Search: For - Development

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The outliers who won the PM's post
Apr 16, 2014

The outliers who won the PM's post

If Narendra Modi becomes prime minister, he will join a select band of predecessors who can be called "outliers" - a scientific term used to describe phenomena which are outside the normal experience.

The outsourcing debate in the US elections
Aug 20, 2012

The outsourcing debate in the US elections

In the US presidential election, dominated by domestic issues and with little focus on foreign policy, outsourcing has emerged as a point of discussion. India is one of the top countries to which the US outsource work.

The Pakistani army planning something against India
May 08, 2015

The Pakistani army planning something against India

It is not the first time that the Pakistan army has accused the R&AW of fomenting trouble in Pakistan. India should be cautious of what lies behind this seemingly sudden provocation. The Pakistan army prepares the ground for a major attack against India and its assets by raising the pitch of allegations to whip up public support at home. This has been the case in the past, including the Mumbai attacks of 2008.

The paradox that Obama confronts
Apr 29, 2014

The paradox that Obama confronts

The big paradox that the US confronts is the need to confront China and Russia at the same time. Clearly, even the mighty US does not have the energy and resources to do that. Beijing is, of course, quite self-confident because it is locked into the western economies and is, in that sense, sanctions proof.

The paranoia over Ford Foundation
Apr 28, 2015

The paranoia over Ford Foundation

There is an irony in the government's crackdown on Ford Foundation that seems to have escaped most observers. In the 1960s, the principal critics of the Foundation were the Indian Left. Now, the government and critics of foundations and NGOs fail to realise one thing. Now we are a self-confident, resilient society with institutions that have gained considerable depth. We are also a transparent and open society.

The Pathway to Affordable Housing in Urban India: A Case Study of Mumbai
Apr 25, 2023

The Pathway to Affordable Housing in Urban India: A Case Study of Mumbai

The affordable housing challenge plagues cities across India. Although city administrations have framed various strategies to tackle the issue, weak implementation, flawed policies, and an inherent lack of capacity to find longterm solutions have allowed slums to proliferate as an alternative. This paper examines the affordable housing issue in Greater Mumbai. Since affordability is not absolute but relative to the development stage and income di

The Perils of Tech-Utopian Thinking
Mar 17, 2023

The Perils of Tech-Utopian Thinking

This brief explores some of the deeper, and more troubling, effects of the pervasive spread of the logic of technology on social, cultural, and political life. The author critiques the predominant tech-utopian perspective, which frames ever further and faster technological development as critical to continuing social progress, using Neil Postman’s concept of the ‘technopoly’. The brief uses as an example the influence of the logic o

The political pilgrim
Aug 02, 2014

The political pilgrim

Once Narendra Modi steps away from the minefield of Nepal's domestic discourse on the Hindu state, the Indian Prime Minister will find the shared Hindu and Buddhist heritage a solid foundation on which to build a new and lasting edifice of bilateral cooperation.

The power triangle in the India-Pacific region
Jul 09, 2012

The power triangle in the India-Pacific region

Strategists in New Delhi would have to factor in that a two front confrontation with Pakistan and China cannot be ruled out. US response in this case is an uncertainty. We need to remember that in the ultimate analysis, China is the resident power and the US is a distant power.

The pragmatic idealism of Nehru
Nov 20, 2014

The pragmatic idealism of Nehru

It is easy to criticise Nehru today. His priority then, as it remains that of our country today, is to take poor Indians out of poverty and protect the country's territorial integrity. Given the circumstances, he did not do a bad job, and he did it without murdering millions as was done in China, or overturning democracy, as was the case in many countries of the time.

The problem in Af-Pak is Pak
Dec 14, 2009

The problem in Af-Pak is Pak

The real American dilemma is to find allies in Islamabad who reduce and not multiply anti Americanism

The problem is not Islam, but a civil war within the faith
Jan 12, 2015

The problem is not Islam, but a civil war within the faith

The terrorists may be an extreme minority, but they have successfully coerced the majority?or, to be more accurate, enthralled them?into sympathy for them. They have successfully also intimidated a large number of writers, artists, journalists, film-makers, many of whom live in exile.

The problem of Kachin
Jun 14, 2012

The problem of Kachin

The impact of the Kachin conflict should also be evaluated in terms of Myanmar?s ties with other nations, especially Japan ? a nation that is one of the principal aid providers and architects of Myanmar?s path to development.

The problem with Teesta
Jun 18, 2014

The problem with Teesta

The Modi government needs to break from traditional, statist methods of conducting water diplomacy and distinguish itself by including the concerns of basin inhabitants on both sides to find a lasting solution to the Teesta issue.

The Process is Unwinding
Jul 12, 2005

The Process is Unwinding

It is time to conduct a reality check on the India-Pakistan peace process. In fact, there is a particular urgency for it. For, the peace process seems to have got hijacked by secessionist elements in Kashmir and Pakistan who never had any stakes in it.

