One thing is clear: AI is no fad. It’s not even a standalone phenomenon, like the pandemic. It’s fast becoming an intrinsic part of the socio-economic fabric. And while 2025 saw some clear trends emerging, the path forward remains less than certain. The biggest source of uncertainty is whether the current trajectories will yield exponential improvements in capabilities, or will plateau, requiring fresh thinking.
The rupee’s fall reflects a convergence of factors—a strong global dollar cycle, foreign capital outflows, and a high import bill—playing out simultaneously. Given India’s underlying fundamentals, analysts expect the exchange rate to remain range-bound rather than experience an unchecked slide.
As India aspires to become a knowledge superpower, internationalisation must be embedded at the heart of our higher education strategy. This journey transcends state boundaries. It is a national mission with global consequences. If pursued thoughtfully and inclusively, it can transform not only our universities but also our economy, society, and global standing.
The only way out for Bangladesh, the only way forward, the only way to deliver us from the current instability is to hold the elections as scheduled. This is what the Bangladeshi people want and this is what the country needs. We must all come together to make sure that it happens. The only people who benefit from elections being delayed are the enemies of the Bangladeshi people.
What needs to be done is as follows. Firstly, restore the public-interest override and RTI balance must be returned. Privacy does matter, but corruption, abuse of State power, and public finance accountability matter more. Secondly, we must reinstate the proviso that information that cannot be denied to Parliament cannot be denied to any citizen. This principle is the heart of democratic equality.
COP30 can still be a watershed moment if political courage and a tech-savvy Gen Z influence outcomes. Brazil, as a major developing country hosting the summit, provides an opportunity to amplify the Global South’s voice — but only if top-down approaches of world leaders combine with the bottom-up energy of youth. The success of COP30 will be judged by a single, non-negotiable outcome - adoption of an ambitious New Collective Quantified Goal.
Terrorists are developing new types of explosives experimenting with commercially available products like fertilizer and chemicals, coupling them with radioactive like material to increase destructive power. Al Qaeda has devised ways to conceal explosives inside the body that can avoid detection by sophisticated scanners, in addition to undetectable liquid explosives that can be soaked into clothing and ignited when dry.
Pakistan has resorted to covert drone cooperation with the US to punish Kabul and reassert leverage in Afghanistan but is facing resistance – paying for fencing and barricading the Durand Line, which Afghans don’t recognize since the line divides Pashtuns on both sides. To top this, Pakistan is pushing Afghans and their families back into Afghanistan in the harsh winters.
The system protects many, but scandals emerge at regular intervals, sending periodic shocks that reveal to us that corruption is endemic in the Indian system and thrives in the bureaucracy. The disease is complex, given that it comes in various forms and flavours and is fuelled by patronage politics. Bribery is but one part of a larger canvas of corrupt practices
The mutual respect and empathy developed between Russia and India over centuries are rooted in historical traditions. Neither pursued policies of exploiting other people’s resources. Both have believed in respecting civilizational diversity. This orientation continues today in the context of the BRICS countries of which Russia and India are foundational members.
Importantly, coal reserves are concentrated in economically disadvantaged states, where people rely directly on mining jobs and indirectly on linked activities. Thus, while the closure of coal-based assets is central to a long-term transition, it will be highly disruptive for both the sector and local communities if the transition is not implemented with inclusive stakeholder participation.
The most important thing to do in cities like Delhi is to plant more trees. There should be a major campaign to plant trees. Each One Plant One could be a good slogan for such a campaign. A green and healthy city normally has an average of > 35% area of city covered by trees and forest. Indian cities have < 10-15% tree cover. This single act of planting more trees in cities can reduce air pollution substantially
India, as a founding member of the NAM and an active participant in the SCO, continues to uphold the values of equality, liberty, justice, and non-violence in international relations. The recent SCO Summit (Tianjin, 2025) and improving India–US ties — including President Trump’s conciliatory gestures on trade — reflect India’s growing confidence and self-reliance in global diplomacy.
Research shows that globalization boosts economies, improves job opportunities, reduces conflict, and increases trade. However, it also widens income gaps and harms the environment. These challenges can be managed through effective institutions and public policies focused on education, health, and sustainability—not by rejecting globalization.
The world needed the two largest emitters to show courage in Busan — especially when one of them, China, has already shown how ecology and economics can go hand in hand. Instead, they chose commerce over conscience.And the message to developing nations is painfully clear: When climate ambition competes with commercial bargaining — climate loses.
Every form of politics that cloaks itself in religion tends to preserve feudal values and promote hostility toward the “other.” Even Christian fundamentalism reinforces patriarchal norms. Nazi Germany, too, confined women to the three Ks—Kirche, Küche, Kinder (Church, Kitchen, Children). As we condemn patriarchy and the denial of human rights, we must recognize that all sectarian nationalisms—those rooted in religious or racial superiority—share these regressive traits.
Reservation in education has achieved moral legitimacy and expanded access, but it has also created new inequalities and stagnation. Its future lies not in expansion or abolition, but in redefinition. Affirmative action must evolve from symbolic arithmetic to structural reform, grounded in data and fairness.
In Ladakh, it is not just 150 sq km of pasture land allotted to corporates for solar power projects, but also the mining on land of corporate choosing. Why bother about the ecology, environment and disasters?
If executed smoothly, this transaction will serve as a template for future cross-border collaborations, especially within the framework of CEPA and the broader India–UAE economic corridor. It demonstrates that when capital, strategy, advisory prowess and bilateral ambition converge, remarkable outcomes follow.
