scorecardresearch
Monday, July 21, 2025
HomeThe FinePrint

The FinePrint

PM Modi must worry. Karnataka is the latest sign of a deepening crisis ahead of 2024 LS polls

BJP needs a new narrative. The polarisation tactics, promotion of Hindutva, and dependence on Modi to deliver votes has made its electoral strategies predictable.

A remote Bihar village, double-murder, a runaway Panchayat. And a mega constitutional crisis

All development in Tarbari village has come to a standstill since the murder in June last year. Attempts at solutions have only caused more problems.

Pakistan Army won’t bounce back easily this time. Imran Khan shattering its illusion of power

After last week’s attacks by Khan’s supporters on the homes of top Pakistani officials, many are beginning to wonder if the military can remain the hegemon that guides the nation.

Soviet Midas touch drove Indian economy during Cold War. India rekindling rupee-rouble affair

India is an outlier for engaging with Russian economy, which has brought back talk of reviving an old Cold War relic: the rupee-rouble trade. But the rupee is in trouble in Russia.

Karnataka election 2023 — eight lessons for the BJP, Congress, and all of India

Kudos to the Congress for maintaining an edge over BJP in public perception. The only solace for the BJP is that it’s out of power but not out of the state.

IWL tells what’s wrong with women football—player burnout, no non-veg food, no broadcaster

The players who fall prey to injuries have no time to bounce back, and the ones who are exhausted have no time to recover.

Tractor ride, midnight fear: Muzaffarnagar victims recall riots but unmoved by rape verdict

Ten years after the 2013 UP riots, a court convicted two men of gangraping a Muslim woman fleeing with her 3-month-old child. But for many families, life is stuck between ‘before riots’ and ‘after riots’.

More than Imran, it’s jihadist influence on Pakistan army that’s Gen Asim Munir’s headache

For the first time in Pakistan’s history, action against a political leader has inspired an impromptu mini-intifada against the military itself.

Karnataka shows no magic needed to defeat BJP in 2024. Answer is ‘ridiculously simple’

A Congress victory would show the path to a possible defeat for the BJP at the national level. The challenge for the opposition is to understand this path & stick to it.

Tharoors and Shabana Azmis took a classic liberal stand on ‘Kerala Story’. They must rethink

I do think we should debate how to respond when popular culture is used to divide the Indian people. India is changing. Perhaps our responses should change too.

On Camera

Trump’s sanctions have failed to deter Russia. Now the West faces a dilemma

The Russia-Ukraine war exposes a complex paradox of power where the world’s most powerful country, with all its resources, is falling short in coercing a much more weakened Russia to kowtow to its demands.

India-US set to ink mini trade deal soon, reach understanding on agricultural & dairy products

Mini deal will likely see no cut in 10% baseline tariff on Indian exports announced by Trump on 2 April, it is learnt, but additional 26% tariffs are set to be reduced.

Not just AK-203, India & Russia to jointly manufacture AK-19 and PPK-20 for domestic use and export 

India-Russia JV is also racing to deliver 7,000 more AK-203 assault rifles by 15 Aug. These are currently being made with 50% indigenisation and this will surge to 100% by 31 December.

Strategic partner one day, tactical nightmare the next: India’s learning Trumplomacy the hard way

Public, loud, upfront, filled with impropriety and high praise sometimes laced with insults. This is what we call Trumplomacy. But the larger objective is the same: American supremacy.