Politics

At a time when much of the global economy was struggling with inflation, high interest rates and geopolitical uncertainty, India’s 7.8% GDP growth in the first quarter of FY 2023–24 emerged as a powerful indicator of domestic economic resilience. The performance reflected the strength of consumer demand, public investment and the rapidly expanding services economy.…

New Delhi: The relationship between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has always been more complex than a conventional political alliance. The two organisations operate in different spheres, yet their histories, personnel and ideological foundations are deeply intertwined. Following the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, renewed attention to this relationship has…

New Delhi/Tashkent: India and Uzbekistan have taken a significant step towards reshaping their engagement in Central Asia by elevating bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The decision, announced following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s talks with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent, reflects the growing importance both countries attach to economic cooperation, connectivity, security and…

Beijing’s expanding crackdown on corruption inside the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is increasingly raising questions about the future of China’s military leadership and its approach to the disputed Himalayan frontier with India. President Xi Jinping’s campaign to tighten political discipline within the armed forces has reached senior commanders and strategic institutions that have played prominent…

Chang’e-7 and the New Contest for the Moon’s Most Valuable Frontier By the end of this decade, the Moon’s southernmost reaches could become the most consequential arena in space exploration—not because they are easy to reach, but precisely because they are so difficult. China’s Chang’e-7 mission is poised to turn the lunar South Pole into…

NEW DELHI: The national capital has once again become the centre of a high-stakes political confrontation, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi leading a dharna over the alleged injury of a young citizen, Sahil. The protest has brought questions of police accountability, civil liberties and the democratic right to peaceful dissent sharply into the public spotlight.…

Unverified reports surrounding the jailed former Prime Minister trigger demands for transparency as political tensions deepen Islamabad: Pakistan’s already turbulent political landscape has been jolted by an explosive and as-yet-unverified claim concerning former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan. A Pakistani journalist, reportedly citing anonymous sources described as having links to the…

Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari highlighted the significance of submitting legal cases against the government to uphold discipline in public administration. During the Late Prakash Deshpande Smriti Kushal Sangathak Puraskar event in Nagpur, he stated that society should have individuals who file petitions against the government in court, noting that a judicial ruling can accomplish outcomes that ministers alone cannot achieve. Gadkari mentioned that popular politics can obstruct politicians and ministers from performing their duties effectively. He also commended the individuals recognized as ‘Kushal Sangathak’ for their legal challenges against government policies in education, noting that their efforts contributed to the withdrawal of certain controversial decisions. On Monday, Gadkari inaugurated India’s second-longest cable-stayed Sigandur bridge in Karnataka. Officials stated that the ₹472-crore bridge spans the Sharavathi backwaters…

During the upcoming Monsoon session, the Lok Sabha will introduce a new attendance system using multimedia devices for its members. MPs will be required to mark their attendance at their assigned seats rather than in the lobby, which can often become crowded. According to official sources cited by PTI, this change aims to save time and address issues where some MPs record their presence but do not actively participate in the proceedings. Congress whip Manickam Tagore has expressed concerns about the new system, describing it as “flawed.” He questioned why Prime Minister Narendra Modi and certain ministers are exempt from signing in, suggesting that the PM should set an example rather than be above the process. Tagore also pointed out that this exemption makes it difficult to determine how many days the PM actually attends Parliament sessions. Besides Modi and some ministers, the Leader of the Opposition is likewise not required to…