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Fall in crude oil prices: How long will the boon last for Modi?
Jan 21, 2015

Fall in crude oil prices: How long will the boon last for Modi?

Oil is critical to India as it imports almost two thirds of its need, constituting 37% of its total imports. A $1 drop in oil prices could approximately save 40 billion rupees. The drop in oil prices currently looks like a blessing for India, but there could be some downslides too in the long run.

Falluja: Another US pyrrhic victory?
Nov 10, 2004

Falluja: Another US pyrrhic victory?

If the George Bush Administration in the US were wise, it would have waited for the current holy fasting period of the over one billion Muslims of the world and their Eid festivities to be over before launching its much-publicised and much-hyped offensive to pacify Falluja, the Sunni stronghold in Iraq, which is apparently perceived by the Pentagon as the nerve-centre of the anti-US resistance and jihadi terrorism in Iraq.

Falluja: Iraq's Tora Bora
Dec 14, 2004

Falluja: Iraq's Tora Bora

Since 1995, when the first incident of jihadi terrorism took place in Saudi Arabia, there have been 25 acts of terrorism as indicated below:

Farce and Facts for Obama
Aug 30, 2010

Farce and Facts for Obama

When I heard that President Barak Obama would address a joint session of Parliament during his November visit, a chill ran down my spine. Images of President Bill Clinton's foray into the Central Hall of Parliament during his visit in March 2000,

Fast-tracking Sri Lanka peace talks
Apr 09, 2004

Fast-tracking Sri Lanka peace talks

By declaring that India should be actively involved in the Sri Lankan peace process, Mahinda Rajapakse, the newly sworn-in Prime Minister of the island-nation has put both the peace process and India back at the centre-stage back again. Lakshman Kadirgamar, the ruling dispensation¿s foreign policy czar, has said as much. In her maiden national telecast after the parliamentary polls

Faster, higher, stronger
Feb 28, 2006

Faster, higher, stronger

Indo-US relations began to warm up after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union. All of a sudden, the New World Order had arrived, yet no one really knew how to adjust to this new reality. Old enemies and old friends had gone, new enemies, threats and friends had to be found ¿ for a State, to survive, needs all three.

Fate of Doha Round: Still opaque
May 03, 2013

Fate of Doha Round: Still opaque

The stalemate in the negotiations questions the legitimacy of the WTO to promote fair and balanced multilateral trade rules that will address the past and current inequities, which developing countries are faced with. In the current situation, it would be useful to frame negotiating proposals which the WTO can take forward to conclude Doha Round.

FDI as a tool of social liberation
Dec 11, 2012

FDI as a tool of social liberation

The social and economic profile of the participants in India's vast retail trade is complex and varied. Besides, there is ample evidence that large sections of the petty bourgeoisie (trader and shopkeepers) may not be happy with their current existence. They would not mind if global capital inflows result in the creative destruction of existing arrangements.

FDI in Retail Trading
Nov 30, 2005

FDI in Retail Trading

There has been a heated debate about opening up the retail trade sector in India to foreign direct investment (FDI). Allowing foreign investment to come in retail trading is supposed to indicate that economic reforms are on track and that like in China , Walmart, Carforre, MAKRO, 7 Eleven and many more giant retail store chains, would be seen in India.

FDI in retail unlikely to benefit small farmers
Nov 30, 2012

FDI in retail unlikely to benefit small farmers

FDA in retail is not the reform that can change the face of Indian agriculture as the problems of small farmers and their vicious cycle of poverty have to end through state action and not by big foreign retailers.

FDI issue clumsily handled by political class
Dec 06, 2011

FDI issue clumsily handled by political class

The Government's decision to bring in FDI in retail has created an uproar, but it is not surprising at all as it has not only been ill-timed but is also being clumsily handled by the political class.

FDI need of the hour: Experts
Dec 21, 2013

FDI need of the hour: Experts

Economic experts firmly believe that FDI is the need of the hour and with political will and good governance measures, it could prove to be crucial in enhancing development in the region.

FDI opening timed wrongly
Dec 05, 2011

FDI opening timed wrongly

Opening up retail trade should not have happened at a time when inflation is high, GDP growth rate is falling, industrial growth and exports are declining. Unfortunately, it would take a long time for the multi-brand retailers to establish their own supply chains and hence inflation is unlikely to come down in the near future.

Fear of Persia: Saudis call for a Gulf Arab Union
May 16, 2012

Fear of Persia: Saudis call for a Gulf Arab Union

As Delhi focuses on managing Washington's pressure to reduce oil imports from Iran and avoid the imposition of unilateral U.S. economic sanctions on India, it could easily miss the unfolding power play in the Gulf between Tehran and Riyadh.

