Recently, the Indian stock market completed the shift to a “T+1” settlement system, where every transaction will be completed within one working day post-trade. That is, if a stock is traded on Monday, the cash will be credited into the seller’s account by Tuesday and the stock will also be transferred to the buyer’s account… Continue reading T+1 Settlement

The Indus Water Treaty (IWT) was signed by India and Pakistan in 1960 after nine years of tortuous negotiations, facilitated by the World Bank. Pakistan was extremely unhappy during the negotiations as it felt that the treaty was unfair to it. Eventually, it fell in line because the World Bank offered rewards along with an… Continue reading Indus Waters Treaty

The visit of Egypt’s president, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, to Delhi for Republic Day celebrations is not just about India rebuilding ties with an old friend that had been on the margins of Delhi’s diplomacy for too long.   Background – At the peak of earlier India-Egypt bonhomie in the 1950s and 1960s, the regional context… Continue reading Delhi’s Cairo outreach

Recently, the government appointed the chairperson and members of the 22nd Law Commission after a four-year hiatus. Of the 277 Reports submitted by the Commission, only 92 (1/3rd) have been implemented by the government. Compared to other countries, this is a poor track record. In the United Kingdom, almost 2/3rds of the reports of the… Continue reading Swatantra Kanoon Aayog

The BBC has close ties with the establishment and promotes Britain’s foreign policy positions, notwithstanding its claims of being independent. Thus, it is clear that at least an influential section of the British establishment decided to focus on a controversial part of Modi’s record in public life.   What does the documentary claim? The documentary… Continue reading Government reaction on BBC documentary

The Aspirational Blocks Programme (ABP) was launched recently by the Prime Minister of India during the Second National Conference of Chief Secretaries.   Background – An inter-ministerial committee in consultation with states had identified 500 blocks from across 28 states and four UTs for monitoring their 15 key socio-economic indicators (KSIs) based on various development… Continue reading Aspirational Blocks Programme

Indians are well-known globally as top scientists and academics, university leaders, and key leaders in high tech, but little is known about the academic environment from which they have emerged. India’s academic system is now the world’s second largest. With India assuming the G20 presidency, it is now time for it to join the world’s… Continue reading Global goals of India’s higher education system

According to the American Cancer Society, cancer deaths have decreased by 33% since 1991, resulting in 8 million fewer deaths in the United States. This success is primarily due to earlier detection, lower smoking rates, and advancements in cancer treatment. Even with advancements in treatment, this trend has yet to be reflected in India, where… Continue reading Cancer in India

The state of Kerala recently petitioned the Supreme Court for a relaxation of its earlier order mandating a minimum 1 Km Ecologically Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around all protected forests in the state, which sparked protests in the state.   What are the Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZ)? Also known as Ecologically Fragile Areas (EFAs), these are areas… Continue reading Protests in Kerala over eco-sensitive zones

The Union government is endowed with more tax powers than the States, while the States are assigned more expenditure responsibilities than the Union government. This gives rise to a vertical fiscal imbalance (VFI) between the Union and State governments.   Balance tax revenues with states — The Union government is endowed with more tax powers… Continue reading Vertical Fiscal Imbalance between Centre and States