The Promise of Bioeconomy as a Solution for Sustainability
Sep 16, 2024

The Promise of Bioeconomy as a Solution for Sustainability

Relentless urbanisation often has a heavy environmental cost, arising from activities such as the consumption of fossil resources to fuel industrialisation and infrastructure development. The resulting surge in greenhouse gas emissions is one of the biggest contributors to climate change, which leads to frequent extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, and heatwaves. Such events pose an existential threat to human life, infrastructure, an

The Quagmire of Pakistani Politics-will it last?
Jun 29, 2004

The Quagmire of Pakistani Politics-will it last?

The President of Pakistan had expected his handpicked Prime Minister, Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, to perform his bidding and strengthen his position. But President Musharraf was disappointed. He, therefore, felt that a change was essential in order to secure his own place and keep the other power players content.

The question of Arab unity and reform?
Apr 15, 2005

The question of Arab unity and reform?

¿Arise, ye Arabs, and awake!¿ was the seditious 19th century slogan of Arab nationalism in its infancy. It aroused them against the Ottoman rule but did not hinder the subsequent imperial designs of Britain and France. The moment of liberation became the start of newer forms of dominance.

The quick transformation of Russia-North Korea ties
Mar 05, 2024

The quick transformation of Russia-North Korea ties

This is a partnership that has been forged amid common challenges and shared strategic objectives

The rape cases of 2012 & 2018 that shook the nation
Apr 16, 2018

The rape cases of 2012 & 2018 that shook the nation

The proximate political failures in both these cases are greater than in 2012, and require a more robust political response

The real intention of Hafiz Sayeed's rally
Dec 16, 2014

The real intention of Hafiz Sayeed's rally

By organising the two-day Lahore convention through Hafiz Sayeed and his Jihadi organizations of LeT and JuD, Pakistan wants to demonstrate that the people of Pakistan are not happy with the way the events have taken place in Kashmir.

The real issue in Pakistan's 'Kashmiri cause'
Dec 14, 2013

The real issue in Pakistan's 'Kashmiri cause'

It was evident at some of the various Track 2 dialogues a few years ago, where water from Kashmir was the issue that Pakistani delegates wanted to discuss saying that this could become the new flashpoint. Actually, water from rivers that flow through Kashmir has always been the real issue for Pakistan and not Kashmiris or their religion.

The reign of the Non-proliferation Ayatollahs - 1
Mar 23, 2004

The reign of the Non-proliferation Ayatollahs - 1

Once the US successfully built and used nuclear weapons to devastating effect to end the Second World War, other great powers of the time realized that the acquisition of nuclear weapons was essential to maintain their status. In 1970, after three decades of hectic developments,

The reign of the Non-proliferation Ayatollahs - 2
Mar 24, 2004

The reign of the Non-proliferation Ayatollahs - 2

The first part of this effort documented the various acts of omission and commission by the non-proliferation ayatollahs that led to the 1998 nuclear weapons testing of India, followed by Pakistan. However, the stark reality of the consequences of the dubious policies adopted by the NPAs towards Pakistani and Chinese proliferation came to light recently in the exposé of the Pakistan¿s ¿nuclear father¿ Dr.A.Q.Khan and his nuclear smuggling rin

The reopened Iraq debate
Feb 04, 2005

The reopened Iraq debate

Iraq is back in the headlines, loaded with euphoria. The electoral exercise has been undertaken; the results have yet to be announced. The running commentary on CNN on January 30 tended to suggest a near perfect exercise. No mention of course was made of the invasion, the occupation, the Iraqi dead, the reduction of Iraq to a stone-age condition, the falsehood of the pretext for war and the failure to find traces of weapons of mass destruction

The right medicine for learning - a tablet
Dec 10, 2012

The right medicine for learning - a tablet

At some point in the near future, everyone will have a smart digital device. The new digital divide will be of those with access to interactive digital content and those without.

The Rise of 'Moderate Taliban'
Nov 27, 2003

The Rise of 'Moderate Taliban'

Like the proverbial phoenix of Greek mythology that rose from its ashes, the Taliban is resurrecting in Afghanistan. The good news is that the ¿rising Taliban¿, on the one hand, is supposed to be moderate, and on the other hand, seems to have severed its links with Al Qaeda. The bad news is that it is still the Taliban.

The Role of SDGs in Post-Pandemic Economic Recovery
Jan 07, 2021

The Role of SDGs in Post-Pandemic Economic Recovery

The COVID-19 pandemic has had widespread global economic impacts, and countries are gearing up for recovery. The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be crucial. Given that the SDGs incorporate the four pillars of capital — human, social, natural and physical — these targets will be useful in the post-pandemic economic recovery process. This brief utilises econometric analysis to illustrate how the implementation of the SDGs is a stat

The Role of the State in Facilitating an India-First Technological Imperative
Jul 21, 2023

The Role of the State in Facilitating an India-First Technological Imperative

The role of the state is paramount in incentivising and facilitating a continental-scale indigenous technology and intellectual property development ecosystem in India. The world's two largest economies, US and China, have amply demonstrated the payoffs of this approach through tangible socio-economic development. This paper documents successful strategies from both economies that India can emulate in its own context. It argues that multi

