Articles

May 22, 2026
Kerala’s public transport debate

Public Interest and the Vortex of Bus Route Nationalisation

The phrase “public interest” is one of the most frequently invoked justifications in transport policy and perhaps one of the least clearly defined. Under Section 99 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (and the earlier Section 68C of the Motor […]
May 22, 2026
Kerala fisheries sector

Beyond Welfare: What Kerala’s New Government Must Prioritise for Fisheries and Coastal Communities

In the run-up to the 2026 Kerala elections, fishing communities became one of the state’s most actively courted constituencies. Political parties announced housing schemes, insurance coverage, harbour projects, and welfare measures across Kerala’s 600-kilometre coastline, where over 10.65 lakh people […]
May 22, 2026
Assam tea industry

What Assam’s Returning Government Must Deliver for its Tea Garden Community

Sustained political will and timely implementation are essential to ensure that electoral promises translate into long-term dignity and security for Assam’s tea garden communities Constituting nearly 20 per cent of the electorate and influencing outcomes in over 35 constituencies, Assam’s […]
May 22, 2026
Kerala Plantation Sector Reforms

Why Kerala’s Plantation Sector Needs a Policy Reset

Kerala’s plantation sector has, for decades, remained a vital pillar of the state’s agrarian economy, sustaining the livelihoods of over ten lakh farmers, generating employment for more than four lakh workers, and contributing substantially to exports and rural development. However, […]
May 18, 2026

The Educator-in-Chief: Where CM Satheesan Cannot Go Wrong

  With the United Democratic Front’s historic mandate in the 2026 Assembly elections, V.D. Satheesan steps into Cliff House not merely as Kerala’s thirteenth Chief Minister, but as the custodian of an unprecedented generational hope. The massive support that propelled […]
May 13, 2026
India AI Summit

India’s AI Governance Wager at the 2026 AI Impact Summit

India hosted the fourth global AI summit in New Delhi from 16th to 21st February 2026, following Bletchley Park (2023), Seoul (2024), and Paris (2025) — the first in this series to be hosted by a developing nation. India’s framing […]
May 12, 2026
Kerala Bus Permits

Beyond the State’s Business Class: Why Kerala’s Bus Permit Regime Needs Retirement

The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation’s announcement of “Business Class” Volvo services on the Kochi–Thiruvananthapuram corridor is, in one sense, a candid admission. The state has conceded what commuters have known for years: public transit in Kerala is failing travellers. […]
May 8, 2026
Karnataka's Gender Budget

The Labharthi Turn: What Karnataka’s Gender Budget Gets Wrong

Why does Karnataka’s budget portray women as grateful recipients rather than empowered citizens? Each year, the budget documents cast her as the beneficiary of free bus rides (Shakti scheme), ₹2,000 monthly cash (Gruha Lakshmi), or subsidised gas for “household members”. […]
April 30, 2026
Kerala Fireworks Regulations

The Shadow of the Spark: Why Kerala’s Fireworks Regulations are Backfiring

The catastrophic blast in Thrissur in April 2026 was not merely an industrial accident; it was a predictable outcome of a regulatory philosophy that prioritizes prohibition over partnership. As the smoke cleared, the familiar cycle of “Stop Memos,” police raids, […]
April 24, 2026
India Energy Security Shift

Redefining Energy Security: From Barrels and BTUs to Materials and Data

In Short For most of the past five decades, the grammar of energy security was written in barrels and British Thermal Units (BTUs). Policymakers conceptualised vulnerability through import dependence ratios, the politics of producer regions, and the chokepoint geography of […]
April 16, 2026
mobility in trade agreements India

Mobility in Trade Agreements: India’s Mode 4 Strategy in a Services-Driven Economy

As the global economy shifts toward services and knowledge-intensive industries, the terms of trade are changing. Market access is no longer based solely on tariffs and customs procedures; increasingly, it depends on whether skilled professionals can cross borders to deliver […]
March 13, 2026
Takaichi

Takaichi Wins Historic Mandate: The Prospect of Japan Becoming Normal

Sanae Takaichi, who became Japan’s first female Prime Minister in October 2025, in the recent snap general elections has led the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to its most decisive electoral victory. Winning 316 seats and securing a two-thirds majority […]
March 6, 2026
Oil Trade

Disruptions in the Hormuz Strait and the Future of Oil Trade

The announced closure of the Strait of Hormuz marks a decisive escalation in Gulf geopolitics, transforming a long-anticipated risk into an immediate economic shock. In the aftermath of the reported death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iranian authorities […]
March 4, 2026
Tamil Nadu’s Fiscal Reality Before the Poll Promises Begin

Tamil Nadu’s Fiscal Reality Before the Poll Promises Begin

Before the promise race begins in Tamil Nadu’s 2026 elections, the state’s growing debt and shrinking fiscal space deserve closer scrutiny. As Tamil Nadu heads toward Assembly elections in April–May this year (2026), the political atmosphere is already warming up, […]
February 25, 2026
Affordable, but not accessible: Karnataka’s rural transport paradox

Affordable, but not accessible: Karnataka’s rural transport paradox

Photo Credit: Deccan Herald Karnataka has improved transport affordability through subsidies and schemes, yet reliable access remains uneven in rural areas. Using insights from Melukote, this article examines how limited services, regulatory barriers, and weak last-mile connectivity continue to restrict […]