News for 'Council of World Affairs'

This Salman Khan is changing the way kids learn

This Salman Khan is changing the way kids learn

Rediff.com31 Dec 2015

Salman Khan of Khan Academy explains how he is pioneering the cause of free online education.

Chasing Old Monk

Chasing Old Monk

Rediff.com9 Jan 2018

The author finds out if India's love affair with Old Monk has ended

From 'playboy' to fugitive

From 'playboy' to fugitive

Rediff.com19 Jun 2015

Back in the thick of action, former Indian Premier League boss Lalit Modi will be in his element now

SC cracks down on Delhi pollution, bans new diesel SUVs

SC cracks down on Delhi pollution, bans new diesel SUVs

Rediff.com16 Dec 2015

Cars with engine capacity of 2000 cc and above will not be registered in Delhi and National Capital Region till March 31, 2016

De-terrorise Pak policies towards India, General Sharif!

De-terrorise Pak policies towards India, General Sharif!

Rediff.com6 Oct 2015

'New Delhi feels that given the internal dynamics in Pakistan and the overwhelming powers wielded by the army, one will have to wait for better times to see any meaningful progress in the India-Pakistan relationship,' says Ambassador G Parthasarthy.

African Union to raise issue over Somnath Bharti's raid at UN: Sources

African Union to raise issue over Somnath Bharti's raid at UN: Sources

Rediff.com26 Jan 2014

Commerce Minister Anand Sharma has a tough time in Davos pacifying African leaders, who are extremely upset over Delhi law minister's midnight raid. Anita Katyal reports

Modi shouldn't have met Abe, Xi and Obama so soon

Modi shouldn't have met Abe, Xi and Obama so soon

Rediff.com9 Oct 2014

Narendra Modi would have done well to take a few more months before he agreed to receive or call on heads of countries like Japan, China, and the US. The prime minister is to settle down in his job and it was too soon for him to have full awareness of the nuances of intricate international issues, says B S Raghavan.

'Bollywood saved my life'

'Bollywood saved my life'

Rediff.com27 Jun 2016

'Today if you look at the way India is growing many people are saying the sleeping elephant has finally woken up, is dancing!' 'I have travelled extensively, in about 60 countries. In all these the moment you say India, the first thing they mention is either an actor's name. Or they start humming a song.' 'I wanted to be in Bollywood. It is the most powerful medium we have in this country. That's soft power.' Listening in on Shobhaa De, Kabir Khan, Vikas Swarop and Saffron Art CEO Hugo Weihe speak on India's Soft Power, Hard Influence.

Befriending the US while tempering China: Can India do it?

Befriending the US while tempering China: Can India do it?

Rediff.com12 Apr 2016

Even as the United States snuggles closer to India with the thinly veiled objective of containing China, the Indian strategy is to avoid alienating either nation.

An RBI governor, two finance ministers and a quiet war

An RBI governor, two finance ministers and a quiet war

Rediff.com30 Oct 2018

Duvvuri Subbarao recounts how his tensions with P Chidambaram and Pranab Mukherjee, then finance ministers, over monetary policy spilled over into other issues in the central bank in this excerpt from Who Moved My Interest Rate?, his memoir of his term as Reserve Bank of India governor.

'Natural partners' India and US script new chapter in ties

'Natural partners' India and US script new chapter in ties

Rediff.com1 Oct 2014

Furthering Indo-US cooperation on terrorism, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Barack Obama on Tuesday agreed to make "joint and concerted efforts" to dismantle safe havens for terror and criminal networks like Lashkar-e-Tayib, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Dawood-company, Al Qaeda and the Haqqani network.

Modi has discovered there are no plans to punish Pakistan

Modi has discovered there are no plans to punish Pakistan

Rediff.com21 Sep 2016

'NSA Doval and the PM are known to admire Israel's tough response to cross-border terrorism.' 'However, New Delhi's situation is far more complex than Tel Aviv's, which enjoys military superiority over all its neighbours,' says Ajai Shukla.

