Politics

Having settled the issue of chief ministership, the Mahagathbandhan has thrown down the gauntlet to the NDA. However, the presence of Prashant Kishor’s JSP complicates matters this time around

OPINION | Haryana’s code of silence

Not CBI, but Haryana Police and its friendly neighbour, Chandigarh Police, will probe its senior officials in the case of suicides by two of its officers, Y Puran Kumar and Sandeep Kumar Lather. This oddity doesn’t seem to bother opposition political parties

OPINION | Why Delhi’s air quality is more about politics than a lungful of non-toxic air

In power, political parties choose to be performative than practical. Over time, even the city’s inhabitants have become numb to the appalling level of pollution. It doesn’t have to be this way. There are solutions provided air quality is not seen as just a winter issue

OPINION | Karnataka’s anti-RSS push and the court verdict Congress forgot

RSSFACTS: The Madhya Pradesh High Court quashed restrictions on central government employees' involvement with the RSS, recognising its apolitical social contributions and questioning the basis of past anti-secular claims, vindicating its nationalist role

OPINION | Pakistan experiences ‘two-front’ conflict

Outbreak of armed conflict between Pakistan and Taliban-controlled Afghanistan is a reminder that one should be careful what one wishes for. That said, Afghanistan can at times bring rivals on to the same page. The layers to the interrelationships in the region make for a complex situation

OPINION | How China is flipping the supply chain warfare script

U.S. threatened a 100-percentage point increase in tariff on Chinese imports as retaliation over Beijing’s enhanced export control measures of critical mineral products. What’s playing out is a script reversal- China has taken a leaf out of the U.S. playbook

OPINION | Stampede in Karur: A wake-up call for crowd safety

Recurring stampedes highlight serious lapses in crowd management. Authorities and political parties must implement effective safety protocols to prevent avoidable tragedies at mass gatherings

OPINION | TMC and BJP exchange fire ahead of West Bengal’s do-or-die 2026 election

BJP is expected to soon bring in an unprecedented 1200 leaders to campaign in the state. Will that be enough to offset the combination of Mamata Banerjee’s appeal and TMC’s superior ground game?

OPINION | Decades-Old RSS Warning: Demographic imbalance now a critical concern

RSSFACTS: India’s changing religious demography, driven by illegal migration, poses national security concerns. The RSS has raised alarms, urging government action on border control, population policy, and safeguarding cultural identity

OPINION | Vijay vs. NTR: Two superstars, two outsiders, two approaches

NTR’s successful disruption in AP politics, and not TN politics, offers a reference point to contextualise Vijay’s effort. There are useful lessons for him in the way NTR crafted a stunning upset in his electoral debut 

OPINION | The peril of blind affection in leadership

A leader’s true legacy is built on fairness and integrity, not partiality. The story of Dhritarashtra offers timeless lessons on ethical leadership and the dangers of bias

OPINION | US military is caught between a rock and a hard place

President Trump’s address to the brass was very political in nature. The dilemma for the military comes from the effort to demand loyalty to the President, which will challenge a force that swears loyalty to the US Constitution

OPINION | Leadership, legitimacy, and Japan’s future

Liberal Democratic Party, which enabled the country’s ‘economic miracle’, is mired in internal trouble. A leadership election scheduled for October 4 will have far-reaching consequences for both country and its dominant political formation

OPINION | Vijay’s Political Gamble: After Karur, what’s next for TVK and TN politics?

Actor Vijay’s political journey with TVK faces hurdles, balancing alliances, leadership growth, and grassroots organisation. He must navigate complex alliances and build a robust political infrastructure to challenge Tamil Nadu’s established parties

OPINION | Vijay, the megastar with the trappings of a political party

Aura can sustain an actor in the tinsel world. Not in politics. Tamil cinema’s matinee idols who reached the top did so on the back of a well-oiled political structure. The stars who didn’t heed the lesson have been consigned to flashbacks

OPINION | Anxiety about alienation grips Ladakhis. Government should address it  

A journalist who spent a few days in Ladakh prior to the violence on September 24 shares his impressions from the ground. Ladakhis are fearful of land alienation and seek the protection of the Constitution’s Sixth Schedule and statehood. Sonam Wangchuk may be in jail but he is the local with street credibility

OPINION | Layers to Pak-Saudi defence pact will usher in more volatility

Pakistan-Saudi defence agreement solidifies a new strategic reality.  It raises the stakes for both India and Iran, and may prompt several countries in West Asia to recalibrate their doctrines. While the pact has been designed for deterrence, it may usher in a new volatile reality in West Asia

OPINION | Two Countries, One Outcome: Why H-1B fees aren’t the real problem

The fuss over H-1B fees misses an important point: it’s a political response to the uneven distribution of globalization’s spoils. The U.S. will keep getting talent, but along with India it has to find a way to spread benefits of economic growth to offset more backlash

OPINION | Rethinking the POSH Act: Ensuring protection for women in all professional spaces

The Supreme Court upheld that political parties aren't workplaces under the POSH Act, excluding women in politics from legal protections against harassment, highlighting urgent need to expand the law's scope

US sanctions on Chabahar Port are a gain for China

The Trump administration's decision to revoke sanctions exemptions on Iran's Chabahar port reveals a troubling pattern of strategic incoherence that may ultimately benefit China while undermining America's long-term interests in Central Asia

What to make of the Pakistan-Saudi defence deal?

The recent defence deal between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan has wide ranging implications for several countries including India, the Arab world, Israel and the U.S. Much depends on whether the Saudi intention is limited to gaining capability to counter Israel or will it try to empower Pakistan as well

OPINION | India faces diplomatic test amid Nepal's political upheaval

Nepal's Gen Z protests and political turmoil challenge India’s diplomacy, testing its Neighborhood First policy. India seeks to balance cautious optimism with strategic engagement as Nepal undergoes significant political changes

Rahul Gandhi’s election integrity campaign has grabbed attention, but can it deliver votes?

The real test lies not in television debates or press statements but on the ground—will Gandhi’s gambit strike a chord with voters, or will it fade into yet another episode of political shadowboxing remains to be seen

OPINION | Conversions Back in Focus: Kerala debate rekindles a national question

RSSFACTS: A recent article by Kesari sparks debate on religious conversions in Kerala, with the RSS challenging missionary activities. The controversy revisits historical anti-conversion measures and their impact on India’s religious landscape

OPINION | If Pakistan does not apologise for its army’s genocide in 1971, ties with Bangladesh won’t really blossom

Bangladesh recently asked the visiting Pakistani foreign minister to apologise for the mayhem unleashed 54 years ago. Successive Pakistani governments have sidestepped the issue but it refuses to go away. The events preceding Bangladesh’s liberation are an albatross that limit the efficacy of Pakistan’s outreach