India and the World | India Writes

Battle for Bihar: Development vs caste in electoral calculus

September 19, 2015September 19, 2015 - by India Writes Network

The northern state of Bihar in India has always been synonymous with caste-based crime. However, Bihar’s Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of Janta Dal (U) has managed to change this image and is steadily taking the state towards an inclusive growth.

A resource-rich state with a vote bank of 66.82 million, Kumar has managed to put up an issue based election agenda here. But leaders of rival political parties have managed to pull back the caste politics ahead of the development plank ahead of the crucial assembly elections.

Are US-India ties directed at China? US envoy says no, look at India’s potential

September 18, 2015September 19, 2015 - by Manish Chand

Is India’s growing relationship with the US, as epitomized by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s second visit to the US in a year, directed against China? Beijing thinks so, but Washington is wary of such a spin.

US the best partner for ‘Make in India: US official

September 17, 2015September 18, 2015 - by India Writes Network

Barely days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi heads to the US for his second visit, Washington has struck an upbeat note about partnering with New Delhi to spur the rise …

India’s Security Council dream get wings: Will it fly?

September 15, 2015September 15, 2015 - by Manish Chand

It’s a leap of faith, uplifting spirits and bringing much cheer to India’s diplomatic establishment. In a milestone of sorts, the UN General Assembly has finally adopted a negotiating text for reform and expansion of the UN Security Council, ending a thousand visions and revisions that marked the process for over two decades. The adoption of the negotiating text by consensus is a big boost for India’s quest for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council and the larger drive to make the global body more reflective of the tectonic power shift from the West to the rest.

Global guidelines needed for security & freedom of thinkers, writers: K.S. Bhagwan

September 15, 2015September 15, 2015 - by India Writes Network

In this interview with India Writes Network, Bhagwan speaks about increasing intimidation and threats faced by writers, thinkers and scholars not just in India, but also across the world. Against this backdrop, he argued for the need for the UN to create a set of global guidelines to protect intellectuals, writers and thinkers who are targeted by fanatics of all stripes.

Boost for UN Security Council reforms, India’s UNSC bid

September 15, 2015September 15, 2015 - by India Writes Network

In a historic step, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has adopted a negotiating text for the Security Council reforms, giving a boost to India’s ambitions for a permanent seat in the UNSC. This paves the way for continuing the negotiations as it would be a part of the UN agenda for the next year on the “Question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council.

Ahead of Modi’s US visit, Jaitley drums up India story, promises predictable tax regime

September 14, 2015September 14, 2015 - by India Writes Network

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has already launched an outreach to the US investors, allaying their concerns about the business environment in India and making a strong pitch for scaling up bilateral trade and investment. Assuring a fair and predictable taxation regime, Mr Jaitley invited US investors to invest in various sectors, including infrastructure, manufacturing and defence.

Why Modi needs to silence ‘Hindutva’ brigade

September 14, 2015September 14, 2015 - by N Sathiya Moorthy

It’s sad that meat-ban and other original agenda-points of the ‘Hindutva brigade’ should be allowed to derail the good work seemingly being done, or continued to be promised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It provides fodder for criticism of the Prime Minister in the social media circuit from the ridiculous to a very serious level, which surpasses corruption charges and jokes against the Manmohan Singh government through all those long months leading to Elections-2014.

India votes in favour of raising Palestine flag at UN

September 12, 2015September 12, 2015 - by India Writes Network

In a move that is set to impart an added traction to the Palestinian cause, the United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly in favour of allowing the Palestine and Vatican flag to be flown in the UN. India was among the 119 countries that voted in favour of the resolution. The issue of raising the flags of the non-member observer states who maintain permanent observer missions at the UN headquarters had been gaining momentum for a while. The US and Israel were among the eight countries that voted against the resolution, while 45 countries, including the UK and EU countries, abstained.

High expectations from Modi’s UK visit: Focus on smart cities, investments

September 11, 2015September 11, 2015 - by India Writes Network

As the euphoria builds up around India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s November trip to the United Kingdom, Britain’s Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills Sajid Javid is in India to firm up the visit for the visit. This will be the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the UK in more than a decade. The last visit was by Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee in 2001.