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Terror will not get a free pass and India has used it first card, suspension of the Indus Water Treaty. Military options remain on the table but require careful consideration. They can’t be viewed through the prism of emotion. Moreover, the nature of military response will be influenced by the larger political message that India wants to convey
The Pahalgam massacre bears a chilling resemblance to the Hamas attack on unarmed civilians. It’s a desperate attempt to lure India into a trap. Pakistan anticipates an Indian retaliatory strike. Such a response would be a strategic trap, playing directly into Munir’s hands. India must project strength without succumbing to full-scale war
Though Pakistan’s defence spending as proportion of GDP declined to 2.3% in FY25, it was still higher than India’s 2%
Pahalgam terror attacks happened when PM Modi was on a state visit to Saudi Arabia. Following the attack, the Kingdom immediately offered India assistance. It encapsulated the extent of change in its approach, characterised by zero tolerance for terrorism and a deepening of counter-terrorism co-operation with countries such as India
Those who took loans or sold personal assets like jewellery and land to invest in the industry now face dire uncertainty. Hoteliers, Shikara riders, and vendors, once symbols of economic stability, may grapple with dwindling visitors and mounting debts as the violence shatters the narrative of normalcy promoted by the government
There may not be a cogent justification for Chinese soldier-volunteers to fight against Ukraine, but China would not send them without a long-term strategy. It must be part of a calibrated strategy that is yet to emerge in public domain
US Vice President JD Vance, on his third official visit, landed up in India for a four-day visit on April 21. The visit comes 12 years after Joe Biden visited India for four days in 2013 as vice president
A deeply divided Cabinet, outraged mutt heads and thwarted ambitions muddy the waters. Two key questions remain unanswered. Will Siddaramaiah realise his ‘dream project’ of making the OBCs have a greater say in Karnataka politics? Can any political party remain unscathed by the fallout of the report?
RSSFACTS: On Ambedkar’s birth anniversary, RSS leaders praised his legacy, highlighting efforts towards social harmony and constitutional values. Through initiatives like Seva Bharati, RSS advances Ambedkar’s vision, especially among marginalised communities and Scheduled Castes
A basic contradiction BJP faces is that while communal rhetoric is overlooked as it often gets political/electoral gains, casteist slurs and notions of ritual purity are frowned upon as they could alienate Dalit voters and lead to serious electoral consequences
Pro-monarchy protests in country have their roots in the frustration with the current system. Governance failures are many and limit the potential of the country. Yet, Nepal has made progress on many fronts since 2015 when the current Constitution was adopted. The solution lies in reforming the current system instead of taking a step back to a past that was not rosy
Amid rising geopolitical tensions, fiscal imbalances, and unexpected policy shifts, the world’s reliance on the dollar is starting to waver. As cracks emerge in this long-standing financial architecture, global markets may be entering uncharted territory
Politics in India at the sub-national level plays out through the Governor’s office. It’s mainly taken the form of Governors sitting on bills passed by State Assemblies by exploiting loopholes in the Constitution. Supreme Court on April 8 closed one such loophole by explicitly setting a timeline for Governors to act when Bills are presented to them. It bodes well for federalism
Both EU and Arab League members want to exclude it from administering Gaza if a truce with Israel is reached. Hamas however, remains an ingrained factor in the Palestinian question. Palestinians would turn to Hamas because of feeble Fatah. Hamas may not score over Israel, but it remains a dominant player within Palestine
In the shadow of a contentious new law, Bihar’s political landscape is simmering with possibilities. Allies are walking a tightrope while rivals sense opportunity
Pakistan has long leveraged the displacement of Afghans to its advantage by reinforcing colonial-era borders, extracting foreign humanitarian aid, and asserting regional dominance. Forced displacement has always been a tool in Pakistan’s geopolitical playbook
Sanghnomics: India ranked 118th in the World Happiness Index, raising concerns over the unrepresentative data. The India Policy Foundation advocates prioritising happiness over GDP with a focus on health, education, poverty, and governance
RSSFACTS: The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, addresses tribal land rights, with ABVKA highlighting misuse of the 1995 Waqf Act. The bill includes provisions to protect tribal lands from unlawful usurpation by Waqf Boards, benefiting Scheduled Tribes
Caste isn’t going away overnight but there are signs of change. The most persuasive evidence is from both the increasing participation of women voters and their priorities. Civic, social and economic issues matter to them. Close to a million youth will cast a vote for the first time in the 2025 Assembly election. Will they add impetus to the move away from caste?
In a bid to protect students from the pressure cooker atmosphere of the coaching ecosystem, Rajasthan government tabled a bill in the Assembly. Criticised by both treasury benches and opposition for bending backwards to satisfy the coaching industry, the proposed law falls short of adequately safeguarding vulnerable students
Operation Searchlight, launched on March 25, 1971, marked the brutal military crackdown by West Pakistan on East Pakistan, triggering the Bangladesh Liberation War. Rooted in political, economic, and linguistic oppression, this genocide ultimately led to Bangladesh’s independence after nine months of struggle
In March 2000, US President Bill Clinton addressed the Indian Parliament, an occasion that encapsulated a nascent bipartisan change in approach to ties with India. The challenge for India in the years ahead to make the engagement with the US more robust will be to navigate two interrelated strands – trade and technology
From Ukraine to information warfare, discussions at the Raisina Dialogue revealed insights about the shifts in contemporary geopolitics that India would do well to adapt to
Both houses of Germany’s Parliament have approved carveouts in the country’s restrictive “debt brake” in the wake of mounting economic and geopolitical challenges. A militarily assertive Germany, rearmed with public spending, can alter the balance of power within Europe and NATO. For Washington, it offers a much-needed “burden-sharing” partner. For Russia and China, it is a clear signal that Europe is mobilising for long-term strategic competition
History is replete with states imploding on the heels of overspending. From ancient Rome to Sri Lanka, we have seen fiscal recklessness led to instability and shook the very foundation of a state. India’s political parties clearly haven’t learnt any lessons. Recent elections have seen parties win on the back extravagant welfare promises which are followed by a fiscal struggle. It’s time for pragmatism
