Companies that align what they earn with what they stand for can transform industries, drive innovation, and actually leave things better than they found them. They build trust that lasts. They attract talent that stays. They create customers who come back. The future belongs to businesses that figure out how to balance purpose and profit. Indian founders face a choice: build like Tata, with purpose woven into the foundation, or chase short-term efficiency like IndiGo and Micromax until the wheels come off.
The emphasis on Vikisit Bharat (Developed India) is to be welcomed. Who would not want India to be developed fully but there remain huge questions in terms of the direction of this development and what the nature of development ought to be in an India where inequality remains high, health services are poor, and education poses many challenges that have been highlighted time and again. Consider that the total percentage on education (Centre and State expenditure on education combined) is merely 3.3% of the GDP, and on health it stands at just 1.5%. This is a shockingly low number
It may be argued that invoking the Bhutanese king’s principled stance as a reference point for a country as vast and diverse as India is deeply flawed—or, at best, a theoretical abstraction. Yet the fact remains: the ethos of good governance knows no geographical boundaries. If the highest leadership of a small, landlocked nation with limited resources could believe in, and strive towards, such ideals, why should our country fall short of visionary leadership, especially when it is far larger and endowed with greater capacities, opportunities, and strategic advantages?
In this backdrop, opening up India fully to Chinese, including inviting the Chinese delegations, is akin to arranging visits of KFC owners to poultry farms! The hubris that this was to familiarize two big political parties and two economic powers with each other must have amused Beijing endlessly. Finally, insecurity is palpable in India’s handling of China and the US. About time we get over this.
Thanks to Ambedkar, India adopted modernity via an extremely enlightened constitution which is a living, throbbing document, open to amendments. But constitutional morality is not in our genes. It has to be cultivated as a habit. In our actions and administration; the spirit of the constitution must not be forgotten. This is but one of innumerable exhortations of one of the tallest leaders of modern India
Doctors from India, Australia, America, New Zealand, Norway, Nepal and Sri Lanka discussed rural healthcare challenges at the three-day World Rural Health Summit in Bengaluru
This is not the new world order that was envisaged when the WTO was formed, or indeed when the series of multilateral institutions took shape in the aftermath of the chaos of the World Wars, or indeed the world in which countries like India agreed to go with frameworks like the new intellectual property rights regime
At the 6th BIMSTEC Summit, Dr. Muhammad Yunus assumes leadership, signaling a transformative era for regional cooperation. His four-point proposal emphasizes people-centric growth, climate action, digital equality, and youth leadership—offering a visionary path for South and Southeast Asia.
The RSS’s infiltration into civil society and political institutions has long been underway, but this influence has intensified since the BJP came to power in several states and at the Centre. Beyond shakhas, the RSS now organizes community groups for women, children, and the elderly to keep them ideologically aligned. Recently, a picnic was organized in my area; when a Muslim woman expressed interest in joining, she was bluntly told she would feel uncomfortable due to the nature of the discussions and activities
When the dust settles, Trump may find that most imports continue unabated—only now, U.S. consumers are paying more. Yes, the higher tariffs could marginally boost government revenues, but the burden will ultimately fall on the American public. And there’s more: once other countries respond with reciprocal tariffs on U.S. exports, American producers will struggle in overseas markets. Competing against countries like China—who often leverage non-transparent pricing and generous credit terms—will become even tougher.
The apathy of the authorities and civil society in a recent incident when drunk policemen in the Indian state of Punjab assaulted a serving colonel of the Indian Army at an eatery is appalling to say the least. Such public apathy, surely, does not enhance the morale of a soldier.
The first is that India can no longer hope to build or become a manufacturing hub by copying the Chinese model, getting companies like Foxconn to bring their factories to Indian sites and manufacture for American giants. The game of building that kind of a manufacturing base is past its expiry date.
Despite multiple Supreme Court and High Court rulings condemning noise polluters for disregarding public inconvenience, sound pollution continues unabated. The Supreme Court’s judgments on loudspeaker usage were intended to protect citizens from becoming a ‘forced audience’ to noise; yet enforcement remains a challenge.
India is the world’s largest producer of milk, has the highest population of cattle, is among the top two or three producers of fruits and vegetables, and has one of the longest coastlines. How well does that translate into export of milk products, cheeses, confectionary, meat, poultry, fisheries, fruit juices, nutraceuticals, organic foods? There is no use in hiding behind the excuse of “protecting the small farmer”
India has shown it has the capacity to spearhead AI innovation globally thanks to its booming startup culture, strong digital infrastructure, and abundance of highly qualified personnel. In his speech, Modi underlined India's commitment to ensuring that AI remains inclusive, ethical and accessible, a technology that advances humanity while lowering risks.
India, like the rest of the world, is a vast garden of diverse cultures and traditions. To single out Hindus as solely responsible for the country is divisive. All Indians, regardless of their religion, share equal rights and responsibilities in shaping the nation’s future.
One of the concerns of India has been the expanding Chinese presence in Sri Lanka. The China-funded mega projects like Hambantota Port and Colombo Port City have caused some discord in the India-Sri Lanka relations. Growing Chinese presence in South Asian nations - Nepal, Bangladesh, Maldives and Sri Lanka - has been a cause of major security concern for New Delhi.
Diamonds remain a cornerstone of the Belgo-Indian economic relationship, but in recent years strong growth has been visible in various other sectors. The port city of Antwerp is considered to be the international centre of diamond trade which is dominated by Indian diamond traders mainly from Gujarat.
It is good to be ever wary of a nation and a leadership that is and has historically been all about itself at the cost of others, driving others to misery as it gobbles up resources and pushes the idea of American exceptionalism.
