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Wednesday, February 25, 2026
TopicFairness creams

Topic: fairness creams

Dabur Fem’s ad plays on fairness obsession. But it got Indians talking about LGBTQ at least

Humra Laeeq -
Dabur Fem's Karva Chauth ad might be rainbow-packaged conservatism. But chatter on LGBTQ+ community is key.

Before Fair & Lovely, there was Afghan Snow ⁠— all about the fairness creams market in India

Pia Krishnankutty -
The fairness cream industry has a long and prosperous history in India, and was estimated to touch Rs 5,000 crore by 2023, until the Black Lives Matter movement hit this year.

Dropping ‘Fair’ from Fair & Lovely won’t erase Indian racism

Rachel John -
Johnsons & Johnsons, Hindustan Unilever, and even Shaadi.com, are introspecting their contribution to racism. But re-branding products is not enough.

Army against ‘soldiers’ endorsing pan masala or fairness cream, will vet ads before release

Amrita Nayak Dutta -
Worried about negative portrayal, Indian Army will now scan all advertisements showing actors in the uniform, and take strong note if any violation is spotted.

Billie razor’s ‘real body hair’ ad is insidious, harmful and exploitative

Harnidh Kaur -
The ad manages to package and sell the fickle and ephemeral idea of choice to women.

Indian men are swapping ‘tall, dark and handsome’ for ‘tall, fair and debonair’

Neha Mishra -
Men in India have been buying more fairness products, because of which the bleaching cream market in India alone has an annual growth rate of 18%. 

On Camera

YourTurn

Opinion

Pew’s religious diversity study is producing perverse results

R Jagannathan -
Pew’s survey on religious diversity around the world is interesting, but simply lacks enough nuance to warrant serious consideration.

To trade coders for Legos, India needs a better deal

Joining Pax Silica is not all positives for India. We must guard strategic autonomy

Economy

China absorbs more Russian crude as India recalibrates with a Middle East pivot

Udit Bubna -
As discounted Russian barrels increasingly flow to China, Indian refiners lift more from Saudi Arabia, Iraq and the UAE, while also eyeing Venezuelan cargoes to diversify risk.

Defence

What to expect on the defence front as Modi embarks on Israel visit, second since 2017

Snehesh Alex Philip -
The two sides will sign a framework agreement on defence cooperation that will allow companies from both sides to collaborate deeper.

National Interest

No country is ever fully sovereign. Cold War era taught India its real meaning

Shekhar Gupta -
India’s fraught neighbourhood places multiple constraints on its strategic choices. It leaves no time to take a deep breath, lean back and reset.

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