Showing 1 - 10 of 47
Nepal's young protesters drive a political reset
Oped, Barbim Karki, Published on 27/11/2025
» Nepal announced fresh elections to be held on March 5 next year following a week of deadly violence in September as an interim government headed by the country's Sushila Karki, the first female prime minister, takes charge.
India's power sector needs reform
Oped, Arvind Subramanian, Navneeraj Sharma, Abhishek Anand & Praveen Ravi, Published on 06/08/2025
» As the use of energy-guzzling AI grows, the countries that embrace renewables will gain an obvious competitive advantage. And on this front, China has established a substantial lead. According to the Financial Times, the country is on track to source 50% of its power from renewables (mainly solar and wind, but also nuclear, hydro, and battery-storage systems) by 2028.
Bimstec to put regional ties to the test
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 25/03/2025
» On April 4, leaders from the seven countries surrounding the Bay of Bengal will converge in Bangkok to chart a common future amid dramatic shifts in the global geopolitical landscape.
The deepening political turmoil in South Asia
Oped, Brahma Chellaney, Published on 15/08/2024
» Violent student-led, Islamist-backed protests in Bangladesh have toppled Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government, and mob attacks targeting those viewed as supporters of her secular Awami League party -- in particular, the country's dwindling Hindu minority -- are proliferating. At a time when neighbouring Myanmar is engulfed in violence and the Pakistan-Afghanistan belt remains fertile ground for cross-border terrorism, political upheaval in Bangladesh, two years after the overthrow of Sri Lanka's government, is the last thing India, the regional power, needs.
No happy ending after Sheikh Hasina's downfall
News, Mihir Sharma, Published on 09/08/2024
» It might look like the replacement of Bangladesh's long-serving prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus is a happy ending for a country that seemed to be inexorably sliding towards authoritarianism. After all, Ms Hasina's rule had become so paranoid that she even burned political capital on persecuting Dr Yunus, widely feted for his role in rural development in Bangladesh and beyond. But, although Ms Hasina's exit was overdue, what comes after might wind up being worse.
What do Indian women want from poll?
Oped, Sanjukta Sharma, Published on 25/05/2024
» Since April 19, the day general elections began in India, voters have queued up outside polling booths, braving a muggy, scorching heatwave. The mood appears mostly upbeat. Voters talk to TV news reporters. They articulate wishes for change or belief in the incumbent leader.
India needs more leaders like Manmohan Singh
News, Mihir Sharma, Published on 10/04/2024
» Almost 10 years after he gave way to Narendra Modi as prime minister of India, Manmohan Singh retired last week from public life. During his long career, Mr Singh also served as chief economist, central bank governor, finance minister, and foreign minister. Although he disappointed many who hoped he would accomplish more, India today owes much of its success to the reforms he implemented.
What Modi has figured out that Trump never has
News, Mihir Sharma, Published on 21/03/2024
» Excitement and uncertainty used to accompany general elections in India. Polls swung back and forth, coalitions formed and reformed, analysts dissected policy platforms and assessed the prospects of hundreds of individual candidates. As India embarked on its 18th general election campaign on Tuesday, there is no electricity in the air. It is hard to find anyone who believes Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lose his bid for a third term in office.
India's 'no' at WTO may just mean 'not yet'
News, Mihir Sharma, Published on 27/02/2024
» As trade ministers gather at the World Trade Organization's (WTO) summit in Abu Dhabi this week, one of the villains will, as usual, be India. And, certainly, there's some justice to the complaint that Indian negotiators are far too ready to block consensus at such confabs unless granted concessions on their own priorities. Saying "no" often comes too easily to them.
Mystique fading
Postbag, Published on 18/02/2024
» Re: "Has Pakistan's military finally lost its mystique?" (Opinion, Feb 14).