A Court order that was barking up the wrong tree

The Supreme Court of India’s order of August 11, 2025, to round up and incarcerate all street dogs in New Delhi in shelters was not just a misguided attempt to solve a problem. It was a scientifically unsound, legally questionable and morally bankrupt decree that served as a convenient smokescreen for the capital’s real and … Read more

​A productive visit: on India-China ties 

Judging by the statements and readouts from both sides, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s two-day visit to India this week was extremely productive. While Mr. Wang was in Delhi at the invitation of NSA Ajit Doval for the 24th Special Representatives talk on the boundary question, he also met External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar for … Read more

Set the guardrails for AI use in courtrooms

In July this year, the Kerala High Court published a set of guidelines for Artificial Intelligence (AI) use by the district judiciary (“Policy Regarding Use of Artificial Intelligence Tools in District Judiciary”). As the first policy in the country directly addressing AI use in judicial processes and setting out strict safeguards, it is timely. AI … Read more

Targeting research: on the silencing of independent research voices

Mistakes and misinterpretations must not be confused with cases of malicious misinformation. The filing of FIRs against a researcher associated with Lokniti, a programme of the CSDS, and the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR)’s show cause notice to the CSDS, represent yet another troubling chapter in the recent erosion of academic freedoms in … Read more

Better-informed AI systems are needed for better health messaging

India is rapidly digitising its healthcare system, and artificial intelligence (AI) offers a huge opportunity to super-charge this transformation. From streamlining hospital diagnostics to powering telemedicine platforms, AI is helping expand reach like never before. The government’s eSanjeevani platform has clocked over 196 million consultations and 12 million AI-assisted diagnoses since its integration with the … Read more

If you go looking for politics, you will find it is ubiquitous

Former Union Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy being garlanded in Patna after winning the election to the post of Secretary of the Constitution Club of India. | Photo Credit: ANI Political journalists, especially those tracking government, politics, and policy, generally cover elections, face-offs in Parliament, arguments in Cabinet meetings, and national conventions of political parties. Club … Read more

Letters to The Editor — August 22, 2025

Bills, ‘political morality’ The stormy scenes in Parliament on Wednesday, following the introduction of three contentious Bills, reflect the deep political divide. The Opposition is right in saying that the proposed laws could open the door for political misuse. The idea of removing the Prime Ministers, Chief Ministers, or Ministers facing serious charges may sound … Read more