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India ranks 114 out of 142 countries in the Global Gender Gap index this year. Except Pakistan, most of the South Asian countries rank higher than India. What the index shows is a reflection of reality that no matter how rapidly India grows, women's status in society needs faster improvement.

Amit Krishankant Paul, The Siachen Story: The Inadvertent Role of Two German Explorers in Starting the Race to the World’s Highest Battlefield, April 2024, Observer Research Foundation.

Militarily down, the IS remains ideologically alive. Counter-terrorism must adapt to its techniques

The Sino-Indian clash puts Russia in an awkward position.

An Indian Prime Minister's visit to China has always been of strategic significance. Rajiv Gandhi's visit to China in 1988 following Wangdung episode resulted in the formulation of Mutual Understanding, Mutual Accommodation and Mutual Adjustment for a long-term Sino Indian boundary solution.

The private sector can best fill the skilling gap. The information technology industry did this to grow and continues to do. Old economy companies in steel, cement, chemicals, engineering and construction are less willing to fund this public good. They complain that trained employees leave for better opportunities and skilling becomes a never-ending drain on company resources.

Equipping women with employable skills is a far greater challenge than skilling men, as most women in India work low-skill and low-paying jobs in the informal economy. It is a gap that needs to be addressed urgently, as skilling can expand work opportunities for women and increase their participation in the workforce. This brief analyses the participation of women in skills training programmes, underlining the biases that lead to women being trai

The Indian government launched the Smart Cities Mission (SCM) in 2015 to drive economic growth and improve people’s quality of life in 100 cities across the country. Over the past four years, various smart projects have been implemented in the selected cities. This report documents the status, progress and experience of implementing the SCM in Delhi. It presents the findings of an empirical investigation of five of the projects undertaken in th

We risk missing out on a generational opportunity to shape global development through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). In a talk at ORF, Dr. Bjon Lomborg, head of the Copenhagen Consensus think tank presented a critical evaluation of the 17 SDGs and 169 associated targets.

The state of Manipur has been steeped in violent conflicts between ethnic groups for decades. The latest, ongoing strife between the Kukis and the Meiteis that erupted in early May has exposed the failure of state forces to contain the violence, even as it reflects the deep-rooted hostility between the two ethnic groups. This brief attempts to engage with the multifaceted, historical ethnic conflict between the Kukis and the Meiteis of Manipur. I

The world is undergoing a process that some have called “covidisation”, or the unravelling of the manifold, far-reaching medical, economic, and social impacts of a global health emergency.[1] There is no dearth of analyses of the many health and economic dimensions of this first massive global civil emergency of the 21st century.[2] This brief examines the social aspect of the pandemic through two perspectives:  one is that of a repr

It is commendable that the prime minister has raised the issue of black money at an international level. The solution, however, lies in following up on commitment for 'more governance and less government' by implementing networked and integrated digital solutions.

Even though the territorial disputes in the South China Sea is nothing new, the recent confrontations among China, the Philippines, and Vietnam have sparked global concerns. It is being feared that the region is becoming a new flashpoint with serious security consequences.

The verdict delivered in July by an international tribunal on the South China Sea case in The Hague is a stunning defeat for China. The Tribunal has upended the maritime claims of a number of nations in the South China Sea, but China is most affected, as its claims were also most extensive. As China had already rejected the verdict even before it was pronounced, the world sits at a juncture of two possible paths — China could become more assert

Corruption is a subject of intense debate, discussion and guesswork in India. Even as estimates have been made about the extent of corruption in India, the real magnitude might be far bigger than all the reports have suggested so far. This brief discusses the current state of corruption in India and recommends measures and policy reforms. Data used in the brief are from both primary sources such as the income-tax department, as well as media repo

Pulses are the cheapest source of protein for Indians – and thus a favoured food item nationwide. The Indian pulses sector, however, faces numerous challenges. Scrutiny of the sector increased sharply after price fluctuations in 2015-16 and the increase in import of pulses. Government interventions, as part of the anticipated supply response to the shortfall in availability of pulses, did not entirely mitigate the problem. The sector stands at

This "Book of Charts" on the "State of Cities and Towns", produced by ORF Urban Policy Research Initiative, paints a descriptive picture of the current state and developments in employment, education and public infrastructure provision, among others, and the disparities between states, within states and between different sections of the urban society.