Federalism is a reality, not a shibboleth
Mar 15, 2012

Federalism is a reality, not a shibboleth

Regional parties should not think of federalism merely in terms of anti-Congressism. This seems to be the tendency, with regional satraps like Mamata Banerjee and Jayalalithaa hyphenating regional concerns with their own political goals.

Feudal State still lords over in UP
Jun 06, 2014

Feudal State still lords over in UP

In Uttar Pradesh, the zamindari system may have been abolished more than six decades ago, but feudalism has stayed: The biggest feudal lord being the State itself which lords over cattle, women, the marginalised communities and minorities alike.

Fifty Years of India's Energy Policy
Sep 01, 2006

Fifty Years of India's Energy Policy

The First Energy Ministry of India was constituted under interesting circumstances. The former Energy Minister of India, Shri K. C. Pant delivered a talk at ORF on July 14, 2006 presenting his views on the fifty years of India's energy policy

Fighting corruption should not be reduced to a national past-time
May 31, 2011

Fighting corruption should not be reduced to a national past-time

Any Lok Pal Bill to be meaningful needs to have in-built saving mechanisms that protect the dignity not only of the individual but more so of the high offices that they hold. Otherwise, there is always the possibility of anti-corruption wars could get reduced into a national past-time.

Fighting limited wars: A major challenge for the military
Jul 05, 2010

Fighting limited wars: A major challenge for the military

In January 2000, when I spoke about the concept of limited conventional wars under the nuclear threshold at an international seminar in New Delhi, there was considerable uproar in the media and the strategic community, particularly in Pakistan.

Fighting the 'Islamic State', with Islamic States as Allies?
Sep 15, 2014

Fighting the 'Islamic State', with Islamic States as Allies?

If the War on Terror-2.0 is to be carried out only by drones and the US/NATO Air-forces, one can be certain that the 'Islamic State' will retain control over its territory in Iraq and Syria for a long time to come.

Fighting the Islamic State, without a strategy
Sep 24, 2014

Fighting the Islamic State, without a strategy

Does Obama really intend to defeat, disrupt and dismantle the ISIS terror structure or will he simply guide them away from Iraq and Turkish borders towards Damascus.

Figures don't reveal the real picture of unemployment
Aug 09, 2012

Figures don't reveal the real picture of unemployment

President Barack Obama has to understand the Indian psyche before advising rapid economic reforms and realise that without adequate safety nets, open unemployment will be a scourge for India.

Finally, Modi goes to Russia
Jul 07, 2015

Finally, Modi goes to Russia

Indian PM Narendra Modi this week makes his maiden visit as Prime Minister to Russia, one of India's closest strategic partners. This seeming delay in travelling to Russia may surprise some, given that the Prime Minister has travelled to almost all the major powers as well as most of India's immediate neighbourhood.

Financial inclusion a viable business model now
May 10, 2012

Financial inclusion a viable business model now

Out of the 660,000 habitations in India with a population of 100 or more, only 33,000 have a commercial bank branch. That's approximately one branch for every 20 habitations.

Financial inclusion is the key
Jan 16, 2015

Financial inclusion is the key

India's self-image needed a re-boot. This rebooting of India's 1.3 billion aspirations was conducted by the Prime Minister on the 15th of August last year. He did it with characteristic simplicity, by a simple call for "Make in India". Financial inclusion is the building block for unleashing the creative capabilities of this country.

Financing development: India and beyond
Aug 19, 2015

Financing development: India and beyond

Focusing on financing sustainable development, in India and elsewhere, ORF organised a conference that explored the future of global financial architecture for development and highlighted the difference between financing and implementation.

Financing Solar Projects Under JNNSM
Sep 08, 2011

Financing Solar Projects Under JNNSM

Observer Research Foundation, in collaboration with BRIDGE TO INDIA and Solar Energy Society of India, organized a round-table discussion on "Financing the Solar Projects under JNNSM" on 9th Aug, 2011.

Financing the radicals
Nov 02, 2010

Financing the radicals

The existence of an embedded financial network of militant organisations in Bangladesh will seriously undermine the global effort to neutralise global terrorist networks entrenched in the region.

Finding a judicious way out of Mullaperiyar impasse
Feb 08, 2012

Finding a judicious way out of Mullaperiyar impasse

The Mullaperiyar dam agreement commits only the waters of the reservoir to Tamil Nadu. It does not guarantee supplies if the dam fell into disuse. So, a new agreement with commitments from Kerala for fixed supplies would be in Tamil Nadu's interest too.

