Long Covid Among Kids: Numbers May Not Be Too High, But It’s a Big Risk to Ignore Its Threats

Since the Covid-19 pandemic began, it has been clear that children are less severely affected by Sars-CoV-2 than adults. Coronavirus infections in children usually do not cause symptoms, or the symptoms are mild. Nevertheless, many children infected with the omicron variant of Sars-CoV-2, whether symptomatic or asymptomatic, show health effects, even months after the virus was first detected. Recent studies have shown that long Covid is prevalent in children infected with Sars-CoV-2. India started its vaccination campaign for kids above 12 in January 2022, but we need to drastically increase this coverage to protect children from long Covid.

Why crisis-hit Pakistan won’t go the Lanka way

There are a few factors that might prevent an all-out collapse like we saw in Sri Lanka. First, Pakistan has been here before. Many times, in fact.  Pakistan has sought financial aid from the UAE, China, and the IMF in 2013, 2016 and 2018.  Second, the international community is wary about a Sri Lanka styled economic and political collapse in a nuclear armed country. The threat of rogue players gaining access to nukes often makes lenders a lot more lenient in issuance of fresh loans and repayment terms. Third, Pakistan has more generous friends. Pakistan received a loan from Saudi Arabia and recently, the UAE government has offered to acquire 10 to 12 per cent equity shares in Pakistan government-owned companies through its sovereign wealth funds.

Whatever Happens with Agnipath Scheme, it Offers 3 Real Lessons for Future Reform

Even as the Agnipath scheme continues to face challenges on multiple fronts, let’s take a step back and ask: what are some lessons for public policy from this saga? Lack of data, institutional gaps and ill-timed reforms will continue to pose hurdles for policy initiatives in India.

India has to Step Up Engagement in the Pacific

As Washington and Beijing attempt to woo countries in South Pacific, Washington's partners in the Indo-Pacific will have to step up. To strengthen its position in the Indio-Pacific through the Quad, New Delhi should step up economic, diplomatic, and and other engagements in the Pacific region. China's engagement in the Pacific and last month's Pacific tour of Wang Yi point to three trends.

Why Most Indians Not Using Public Health Facilities is a Matter of Concern

To facilitate and enhance the ongoing mass vaccination campaign for Covid-19, the government has made booster doses free for citizens above 18 years of age for 75 days, starting July 15. This announcement has come amidst the rise of Covid-19 cases across India. The decision is not only bold, but also smart. This is because a staggering 92% Indians, who are currently eligible for a third dose, have not yet taken their shots and are now late receivers. The move is targeting many objectives together: increasing affordability, improving accessibility to more groups and strengthening the trust of the people in government authorities. However, poor awareness and implementation can hinder the ultimate objective of the decision.

Modi said Neighbourhood First. Sri Lanka crisis is India’s chance to prove it

Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled for his life after being driven out by the people of Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, Nepal’s former prime minister on a three-day visit at the invitation of the BJP, said ‘issues left by history’ must be addressed in order to realise the full potential of the bilateral ties. This perspective is often mirrored across India’s bilateral ties with all its subcontinental neighbours – Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and the Maldives. Each of these relationships carries the weight of history that continues to both bind and rupture the spirit of friendliness.

What can we do to Ensure Monkeypox Doesn't become the Next Covid?

In addition to the recent surge in the number of Covid cases across several regions, India reported its first case of monkeypox virus last week in Kerala. The infected person is said to have reached the state capital recently from UAE and started feeling symptoms soon after landing. In the wake of the first confirmed case in the country, GoI on Friday released fresh guidelines for international travellers to control the spread of the virus. Health agencies across the globe are still figuring out how severe and lethal the virus can be. Several countries have been failing to control the spread, despite being aware of the origin and integrities of the monkeypox virus in humans since the 1970s. While the Covid pandemic is not over, only timely and strategised measures can prevent another major outbreak.

The Operating System of Liberal Democracy needs a Big Upgrade

The basic idea is that the best form of government is one by popular consent, and since it is impractical to get everyone’s opinion on every issue, people elect a few hundred representatives who act on their behalf. An added advantage of this method is that the representatives can apply their mind to complex issues of public policy and moderate impulsive, reckless and extremist tendencies that can take hold of public opinion from time to time. They also have a natural incentive to develop professional expertise in public policy matters and also to uphold the interests of their constituents in political negotiations conducted in the legislature.

India’s Semiconductor Push should Focus on Revamping the DLI Scheme

Announcing that India needed a long-term vision for building its semiconductor ecosystem, the minister for electronics and information technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, unveiled four different schemes covering all areas of the semiconductor supply chain. One of these was the Design Linked Incentive (DLI) scheme that aimed at cultivating and building on India’s expertise in semiconductor design. Given India’s comparative advantage in human capital, DLI is a welcome change from focusing solely on chip manufacturing. However, six months after the updated semiconductor policy created ripples in the industry, the traction for DLI scheme has been underwhelming.

Why India’s 75-Day Free Booster Drive is a Smart Move and How Can it be Made Smarter

To facilitate and enhance the ongoing mass vaccination campaign for Covid-19, the government has made booster doses free for citizens above 18 years of age for 75 days, starting July 15. This announcement has come amidst the rise of Covid-19 cases across India. The decision is not only bold, but also smart. This is because a staggering 92% Indians, who are currently eligible for a third dose, have not yet taken their shots and are now late receivers. The move is targeting many objectives together: increasing affordability, improving accessibility to more groups and strengthening the trust of the people in government authorities. However, poor awareness and implementation can hinder the ultimate objective of the decision.

