Space station_Nasa Courtesy: nasa.gov
8 December 2014

A divided space again

Space exploration may take a hit as terrestrial politics plays spoilsport with the U.S. government spearheading a sanctions programme against Russia. With China pursuing an independent space programme of its own, Russia’s departure from the effort may mark the beginning of a divided space once again after the Cold War

South pacific islands Courtesy: qdkfqsz.com
18 November 2014

A comprehensive Pacific policy

Prime Minister Modi's Fiji visit is a chance to broaden and deepen the relationship between India and the South Pacific. Promoting an inclusive policy that engages civil society and the private sectors of both countries, will be a step in the right direction in order to regain lost ground due to years of neglect

ED Courtesy:
30 September 2014

Defining de-growth

Current forms of economic growth are widening disparities, leaving millions of people to live in poverty. While there is widespread awareness about these realities, there is no agreement on how to tackle them. The de-growth platform aims to counter the dominant idea of our times that economic growth is the only way to end poverty.

scada Courtesy: Green_Mamba/Flickr
17 June 2014

India’s vulnerable SCADA systems

Critical infrastructure in India, including oil pipelines, dams and steel plants, is susceptible to cyber attacks because of outdated Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition systems, which manage their operations. A cyber attack on these systems can be devastating. It is imperative for India to take counter-measures

Unbalanced scales Courtesy: winnifredxoxo/Flickr
14 May 2014

The wealth & skills gap widens

Thomas Piketty, in his latest book, argues that the wealth concentration in developed economies is an outcome of the economic policies that have been followed over the centuries. His study offers insights for Indian economists who are faced with addressing the growing wealth gap between the country’s rich and the poor

spacewarfare Courtesy: US-Navy/Wikimedia Commons
9 May 2014

Securing outer space assets

The UN’s Transparency and Confidence Building Measures for Outer Space Activities to address terrestrial anti-satellite weapons have spawned schismatic instruments such as the EU’s International Code of Conduct and a Sino-Russian treaty. India must weigh its national interests before agreeing to these drafts

Spratly Islands_google map Courtesy: Google Maps
2 May 2014

South China Sea: escalating tensions

Braving potential retaliation from China, the Philippines has now challenged Beijing’s sovereign claims over the South China Sea before a UN tribunal, and raised the stakes in a longstanding dispute