The Indo-Pacific is the central geopolitical theatre of the Asian century. The global order is fragmenting as the U.S. recalibrates its strategic focus, and it is often said that Asia must assume responsibility for its own future. Robust guardrails for peace, not only among the great powers but also to contain peripheral disrupters, are required. … Read more
Archaeological excavations in progress at Keeladi in Tamil Nadu’s Sivaganga district. File | Photo Credit: The Hindu Civilisation and culture are deeply entwined in the identity of any society and attempts to reinterpret or regulate them often invite political consequences. Over the past fortnight, this became clear when political parties in Tamil Nadu put up … Read more
The reported cases of COVID-19 in India have risen from less than a few a day to a few 100 a day since mid-May 2025. Wastewater surveillance data from Indian cities have also reported an increased SARS-CoV-2 viral load. All this has resulted in heightened media and public attention because of the COVID-19 experience in … Read more
The lessons of the past should serve as a good guide, especially the learnings from three years of COVID-19. The country’s COVID-19 dashboard has seen some activity in recent weeks, and the total number (since January 2025) of COVID cases is currently at 3961 (as on June 2, 8 a.m.), and the number of … Read more
The Tawang Monastery in Arunachal Pradesh. | Photo Credit: RITU RAJ KONWAR China has once again renamed places in Arunachal Pradesh, this time as many as 27 of them, to reinforce its claim over the Indian State which it calls Zangnan. China claims that its effort to “standardise” the names is fully within its sovereignty. … Read more
War and truce Ukraine seems to rise like a phoenix, with or without the support of the Americans. The drone attack is retaliation by Ukraine that has taken Russia by surprise (‘World’ page, June 2). The age-old adage has been proved right again. In a war there are no winners. Is it not time for … Read more
The southwest monsoon has made a torrential entry and, expectedly, has wreaked considerable havoc. While the monsoon’s advent from Kerala, and its subsequent journey northwards, is a cause for celebration, given its association with the economy, this is only one branch of the monsoon — the Arabian Sea branch. A day or two after its … Read more
‘Enhanced subsea cable collaboration will complement the broader U.S.-India trade deal’ | Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto Bilateral commercial engagement between India and the United States is accelerating across multiple fronts, not limited to an imminent trade agreement. The two administrations are working closely on strategic sectors, with a shared understanding of the need to diversify … Read more
(This is the latest edition of the Political Line newsletter curated by Varghese K. George. The Political Line newsletter is India’s political landscape explained every week. You can subscribe here to get the newsletter in your inbox every Friday.) Unless we defend the rights of both Vijay Shah and Ali Khan Mahmudabad to say whatever they want to, neither … Read more
‘Indians traded over ₹1.03 trillion worth of VDAs on non-compliant platforms’ | Photo Credit: Getty Images India continues to lead in grassroots crypto adoption, for the second consecutive year in the ‘Geography of Crypto’ report by Chainalysis (2024). A National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) report finds that Indian retail investors poured $6.6 … Read more