During his visit to France this week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that India and France could be a force for “global transformation”. This statement carried significant geopolitical context for both him and his host, French President Emmanuel Macron. The visit took place just before Mr. Modi’s scheduled trip to Washington, where the Trump administration’s … Read more
A report unveiled by the NITI Aayog, highlighting the critical reform of the India’s State University system, has emphasized the need for increased autonomy for State Public Universities (SPUs). But at the same time, the suggestion, though presented as innovative, only echo long-standing debates on India’s higher education discourse. The NITI Aayog report, Expanding … Read more
In the summer of 2018, I hailed a cab from Midtown Manhattan to Harlem’s Upper West Side with a friend. As we settled in, Punjabi music filled the car. My Texas-born friend, assuming the driver was from South Asia, asked if I understood the lyrics. After a brief hesitation, I replied, “Yes, but not all … Read more
‘Financial institutions must recognise women’s diverse economic roles, particularly in agriculture, entrepreneurship, and employment’ | Photo Credit: The Hindu The Union Budget 2025-26 emphasises the government’s commitment to inclusive development, balanced growth and prioritising the well-being of four key population groups: the poor, youth, farmers, and women. In a welcome announcement, the Finance Minister set … Read more
Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted India’s stance on the evolving Artificial Intelligence (AI) landscape at the AI Action Summit in Paris on February 11, stressing the need for “governance and standards that uphold our shared values, address risks, and build trust”. This perspective is also reflected in the joint statement signed by India and over … Read more
In the Union Budget speech on February 1, the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the government’s intention to take up “amendments to the Atomic Energy Act and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act…” This announcement is likely to please Washington, where successive administrations have been unhappy that the law places some minimal responsibilities on … Read more
The Supreme Court of India’s probing questions to the Tamil Nadu Governor, R.N. Ravi, have exposed a pattern of wilful violation of constitutional duty on his part. The questions related to the lawfulness of Mr. Ravi’s act in referring to the President of India a set of Bills for which he had earlier “withheld assent”, … Read more
AI, the job market With a large and growing population, India faces significant employment challenges. The advent of AI could exacerbate these issues. Once hailed as a major job creator, the IT sector has seen a decline. This serves as a cautionary tale about the impact of technological advancements. While AI has advantages, it is … Read more
The Union Budget sparked anger in Kerala over the Centre’s “continued neglect” of the State on the fiscal front. For some time now, there has been deepening distrust between Left Front-ruled Kerala and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre in the financial realm. The Kerala government has repeatedly accused the Centre of … Read more
The Biden-Harris administration unveiled a flurry of policies in their last week in office. The most extraordinary among them is the Framework for Artificial Intelligence (AI) Diffusion. It has many goals: preserving U.S. hegemony in AI technology, balancing innovation and national security, and deterring U.S. adversaries from harvesting the strategic rewards of AI. These goals … Read more