OPINION | In the second week of the US-Israel-Iran war, the region confronts four known unknowns
US and Israel don’t appear to have the same political aims; Gulf Arabs aren’t getting air defence replenishments fast enough and Iran’s regime faces a succession dilemma that can undermine cohesion
OPINION | Opening Markets, Guarding Farmers: Balancing trade deals and agriculture
War in Iran could raise crude and fertiliser costs and disrupt exports to MENA. This could test India’s new FTAs as rising costs and disruptions threaten agricultural exports and farm trade surplus
OPINION | Iran, US and AI: Why 2026 will test Indian foreign policy establishment
From regional projectile wars and global geopolitical churn to technological contestations, the Indian foreign policy establishment will have to redefine itself to deal with a world in disarray
OPINION | RSS annual ABPS meeting to review plans during centenary year
RSSFACTS: RSS leaders will meet at Samalkha from 13 to 15 March to review organisational work discuss future plans and deliberate on initiatives during its centenary year
OPINION | Why attempting regime change in Iran through leadership decapitation is a fool’s errand
Leadership structure is diffused, providing the regime with a shock absorber when individuals are targeted. Moreover, strong ideological commitment makes it tough to engineer enough defections
How the Iran conflict has affected India’s maritime strategy
India may have no option but to rapidly scale its own merchant shipping fleet
OPINION | From AI pilots to enterprise platform transformation
Many companies remain stuck in AI pilots but real value will come when organisations redesign processes build platforms and scale AI across the enterprise
OPINION | CPM’s risky Bengal gambit of mainstreaming fringe parties tapping into Muslim disillusionment
These parties have increased their tempo recently and TMC will be the loser if they succeed. Given the ideological influence Bangladesh’s Jamaat has on them, CPM risks a credibility crisis with this strategy
OPINION | West Asia’s geopolitical tremors reinforce India’s swadeshi doctrine
Sanghnomics: Amid global instability, India is advancing disciplined Swadeshi. It is moving beyond import substitution. The focus is on building critical capacities. The aim is to protect economic sovereignty and engage global markets from a position of strength
OPINION | Make no mistake, Tibet’s solar farms buildout is grey zone warfare
The spatial pattern of renewable energy installations across Tibet tells a story that goes well beyond China’s carbon neutrality ambition. India should be paying closer attention
War risk premium returns as Gulf conflict casts shadow on energy markets
Roughly 20 percent of global oil and a similar share of LNG transit the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Oman. Any sustained disruption would transmit price shocks globally within days
OPINION | India, China ties improve investment rules under review
India and China have improved relations since 2024. The government may ease Press Note 3 rules and introduce a de minimis threshold for smaller investments
OPINION | India–France Tax Treaty Overhaul: Key changes investors must watch
India and France will amend their tax treaty. India will gain broader rights to tax capital gains and dividends. Anti-abuse rules will tighten and investment structures will change
OPINION | Ayatollah Khamenei is dead which will prolong the conflict
Idea of martyrdom is a central pillar of the Iranian regime’s worldview. That Khamenei did not flee and risked assassination could create a ‘blood debt’ legacy among rival Iranian factions and also give hardliners the upper hand
OPINION | Hormuz shutdown shows why India’s energy security depends on supply diversification
In the global crude market, risk perception has an outsized influence on price trend. The outbreak of war in West Asia will have an immediate impact. India’s takeaway is to double down on its diversification strategy
OPINION | Revised GDP shows three straight years of 7% plus growth, signalling underlying strength
Manufacturing powers ahead in the new series, boosting October-December quarter’s performance. A lower nominal GDP in relation to the old series may lead to a slight rise in debt-to-GDP ratio
OPINION | The Golaknath case and the evolution of the Basic Structure doctrine
On 27th February 1967, a majority in a 11-judge bench of the Supreme Court declared that Parliament could amend Fundamental Rights. The verdict’s significance lay in the role it played in the evolution of the Basic Structure doctrine of the Court, unarguably the most consequential ruling thus far
OPINION | Leicester riots report’s claims on RSS and Hindutva questioned
RSSFACTS: A UK study links RSS and Hindutva to Leicester unrest. Critics say it misrepresents facts and ignores civilisational context and historical meaning of Hindutva
Tamil Nadu polls 2026: Welfare, identity and the battle for Dravidian dominance
As identity politics sharpens and welfare spending surges, Tamil Nadu prepares for its most consequential election in years
OPINION | A new GDP series comes in with important changes to enhance accuracy
After a decade, the GDP series is undergoing a revision. Some of the proposed changes will make for a more accurate reading of the economy but the shortcomings of the deflator will remain
OPINION | India-Israel equation needs to evolve from transactionalism to one of shared destinies
Netanyahu wants to free Israel of US military aid within a decade. It opens up new opportunities of collaboration for India and Israel if friction points such as the one on IP are addressed
OPINION | Andrew’s arrest in UK triggers constitutional test for Crown and State
Two senior establishment figures face misconduct investigations placing the monarchy under intense scrutiny. As legal and political pressure grows the crisis tests whether even royalty stands above the law
OPINION | As the US and Iran face-off, an escalatory spiral in the conflict seems certain
The US is the superior military force but it doesn’t have an easily achievable strategic goal. If the aim is regime change in Iran, there’s no quick answer. For the Iranian regime, survival is the ultimate victory, for which it will risk escalation
OPINION | Will Kerala’s 2026 assembly election be Pinarayi Vijayan’s last stand?
Local body polls show that UDF is in pole position. LDF hasn’t given up hope because many margins were narrow, but the weight of anti-incumbency may be hard to overcome
OPINION | CAFÉ Norms: A piece-wise linear approach may be worth a look to offset small car squeeze
India could draw lessons from global best practices, where countries like the United States, China, Korea, Japan specify the “minimum floor” and “maximum ceiling” by adopting a piece-wise linear approach
