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Achievements of foreign policy the basis for progress and development at home – Dr S Jaishankar
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Achievements of foreign policy the basis for progress and development at home – Dr S Jaishankar

The achievements of foreign policy in stabilizing the neighbourhood are very much the basis for progress and development at home, Minister of External Affairs Dr S Jaishankar has said. He was addressing the St. Stephen’s- MRF Distinguished Alumni Lecture in New Delhi. Talking on what a ‘good’ foreign policy means to the average person, Dr Jaishankar said a good foreign policy must work for all.  Foreign policy being the link to the outside, it should enable us to draw what we seek. This could be in terms of technology or capital, best practices, or even work opportunities, he said. Highlighting the importance of foreign policy in practice, he quoted the recent example from Ukraine where more than 20,000 Indian students had to be repatriated when war broke out. "This is when th...
Australia to invest Rs 1500 crore in India in a big boost to the economic ties between the two countries
National, Oceania

Australia to invest Rs 1500 crore in India in a big boost to the economic ties between the two countries

The summit between India- Australia that took place in the midst of the crisis in Ukraine, which also figured in the talks between the two leaders, focused on the economic aspects of the relations between the two countries. The two leaders had earlier met in person on the sidelines of the QUAD leader's summit. Reports say that  Australia PM Scott Morrison is likely to announce investment of Rs 1500 crore in India in several sectors. Both prime ministers Narendra Modi and Scott Morrison have committed to closer bilateral ties in several sectors like trade, critical minerals, migration, mobility and education. India-Australia Economic Relations  India was Australia's first major trading partner with imports through the east india company.  The exports from Australia to India dates...
India’s Arctic Policy takes shape with the aim to prepare the country to face challenges like climate change
National

India’s Arctic Policy takes shape with the aim to prepare the country to face challenges like climate change

The centre released its Arctic policy earlier this week with the title "India and the Arctic - Building a Partnership for Sustainable Development". The policy seeks to combat climate change and protect the environment in the region,which is warming three times faster than the rest of the world. The policy documents the history of India's relationship with the region, which can be traced back to February 1920. In February 2020, Government of India hosted the convention of migratory species under the United Nations Environmental programme conference of the parties ( UNEP -COP- 13) in Gujarat's capacity Gandhinagar. The aim of the convention was to strengthen India's scientific research and cooperation, climate and environmental protection, economic and human development, transportati...
The Kashmir files – A brochure for Islamic barbarism
Movies, National, Reviews

The Kashmir files – A brochure for Islamic barbarism

(Image credit: @sudarsansand on Twitter) No fancy foreign locations or masala songs. There is neither the customary breathtaking views of Kashmir nor is it an art film. Yet, the film keeps you on the edge of your chair and leaves you speechless. The story of Kashmiri Pandits makes you numb and as an Indian, you will be ashamed for not knowing their true history. The director, also a co-producer, Vivek Agnihotri has to be appreciated for his courage to bring the truth of the Kashmiri Pandit genocide on screen. The Bollywood mafia hated him ever since his ideological transformation. Standing firmly with the truth of the Kashmiri Pandit community made him stand apart. The mainstream Bollywood had cold-shouldered Vivek Agnihotri for his earlier films 'Buddha in a traffic jam' and 'Tas...
Opinion | I watched ‘The Kashmir Files’; Just like me, India will now know ‘Nadru’!
Movies, National, Reviews

Opinion | I watched ‘The Kashmir Files’; Just like me, India will now know ‘Nadru’!

As the credits started to roll, we all got up to leave amid a silence unheard of. Never in my life have I experienced such silence at the end of a movie and saw people walking quietly out of a film theatre. No one spoke, the audience walked quietly without pushing one another and it felt like returning home from a funeral. I felt everyone was thinking and contemplating and that is the effect The Kashmir Files had on the audiences at the theatre I watched in Bangalore and presumably all over India. As a student of history, particularly medieval and contemporary history that is never taught to us in our schools and universities, I thought I could prepare myself to watch this movie and nothing would surprise me because, with films, it is very rare when I am surprised. Ho...
Pulwama terror attack: How India responded
Defence & Security, National

Pulwama terror attack: How India responded

https://youtu.be/b7TpVTQml4E In one of the deadliest terror attacks on Indian security forces, 44 CRPF personnel were martyred on February 14, 2019. A Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist drove an explosive-laden SUV into a convoy of vehicles carrying CRPF troops on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway. As the entire world, including China, condemned the terror attack, India summoned Pakistan's top envoy and lodged a strong protest. Prime Minister Modi asserted that the security forces have been given permission to choose the timing, place, and nature of their response to the terror attack. Nationwide protests erupted against the dastardly terror attack as Indians demanded that the terror group and its sponsors be taught a lesson. On February 26, 2019, Indian Air Force jets...
The Why and How of Central bank digital currencies
National

The Why and How of Central bank digital currencies

https://youtu.be/LLHp6TiUI-c Central bank digital currencies have recently emerged as a hot topic in the financial space, especially of the 2022 Indian budget. Banks, Institutions, and governments are performing research and analysis on the economic and technical feasibility of Central bank digital currencies. Cryptocurrencies today are extremely volatile, risky, used for nefarious purposes and lack government backing. Central bank digital currencies overcome these concerns while using the same underlying distributed ledger technology of cryptocurrencies. Central bank digital currency is an electronic form of central bank money that citizens can use to make digital payments and store value. A Central bank digital currency offers three main elements: A digital currency, Issued b...
‘COWnomics’ – An Elixir to boost Indian society & economy
National

‘COWnomics’ – An Elixir to boost Indian society & economy

Cows shouldn't be considered a burden on the country and society even if they are old, sick, blind, disabled or have stopped giving milk. It is not the right thing to do. One of our religious text, The Puranas, at various instances mention “Gobare Vasate Lakshmi”, meaning “Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth resides in cow's dung”. This implies that cow dung and urine are a source of wealth and prosperity. Thus, cows are also revered as ‘Kamdhenu’.  The slaughter of cows and other cattle is increasing with every day. So is the poverty level among the poor in the country. This clearly demonstrates that mechanized farming techniques, chemical fertilizers and poisonous pesticides have not improved the health and economic well-being of the people. The situation is very grave now an...
In Pursuit of a Resolution of the Kashmir Conundrum
Books, National, Reviews

In Pursuit of a Resolution of the Kashmir Conundrum

Former Chief of the Army Staff, General N C  Vij’s book on Kashmir 'The Kashmir Conundrum - The quest for peace in a troubled land' is a seminal work that would dominate India’s strategic community for a very long time. The excellent comprehensiveness of the book visualises Kashmir from strategic, military, political, diplomatic, social, psychological angles, and would certainly become a standard reference point in academia. Gen. Vij had served as Director-General of Military Operations during the Kargil War. Following his retirement as the Army chief in 2005, he has served as founder-vice chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority and the Director of think tank Vivekananda India Foundation. In this book, he traverses centuries to detail how the region has ...
Reading History Right – Through Statues of Great Icons
National

Reading History Right – Through Statues of Great Icons

We the common people must understand that these statues are in the interest of the nation and for our future generations.Common people should put aside political arguments and focus on what we should read from these statues so that we pass on meaningful messages to our future generations.We are well educated about a few people's work, decisions, contributions through textbooks, art & cinema, names of public infrastructure and awardsBut the lack of information about many others who made equally important contributions in shaping the destiny of our nation is huge The 'Statue of Unity' is a testimonial to the life of Sardar Patel, a role model of unity and statesmanship. The tallest statue of the world enjoys a splendidly scenic location facing the Sardar Sarovar Dam, 3.2 kilomet...