From overseeing planning of Pokhran tests to mending ties with the US, Pakistan and China, Brajesh Mishra implemented the foreign policy sketched out by the Vajpayee government.
The whole truth regarding the 1991 reforms is that India was in the process of revamping its industrial and trade policies from the last years of Rajiv Gandhi’s tenure.
The irony with PC Alexander was that when Indira Gandhi returned to power in 1980, she handpicked him as Principal Secretary and he became her political adviser, conscience keeper and administrative trouble-shooter.
The Morarji Desai PMO was divested of the IB, the R&AW, and the Foreign Investment Promotion Board. But the civil servants still looked up to V Shankar for guidance and advice.
PN Haksar emerged as Indira Gandhi's ideological beacon and moral compass, playing a pivotal role in ‘Garibi Hatao’ and transformed her image from a 'goongi gudiya' to an 'Iron Lady'.
It’s ironic that the PMO, often accused of giving India a de facto presidential form of governance, was created by one of the most consultative prime ministers, Lal Bahadur Shastri.
While global corporations setting up GCCs in India continue to express confidence in availability of skilled AI engineers, the panel argued that India’s real challenge lies elsewhere.
Without a Congress revival, there can be no challenge to the BJP pan-nationally. Modi’s party is growing, and almost entirely at the cost of the Congress.
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