indiavene Courtesy: Ministry of External Affairs, India
13 March 2014

India-Latin America Engagements, March 2014

In 'India-Latin America Engagements', the Latin America Desk at Gateway House presents a selection of news of India’s engagement with the region during the previous month

VenProtests 2014 Courtesy: durdaneta/Wikimedia Commons
13 March 2014

Tough times for Venezuela

On the political as well as economic fronts, Venezuela is facing multiple problems – from protests against shortages and crime, to high inflation and low foreign exchange reserves. The government itself is responsible for creating this situation over the years and a change in leadership may now be the solution

damascus Courtesy: Arian Zwegers/Flickr
5 March 2014

Save Damascus, now

If the violence in Syria shifts focus to Damascus, the destruction will be incalculable. Damascus is one of the oldest cities in the world, a cultural and religious centre. It is a collective heritage. Forces on both sides, led by the U.S. and Russia, must get all parties to declare Damascus a weapons-free zone

g20 Courtesy: G20 Taskforce, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet
25 February 2014

RBI and G20: Time to recalibrate?

After 2008 the G20 framed guidelines for emerging economies to coordinate their financial actions with the developed world. But the US’s backtracking created havoc in many countries. Now, after the recent G20 meeting, it may be time for the RBI to reconsider some financial measures, which India took in good faith

Reasserting the Ramayana
20 February 2014

Reasserting the Ramayana

The Ramayana is multiple narratives, recreated over time, as the story has passed from teller to listener and from place to place. There is no singular text. With the recent decision to withdraw Wendy Doniger’s book, it is time to once again ask: what is the Ramayana? How can it inspire us to counter intolerance?

davos Courtesy: remy steinegger / Flickr
6 February 2014

The new inequality debate

German President Joachim Gauck’s visit to India this week is a reminder of how Germany is addressing inequality, with better wages, benefits for the poorest, and other measures. When the gap between the rich and poor is growing globally, it is time for India’s prime ministerial aspirants to also focus on this issue

Dialogue on Trusteeship: futuristic ideal
6 February 2014

Dialogue on Trusteeship: futuristic ideal

Gateway House and Sabarmati Ashram hosted a dialogue on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi's death anniversary. The topic of the dialogue was Trusteeship, a Gandhian ideal and how it needs to be looked at as a basis for addressing problems related to environmental distress and income disparities