Greater share: on States and central taxes

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s exhortation to the Chief Ministers gathered at the 10th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog over the weekend, in New Delhi, that the Centre and States should come together as “Team India” to propel the country forward, is a good sentiment; but, it belies reality. The Centre-States relationship right now is … Read more

Focus on heat-resilience despite the monsoon

At a national conference on climate and health titled ‘India 2047: Building a Climate-Resilient Future’, recently, a trade union leader shared the lived reality of garment workers in sweltering factories, while a climate modeller spoke about wet-bulb temperatures — two equally important perspectives that are reflective of science and the lived reality. The conference showed … Read more

Political Line newsletter: Old Boys and New Men: people in the India-Pakistan conflict

(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.) The fact that India and Pakistan (and Bangladesh) were part of the same country until August 1947 has become … Read more

Navigating floods in Bengaluru: A natural way forward  

Flooded area at Sai layout in Bengaluru following heavy overnight rains on May 19. | Photo Credit: SUDHAKARA JAIN Urban flooding has become a persistent and growing challenge in Indian cities, with Bengaluru experiencing increasingly frequent and disruptive flood events. In 2024, Bengaluru faced severe floods with over 2,000 homes submerged citywide. Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara … Read more

Time for a new India-Africa digital compact

Africa Day (May 25) marks the founding of the Organisation of African Unity in 1963 and symbolises the continent’s ongoing journey towards unity, independence, and development. To usher in a new era of growth, the African Union’s Digital Transformation Strategy (2020-2030) positions digital innovation at the heart of its agenda. It recognises the need for … Read more

The wait for judicial finality

The Kerala government, which is opposed to the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, is closely watching the legal proceedings in the Waqf case in the Supreme Court. In 2019, the Waqf Board in Kerala staked claim over more than 400 acres of land in Munambam, a coastal village in Ernakulam district. The inhabitants of Munambam are … Read more

The air power use discourse and Operation Sindoor

‘The recent offensive-defensive employment of air power in Operation Sindoor paves the way for a more nuanced understanding of the importance of military air power in the national security calculus’ | Photo Credit: THE HINDU/K. MURALI KUMAR Whenever nations embark on reconfiguring their security strategies, they must invariably review the use of the various instruments … Read more

Letters to The Editor — May 26, 2025

Centre-State synergy It is a fact that the Centre’s relations with some States have not been cordial ever since the National Democratic Alliance came back to power. Therefore, the Prime Minister’s clarion call, at the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting, for synergy between the Centre and the States and to work together ‘like Team India’ … Read more