India can play bigger role in global nuclear politics. Ukraine fence-sitting stands in way

In war, strategic contestation may not easily knuckle under the passing winds of tactical successes and defeats. The problem is always about judging the flow so that informed decisions can be made on how much and in what manner should force be applied. The Russians have used artillery and missile firepower to devastate Ukrainian resistance and taken control of nearly the entire Donbas region. An uneasy tactical pause is occupying the stage and the contours of a protracted conflict are discernible.

Why China's Post Pandemic Semiconductor Rise is Essential to Watch Out for

Just around a couple of weeks back, Bloomberg came out with a report focusing on the growth of China’s chipmaking prowess and its stature in the global semiconductor ecosystem. As per the data presented by Bloomberg, over 95 per cent (19 out of the top 20) of the fastest-growing semiconductor firms over the last four quarters have been from China alone. 

There are cracks in BRICS & trouble for India

Last week’s BRICS summit was bookended by some excitement over the possibility of the group expanding by accepting new members and reports that Argentina and Iran had applied for membership. What this obscures, however, is the fact that amid the evolving geopolitical situation, the BRICS mechanism appears to be undergoing an identity crisis. There is a deepening contradiction at the heart of the grouping, which is likely to result in extremely difficult choices for Indian foreign policy.

Social Harmony must Quickly be Brought to the Centre of Politics

Even as India emerges from the pandemic, we are hurtling into a maelstrom of unrest. To arrest this plunge into lawlessness, violence and unmanageable disorder, it is important for everyone (yes, everyone) to prioritize tolerance, moderation, and above all, social harmony. The call for social harmony is not a liberal progressive platitude aimed at masking real divisions and grievances. I believe social harmony is a good thing in itself, but you don’t have to agree with me on this. Beyond principle, the case for social harmony today is dictated by hard-nosed realism and an interest in our prosperity and well-being.

Focus on Innovation in Semiconductor Technology Will Boost Defence Manufacturing

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has prepared a list of around 209 military items on which import embargos would be placed after a specific amount of time. This is to provide opportunities for the local industry to manufacture these items. There is also the support of the defence sector in building long-term strategic partnerships with global equipment manufacturers for technology transfers to help Indian manufacturing infrastructure and supply chains. The increased focus on semiconductor manufacturing by the government also comes into the picture here. With the government curating policies to encourage defence manufacturing and start semiconductor manufacturing in the country, this is the time for a confluence of both in India’s national interest.

How the Defence Pension Bill became a Big Burden

The history of this burgeoning defence pension bill has valuable lessons for policy-making. Here’s how India’s defence pension bill became a financial burden. Before 1965, soldiers below officer ranks were recruited through a mechanism resembling Agnipath in the sense that they served seven years of compulsory service and didn’t receive a pension on retirement. This service period was first raised in 1965 to 10 years for bulking the armed forces after the 1962 defeat. Since a pension required a minimum service of 15 years, most soldiers still didn’t qualify.

Untangling the GST mess

Now, in the 5th year of GST, it is the opportune time to look at reforming and refining the system to achieve the original outcomes of a good and simple tax. The first important reform is to broaden the base by minimising the number of exemptions and including petroleum products and electricity in the GST bracket. It can help in reducing petrol prices for end-consumers. Second, there is a need to reduce the number of tax slabs to one or two and gradually eliminate compensation cesses. This will help in reducing problems related to classification of products, disputes, and lobbying. A single rate at 15% with an aim to reduce it to 12% in 10 years should be the aim. Third, ease GST compliance costs for businesses by rationalizing the compliance requirements and having a single identification number.

Why India, EU Should Prioritise Removing Existing Bottlenecks in Trade and Technology Pact

As technology remains a critical factor in advancing countries’ economies, there is also a quest for improving the accessibility of these critical technologies. The recently announced Europe-India Trade and Technology Council (TTC) Agreement is an attempt to have easier access of key technologies to both actors. The agreement seeks to improve the cross-border flow of technology goods and services between the two entities. An area of focus would be the existing and potential trade barriers that might impact the agreement. These barriers need to be addressed if the agreement can yield tangible results for the growth of the technology sector in India and Europe.

How India Can Take a Leaf Out of China’s Playbook on Battery Swapping to Form a Robust EV Ecosystem

The first draft of the NITI Aayog’s ‘Battery Swapping Policy’ displays the Indian government’s commitment to building a conducive environment for the mass adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in India. The policy discerns some of the prevalent issues affecting consumers currently dabbling in the EV market and aims to tackle these through technologically-intensive solutions. However, there is a significant lack of clarity about the potential business models that may arise if the battery swapping policy were to be implemented. As a result, India must look outwards to understand how potential stakeholders can be engaged to form a robust EV ecosystem in India.

Agnipath is directed correctly. But Modi govt needs Amit Shah to budge

Seldom does a scheme with a fanciful name live up to its name and that too with such devastating fidelity as Agnipath. It has delivered on its name almost instantaneously by lighting fires across India. The inflamed passions of the unemployed found expression and targeted the Narendra Modi government’s defence reform that was officially touted to provide an opportunity to the youth to serve the nation.