Trump and US soft power

Trump doctrine and US soft power: Why hard power is back

Trump’s strategic doctrine pares back US soft power and reasserts hard power, reshaping American influence from Caracas to Greenland. Read more »
age-based social media ban for children

India’s social media ban debate is really about enforcement

India is considering age-based social media ban for children, but privacy-preserving age verification and enforceable platform design duties will test political will. Read more »
Indian Railways

Indian Railways asset monetisation: Govt plans sale without loss of control

Indian Railways asset monetisation announced in Budget 2026 seeks to dilute stakes in seven PSUs to raise ₹80,000 crore while retaining control. #Railways #Budget2026 Read more »
crowd safety planning

Crowd safety at places of worship: Why India needs a resilience-first shift

As India’s religious footfalls now match city-scale crowds, crowd safety planning must move from threat-centric optics to resilience-first design rooted in crowd science. #crowd #safety Read more »
universal subsidies india

Universal subsidies: Why targeting and exit clauses matter

An ADB–PwC report to the 16th Finance Commission calls for better targeting of universal subsidies, tighter audits and sunset clauses. Read more »
international law and institutions under attack

International law and Trump’s threats to global order

The US under Donald Trump is prepared to dismantle international law and institutions that once constrained American power. Read more »
LIC market share

LIC market share ambition faces the digital insurance test

LIC market share is more than half of India’s life insurance industry, but can it retain its dominance in the age of digital underwriting? #LIC Read more »
de-dollarisation

De-dollarisation 2026: Tariff war pushes countries to diversify

Tariff coercion, fiscal strain, and sanctions risk are reviving de-dollarisation efforts; a plural currency system likely as no clear successor exists. #dedollarisation #tradewar Read more »
Bengaluru Metro fares

Bengaluru metro fares aren’t the problem; it’s the last mile

Bengaluru Metro fares are not the decisive lever many policymakers assume; last-mile reliability decides commuter choices. Read more »
artificial intelligence india

Can India power the artificial intelligence dream?

The country has rushed to embrace artificial intelligence. Its impacts on jobs, the electrical grid and water availability need to be taken into account. Read more »