Xi’S Power Base in the Communist Party Central Committee

Mao's often-quoted expression “political power grows out of the barrel of a gun” remains as critical to understanding the dynamics of power in China today as it was in the late 1920s. Xi Jinping, soon after assuming the position of Party General Secretary in late 2012, moved quickly to exert his control over the ‘gun’ — i.e., the People's Liberation Army (PLA). He has spent the past decade reshaping the PLA and forging loyalty, from the military-political work conference in Gutian in 2014 and an anti-corruption campaign (which targeted some of the highest-ranking PLA officials), to initiating major structural reforms.

What we Should Learn from China's Use of Technology as a Tool of Foreign Policy

Immense state support, coupled with the rise of domestic technology giants, has made China a major power competing to secure technological space with other powers like the US and Europe. There is also the issue of how the Chinese state has been actively promoting and exporting its technology infrastructure beyond its borders, thereby increasing its sphere of influence. This expansion of the technology-oriented Sinosphere has made other states take cognisance and try to increase their diplomatic outreach to counter China’s ever-increasing growth. But how has China been so successful in utilising technology as a credible foreign tool? What lessons does China’s aggressive ‘techplomacy’ offer to other technological powers?

Har Ghar Tiranga is a good idea, but not every Indian has the means to follow Flag Code

In the 75th year of India’s Independence, the Indian citizen has formally and finally been entrusted with the individual responsibility to honour and preserve the dignity of the National Flag. Though the right to fly the flag was confirmed by the Supreme Court in 2002, two recent amendments to the Flag Code have expanded its scope in terms of time and availability. Earlier, it was only allowed to be hoisted between sunrise and sunset and had to be made of khadi. Now, the flag can be flown at any time and can be machine made of cotton, polyester, wool or silk.

In India, the Dangers of a Single Farming Strategy

Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi recently lauded the benefits of natural farming while addressing a natural farming conclave in Surat and indicated that the central government will help expand clusters of natural farms and extend incentives for adoption of the technique. While this is a noble sentiment and there are benefits, India should ensure that the push doesn’t end up becoming an investment in a single farming strategy. Sri Lanka has recently demonstrated how investing in a single solution can result in disastrous results.

We Need to Stop our Minds from Being Hacked

Over the last four decades, we have found that human rationality is not what it was cranked up to be. For three centuries, it was generally held that humans employ their mind to the merits of the issue before them, weigh the pros and cons, and then decide accordingly. From this understanding followed the idea of the primacy of the individual, the importance of human rights, the morality of liberal democracy and of free markets. We also constructed the academic disciplines of economics, sociology, philosophy and politics based on the rationality of humans. Liberal democracies must move to reduce the vulnerability of their citizens’ minds to being ‘hacked’.

The New CHIPS Bill Raises More Questions Than it Answers for the US

Last week, the US Senate decided to advance a bill to promote and support semiconductor chip manufacturing in the country. The bill, known as the CHIPS Act, is an extension to the previous year’s legislation passed by the Senate which approved a $250 billion bill to reinforce US chip-making to compete with the growing clout of China. But how much can the CHIPS Act achieve the goals and objectives that the US government intends to? Will there be any unintended consequences and unfavourable effects that might arise from the Act itself?

AFSPA wives’ SC petition is embarrassing for Modi govt. MoD, Army must get their act together

A setback happened in December 2021, when 13 innocent civilian lives were lost in a counter-insurgency operation by a detachment led by a Major of 21 Para (Special Forces) in the Mon district of Nagaland. Justice has been awaiting deliverance. On 20 July, the Supreme Court, after hearing a petition filed by the wives of the army personnel, stayed all further legal proceedings that were based on the report of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the state police. It evoked a legal necessity enshrined in the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) that prosecution can be carried out only with the Central government’s sanction. Such a sanction was requested by Nagaland in April 2022 but has, thus far, met with silence from the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

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.