Nuclear deal engaged Diaspora like never before

Nuclear deal engaged Diaspora like never before

Rediff.com17 Jul 2015

'We had to convince our people that we were doing nothing that would erode our strategic programme. We were all the time arguing that we are not doing anything, which will remotely impact on our strategic programme.'

Modi is prepared to stake his personal reputation when national interests so dictate

Modi is prepared to stake his personal reputation when national interests so dictate

Rediff.com15 Sep 2016

'The book has immense value because it reveals the inner workings of the think-tank which appears to provide facts and insights to Modi, though he himself takes the final decisions and articulates them in his characteristic rhetorical style,' says Ambassador T P Sreenivasan.

Political game of shadows in Arunachal Pradesh

Political game of shadows in Arunachal Pradesh

Rediff.com19 Dec 2015

The Congress accuses the BJP of engineering defections and trying to dismiss the Congress govt in the state. The BJP says the CM has lost a majority in the assembly and must go for a vote of confidence.

What will Pranab Da see at the RSS HQ in Nagpur?

What will Pranab Da see at the RSS HQ in Nagpur?

Rediff.com5 Jun 2018

'If the RSS should be saluted for choosing such a scholarly statesman to address its highly trained cadre, one must also praise Pranab Da's sagacity for having gracefully accepting the invitation, thus disapproving any ideological apartheid,' says former BJP MP Tarun Vijay.

Pak envoy says peace process currently suspended

Pak envoy says peace process currently suspended

Rediff.com7 Apr 2016

When asked if the Indian investigating agency would be allowed to visit Pakistan, Basit said that 'the whole investigation is not about reciprocity in view'.

This isn't what we wanted when we voted you to power

This isn't what we wanted when we voted you to power

Rediff.com7 Apr 2016

'I may not indulge in chest thumping to express my patriotism every day.' 'I may be cynical about many things happening in our country.' 'I may not roar Bharat Mata Ki Jai at the top of my voice. But I still love my country, just as one loves one's parents with all their weaknesses.' 'Does that make me any less of a patriot?' asks Shobha Warrier.

Dalai Lama snub and India's plans to reset China ties

Dalai Lama snub and India's plans to reset China ties

Rediff.com8 Mar 2018

'If, as appears to be the case, India is on way to 'mending fences' with China, and China is equally desirous to 'reset' the relationship, this could be a self-reflexive moment in India's positioning vis-a-vis not just the Dalai Lama, but also the Tibetan issue and China as a whole,' points out China expert Alka Acharya.

Dialogue only option to resolve Gaza crisis: India

Dialogue only option to resolve Gaza crisis: India

Rediff.com7 Aug 2014

India has said the current crisis in Gaza can be resolved through a negotiated political settlement and dialogue remains the "only viable option" to effectively address issues confronting the region and its people.

Why Rohingyas must be sent back

Why Rohingyas must be sent back

Rediff.com28 Oct 2017

Resettlement of refugees elsewhere is not the morally correct solution to the problem for it lets the perpetrators off the hook.

What the India-US joint statement says

What the India-US joint statement says

Rediff.com27 Jun 2017

Here is the full text of the joint statement issued by India and the US.

US, UK, France launch strikes in Syria, destroy chemical weapon factories

US, UK, France launch strikes in Syria, destroy chemical weapon factories

Rediff.com14 Apr 2018

The White House said it has 'a large body' of evidence indicating that the Assad regime was responsible for the April 7 chemical attack in Duma.

Ravi Shastri, Indian Cricket's Mr Indispensable

Ravi Shastri, Indian Cricket's Mr Indispensable

Rediff.com25 Jan 2016

'In the merry-go-round of Indian cricket, amid abhorrent match-fixing scandals and incessant politicking, Ravi Shastri is a multifaceted personality who, when called upon, can don any hat with ease.'

What Modi told Xi in Ahmedabad

What Modi told Xi in Ahmedabad

Rediff.com7 Jul 2017

'Xi Jinping got a dose of Modi's medicine inside the tent where he was being hosted on the banks of the Sabarmati river.' 'Modi reportedly told him, looking deep into his eyes: "This was not expected of your country. Can you tell me when the troops are withdrawing?".'

