The recognition of Palestine by UK, Canada, Australia, and Portugal signals cracks in Western unity. But symbolism cannot mask reality which is that no Palestinian state can exist without US and Israeli consent. The real opportunity was lost under Arafat and even Arab states don’t really want a Palestinian state.
PM Modi’s swadeshi idea is outdated. He must fast-forward with reform, not rewind
PM Modi’s mantra of swadeshi is an outdated Indira-era idea. His enormous political capital is better used to launch new reforms that make domestic manufacturers globally competitive. State patronage and tariff protection impoverished India and made it import-dependent. India’s deficit with China threatens to cross $110 billion. Fast-forward, don’t rewind.
Trump’s H-1B visa order is at the heart of US immigration anxieties
Trump’s announcement of a $100,000 H-1B fee sours three decades of a dream run for Indians. While one can argue that it hurts the US as much as India, it is at the heart of US politics of immigration anxieties. The tariff maze will be easier to crack than this.
Report in WSJ details how KSA spent the last one year, expending diplomatic capital in bringing the results we now see. Israel and USA virtually isolated on the global state. Some swift course correction by India, ending an ambivalent voting record at UNGA.