The number of Internet shutdowns in India was slightly lower in 2024 than in 2023, according to the Software Freedom Law Center (SLFC), India’s annual report. A separate report by the web rights advocacy, Access Now, shows that India continues to lead globally in the number of government-ordered Internet shutdowns. The Union government has maintained … Read more
The political environment The resurgence of right-wing populism is threatening the very basis of western liberalism. What explains citizens’ support for parties such as the AfD in Germany or leaders such as Donald Trump and Giorgia Meloni? Is it simply a reaction against liberal values? Or are there more profound socio-economic causes at work? It … Read more
‘There is still a dearth of more nuanced AI-specific legislation to govern this evolving sphere’ | Photo Credit: Getty Images The allocation of ₹2,000 crore to the IndiaAI mission in the Union Budget 2025-26 demonstrates India’s commitment to developing its artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure. But this also calls for more robust AI regulations. India has … Read more
The announcement by Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, in December, of a target of establishing two lakh Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) within five years reflects the government’s commitment to reinvigorating India’s cooperative movement. The inauguration of 10,000 newly established Multipurpose Primary Agricultural Credit Societies alongside reforms in bylaws and structural frameworks, signifies … Read more
As India strives toward achieving a $1 trillion digital economy by 2028, digital citizenship has become indispensable for accessing e-governance services and basic entitlements. At this critical juncture, where India emphasises the need for “digital inclusion”, it is imperative to evaluate the effectiveness of the government’s strategies vis-à-vis the scale of digital reach, adoption, and … Read more
The Left Democratic Front (LDF) government is basking on the perceived success of the Invest Kerala Global Summit (IKGS), which was held in Kochi last week to open the State to trade and investment. The LDF could claim that it enlisted the national leadership of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and of the Bharatiya … Read more
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has been in the news again, with the States pushing back on its directive on the procedure for appointment of vice chancellors. It is unusual for chief ministers to concern themselves so closely with minutiae of this kind, but those of Kerala and Tamil Nadu have campaigned against it, terming … Read more
‘The rules make it nearly impossible for couples, particularly interfaith ones, to live without oversight’ | Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto On January 27, 2025, Uttarakhand became the first Indian State to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), placing private relationships under state surveillance. The official claim is that it would restore gender justice, create “uniformity”, … Read more
When Germans went to vote on Sunday (February 23, 2025), in one of the most consequential elections in the country’s post-reunification history, there was little doubt about the outcome. The Olaf Scholz-led three-party coalition had collapsed months earlier and his centrist Social Democratic Party (SPD) was hugely unpopular. Germany, once hailed as a model country, … Read more
Protesters in New Delhi in 2018. | Photo Credit: The Hindu The introduction of the Right to Information (RTI) Act was a move that generated great hope among citizens since it recognised them to be the rulers of the nation. It empowered them to seek information from the government, with dignity and respect. It looked … Read more