Operation Sindoor — a case of doubtful deterrence
The “new normal” in India’s fight against terrorism, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking to establish after the horrific terror attack at Pahalgam on April 22, 2025, is neither based on complete information nor a rigorous security review of Operation Sindoor. Unlike Pakistan, India is a constitutional democracy, where major policies related to national … Read more
Show of cards: on Operation Sindoor and government’s delegations
The Narendra Modi government has announced seven delegations to canvas support for India in global capitals, in the aftermath of its recent conflict with Pakistan. The declared intent of these delegations — with representatives from political parties, diplomats and strategic experts — is to demonstrate before the world, the unity and the character of India … Read more
Letters to The Editor — May 19, 2025
Diplomatic squad What purpose will India’s diplomatic delegations to the different countries serve other than incurring an expense to the exchequer and when previous and similar missions have not brought any change? The foreign policy of every country is hardwired to its geopolitical perspectives aimed at maximum benefit vis-à-vis other countries. Their policy towards India … Read more
A caste census is not a silver bullet for social justice
‘A caste census may help sharpen the diagnosis, but it cannot administer the cure’ | Photo Credit: Getty Images Census data have long been the backbone of public policymaking in India, offering critical insights into sectors such as health, education, employment and housing. In this context, the Narendra Modi government’s recent announcement to include caste … Read more
Tough timing: on ISRO PSLV-C61 mission, India’s space programme
In contemporary spaceflight, cost, reliability and time form a tense triangle. Whether more money can ensure more reliability is tricky to answer, more so following the failure of ISRO’s PSLV-C61 mission to launch the EOS-09 earth-observation satellite into a sun-synchronous polar orbit. EOS-09 was designed to produce high-quality radar images for civilian applications such as … Read more
Political Line newsletter: Clarity and nuance in war
(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.) War brings clarity, though it might also lead to erosion of all nuances. In the ongoing discussions in India … Read more
Clean and lean Japan – The Hindu
A squeaky clean road in Tokyo. | Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto During my visit to Japan on a family holiday, I was astounded by two features. The first was the pristine cleanliness across the country. As we travelled through big cities and rural areas, public spaces such as parks, markets and train stations and along … Read more
Tale of a beautiful theatre
The interiors of a vintage theatre in Jhalawar city of Rajasthan. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Would you believe there is a theatre in Rajasthan where real chariots and even elephants were brought on the stage during the performance of dramas? The theatre in Jhalawar city is popularly known as Bhawani Natyashala. The beautiful public … Read more
