Jamshedpur and Dalmia-Jain complex at Rohtas. Bihar
From robber barons to sugar barons Read More »
The price of oil has hit a record $ 68/barrel. But even worse news for India is that the US price of natural gas skyrocketed to $ 10/mmbtu last week, double the price a year ago. This jeopardises the revival
Costly gas threatens Dabhol, Iran pipeline Read More »
I am not keen to see the blockbuster film “Mangal Pandey”. I find jingo-patriotic themes tiresome and hypocritical. Rudrangshu Mukherjee in a recent book has demolished the notion that Mangal Pandey was a patriot leading the Indian struggle for independence.
Mangal Pandey, the mercenary Read More »
India has enough oil trapped in shale and coal deposits in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh to produce 140 million tones per year for 100 years, say former geologists of Oil India Ltd including ex-Chairman and Managing Director Chudamani Ratnam. This
Enough shale oil to join OPEC? Read More »
The BJP and Left Front have accused Manmohan Singh of making India a junior partner of the US. Is that so bad? I suspect, they mean India has become an American puppet, but that is absurd. For many decades, India
From junior beggar to junior partner Read More »
After the first oil shock of 1973, there was much talk of how to achieve energy security in India. That\’s happening again today, with oil at $ 60/barrel. But in the 1970s everybody agreed that energy security meant maximizing the
Energy security must be based on coal Read More »
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