Every year on the 8th of March, governments issue statements, corporates run campaigns, and social media fills with tributes to women`s resilience and achievement. International Women`s Day has become a moment of visibility. What it has not become, at least not consistently, is a moment of accountability. And hence we need to ask a question that celebratory rhetoric tends to avoid: not whether
The Union Budget 2026-27 signifies a substantial transformation in how India regards tourism. The government proposes to treat the tourism sector not only as a cultural soft power but also as a catalyst for employment generation, regional development and economic growth. The specific strategies to transform India into an international tourist destination by focusing on infrastructural dev
The promise of grocery deliveries within minutes has become a defining feature of contemporary urban convenience. Behind this pace, however, is a labour force whose strength has reached 12 million in India, and is expected to grow to 24 million by 2030. The gig economy is now a significant pillar in the Indian labour market, valued at almost $20 billion, and with 12 unicorns. &n
As India enters 2026 amid optimism about growth and Viksit Bharat 2047, a harder question remains unanswered: who is this growth actually for? Currently, India is the most populous country, with the largest labour force and labour market. This huge working-age population, if invested properly in health, education, and skills, could generate a demographic dividend that could multiply income, sav
In the high-stakes theatre of Indian elections, a recurring script has emerged: a cascade of promised "freebies" disguised as empowerment. While these promises offer immediate relief to marginal communities, they often mask a transactional political culture that prioritises short-term electoral gain over long-term economic stability. As state budgets stretch to their breaking po
The India–EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), concluded in January, is India’s most consequential trade deal for labour intensive manufacturing in decades. It eliminates tariffs on about 96% of traded goods by value, with an emphasis on sectors that employ the most people, textiles and apparel, leather and footwear, marine products, gems and jewellery, carpets and handicrafts. For these
India’s Union Health Budget 2026-27 and the release of the country’s first evidence based lung cancer guidelines have sparked important conversations about whether our health system is keeping pace with global standards. These announcements are not just policy milestones – they are litmus tests of whether India can deliver care that is equitable, affordable, and responsive to
India’s cities are expanding at an unprecedented pace, absorbing people, infrastructure, and economic activity at scale. What urban governance frameworks have been slower to absorb is a reality already playing out on the ground: animals are an inseparable part of urban life. From community dogs and pigeons to cattle and urban wildlife, animals intersect daily with public health systems, w
A silent re-calibration is going on in the international system, which is becoming more polarized, volatile, and entered of spheres of influence. The world does not evolve in the new era of bipolar competition of the United States and China, nor does it evolve on the setback of Russia in the role of a spoiler of the world strategies. Rather, a third gravity force is developing, which is not con
On February 2 at around 10 PM, Sergio Gor, who had become US ambassador to India just three weeks ago, posted a cryptic message on his official handle on X, stating, “President Trump just spoke with Prime Minister Modi. STAY TUNED….” This created a buzz across media in India as the two leaders are known for their nationalistic stand. They appear to have retained personal chem
When the Union Budget 2026 was presented in Parliament, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman spoke with assurance about economic growth, innovation and employment-led development. Rising revenue receipts were cited as a sign of a widening tax base, while increased expenditure reflected the government’s commitment to long-term national investment. At first glance, the budget appeared confid
India’s small and marginal farmers are at the centre of a paradox in agrarian economy. They are the backbone of the food economy, but they are the most vulnerable stakeholders within agricultural economy. Among the 126 million farmers in India today, nearly makes 86% operate on small and marginal holdings. Farmers are an important force in making the country’s food secure, yet their
Prime minister Narendra Modi’s state visit at the end of the year 2025 to Ethiopia represented a notable point in the development of India-Africa relations. At a time of escalated geopolitical contest, renewed commitment to South-South cooperation and Africa’s expanding strategic prominence, this visit marked India’s vision to further strengthen its relations with one of the A
Maintaining independence in foreign policy is not an easy option for any country, especially when the international geopolitical situation is fluid, alliances are shifting and strategic choices are becoming increasingly complex. How will the new year fare in this regard? It is instructive to look back in order to look into the future. The year 2025, in particular, will be remembe
India’s economic journey in the 21st century is being rewritten at the intersection of physical infrastructure and private-sector leadership. In a world where logistics networks determine competitiveness, digital architecture underpins service delivery, and renewable grids define resilience, India is attempting a quantum leap – bridging structural gaps while harnessing entrepreneuri
The World Economic Forum’s ‘Future of Jobs 2025’ marks a decisive break from the gloom of the pandemic years. It projects that by 2030, advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation will create 170 million new jobs and displace 92 million worldwide, yielding a net gain of 78 million roles. Technology and sustainability are now the twin engines of this expansion, with
Hidden hunger affects not only India’s poorest but also its middle class. Over 70% of Indians consume less than half the recommended daily intake of key micronutrients such as iron and vitamins, weakening growth, immunity, and long-term health. But the problem begins well before food reaches the plate, it starts in the soil. For decades, Indian agriculture has focused on ou
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has impacted all sectors, including the education sector, and humans to a varying degree. We thought of writing this article pointing towards the possibility of getting along with AI in the education space, i.e., not to reduce or eliminate AI’s use but accept it as a reality and learn to get along with it. This is motivated in part by Dr S. Radhakrishnan&rsquo
India`s food security paradox, where record food grain production of 354 million tonnes in 2024-25 coexists with a ranking of 105th among 127 countries in the Global Hunger Index 2024, reveals a fundamental architectural flaw in the nation`s agricultural model rather than a production deficit. While agriculture contributes approximately 16% to GDP and employs 45% of the workforce, malnutrition
Two weeks ago, 28 year old Senthil Kumar (name changed) from Tiruppur died of a heart attack in a labour camp near Dammam, Saudi Arabia. His body came home to Chennai because his employer agreed to pay for the airfare. His family received ₹10 lakh under the Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana (PBBY). The district collector handed over the cheque, cameras flashed, and the story ended there. Senthil&
