Topics Archive

Mizoram: distance from development

Mizoram has a highly literate population but there is no robust employment generation nor is there any sign of rapid economic development. Carved out of Assam and been subjected to violent…

Madhya Pradesh: India's beating heart

India's geographic centre is reflective of the many problems the country faces. Despite the sustained, fast-paced economic growth, key human development indicators remain unimpressive and represent a…

Kerala: Development for a green future

India's leading states on a number of different HDI indicators was jolted by massive floods last year, re-focusing the debate on sustainable development. Kerala needs a viable, green economy model to…

US restricts Chinese visas

Amidst economic and geopolitical tensions, America tightens its visa procedures for prospective Chinese students. Does the US gain from protectionist visa policies that could affect the flow of…

Karnataka: Mysore Pak and Environmental conservation

Karnataka has seen remarkable progress in all key HDI indicators as well as Economic indices but the major issues which still plague the state are very basic. The lack of Environmental conservation,…

The Dome of Argus

China and America are extending their geopolitical heft to an ice dome in the Antarctic. Why is Dome Argus at the centre of competition between the two countries in the South Pole? Dome Argus is the…

Himachal Pradesh: Mountains calling for renewable energy

Himachal's fragile ecology has been impacted by the surge in tourists visiting Shimla in peak Summer months. As a result, Shimla's rapid and unplanned urbanization is straining the state's natural…

Reforming Pakistan’s madrasas

Pakistan’s military announces plans to bring the country’s madrasas under government control. Why should Pakistan regulate its madrasas? Madrasas are Islamic seminaries, known in Pakistan as Madaris-…

Haryana: India's SEZ capital needs holistic development

One of South Asia's wealthiest and economically developed regions is gasping for development in the form of medical infrastructure and sustainable agricultural practices. Haryana has been the single…

Ukraine’s President-elect rejects passport plan

Ukraine's president-elect and former comedian Volodymyr Zelensky has mocked Russia's offer to give passports to citizens in the disputed territories of Donbass and Luhansk. The “Passport Plan” would…

Gujarat: Economic growth over human development?

India's economic powerhouse has been touted as the model to emulate, but has the state done enough to ensure the holistic development of its people? Gujarat ranks at the top for ease of doing…

Jharkhand: Mineral wealth, human poverty

Jharkhand represents an interesting mix of development and poverty. The state houses 40% of India's mineral resources but its citizens are one of the most malnourished and suffer from low per capita…

Maruti Suzuki’s electric drive

Maruti Suzuki has announced that it will cease all production of diesel cars by 2020. Why has the company abandoned diesel engines? Maruti Suzuki is an Indian automobile manufacturer, a subsidiary of…

India’s ASW readiness

China has stepped up its activity in the Indian Ocean while maintaining a sizeable number advantage to India’s submarines. Can India adapt its surface technologies to thwart sub-surface threats? Anti…

Belarus to join Russia?

President Vladimir Putin may look beyond Russia for a window to retain status quo after his current term ends. Is President Putin looking to force Belarus’ integration with Russia as a way of staying…

Sturgeon calls for Scottish Referendum 2.0

Scotland should hold a new referendum on independence from the United Kingdom by 2021 if Britain leaves the European Union, said the Scottish leader, Nicola Sturgeon. The question remains, is…

Erdogan takes a gamble

President Erdogan is unlikely to buy oil from Saudi Arabia and the UAE due to sustained tensions. However, can Mr. Erdogan continue to buy oil from Iran given its energy requirements? Strategic…

Japan apologises to victims of forced sterilisation

Twenty years after Japan repealed the eugenics law, it has agreed to compensate victims of the government program under which thousands of people were forcibly sterilized because of intellectual…

Haftar’s quest for oil dominance

Much of Libya’s civil war has focused on control of the nations’ airports. Why have rival factions concentrated on securing Libya’s airports? What is the Haftar offensive’s endgame in securing Libya’…

Kim Jong-Un in Russia

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will meet Russian President Vlad Putin in the first trip aimed at galvanising support while talks with Washington are in limbo. Is North Korea looking for other…