Rating democracies is a tricky business. I am only using the simple metric of who in the Indian subcontinent has had the most peaceful, stable, normal political transitions and continuity.
Trump has ushered in the age of humiliation. His method is to push around America’s friends rudely and publicly. He knows none of them can afford to fight back.
The Pakistani political leadership is weak and devoid of any intellect. Its diplomacy is entirely India-China-US focused and suffers from a presumptive view of Afghanistan as a vassal.
This is the game every nation is now learning to play. Some are finding new allies or seeing value among nations where they’d seen marginal interest. The starkest example is India & Europe.
By next weekend, Bangladesh will have an elected government. This is India’s moment to reboot broken ties by moderating the ‘ghuspethiya’ rhetoric in poll-bound West Bengal and Assam.
The key to fighting a war successfully, or even launching it, is a clear objective. That’s an entirely political call. It isn’t emotional or purely military.
No nation other than China can negotiate one-on-one with Trump on an equal footing. That’s why the middle powers who so far formed the core of multilateral bodies now feel orphaned.
Pakistan not only has zero chance of catching up with India in most areas, but will inevitably see the gap rising. Its leaders will offer its people the same snake oil in different bottles.
UK, EFTA already in the bag and EU on the way, many members of RCEP except China signed up, and even restrictions on China being lifted, India has changed its mind on trade.
The oil math is skewed against the White House. The blockade has a slim chance of working. Iran can remain defiant, and China unconcerned, longer than Trump can remain solvent.
IEA projects sharp reversal from its earlier expectations, with global demand for oil in 2026 turning negative. Hormuz disruptions have pushed crude prices to $130 per barrel.
We now live in a world order that will keep shifting. India must use this window. This also means we remain disciplined enough not to be knee-jerked into reacting to what Pakistan sees as its moment in the sun.
Firstly stop talking about both our neighbors. Start by focusing on decisive action—strengthening our proactive intelligence network and security systems to an exceptional standard. Let’s build capabilities so robust, coordinated, and forward-looking that our borders are safeguarded with absolute confidence, ensuring lasting peace and preventing any untoward incidents on our soil.
Alongside meaningful self-reflection, we have an incredible opportunity to channel our energy into building a stronger, more resilient foundation for the future. By investing in modern infrastructure, ensuring access to clean drinking water, responsibly developing our mineral resources, and advancing healthcare and education, we can unlock immense national potential. Strengthening agriculture, accelerating research and development in material science, and nurturing human intelligence will empower generations to innovate and lead.
We can also think boldly about connectivity— (for example) exploring the potential of the great Brahmaputra river for internal transport and developing strategic alternatives to critical routes like the Chicken’s Neck corridor. With thoughtful planning and vision, these initiatives can transform accessibility, efficiency, and security.
By focusing on all these, we set in motion a powerful cycle of progress—driving job creation, fueling advancements in space and defense technology, and shaping a future defined by capability, confidence, and growth.
As long the narrative is to be ahead of Pakistan, which this article keeps alluding to; India will never progress.
Reforms require a decentralised approach. Indian governments past & present are trying to centralise power, which has led to bloated bureaucracy, destroying innovation, productivity and general economic growth. Mouthing minimum government and maximum governance needs to be actioned. Engaging in social re-engineering, mixing religious and social matters in policy priorities is a waste of time. The hawkish stance of the government towards certain communities has had a serious impact on both international relationships and local policy.
Most importantly get rid of reservations at all levels, focus on education, remove all references to caste and creed. Additionally, make election a state funded process, so that corruption will take a hit
I’ve always wondered what Shekhar Gupta means my National Interest.
Now I know.
It’s the interests of the ruling class and the money class. Adivasis in jungle can burn in hell as far as he cares. Households and small businesses can be ruined as fertilizer companies make their profits. The current levels of obnoxious inequalit, bigotry and tyranny do not cause him to lose sleep in the least.
