1044 results found
In every dislocation, there is an opportunity. For investors in alternative assets, the short-medium term dislocation wrought by COVID-19 in emerging
The Ministry of Defence has fixated on process rather than outcomes for decades with little effort to remedy this, stymying timely modernisation of th
Migrant workers have perennially remained at the socio-economic margins of our society silently serving as the instrumental labour force of the urban
The crisis today is no longer bilateral, as it was when it had affected China alone.
If a crisis was needed to reform a nation, perhaps COVID-19 it is. Recall the 1991 reforms, when India was facing a balance of payments crisis. The crisis pushed the Indian state into action and economic reforms were quickly ushered in.
In addition to the fears of surviving this pandemic, citizens of West Bengal have to unfortunately cater to an additional anxiety resulting from — t
The recent incidents shed light on the desperation of the migrant labours in the South Asian countries that worsen during disasters like the present p
The sudden fall in commodity prices, export volumes, FDI redirection, and growing unemployment strongly disturbs Latin American economies.
It stands to reason that not only is an investigation into the issue a vital necessity, but also that such an investigation would be incomplete and la
The spread of coronavirus in camp areas is equivalent to spread of forest fires which only leads to more destruction — and questions the government�
Like any other country Indian economy is dealing with a once-in-a-lifetime tectonic disaster.
The race to develop a COVID-19 vaccine is gaining ground in many parts of the world. This brief examines the challenges that India must hurdle to successfully manufacture and distribute a vaccine. It argues for a fair and equitable distribution of vaccine with an aim to save the maximum number of lives. It suggests a multi-parameter model based on age, co-morbidity, income and profession to justify one’s claim for vaccine. The imperative is to
As South Asia faces an increasingly complex and expanding disaster risk landscape, the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the systemic gaps in risk management. There is a need for a paradigm shift in disaster risk reduction—from a single-hazard, single-sector perspective to a multi-hazard, multi-sectoral, and systemic risk perspective supported by parallel risk financing measures. This brief examines the current gaps in the efficient operatio
Beyond the basic building blocks, for a hub to work effectively, its ‘ecosystem’ needs to function as an integrated system with feedback loops and
Emerging economies are fighting COVID-19 and the economic sudden stop imposed by the containment and lockdown policies, in the same way as advanced ec
Immersive technology is a key part of the emerging Web 3.0. A prominent aspect of this evolution of the World Wide Web is the Metaverse, which aims to build a fully immersive and self-sustaining virtual shared space for humans to use as they would the physical world in all aspects of life. Existing concerns and debates on privacy, user protection, and the ethics of monetising platforms also extend to the Metaverse. This brief discusses the three
Much of the internal conflict in Pakistan has centered on the question of national identity - what does it mean to be a Pakistani? This was the underlying theme of the round-table discussion on Current Events in Pakistan: Impact on Sindh and Balochistan organised by Observer Research Foundation on January 29 in New Delhi.
The increasing dependence on the internet across the spectrum is pushing some states to adopt measures to exert their sovereignty over cyberspace. Certain global events have also acted as a catalyst for states to pursue cyber sovereignty. The involvement of multiple stakeholders and the borderless character of the virtual world have made sovereignty a complex affair in this domain. This brief seeks to illuminate the concept of ‘cyber so
While the initiatives taken at the UN, including the draft code, could be viewed as a step forward, the clear differences in what the American and Russian sides seek to address through such a mechanism will remain a stumbling block.
Free flow in data can unlock huge social and economic value in user data that is usually locked in silos. With this motivation, Data Empowerment and Protection Architecture (DEPA), a public-private endeavour, is being developed in India as a template for users to access and share their data on their terms. Not only does this form of data sharing promote competition, but it fosters innovation as well. This brief dissects the conceptual layers of D
2023 could be a monumental year for facilitating DFFT as more and more countries are moving away from the concept of blanket data localisation
Despite many structural shortfalls, the 73rd and the 74th Amendments were able to create critical democratic space for these underrepresented groups s
Can a system — where social security has traditionally been a failure — at all opt for the normative ethical principles of degrowth for the cause
While successfully balancing relations between Israel, Iran and Saudi Arabia power blocks, New Delhi’s affinity for this Gulf outreach is rooted in geopolitical and geo-economic realities
O-RAN's ability to decouple hardware and software components of traditional systems fosters flexibility and interoperability, potentially countering C
As the world grapples with uncertainty in the post-COVID-19 era, China appears to be focusing on bolstering its rural economy. China claims to have brought nearly 100 million people out of poverty since 2012, but the regime feels that unbalanced development can jeopardise the gains of poverty alleviation. The widening economic gap could also foment unrest in the rural areas. Additionally, the government believes that the reliance on grain
While Budget 2022 has made allocations to address the challenges faced by the economy, effective implementation of the Budget will be key to its succe
The international aid system is in need of reform. Despite rhetoric about localisation, a meagre 1.2 percent of international humanitarian aid directly reaches local actors. Overall, there is a lack of transparency and awareness in international policy circles on how funds flow from the donor level to the field. This brief argues that the issue is not just about a lack of capacity on the part of local actors—a sweeping statement often used by W
With a very high population density, India has to prevent the virus from reaching vulnerable populations through a systematic approach.
The Budget continues to emphasise indigenisation, but the defence allocation is but a small increase from the previous fiscal
India’s armed forces must be prepared to secure India with the resources available, as well as to prioritise local defence acquisitions over their c
Allocations made for capital expenditure must increase if India is to keep pace with China's rising military might
While allocations for the defence forces have been prioritized, the country's policymakers still grapple with the question: Despite spending billions, how strong is our Defence?
The virus has affected over 25 million people across 213 countries. Governments and citizens alike have had to adapt to the crisis. Pakistan’s story
Charismatic, centralised leadership, like Mr Modi's today and Indira Gandhi's earlier, whilst have a huge advantage in national elections, cannot single-handedly carry a local election. Delhi is likely to make this point to leaders yet again.
Jal Jeevan Mission needs to take into cognizance the localised diversity and remain flexible in its planning and implementation processes.
Digital public goods can be developed for rapid pandemic assessment and response. India’s experience with COVID-19 must be recorded and analysed, an
Access to, and development of indigenous digital platforms and cutting-edge technologies is imperative for robust socio-economic development and national security. In turn, such process needs to be democratised, and undertaken in a sustainable manner. India is a first mover in this novel idea of democratising technology and developing Digital Public Goods. Operationalised in the digital infrastructure called India Stack, India’s strategy aims t
The DeFi landscape is complex, encompassing digital assets, blockchain technology, and tokenization. Despite skepticism, it holds potential for financial inclusion, improved taxation, and democratizing investment in private markets.
In Devas Multimedia Pvt. Ltd v. Antrix Corporation Ltd, the Supreme Court of India has upheld the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) order winding up Devas Multimedia Ltd on the grounds of fraud. Antrix is the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), and Devas is a multimedia services company. The decision comes at a crucial time, as foreign investors of Devas are endeavouring to attach Indian assets
To deal with its two-front war concern, India has successfully ramped up its connectivity projects in the Kashmir Valley and Ladakh
Musk's vision aligns with India's Digital India initiative. Starlink’s success hinges on its ability to adapt to local challenges and understand Ind
