The international order is drifting into a dangerous grey zone as the very powers that built today`s multilateral system begin to chip away at it. The United States has increasingly walked away from global rules and forums when they no longer suit its interests, while China has rushed to fill the vacuum on its own terms through initiatives such as the Belt and Road. The latest spike in US-Iran
India, the second-largest importer and consumer of LPG after China, faces growing pressure due to supply constraints. Most of India`s LPG imports transit through the Strait of Hormuz, a focal point of global turmoil. Given that LPG forms the backbone of household kitchens and the restaurant industry, any supply disruption triggers far-reaching repercussions. To address the current LPG crisis, t
India’s next governance leap may not solely come from digitisation. It will come from making public systems more intelligent, more adaptive, and more responsive to the dynamics at the grassroots. That opportunity is especially significant at the panchayat level, where governance is not an abstract policy but an everyday interface between the state and citizens. The s
A silent crisis is playing out in the pocket of young India, not in stock markets or government treasuries, but in smartphones of college students and first-jobbers who clicked on the Apply Now button without reading the small print. A decade ago, to take a loan, you had to do some paperwork, a guarantor and perhaps visit a branch manager who knew your father. Now it requires th
Why public policy matters Most days, India`s loudest debates stop at the ballot box. We can name every major leader and recall every campaign slogan. Still, far fewer of us can explain why a widow`s pension is delayed or how a government school`s budget is actually approved. That quiet gap between politics and everyday life is public policy, and we rarely bother to lo
The images have not left me, of dead and wounded children being carried in the arms of the medics and relatives to the ambulances and hospitals. On February 28, at the start of Operation Epic Fury, cruise missiles struck the Shajareh Tayyebeh school – officially named a girls’ school, in Minab, southern Iran, hitting the building multiple times. Iranian authorities reported that 168
India’s democracy has grown in scale, but not quite in balance. Women today are active participants in elections, influencing outcomes in ways that were not as visible earlier. Yet their presence in legislative institutions continues to lag behind. The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam was meant to address this gap through reservation. But its linkage with delimitation brought in an element of
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has begun the new fiscal year with a calibrated pause, keeping the repo rate unchanged at 5.25 per cent in its April Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting. The decision, taken unanimously, reflects a shift from aggressive policy action to cautious observation after a significant easing cycle in 2025. Over the past year, the RBI redu
Traditionally, India’s tourism policy has been based on three main components: the number of visitors, building tourist attractions and providing facilities for tourists. Due to the increase in climate-related issues and environmental destruction that occurred over previous years, policymakers have been challenged with this solution. A new perspective on the future of tourism is available
On April 8, hours after warning that “a whole civilisation will die tonight,” US president Donald Trump, exhibiting his unique style of retreating from high-voltage brinkmanship, announced that he agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran. The weekend talks in Islamabad have failed and the future of the conflict remains uncertain. Meanwhile, the whole world is waiting for the reopeni
There is a moment every event professional knows—the kind that arrives without warning, usually an hour before the curtain rises. Months of meticulous planning are in place. And then comes the call: “We’ll also need a projector. For the slides.” No email trail. No prior mention. Just five words and a room full of expectation. &nbs
India’s macroeconomic narrative is quietly shifting—from a rare “Goldilocks” equilibrium of stable growth and contained inflation to a more fragile phase where external shocks are beginning to dominate domestic policy outcomes. The numbers still look reassuring at first glance: GDP growth hovering around 6–6.5%, inflation broadly within the 4±2% target band.
The story of labour law in India is not just about laws and codes, but also about how the nation has continued to negotiate the position of the workforce within its economic framework. The implementation of the Labour Codes across the country in November 2025 marks a definitive endpoint in the process. Yet it also prompts a deeper reflection: whether the reform has increased protection or merel
There is a strip of water barely 33 kilometres wide between Iran and Oman that connects the Persian Gulf to the rest of the world`s oceans. For most of India`s history, it was a distant geographic fact. Since late February, it has been a kitchen problem. The Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. Energy Information Administration says a fifth of the world`s oil passes through i
As tensions rise between Iran and Israel, the potential for ongoing disruption in the Strait of Hormuz has driven global energy markets very unstable. With crude prices climbing towards $140 per barrel, the world is facing its most significant oil shock since 1973. However, the response to the headline question is more complex than alarmist views imply. A global
As the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meets from April 6–8 — its first review in FY26 — it confronts a complex and unusually conflicting macroeconomic backdrop. Inflation has eased more sharply than expected, opening the door for further rate cuts. Yet, a weakening rupee, sustained foreign outflows, and global trade disruptions complicate t
What does it mean to guarantee work in rural India today? Is it simply a question of providing temporary wage support during periods of distress, or can public employment serve as a foundation for building durable livelihoods and resilient villages? These questions come to the fore with the enactment of the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025, which propos
Semiconductors are the backbone of the modern world. They power everyday technology and reflect the scope of innovation. For countries like India, this makes semiconductors more than just an industry; they are a pathway to technological sovereignty. However, this rapid growth also highlights a clear tradeoff between technological advancement and environmental sustainability.
The anticipated implementation of the India–UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) around April 2026 marks a pivotal moment in the economic relationship between two historically connected yet strategically evolving economies. Signed on July 24, 2025, this agreement is not merely a tariff-reduction exercise, it is a comprehensive framework aimed at deepening trade integration, unlocking sectoral op
Walk through the narrow lanes near any temple in India, and you will notice something interesting. In the market there, a bangle seller, sitting on a small stool, reads customers better than most trained professionals. He knows who will return, who is just browsing, and who needs a small push to buy. He rotates his stock smartly, throws in a freebie when needed, and even adjusts his pricing dep
