Gaza and Trump’s ‘expanding the canvas’ strategy

‘Before the Gaza war, America’s regional diplomacy was focused on Riyadh-Tel Aviv reconciliation’ | Photo Credit: AFP Donald Trump, a consummate dealmaker, often relies on the “expanding the canvas” strategy to resolve an intractable stalemate. Nevertheless, he made his most audacious ever deal-bid on February 4, 2025: with typical nonchalance, he wanted the Gaza Strip … Read more

​Emergency exit: On the Manipur Chief Minister’s resignation  

In a long overdue decision, N. Biren Singh resigned as Chief Minister of Manipur on Sunday (February 9, 2025. It was reportedly under duress due to growing dissidence within the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government even as the Opposition Congress planned a no-confidence motion in the Assembly. The Supreme Court of India had … Read more

Letters to The Editor — February 11, 2025

The Delhi result The defeat of the grand old party in the Delhi election should be an eye-opener to the Gandhi siblings. It is going to be a long road for the Gandhi family to get the slow train moving again. Arunkumar Sadanand, Chennai The Indian electorate is, by and large, a moderately tolerant people, … Read more

Maharashtra: a State of uneven growth

Maharashtra, hailed as India’s economic powerhouse, presents a paradox. While cities such as Mumbai, Pune, and Thane thrive as global commerce hubs, regions such as Marathwada and Vidarbha are poor and underdeveloped. This stark regional imbalance, persistent since the State’s formation in 1960, has widened economic inequality and fuelled social crises, including caste agitations, farmer … Read more

The problem of regulating live-in relationships

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announcing the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Dehradun. | Photo Credit: PTI Uttarakhand recently implemented a Uniform Civil Code (UCC), governing various aspects of civil life. One of the novel aspects of the UCC is that it mandates compulsory registration of opposite-sex live-in relationships, and criminalises … Read more

Utilising doctorate holders in plotting the growth of India

In today’s knowledge-driven economy, the synergy between academia, industry and government plays a critical role in shaping innovations, solving complex societal problems and fostering economic growth for a better world. Doctorate holders, who are the epitome of specialised knowledge and advanced research skills, can contribute significantly to all three sectors. However, despite their deep expertise, … Read more

A legal ‘remedy’ that perpetuates survivor trauma

‘Justice must not be diluted by societal norms or convenience’ | Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto The Allahabad High Court, in Atul Gautam vs State of Uttar Pradesh (2025), recently granted bail to a man who has been accused of raping his inter-faith live-in partner on the ‘promise of marriage’. The bail was granted on the … Read more

A role for India in South-South climate cooperation

COP29, at Baku, Azerbaijan, aptly referred to as the ‘Climate Finance COP,’ has played a crucial role in operationalising core elements of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement (PA). The adoption of Article 6 at Baku represents a renewed focus on the market mechanism which could help countries that are often constrained by limited resources … Read more