Opinion

Ajit Ranade One silver lining to the 24 per cent fall in quarterly GDP between April and June was that growth in the agriculture sector was positive at 3.4 per cent. This is the first time in India’s history that we are experiencing a steep...

Shoumyakant Joshi Clean and adequate water is essential for survival and this has a direct bearing on positive health outcomes and food security of India. Most countries have committed to providing clean water and sanitation to every citizen in alignment with UN’s Sustainable Developmental Goal...

Saeed Naqvi The ancient Indian protocol for social distancing is embedded in the lines my yoga guru, from the famous ashram in Monghyr, Bihar, taught me: “Chaar miley, chausath khiley, Miley bees ek saath. Harjan se harijan miley, Bihsain bahattar hazar.” (When two plus two...

Jan-Werner Mueller Around the world, right-wing populists are hollowing out democracy and the rule of law. But unlike many twentieth-century dictators, today’s aspiring authoritarians have tried to preserve the façade of the institutions they are destroying, which creates a dilemma for opposition parties. Should they...

Rup Narayan Das What happened at the Chamber of Rajya Sabha in the just-concluded session of Parliament, when Opposition members protested against the passage of the farm Bills, was most unfortunate and stands out in the recent history of Indian Parliament. The act can be...

Bharat Jhunjhunwala The government has provided that sale of agricultural produce through the mandis will no longer be compulsory. Large companies will be able to enter into direct contracts with farmers to buy their produce at predetermined prices. Certainly, this will hit at the interests...

Dr. D K Giri India has deep and historical relations with Afghanistan consisting of trade, culture, education and security. However, New Delhi has been on the periphery of diplomacy on restoring peace and security in Afghanistan.  In December 1979, Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. The United...

Ban Ki-moon Covid-19 has shone a light on the acute vulnerabilities of a deeply interconnected world. No country, regardless of its size, wealth, or technological sophistication, can tackle this crisis alone. Owing to the pandemic, the United Nations General Assembly this month is being held...

Kamal Baruah Agriculture is the primary source of livelihood for over 60 per cent of the population. Farmers here suffer more in marketing their produces than in raising their crops or harvesting them season after season. Markets are not farmer-friendly. Will the new farm legislation...

Brahma Chellaney China's foreign minister Wang Yi recently declared that aggression and expansionism have never been in the Chinese nation's "genes." It is almost astonishing that he managed to say it with a straight face. Aggression and expansionism obviously are not genetic traits, but they...