What China's military plans mean for India

What China's military plans mean for India

Rediff.com27 Oct 2015

'There are major implications for India. Though there was a transparently thin attempt to project the troop reduction as intended to promote peace, the downsizing is actually part of plans to streamline and strengthen the PLA, capable of defending China's national interests at home and abroad,' says Jayadev Ranade.

Supreme Court pulls up BCCI over reluctance to accept Lodha panel recommendations

Supreme Court pulls up BCCI over reluctance to accept Lodha panel recommendations

Rediff.com3 Mar 2016

The BCCI submitted a 60-page affidavit to the Supreme Court in which it stated it's opposition to certain points in the Lodha Committee report including one association and one vote for each state and also the inclusion of a representative of the Comptroller and auditor general (CAG) in the Board.

A Colossus says Goodbye

A Colossus says Goodbye

Rediff.com10 Jul 2017

Naresh Chandra -- distinguished civil servant and diplomat -- passed into the ages on Sunday, July 9. Ambassador T P Sreenivasan salutes a patriot like none other.<

Pentagon concerned about what would happen if Modi is 'hit by a bus'

Pentagon concerned about what would happen if Modi is 'hit by a bus'

Rediff.com4 Jun 2015

The administration and America Inc have invested in Narendra Modi's power to transform India. Aziz Haniffa/Rediff.com reports from Washington, DC.

Pragmatic Modi will achieve India's strategic goals in China

Pragmatic Modi will achieve India's strategic goals in China

Rediff.com14 May 2015

If the chemistry between Modi and Xi Jinping goes well, it will herald a new future not just for the region but for the world, says Tarun Vijay.

'The first hint Trump will be tough on Pakistan'

'The first hint Trump will be tough on Pakistan'

Rediff.com30 Jun 2017

'In the past the US has been reluctant to name Pakistan directly in an US-India joint statement.'

Odisha: Of unkept promises and chasing big-ticket investments

Odisha: Of unkept promises and chasing big-ticket investments

Rediff.com12 Jul 2016

A large chunk of the Rs 8.8 lakh crore of investments the Patnaik government had attracted is in uncertain territory.

1 in 7 Indian drugs revealed as substandard

1 in 7 Indian drugs revealed as substandard

Rediff.com16 Feb 2016

More lucrative routinely prescribed drugs are at higher risk of failing quality standards

Taskmaster Chandrababu Naidu is a man of records

Taskmaster Chandrababu Naidu is a man of records

Rediff.com8 Jun 2014

As he took oath of office on Sunday night, Nara Chandrababu Naidu has earned a unique distinction of becoming the first chief minister of a new state in addition to being the longest-serving CM of Andhra Pradesh.

BJP vs civil society: Who won the battle?

BJP vs civil society: Who won the battle?

Rediff.com26 May 2016

When it came to dealing with the media and academia, it has been a roller coaster ride for the National Democratic Alliance, observes Nitin Sethi.

US confirmed Uri attackers were from Pakistan

US confirmed Uri attackers were from Pakistan

Rediff.com30 Sep 2016

Immediately after India launched its surgical strikes, sources said, it had informed the US of its action.

Modi's ministry bears indelible impress of a single person

Modi's ministry bears indelible impress of a single person

Rediff.com30 May 2014

Narendra Modi's victory does not represent a victory of 'the Indian nation', but only an elite-driven polarising phenomenon. The sooner we -- and the BJP -- recognise this, the better, says Praful Bidwai.

Football Briefs: Ronaldo hits hat-trick; Bayern extend dominance

Football Briefs: Ronaldo hits hat-trick; Bayern extend dominance

Rediff.com11 Feb 2018

News of all that's transpired on and off the football field

BRICS Summit: Opportunities for India, Russia and China

BRICS Summit: Opportunities for India, Russia and China

Rediff.com30 Jun 2015

Srikanth Kondapalli on what to expect from the seventh BRICS summit meeting to be held in Russia in July.

Why prosecuting Maggi brand ambassadors is idiotic

Why prosecuting Maggi brand ambassadors is idiotic

Rediff.com4 Jun 2015

Punishing brand ambassadors shows that the government is only interested in going after the low hanging fruit, says Tanmaya Nanda.