ICS In The Media

Ashwini Deshpande

High Demand for MGNREGA is a Ringing Fire Alarm

‘Rising demand for low paying labour work under MGNREGA points to a failure of economic policy as the Indian economy has failed to provide suitable jobs.‘

The Wire
17 Sep 2021

Amita Batra

India’s revamped FTA strategy

‘Recent statements from the commerce ministry have indicated that India is going to revamp its Free Trade Agreement (FTA) strategy and that FTA negotiations would be expedited towards early conclusion.‘

The Business Standard
15 Sep 2021

Prabir De

A silent revolution in border trade

‘It is widely presumed and perhaps accepted that South Asian countries sharing geographical borders face special problems and challenges in a regional economy that is heavily fragmented by trade‘

Business Line
8 Sep 2021

Happymon Jacob

Reaching out to the ‘undesirables’

‘Shedding its past hesitations, the Government of India has started an open, formal engagement with the Taliban who, by all accounts, will form the next government in Afghanistan.‘

The Hindu
6 Sep 2021

Shyam Saran

On Kabul, India need not hurry. Let Russia, China, Iran see Pakistan’s control of Taliban

‘One doubts that Pakistan will be able to manage Afghanistan’s polity and society any more than it can in Pakistan itself. China will then have to think about stepping in.‘

The Print
25 Aug 2021

Veda Vaidyanathan

A Chinese airport project in Zanzibar floundered. Here’s what the new G-7 infrastructure plan can learn

‘How can the G-7’s new global infrastructure partnership do things differently from China’s Belt and Road Initiative? Launched at the June Group of Seven meeting, the Build Back Better World‘

Washington Post
18 Aug 2021

Shyam Saran

If India contests China’s Asian dominance, there will be no let-up in tensions: Shyam Saran

‘Former foreign secretary Shyam Saran says that as long as the power gap between India & China expands, it will be difficult to change the ‘strategic calculus’ driving Beijing’s policies today.‘

The Print
11 Aug 2021

Skand Ranjan Tayal

Central Asia’s bid for access to sea may see new Quad rise

‘The double landlocked Central Asian republic of Uzbekistan hosted a landmark Conference on “Central and South Asia Regional Connectivity: Challenges and Opportunities” in its capital Tashkent in the middle of July.‘

Deccan Chronicle
9 Aug 2021

Gautam Bambawale

India, China pull out of Gogra

‘Even though the two sides have agreed on disengagement of troops at Gogra, India and China need still need to come to an agreement over some other contentious areas‘

Mint
6 Aug 2021

Siddiq Wahid

Article 370 & Ladakh: Disillusionment with BJP govt makes Leh-Kargil join hands

‘The demand for statehood for Ladakh is a response to the broken promise of a hollow Union Territory status.‘

The Quint
5 Aug 2021