Although disengagement by Indian and Chinese troops has begun on a nondemarcated border of the two countries where the Indian army and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) clashed a few weeks ago, the Indian government is resorting to a variety of economic and trade measures to put pressure on its neighbor.… Read the rest
With Covid-19 infections rising (likely to touch 1mn in the next few days) and little sign that the country is going to flatten the curve anytime soon, the opposition, led by the Congress party, has sharpened its criticism of New Delhi’s handling of the pandemic.… Read the rest
In tacit recognition that a military response to China’s aggression on an undemarcated border could be foolhardy and unpredictable, India has embarked on a twin strategy of inflicting near-term economic pain on China while planning longer-term diplomatic and security options.… Read the rest
The recent resignation of two elected opposition (Congress I) lawmakers from their positions in the Gujarat provincial legislative assembly and their subsequent defection to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would not normally have caused political waves.… Read the rest
Despite a sharp spike in Covid-19 positive cases (numbering 148,000 on Tuesday 26 May, increasing at more than 6,000 a day), the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government has opted for a gradual opening up, combined with the hefty package of fiscal and other measures to help entrepreneurs kick-start their business announced on 12 May.… Read the rest
Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a special economic package worth INR 20trn (USD 266bn or 10% of GDP), Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman spelled out some details about whom the financial assistance would support.… Read the rest
● The Narendra Modi administration is cautiously lifting restrictions on the movement of people amid the significant economic damage caused by the lockdown.
● The government’s policy response is leaving out key constituencies, which might undermine support for Modi in the medium term.… Read the rest
Following an announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 14 April that India will continue its national lockdown until 3 May, but will be reviewed and some restrictions could be lifted on 20 April, large corporations to small businesses are all are scrambling to ensure they are compliant with the conditions that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) released the following day on 15 April.… Read the rest
