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co-presented by
ASSOCIATE SPONSORS
US-EU-NATO amity nurtured during the Cold War is being buried by the Trump administration. Europe is out in the cold. This message was hammered home on February 18 when the US and Russia agreed to work together to end the conflict in Ukraine, relegating other stakeholders to the periphery.
Elected four consecutive times to Parliament from Thiruvananthapuram, but always the ‘outsider’ to the state unit. Arguably, the most popular Congress leader in Kerala, but now at odds with his party as his state heads for an assembly election. Stuck in a Lok Sabha characterized by repeated disruptions and little space for opposition MPs, where does that leave the man once seen as Kerala’s CM-in-waiting?
RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat is camping in West Bengal for 10 days, an indication of the electoral importance of the state for the BJP. TMC, however, is sitting pretty, thanks to the significant backing of Muslims who comprise 27 percent of the population. The magnitude of this support gives TMC the cushion to withstand problems that have come in the wake of three successive terms
RSSFACTS: This article highlights the importance of India’s ancient tradition of Vaad, advocating for constructive debate rooted in truth, as a solution to the current toxic discourse. It explores examples from the Ramayana, Upanishads, and Mahabharata, offering valuable lessons for contemporary discussions
Start with a maximalist position, adapt to the response and keep both allies and rivals off balance all the time. It’s all there in the Gaza plan proposed by Donald Trump as stakeholders, Israel included, find the ball is in their court without the US having to take concrete steps initially
Union defence minister Rajnath Singh stressed the strength of India’s cooperative federalism, stating that it thrives on constitutional values.
Sanghnomics: The newly elected BJP government in Delhi faces long-term challenges of managing migration and job creation, while addressing short-term issues like financial mismanagement, infrastructure neglect, and significant cuts in the capital outlay for key sectors.
For cricket administrators, India-Pakistan matches are a commercial necessity. That’s on account of their complex history of political engagement which cannot be disentangled from cricket, making for one of sport’s greatest rivalries. A Netflix docu-series explores the many-layered rivalry without eliciting a consensus on the larger question of can sport overcome deep-rooted distrust
The Aam Aadmi Party performed better in these three constituencies in terms of vote share in 2020 than in the previous election
Tariffs have often been viewed and used as tools to build domestic industrial strength. In displaying faith in them, Donald Trump is not an outlier in American political history. The question is whether tariffs are an unstoppable force or just another page in the economics textbooks. The next four years will answer that question for the U.S. and for the world at large.
RSSFACTS: After Gandhi's assassination, the RSS was wrongly blamed and banned. Despite unjust arrests and political targeting, investigations cleared the RSS of involvement. The ban was lifted in 1949, and subsequent investigations reaffirmed the organisation's innocence
Congress may have a comfortable majority in the Assembly but runs a government that appears to be under siege. It is not on account of the BJP, which has three factions in the state that are locked in a struggle. And the very act of survival may be an achievement for JDS. Eventually, it’s the state and its people who will pay the price for dysfunctional politics
The U.S. and Colombia avoided a trade conflict after Colombia agreed to accept deported migrants on military flights, a move that had previously been refused. President Trump had threatened tariffs, sanctions, and other penalties on Colombia in response to its refusal to accept deportation flights as part of his immigration crackdown. Under the new agreement, Colombia will accept all deported migrants without delay or limitation, including those arriving on U.S. military planes. In exchange, the U.S. will suspend proposed tariffs, travel bans, and financial sanctions. Colombian President Gustavo Petro had condemned the military deportation flights, offering his presidential plane for a more dignified return of deportees. The U.S. had also planned to implement increased border inspections and suspend visa processing in Colombia. The trade relationship between the two countries remains significant, with Colombia being the U.S.'s third-largest trading partner in Latin America.
With a median age of 37, the state’s younger voters are less entrenched in traditional Dravidian ideologies, offering fertile ground for fresh narratives and icons. However, Seeman and Vijay are also targeting this demographic. Annamalai’s charisma alone cannot convert voter interest into electoral success. The road ahead demands more than fiery speeches and headline-grabbing protests
President Donald Trump began his first full day in office attending a prayer service at the Washington National Cathedral on Tuesday (January 21) and got a sermon he may not have been expecting: an appeal to protect immigrants and respect gay rights. A day after declaring in his inauguration speech that there were only two genders in America and signing executive orders to crack down on immigrants, Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde pleaded with Trump, from the pulpit, to show mercy on people. Watch here for more details -
Donald Trump is set to become president in the backdrop of three consequential challenges, Russia-Ukraine conflict, the unsettled state of West Asia and the adverse global fallout of China’s economic model. On China, the signals have been mixed, with his team comprising hawks and members such as Musk who are invested there. His decisions on China will have a bearing on India and so will the choices exercised to realise the MAGA agenda
Being disruptive and provocative is part of the Donald Trump playbook. Therefore, his observations on Greenland and Panama Canal should not really be a surprise. His position on nuclear equilibrium, however, should of greater concern because after August 1945, the US has maintained a certain degree of nuclear rectitude. But that doesn’t gel with Trump’s unsettling approach to security
RSSFACTS: Mohan Bhagwat’s remarks linking the consecration of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya to India's true independence have sparked controversy. He emphasised that the Ram Temple represents a victory of civilisational values over centuries of foreign invasions and religious intolerance
China’s proposed 60GW dam at the ‘Great Bend’ of the Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet may have its roots in the country’s internal investment dynamics. Moreover, once the river enters India as the Brahmaputra, its rainfall which mainly contributes to the volume of flow. Indeed, China cannot weaponize the dam without severe adverse consequences to Tibet. The way forward is to combine downstream readiness and negotiations with Beijing
Legal changes in J&K have empowered the Lieutenant Governor at the expense of the elected Chief Minister. The power hierarchy is at odds with public accountability as the elected government is the one which has to deal with people’s expectations. It puts the National Conference government in a tight spot
India Bloc is under fire as AAP faces its toughest election in Delhi assemblies
India's engagement with the Taliban reflects changing regional dynamics, balancing security, trade, and humanitarian aid. India acknowledges the Taliban's influence, focusing on regional stability, security, and continued investments in Afghanistan's infrastructure and development
The political battle to appropriate a towering figure of Kerala’s Renaissance Movement represents the CPM’s effort to retrieve lost ground before the next set of elections. Ezhavas, who closely identify with Sree Narayana Guru, have begun to move away from CPM towards BJP. That’s the nub of the matter
RSSFACTS: In this article the author addresses the misconceptions about RSS, explaining its ideological influence on the BJP, and the society as a whole. It urges critics like Kejriwal and Gandhi to join and experience the RSS firsthand for better understanding
RSSFACTS: As the RSS approaches its centenary in 2025, it continues expanding its organisational presence across India. With a focus on youth engagement and social transformation, it is also at the forefront of disaster relief and community service