The Role of Women’s Nutrition Literacy in Food Security in South Asia
Aug 17, 2023

The Role of Women’s Nutrition Literacy in Food Security in South Asia

Gender inequality is a major cause and effect of hunger and poverty, with women and girls comprising 60 percent of the global hungry. Women face multiple challenges (such as limited access to education and employment opportunities) that curtail their economic autonomy and weaken their bargaining position within the family, consequently impacting household food security. The pandemic has worsened this situation. It is crucial to apply a ge

The Role of Women’s Nutrition Literacy in Food Security: The Case of Africa
Aug 16, 2023

The Role of Women’s Nutrition Literacy in Food Security: The Case of Africa

Women are vital to food security, especially in developing countries where food is more scarce to begin with. Women’s productive and reproductive roles put them at the centre of food security more than any other group. This is true in Africa where, both as farmers and as home managers, women determine the feeding habits, dietary patterns, and nutritional and food security status of their household. This brief argues that promoting femal

The Russia-Ukraine War: The Last Crisis to Break the UN Camel’s Back?
May 21, 2022

The Russia-Ukraine War: The Last Crisis to Break the UN Camel’s Back?

The United Nations (UN) has recently been plagued by several crises—the COVID-19 pandemic, the Taliban’s return in Afghanistan, and the Ukraine war—that have tested its ability to deliver on humanity’s projects of peace and security, sustainable development, human rights, and humanitarian response. Indeed, its actions and inactions in the Ukraine war have triggered an existential dilemma. India must use this moment of creative destruction

The Saudi Shockwaves
Jun 28, 2003

The Saudi Shockwaves

For over seven decades the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia took justifiable pride in the stability of its political system, the tranquility of its social scene, and the in the overall loyalty of its citizenry. The compelling simplicity of the Saudi flag reflected the cohesion. Occasional murmurs of discontent, and an eruption or two in recent decades, did not belie this judgment.

The Scots say it all
Sep 25, 2014

The Scots say it all

The 55-45 percent Scotland referendum against independence has revived the on-again-off-again discourse of the kind among Sri Lankan Tamils (SLT), one more time. Rather, certain Tamil web campaigns have cited even a 'No' vote in Scotland to justify their demand for a referendum in the SLT community.

The Sea Muggers are back in Malacca Straits
Mar 24, 2005

The Sea Muggers are back in Malacca Straits

The 2004 annual piracy report published by the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) had noted that the Tsunami tidal waves that hit Sumatra in Indonesia might have destroyed the piracy related infrastructure. Some of the pirates may have even perished in the disaster. Besides, there was also a large naval presence and may have acted as a deterrent against piracy activity in the Malacca Straits.

The Search for a Model Land Legislation: The New Land Bill and its Challenges
Jul 23, 2023

The Search for a Model Land Legislation: The New Land Bill and its Challenges

While the draft Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill 2011 makes a genuine push for a better land acquisition regime in the country, the proposed legislation fails on many fronts to address some of the vexed issues related to land acquisition. This Paper looks at the key challenges to this legislation.

The Search for Sustainable Solutions to Debt Accumulation in Sub-Saharan Africa
Jul 21, 2023

The Search for Sustainable Solutions to Debt Accumulation in Sub-Saharan Africa

Like in some other regions of the world, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated external debt accumulation in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This could have massive, adverse impacts on growth as governments prioritise debt servicing commitments over key development expenditures such as healthcare and education. For the countries in SSA with relatively lower GDP, this could mean getting caught in a vicious cycle of low output and mounting debt. A pa

The second chance
Oct 04, 2014

The second chance

Rekindling a romance is never easy. However, if the expansive agenda unveiled by Modi and Obama is matched by bureaucratic purposefulness in Delhi and Washington, India and America have a second chance at building a strategic partnership of considerable consequence.

The Shangri La Dialogue: 4 key themes of US focus on Asia-Pacific
Jun 10, 2015

The Shangri La Dialogue: 4 key themes of US focus on Asia-Pacific

There is a shift in rhetoric from former Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel's statement that the US has been "clear and consistent" on not taking positions on "competing territorial claims" to Ashton Carter's clear insistence on American action in the event of assertive activities of one country.

The shocking gender gap in India
Nov 04, 2014

The shocking gender gap in India

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.

The Sino-Indian Strategic Dialogue
Jul 02, 2003

The Sino-Indian Strategic Dialogue

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 skilling gap
Jul 20, 2015

The skilling gap

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.

The Smartest Targets for the World: Dr. Bjorn Lomborg
Jan 07, 2015

The Smartest Targets for the World: Dr. Bjorn Lomborg

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 solution to eliminate black money lies in India
Dec 15, 2014

The solution to eliminate black money lies in India

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.

The South China Sea dispute: A new flashpoint in the making?
Mar 21, 2012

The South China Sea dispute: A new flashpoint in the making?

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.