Hanle_by_Navaneeth_Unnikrishnan Courtesy: Navaneeth Unnikrishnan / Wikipedia
3 March 2016

Is India equipped for big science?

A tectonic shift is occurring in the science landscape, wherein newly-developed nations are audaciously investing in frontier scientific research at par with developed nations. India is game to join this new wave of advancement, but its research-funding mechanisms are deficient. Can Indian philanthropy endow indigenous R&D?

modi-620x376_0 Courtesy: PTI
25 February 2016

A budget for Modi’s economic diplomacy

Prime Minister Modi's energetic foreign policy and travel has focused on attracting foreign investments. But the task of translating commitments into investments on the ground rests with the Ministry of External Affairs. And the MEA needs greater resources to realise the benefits of Modi's deepening economic diplomacy abroad.

Conférence des Nations Unies sur les changements climatiques - COP21 (Paris, Le Bourget) Courtesy: COP Paris / Flickr
16 December 2015

Cop-out at COP21

COP21 is a reality check for those who like to believe that geopolitical power is shifting from West to East. The just-concluded Paris Climate Summit was essentially about the early-to-develop Western powers continuing to exercise almost complete control over global governance structures, largely through the dominance of markets.

India US energy war Courtesy: MEA India / Flickr
9 December 2015

COP21: unspoken India-U.S. war

An unspoken war has been waged between India and the U.S. at the COP21 Summit in Paris. If the West wants India to opt for more expensive energy options, then they must also reciprocate by sharing technology.

Baka-charging-station_cropped Courtesy: Sass Peress / Wikipedia
3 December 2015

Cheap finance for climate change

The Climate Conference in Paris offers the globe a chance to arrive at a firm action plan—and underpinning this chance are advances in solar and electric vehicles technology. If the Paris talks focus on making such technology and related finance available to countries like India, we can move closer to achieving climate goals