It has been a story of partly misplaced priorities, trumpeted claims through aggressive media-social media campaigns and above all a disturbing claim of being a Vishwa-guru. There are occasional sparks in space domain, recently atomic energy domain, but overall India and Indians (in India) continue to perform well below their potential. One is a Vishwa-guru, when others bestow you that status and not when you go on repeating the lie, a thousand times.
Another important issue which I would like to mention is corruption. Rebuilding roads every 5 to 10 years (being optimistic here) is a huge waste of money which could be otherwise allocated somewhere else.
It is always the economy, wise one. 2. Statistics is not my forte but my heart tells me that India could have clocked a full two percentage points of additional economic growth since May 2014 with a better set of policies. More openness to trade. Reforms throughout the economy, with states dismantling many of their rent seeking policies. There was so much political capital.
India would rather continue with freebies, subsidies, reservations, and loan waivers instead of reforms. Long live socialism, say the Congress, BJP, and the communists.
Firstly stop talking about both our neighbors. Start by focusing on decisive action—strengthening our proactive intelligence network and security systems to an exceptional standard. Let’s build capabilities so robust, coordinated, and forward-looking that our borders are safeguarded with absolute confidence, ensuring lasting peace and preventing any untoward incidents on our soil.
Alongside meaningful self-reflection, we have an incredible opportunity to channel our energy into building a stronger, more resilient foundation for the future. By investing in modern infrastructure, ensuring access to clean drinking water, responsibly developing our mineral resources, and advancing healthcare and education, we can unlock immense national potential. Strengthening agriculture, accelerating research and development in material science, and nurturing human intelligence will empower generations to innovate and lead.
We can also think boldly about connectivity— (for example) exploring the potential of the great Brahmaputra river for internal transport and developing strategic alternatives to critical routes like the Chicken’s Neck corridor. With thoughtful planning and vision, these initiatives can transform accessibility, efficiency, and security.
By focusing on all these, we set in motion a powerful cycle of progress—driving job creation, fueling advancements in space and defense technology, and shaping a future defined by capability, confidence, and growth.
As long the narrative is to be ahead of Pakistan, which this article keeps alluding to; India will never progress.
Reforms require a decentralised approach. Indian governments past & present are trying to centralise power, which has led to bloated bureaucracy, destroying innovation, productivity and general economic growth. Mouthing minimum government and maximum governance needs to be actioned. Engaging in social re-engineering, mixing religious and social matters in policy priorities is a waste of time. The hawkish stance of the government towards certain communities has had a serious impact on both international relationships and local policy.
Most importantly get rid of reservations at all levels, focus on education, remove all references to caste and creed. Additionally, make election a state funded process, so that corruption will take a hit
I’ve always wondered what Shekhar Gupta means my National Interest.
Now I know.
It’s the interests of the ruling class and the money class. Adivasis in jungle can burn in hell as far as he cares. Households and small businesses can be ruined as fertilizer companies make their profits. The current levels of obnoxious inequalit, bigotry and tyranny do not cause him to lose sleep in the least.
Never taking this man seriously again..
Modi has found another election jinnie….the OBC card.
He doesn’t need reforms, economy for winning.
And elections are the only thing he cares about 🤗🤗
It has been a story of partly misplaced priorities, trumpeted claims through aggressive media-social media campaigns and above all a disturbing claim of being a Vishwa-guru. There are occasional sparks in space domain, recently atomic energy domain, but overall India and Indians (in India) continue to perform well below their potential. One is a Vishwa-guru, when others bestow you that status and not when you go on repeating the lie, a thousand times.
Another important issue which I would like to mention is corruption. Rebuilding roads every 5 to 10 years (being optimistic here) is a huge waste of money which could be otherwise allocated somewhere else.
It is always the economy, wise one. 2. Statistics is not my forte but my heart tells me that India could have clocked a full two percentage points of additional economic growth since May 2014 with a better set of policies. More openness to trade. Reforms throughout the economy, with states dismantling many of their rent seeking policies. There was so much political capital.
India would rather continue with freebies, subsidies, reservations, and loan waivers instead of reforms. Long live socialism, say the Congress, BJP, and the communists.