Nagpur oranges

Why India Has Modest Presence in Global Citrus Trade: Agricultural Export Policy Must Move Closer to Ground Realities

This is why citrus should not be treated as a narrow commodity issue. It reveals a larger problem in India’s agricultural development model. India wants to move from being a large producer to becoming a reliable supplier in high-value agricultural trade. But that transition cannot happen through production alone. It requires farm-to-port systems designed around perishability.

Jammu & Kashmir's Drug-Addiction Crisis is a Multidimensional Threat: Joint Civic and Institutional Campaign Against it has Generated a Sense of Shared Responsibility

A particularly noteworthy initiative has been the implementation of the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (NMBA), the national de-addiction campaign. In Jammu and Kashmir, this national mission has gained remarkable traction. The recently conducted 100-day intensive campaign under NMBA has created widespread awareness and engagement across all districts. It has mobilized stakeholders from all sections of society, including educational institutions, law enforcement agencies, civil society groups, and community leaders.

Indian Elections: Big Changes and Some Bigger Questions

At the end of the day, this is a political battle that shows the BJP to be an unstoppable steamroller, now controlling power across the North, the West and the East. The Opposition parties, which have been unable to come together with a cogent way to stand up and fight the political fight for the long haul, will have to once again think of the road ahead. It is clear that the BJP of today will stop at nothing in doing the deals it needs to take power

India Should Scale up its Fast Breeder Reactor Program to Meet Rising Energy Needs

The constraint on India’s expansion is fissile inventory, particularly between 2035-2045. At present, the breeder program depends on plutonium from a limited set of eight unsafeguarded reactors. Meanwhile, India has accumulated spent fuel from uranium imported for its safeguarded reactors. This significant plutonium is lying idle because we lack safeguarded reprocessing facilities. 

More on Perspective

'Love Jihad' propaganda has had deep penetration into the Indian psyche

The Bareilly judgment shows how this propaganda is influencing Indian society, including judges who are supposed to base their verdict on concrete evidence.

Meeting the economic challenge: A litmus test for the interim administration of Bangladesh

Time is of the essence for the interim administration to take the bull by the horns and rein in the inflation by adopting innovative methods. Since the interim administration is composed mostly of professionals from reputable NGOs, many people are beginning to believe that the newly appointed advisers lack experience in statecraft, strategic thinking, and crisis management.

Shockwaves from a Mumbai gangland killing: More than what meets the eye

In some cases, politicians themselves are closely associated with land deals and builders, as Baba Siddique allegedly was, or politicians are builders themselves, like the BJP’s guardian minister for suburban Mumbai, Mangal Prabhat Lodha. 

Is Bangladesh becoming a pawn in a larger geopolitical game?

Those who are welcoming external forces by promoting Yunus should re-examine history. Yunus is being seen by many as a Morsi figure for Bangladesh. When Mohamed Morsi came to power in Egypt following the Arab Spring with Western support, it led to deterioration of law and order, spike in the prices of essential goods, and extreme public suffering. Even after two months of Yunus' interim government, there has been no significant improvement in law and order, market stability or public well-being.

Navigating the new climate reality in Indian cities: Need for greater political will and stakeholder engagement - (Part II of two-part series)

As cities grow and urbanise, they are becoming frontline battlegrounds in the fight against climate change. Incorporating green spaces, sustainable building practices, and raising public awareness are key to mitigating extreme heat. Indian metropolises are recognizing the need for comprehensive strategies, but climate action demands a coordinated, multisectoral approach at all levels of governance.

Tax-funded media and independent journalism: Finding the right model

While tax-funded media can work under specific conditions, India's experience suggests that a model focused on subscriptions and private advertisements is more suitable for maintaining editorial independence, fostering innovation, and creating a more democratic and informed society

Can development be at the cost of the environment?

Governments should recognise the fact that unaddressed environmental concerns will transform into a radical form of action if not into eco-terrorism. The religious terrorism what Middle East nations have been experiencing these days may turn into environmental terrorism down the line due to progressive resource crunch and the steady degradation of natural resources.

Navigating the new climate reality in Indian cities: Heat domes a serious public health challenge - (Part I of two-part series)

Heat domes have severely impacted India, particularly during intense heat waves. In the 2022 North India heat wave, temperatures soared above 45°C across Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh, with some areas nearing 50°C. A high-pressure system caused stagnant hot air and minimal cloud cover, intensifying the heat.

Bangladesh victim of its faultlines; will the revolution's children make the same mistake?

There is a saying revolution devours its children. Like the ousted regime who were the self-proclaimed legacy bearers of the revolution of 1971, the July revolution of 2024 could create a similar thermidorian reaction in the future if the torchbearers of this revolution play a similar political game of ‘Us’ and ‘Them’

On Gandhi’s birth anniversary, a reminder of the Gandhian values South Asia - and the world - needs

If a true aristocrat is to be defined by courtesy and good manners, then the Mahatma was no less than the most refined princes and maharajas of India. His interactions were marked by legendary grace, respect and courtesy even in times of acrimony and division. He even addressed Mr. Jinnah, a political opponent, as the Quaid-I-Azam, the title given to Mr Jinnah by his supporters.

Volatile Balochistan has a long history of exploitation

Balochistan remains a Pakistani faultline and it must be understood that it is a ‘political problem' even though the Pakistani state has been trying to deal with it all through as 'security problem'. The clear dissatisfaction of the people during accession to Pakistan is yet to be resolved. Forced disappearances and extrajudicial killings are now the trademark policy impulses of the oppressive Pakistani regime. 

Agnipath: An ill-conceived scheme that will impact civil-military relations and neighbourhood bonds

The recruitment of Nepali Gorkhas into the Indian Army being stopped after 77 years post-Independence is not only going to be a major loss to the Indian Army but also a serious and avoidable blow to cordial India-Nepal relations.

Is green hydrogen really the panacea for global warming?

While there are uncertainties with regard to the  possibilities and prospects of generating green hydrogen in a cost-effective manner it is surprising that green hydrogen is being hailed as the ultimate solution to overcome the emission issue and prevent climate disaster.

Social media's war on civility and compassion: Feeds on the psychological vulnerability of individuals

Many of us spend hours on social media doom scrolling, which then ceases to be just a source of recreation; it becomes an alternative world where algorithms and trends decode and shape individuals.

Can IMF’s good-governance conditionalities bring Pakistan economic stability?

Peace and progress go hand in hand. To stabilize the economy, Pakistan needs a conducive political environment to focus on investment, education and health care. Whatever the economic challenges, the solutions would have to come from within. External funds, loans, debts are only temporary solutions