Delhi Guardian

As we observe the 10th anniversary of the dastardly Mumbai attacks, little seems to have changed. Neither has Pakistan mended its ways nor has anything substantial been done to arrest the menace at home My most vivid memory of the 26/11 terror attack was being woken up by a friend, who told me about the dastardly attacks that unfolded in Mumbai. My closest friend in college faced his untimely demise that day. Ever since, I have closely observed the political economy of terror. So closely that terror is mostly what I write about. What is unnerving is that little seems to have changed in the past 10 years. India may have adopted a hawkish stand against  jihadi  terror emanating from across the border but this strategy has not curbed the menace of terrorism. For those of us who remember, there were a spate of terror attacks in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad in the summer of 2008. The perpetrator was the Indian Mujahideen or the Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islam. This should hav...

The same media which projected a demi-god image of Modi and portrayed him as the panacea for our ills, is now looking for opportunities to denigrate him. This is creating a palpable sense of delusion It is disheartening to watch heavily charged television debates these days. Overwhelming and tangible emotions against the current dispensation are evident in some circles. Media outlets appear to have honed their skills of selective reporting and lambasting the  Narendra Modi  Government. A profound sense of anxiety seems to have enveloped a number of people who enthusiastically voted for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2014. However alarming this may sound, one has every reason to dispel biases and forcefully argue that the doomsday scenario, which is unfolding so vividly in the media, is a myth and a marvelous creation; let us give them that at least. In his book, The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined, Steven Pinker strenuously argues that viole...

Netanyahu’s visit must be viewed as a serenade to a rapidly expanding relationship between India and Israel which is bound to yield substantial results in the longer run The much-awaited visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has finally commenced. Indian Prime Minister  Narendra Modi  and his counterpart share tremendous camaraderie, which was on full display when Modi visited Israel to mark 25 years of formal diplomatic ties between the two countries. Despite the fact that India has voted against the ‘Jerusalem Vote’ in the United Nations, there is no doubt that this diplomatic visit is going to further cement Indo-Israeli bilateral ties. Areas of cooperation are vast and the results of a healthy interaction will be mutually beneficial for both countries. The bilateral relationship between the two countries has witnessed a checkered history. Both countries faced similar circumstances post independence. Both India and Israel diverted their energ...

As we enter the new year, we must not be deluded by the  economy’s  higher growth trajectory. What matters most is the distribution of fruits of economic growth. A healthy debate on imbalance is needed As festivities usher in another year, it will be pertinent to examine what lies ahead for the Indian economy in 2018. How does the Indian economy fare in terms of other economies in the year ahead and what are the daunting policy challenges the country will be forced to grapple withIJ A recent report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research indicates a healthy picture for the global economy. India is all set to overtake Britain and France; and will assume the distinguished and coveted position as the world’s fifth largest economy.  But navigating the delicate contours of a rapidly changing geo-political scenario will require a certain degree of diplomatic finesse, persistence and competence. After the BJP’s triumphant victory in Gujarat and the Congress’s...