India’s large defence industrial base has historically been dominated by public sector entities, although they have failed in meeting the growing requirements of the armed forces. The public sector suffers from inefficiency in productivity, innovation and international sales, rendering New Delhi highly dependent on arms imports. The government is taking steps to reform the public sector, even as it accords greater importance to the private sect

Prime Minister Modi's moves on the social sector insurance policy for the poor stand out as an outstanding achievement. But in all other sectors much needs to be done and assessments on the government's performance are divided.

The energy transition is entering a critical “middle phase” where global priorities around climate action, economic growth, energy security, and equity intersect. The political landscape must navigate a careful balance between climate imperatives, broader sustainability and development goals, energy security, affordability, reliability, and industrial competitiveness. This complexity is shaping policy debates, technology investments, politica

Women’s representation in local governance is a crucial indicator of gender inclusivity. Since 1993, the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act has reserved one-third of seats in Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) to women. Multiple states have since granted 50 percent reservation of seats for women in urban and rural local self-government bodies. Today, women have become a crucial political constituency, both as voters and as electoral candidates. This pape

This brief discusses the status of Gorkhas who have joined the Russian Army and the Wagner Group as civilians, combatants, and mercenaries. Would Gorkhas, who otherwise constitute part of the regular armed forces in the United Kingdom and India, enjoy the same status if they join an ongoing conflict without entering into any bilateral agreement between the states? If not, what will the Gorkhas' status be under the prevailing international law reg

Tunisia, Eygpt, Syria?events may seem to be following a pattern but the changing dynamics in West Asia point to far more complex political and strategic games being played: The US role, Saudi phobia, Israeli and Iranian intrigues. Oil. And, to top it all, the Shia-Sunni face-off. Is Turkey being lured in as a possible Joker in the pack? Welcome to another Great Game.

The real story for strong India-Australia relations lies beyond uranium. With one of the world's strongest mining sectors, Australia can help India exploit its own natural resources in an environmentally sustainable way and thereby address one of the major current constraints on India's economic growth.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reference to Balochistan, POK and Gilgit in his Independence Day speech has caused a considerable flutter in Pakistan and India.

The strategic aspects of the BrahMos sale and India’s assistance to Southeast Asian countries should not be minimized.

The trip reinforced both the growing strategic alignment between New Delhi and Jakarta as well as its limits.

Grouped under key issues, the just released publication titled 'The Strategic Rationale for Deeper U.S- Indian Economic Ties' by Dr Ashley Tellis and Dr C. Raja Mohan examines the strategic rationale for expanding U.S-Indian economic integration.

India has wider stakes in South China Sea as nearly 55% of India’s trade with the Indo-Pacific region passes through these waters.

This paper takes a look into the life and work of Abu Mus’ab al-Suri, jihadist theorist, and argues that he should be considered the architect of the extant Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). This is done by way of an examination of his own writings, as well as secondary literature on al-Suri, al-Qaeda, and ISIS. A key point that emerges out of this analysis is that ISIS is likely to continue its two-pronged strategy: of individual attacks

With Erdoğan set to change the nature of the Turkish republic, his political style could exacerbate its problems

Indus project was to arrest the wastage of water flowing unused into the sea and put it to use to irrigate and power between India and Pakistan

Antony has done India a huge favour by absorbing pressure from different lobbies and allowing IAF to select the best possible fighter aircraft.

Ever since I returned from Kabul, I am frequently asked by friends: when are the Americans leaving? When I say, "I don't know", I am dismissed like someone who has wasted his time in Afghanistan and returned without finding an answer to a universal query.

The United States is on its way out and this does not ensure peace for the people of Afghanistan

This brief analyses the alignment between India’s development partnerships since Independence, and sustainability goals. It conducts the examination using three phases of India’s development partnerships—i.e., Phase 1, 1947-1990; Phase 2, 1991-2008; and Phase 3, post-2008—and finds that the country’s development cooperation agenda has historically incorporated objectives of sustainable growth. This pattern would continue throughout the

Sustainable development goals (SDG) can be a major enabler of business competitiveness, creating conducive business conditions.

This brief examines the contribution of the G20 in facilitating the implementation of its member countries’ sustainable development goals. It reviews the G20 priorities over the years, its informal governance mechanisms, and the progress made so far by the member countries in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The brief finds that even as the G20 has aligned its priorities and initiatives with the SDGs, the responsibility fo