Opinion

Why do so few file income tax returns in India?

07 Nov 2023 09:02 AM IST

More people file Income Tax Returns (ITRs) in India than the entire population of 198 of the 217 countries listed in the World Bank’s Databank files. During the current financial year, 74.01 million persons filed their Income Tax Returns (ITRs) in India. The numbers are up by 16.1% compared to

Tackling pollution needs a comprehensive strategy

07 Nov 2023 08:56 AM IST

It’s that time of the year when a deadly grey shroud descends on the whole of Delhi-National Capital Region. In this gas chamber of sorts, as residents grapple with deteriorating health conditions, the response from the local authorities is limited to imposing a ban on the entry of different categories

Soft Hindutva emerges as dominant trend amid election frenzy in five states

06 Nov 2023 08:51 AM IST

The campaigns for state assembly elections in five states Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Telangana, and Mizoram are fully underway. The leaders of various political parties are to innovatively invent their political narratives for mobilising people in the coming election. The dominant trend of electoral narratives emerging in the sphere of

Karbongs: The voice of dying hearts

06 Nov 2023 08:49 AM IST

Despite a plethora of Constitutional provisions for tribal development in India, many ethnic minorities are still backward and gradually endangered. Most of the tribes are economically downtrodden, politically unaware, and culturally backward. The issue of tribal identities, culture and development is particularly significant in the case of Northeast India, considered

Biden-Xi meet unlikely meet to put US-China ties back on track

06 Nov 2023 08:45 AM IST

The eagerly awaited meeting between US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart, President Xi Jinping, is set to take place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leadership Summit in San Francisco in the third week of November. The White House has officially confirmed this meeting. The

Global conflicts, multilateral challenges, and calls for diplomatic leadership

04 Nov 2023 10:11 AM IST

We all imagine the world to be a safe and a beautiful place to live, though we all know the reality. Amid the liberal, neo-liberal and constructivist narratives; and the economic and cultural elements of the soft power, Realism prevails. First Russia-Ukraine war and now the continuous conflict between Israel

China on mind: Jaishankar, Malaysian Foreign Minister to focus on Indo-Pacific

04 Nov 2023 09:10 AM IST

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Malaysian counterpart Zambry Abdul Kadir will be holding talks next week in New Delhi with focus on the security challenges in the Indo-Pacific and Indian Ocean Region amid reports about growing aggressive behaviour of China in the region. Beijing’s belligerent activities in the

Indo-Bangla Railway link project: A historic initiative with vital future implications

04 Nov 2023 09:08 AM IST

On Wednesday, a momentous occasion unfolded as India and Bangladesh jointly inaugurated three significant infrastructure and energy projects, marking a significant step forward in their collaborative efforts. These projects include the historic Akhaura-Agartala cross-border rail link, the Khulna-Mongla port rail line, and Unit II of the Maitree super thermal power

Kejriwal getting ready for yet another confrontation with Centre

04 Nov 2023 09:05 AM IST

It is more than evident that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is preparing himself for yet another round of confrontation with the Centre, after ignoring summons issued to him by the Enforcement Directorate, and instead going to Madhya Pradesh to campaign for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) nominees there. Spokespersons

Can Humankind finish off war, before it finishes off all of us?

03 Nov 2023 08:37 AM IST

This is a large question but is no longer alarmist in the short-term as if it ever was through much of post-World War II history since some years following when Russia in 1949 got the atomic bomb. But now, with major wars in the Middle East and Europe simultaneously, and

What’s in a name? The case of RHODESIA, Africa and India

03 Nov 2023 08:34 AM IST

What’s in a name?” Shakespeare famously said. “That which we call a rose, by any other word would smell as sweet.” The Bard may have been right in respect of flowers, but in a world riven by endless conflict where names have often been forced upon people and nations, names

India, US must focus on China’s Belligerence

03 Nov 2023 08:30 AM IST

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd J Austin III will be in India next week for the 5th annual 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue. They will meet with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi, besides calling on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.