Opinion

Within days of the beginning of the new year, China made clear that its attitude towards India will not change. The all-spectrum China-Pakistan compact will stay intact and get further consolidated through closer diplomatic and military coordination. At the same time, China will retain, as cosmetic window dressing, the semblance of cordiality in bilateral relations with India through summits and official-level meetings, which have yielded negligible results. Additionally, there will be the dissimulation that it is under compulsion to support Pakistan. Beijing will simultaneously strive to advance its commercial interests by blending economic incentives with threats, as it has in the case of Huawei and the bid for 5G. Beijing would have interpreted India’s recent decision to allow Huawei to participate in the 5G trials, at the risk of introducing vulnerabilities in national security, as succumbing to China’s pressure. … [Read more...] about India must take note of the China-Pakistan nexus | Opinion

In this new world order, what has caused most countries the greatest consternation is the desire of the US, under Trump, to vacate the global stage. Trump’s foreign policy has been unpredictable and shaken its former allies like South Korea and Europe when he has favoured deal making with North Korea and Russia over them. Trump believes that being a global superpower on a continuing basis does not serve the US well — it costs too much, the recipients do not appreciate the US, and it is not politically popular to send US troops abroad. He also believes bilateral deals serve US better than a multilateral system which can constrain it. Geopolitics has become both more important and more difficult between the assertive Chinese and the unpredictability and global retreat of the US. For most countries, including India, as Singapore’s PM Lee Hsien Loong says, “Choosing between the US and China will be painful.” … [Read more...] about The roots of the US-China rivalry | Opinion

The argument is straightforward. Tax revenues of any economy grows in line with its nominal GDP growth. In other words, there is a tight relationship between nominal GDP growth and tax revenues collected, also called “tax buoyancy” by economists. In the past, India’s gross tax revenues have largely grown in line with nominal GDP, except during the years of severe external shocks such as demonetisation and GST. … [Read more...] about Judge the budget by its tax revenue growth figure | Opinion

“The Rapid Action Force and Telangana State Special Police contingents have been patrolling localities on foot. Election General Observer Shruti Ojha also interacted with voters,” the SP recounted, giving some confidence-building measures taken up for maintaining peace during polling. … [Read more...] about With a peaceful poll, Bhainsa sets aside communal divide

Government says plot near Bal Bhavan should not be given to a private trust; Former CM Fadnavis wanted a memorial for Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the plot. The state government’s Urban Development Department (UDD) recently said that a prime plot measuring 3,217.42 square metres near Jawahar Bal Bhavan, on Charni Road, facing the Arabian Sea, cannot be allotted to the Deendayal Upadhyaya Kendra, a private trust headed by former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. BJP leaders Ashish Shelar and Chandrakant Patil are treasure and trustee, respectively, of the trust. Following a Government Resolution (GR) issued on July 25, 2019, that dealt with land allotments for charitable trusts and societies, the Deendayal Upadhyaya Kendra requested the plot on a 30-year lease, for nominal charges. BMC’s Development Plan-2034. It is the government’s responsibility to maintain and develop plots reserved for “particular causes”, the note said. The July 25 GR also said the plot … [Read more...] about Deendayal Kendra loses bid to acquire prime plot