Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his monthly radio program “Mann Ki Bhat” alerted the citizens about the emerging cyber crime in India known as Digital Arrest. Prime Minister cautioned the citizens about the digital arrests where fraudsters impersonate themselves as law enforcement officials threatening citizens with fake arrests. The Digital arrest scam is widely occurring across India deceiving Indians and looting their hard-earned money through these scams. These scams are not isolated cyber crime incidents but rather a perpetrated by well-organised criminal gangs that have extensive knowledge of cyberspace.
Tag: India
H-1B Visa Politics: US Immigration Policy and its Impact on India
The triumph of the Republican leader Donald Trump as the President of the United States has brought the political focus on immigration issues and the H-1B visa programme to the forefront. The tough posture on the H-1B programme in his first tenure has softened his stance in his second tenure with courtesy of his Silicon Valley ally and supporter Elon Musk whose company thrives on a global talent pool for whom he says “we cannot do without them…go to war for visa issue if necessary”. With Musk appointed as the head of the New Government Efficiency Commission tasked with cutting down the federal budget from US$6.75 trillion to US$2 trillion, Trump intends to make the US into a manufacturing superpower to accomplish his mega project of ‘MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN (MAGA).
India’s Soft Power and Cultural Diplomacy
In modern era, India’s journey to leverage its soft power capital, which had begun influencing its interactions with foreign states and societies even during the colonisation phase. Intellectual and radical interactions of luminaries like Swami Vivekananda, Tagore, MN Roy signalled an intrepid internationalism in their minds. To quote Gandhi, “I want the culture of all lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any”. As one of the few uninterrupted surviving civilisations, with its unique values and worldview, India offered new meanings to concepts like war, peace, power, religion, and similar others.
United States under Trump 2.0 wants the Panama Canal
Donald Trump recently claimed that the United States is being “ripped off” by the Panama Canal’s administrators and alleged that “Chinese soldiers” are operating the canal. He has threatened to “demand the return of the Panama Canal” to the United States. On December 23rd, Panama’s president, José Raúl Mulino, responded by asserting that “every square metre of the Panama Canal” is the country’s property, a stance supported by opposition parties. Trump’s actual objectives might be less extreme, but their specifics remain unclear
BRICS: India’s Position in the Emerging Global South Alliances
The BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) grouping has been the forerunner of global economic and political developments for over a decade. The BRICS countries account for over 40% of the world’s population and over 25% of global GDP. They are also among the fastest-growing economies in the world. India is an important player in the BRICS grouping. It is the second most populous country in the world and the sixth largest economy. India has also been growing swiftly in recent years, with GDP growth comprising over 7% per year over the past decade.
Special Packages: Unpacking India’s Fiscal Federalism
Earlier this year, the chief ministers of Bihar and Andhra Pradesh had demanded special financial packages for their respective states from the Centre. Special Packages for both states were announced in the Union Budget 2024-25. The issues catered in the package ranged from subjects like Irrigation, Flood Mitigation, Purvodaya: Vikas Bhi, Virasat Bhi, Airports, Medical Colleges, Sports Infrastructure, Highways, Industrial Corridors and Tourism development. Special Packages refer to the support provided to states facing geographical and socio-economic challenges, offering them additional financial assistance and other benefits.
Why Nuclear Weapons Remain the Privilege of the Few?
While a lot of countries associate the possession of nuclear weapons as a huge plus to their geopolitical power, there are still some that fear the consequences and stay within the protected boundaries of conservatism while going international. No matter how awed we can be when seeing nuclear missile tests or new launches happen, we still have a long way to go to see what constitutes hegemony very easily here and how only 9 countries in the world have gone nuclear so far. The problem with this distinction is, it is no longer dependent on resources or military strength, but rather a very calculative set of steps that go beyond what a simple human can imagine.
India-GCC Relations: A Comprehensive Partnership
India’s relationship with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a pivotal aspect of its foreign policy, driven by a blend of historical ties, economic interdependence, energy needs, and cultural connections. The region’s significance for India is underpinned by its strategic location, shared interests in regional stability, and the presence of a large Indian diaspora. With 8.9 million Indians residing in GCC countries—constituting 66% of India’s global diaspora—and bilateral trade reaching $161.59 billion in FY 2023-24, the GCC represents India’s largest regional trading partner.
Simultaneous Elections in India: One Nation, One Election
A major Debate which has surfaced on the socio-political landscape of Indian political system is the issue of One Nation, One Election which arose in 1983 when Election Commission and later Dinesh Goswami Committee professed for continuing the norm of One Nation One election, which was initially prevalent till 1967. But due to various reasons this issue was put under carpet and yet the country is discussing this in 2024 again.
India’s Power Sector: The ‘Current’ State of Affairs
Today, India is a power surplus nation with an installed generation capacity of 452 gigawatts. Even then, power shortages frequently occur in rural and urban regions. The total energy demand in India is set to increase by nearly 35% by 2035 in the STEPS, and electricity generation capacity nearly tripled to 1400 gigawatts. Hence, initiatives are being taken to bring about comprehensive reforms in the power sector. These are aimed at attracting investments in the sector and thus turning it into an efficient and sustainable industry.