Finding adequate funding for infrastructure a big challenge
Oct 21, 2015

Finding adequate funding for infrastructure a big challenge

Financing of infrastructure in India will remain a big problem despite the fact that the government has issued infrastructure bonds with tax incentives. Finding external finance is thus very important because the amounts required would be in billions of dollars.

Finish what you started
Jul 22, 2013

Finish what you started

As Delhi and Washington try to develop separate, special relationships with Beijing, there is a danger of misreading each other's intentions. Both India and the US want a secure Afghanistan and moderate Pakistan, but their approaches are not always in sync. An honest conversation between Joe Biden and the Indian leaders is critical at this juncture to prevent misperceptions from derailing India-US security cooperation in Asia.

First Xi-Modi meeting finds common ground
Jul 21, 2014

First Xi-Modi meeting finds common ground

The crucial factor that can help transform India-China bilateral is Modi himself. For the first time, the Chinese will interact with an Indian leader who can be politically strong in safeguarding India's sovereign interests, while at the same time being very welcoming in embracing China economically.

Fishers: Local issues go global
Nov 17, 2015

Fishers: Local issues go global

A dedicated fishing ministry would be able to deal with fishermen's problems holistically. India can thus begin her correctives at home, and without reference to either the neighbourhood seas or the nations that own them.

Fishing issue:  'Externalising' the 'internal waters'?
Dec 10, 2013

Fishing issue: 'Externalising' the 'internal waters'?

With festivals fast approaching, time may be running out on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's self-set December deadline for her Government to host the third round of talks between fishers' representatives from the State and Sri Lanka.

Five recommendations for US to make its South Asia policy effective
Nov 06, 2014

Five recommendations for US to make its South Asia policy effective

US President Obama's top priority now is the crisis in West Asia, ISIS and Ebola, and India-US relations though, not inconsequential, is not on Washington's top priority now, according to Michael Kugelman of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Washington DC.

Five years of General's jihad
Oct 13, 2004

Five years of General's jihad

President Pervez Musharraf wrested power from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a bloodless coup on October 12, 1999. In the five years since then, Pakistan has found itself increasingly enmeshed in sectarian violence, economic disaster, political collapse and diplomatic isolation.

Five-point someone
May 26, 2014

Five-point someone

For Modi, Nawaz Sharif's willingness to show up at the launch of his government is a political bonus. If Modi is luckier than Manmohan Singh and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he might make some sustainable progress with Pakistan.

Fix the economy, don't target big business
May 19, 2014

Fix the economy, don't target big business

The new undercurrent is targeting the notion of big business itself. India is angry, and rightfully so. But is there any problem being solved by targeting large corporates for accumulating wealth? It is not solving the investment drought or the fiscal deficit. It is also not solving the critical challenge of making Indian MSMEs globally competitive, or of creating jobs for the 12 million youth entering the workforce every year.

Fixing water with a mobile App
Jun 23, 2014

Fixing water with a mobile App

Now a mobile App for water management? And, the rapidly dropping price of wireless consumer technology such as WiFi and Bluetooth could turn these individual nodes into a data-rich network.

Floods in Pakistan- An Assessment
Aug 13, 2010

Floods in Pakistan- An Assessment

The devastating floods in Pakistan have not only destroyed lives and property across the country but also seriously undermined the civilian government's reputation among the people.

Flux and Flexibility
Dec 29, 2003

Flux and Flexibility

With the SAARC summit only days away, the focus should be as much on re-positioning India, both in the regional and emerging global context, as on terrorism and security. Prime Minister Vajpayee set the mood a fortnight ago by referring to a 'common currency' for, and hydro-power cooperation among member-nations.

FM surprises the poor, unorganised
Mar 03, 2015

FM surprises the poor, unorganised

The Union Finance Minister surprised many with his social sector-centric budget. No one expected the Modi government to go for enhancing the MNREGA by Rs 5000 crore or to have a huge kitty of subsidies ($37 billion) aimed at the poor. There seems to be a vision towards giving India a universal social security system for all and especially the poor.

FM's efforts to invigorate small industries
Mar 27, 2015

FM's efforts to invigorate small industries

In the Union Budget this year, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley seems to have tried his best to address the numerous issues being faced by the micro, small and medium enterprises and to invigorate them. For this industry, the way forward is through a reformist social programme which will aid the weak and inefficient enterprises.

FMs' meet enhances warmth with India
Oct 03, 2014

FMs' meet enhances warmth with India

India-Bangladesh relations got a major boost following the meeting between India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Bangladesh's Foreign Minister Abul Hasan Mohammad Ali this week.