Latest News & Headlines

Tamil Nadu’s Mangrove Cover Doubles: A Conservation Success Story

The Hindu | Published on: 17-Mar-2025

Tamil Nadu has achieved a major ecological milestone by doubling its mangrove forest cover from 4,500 hectares in 2021 to 9,039 hectares in 2024, according to a report by Anna University’s Centre for Climate Change and Disaster Management. This expansion is the result of dedicated conservation efforts, including new plantations and the protection of existing mangroves across multiple districts. Tiruvarur and Thanjavur lead the state in mangrove expansion, accounting for nearly half of Tamil Nadu’s total mangrove area. Mangroves are crucial in coastal protection, biodiversity conservation, and carbon sequestration, making this achievement significant for climate resilience. However, challenges such as invasive species and long-term sustainability remain.

India and New Zealand Resume FTA Talks After a Decade: A Win-Win for Both Nations

The Hindu | Published on: 17-Mar-2025

After a 10-year hiatus, India and New Zealand have resumed negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), officially known as the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA). The decision follows a meeting between Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and New Zealand Trade Minister Todd McClay in New Delhi. With bilateral trade exceeding $1 billion in April-January 2025, the FTA aims to enhance market access, integrate supply chains, and foster economic growth.

However, significant challenges remain, including disparities in tariff structures and market access demands, especially regarding India’s dairy sector and New Zealand’s service industry. This FTA is part of India’s broader trade strategy, which includes negotiations with the UK, EU, and GCC nations, signaling a major shift in India’s global trade positioning.

Linguistic Secularism in India: Balancing Diversity and National Cohesion

The Hindu | Published on: 17-Mar-2025

The Supreme Court’s 2014 judgment reaffirming linguistic secularism highlights India’s accommodative approach to language laws. While Hindi serves as the official language, constitutional provisions protect linguistic diversity and individual rights in education. The debate over the National Education Policy underscores the need for a balanced approach, ensuring inclusivity without imposing a singular linguistic identity. A multilingual and decentralized language policy, rooted in constitutional principles, offers the best way forward.

Five Eyes in Crisis: India Hosts Intelligence Meet Amid Western Intelligence Turmoil

The Indian Express | Published on: 17-Mar-2025

As India hosts top intelligence officials, including US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, discussions on global intelligence cooperation are taking place at a time when the Five Eyes alliance faces its most significant internal crisis. The intelligence-sharing pact between the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand is under strain due to Donald Trump’s second-term foreign policy shifts, including trade disputes with Canada, diplomatic friction with the UK, and growing tensions over intelligence-sharing. With Trump’s "America First" approach altering US strategic alliances, concerns are rising over the future of the Five Eyes and the broader Western intelligence network. India, which is strengthening its own intelligence diplomacy, is closely observing these developments and assessing their impact on global security architecture.

India’s MAHASAGAR Vision: Strengthening Maritime Diplomacy in the Indian Ocean

The Indian Express | Published on: 17-Mar-2025

India has reaffirmed its commitment to the Global South and the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) through Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement of the MAHASAGAR vision during his recent visit to Mauritius. This initiative builds upon the SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) doctrine, first articulated in 2015, which has shaped India's maritime strategy. Mauritius, a long-standing partner of India, plays a key role in this strategic vision, given its location and deep historical ties. As the geopolitical landscape in the IOR shifts, India faces competition from China’s expanding influence, particularly through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). While India is seen as a more benign maritime power, the success of MAHASAGAR depends on effective policy implementation and harmonization with broader Indo-Pacific strategies, including coordination with the Quad nations (US, Australia, Japan, and India).

Trump’s Tariff War: How Should India Navigate Trade Negotiations?

The Indian Express | Published on: 17-Mar-2025

With Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariff policy set to take effect from April 2, India faces a critical moment in its trade negotiations with the US. The Mission 500 initiative, which aims to increase bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030, presents an opportunity for both nations. However, Trump’s emphasis on tariff parity challenges India's existing trade structure, where tariffs on US imports are significantly higher than US tariffs on Indian goods. Rather than adopting a retaliatory stance, India must play a smart diplomatic game, identifying sectors where tariff reductions can accommodate US interests without harming domestic industries. A focus on energy imports, high-tech defence deals, and strategic tariff adjustments could help balance trade deficits, while simultaneously ensuring greater access for Indian products in US markets.

India’s Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) Revision: Balancing Growth, Investment Protection, and Global Trade Realities

The Indian Express | Published on: 17-Mar-2025

The government’s announcement in the Union Budget 2025 regarding a revision of the model Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) marks a significant step towards making India’s investment landscape more investor-friendly. The last revision in 2015 aimed at balancing investor rights and obligations, but the evolving global trade and investment climate now necessitates further refinement. BITs are essential tools in international investment agreements (IIAs), offering legal assurance to foreign investors while enabling host states to regulate investment practices. Given India’s dual role as both a capital-importing and capital-exporting nation, the revision of the model BIT should reflect the changing economic landscape, ensuring that Indian investors abroad are also protected. This article explores the significance of BITs, the historical context, the challenges of MFN clauses, and the potential reforms India should consider to foster a robust investment ecosystem.

India’s Scientific Renaissance: Charting the Path to a Technologically Advanced Future

The Indian Express | Published on: 17-Mar-2025

India is undergoing a transformative period in science and technology, with a renewed focus on research, innovation, and self-reliance. The government, under the leadership of the Department of Science & Technology (DST), is taking strategic steps to boost R&D investment, enhance collaboration between academia and industry, and position India as a leader in emerging technologies like 6G, quantum computing, and clean energy. The establishment of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) and the introduction of a ₹1 lakh crore fund for private sector R&D signal a shift towards a more holistic and impact-driven approach. However, challenges such as low private-sector R&D investment, lack of scaling in innovation, and dependence on foreign technology remain. This article explores India’s scientific vision for 2047, its role in global technology development, and the path forward to becoming a scientific powerhouse.