The flare-up began on Nov. 7, when Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi told her parliament that a Chinese military attack on Taiwan would be an “existential issue for Japan” - justifying a Japanese armed response. China responded with sharp diplomatic protests, military posturing, economic signaling aimed at reminding Tokyo of its vulnerabilities and swaying public opinion in Japan against Takaichi. China today looks a lot like the United States in the late 1870s - when America emerged as the world’s … [Read more...] about Japan–China Tensions: The Emerging Signals and Impact on India and US-India relations
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Why Cash Transfers Work: Lessons from Bihar and Beyond
The Bihar election quietly highlighted something much bigger than an electoral result: the growing power of Direct Benefit Transfers (DBTs). 1.5 crore women received ₹10,000 directly. We can argue about the politics, but the economic impact is worth paying attention to. 1. From Leakage to Delivery For decades, public money leaked through layers of departments and intermediaries. With DBTs, a rupee sent is finally a rupee received. No middlemen. No delays. No “come tomorrow.” That … [Read more...] about Why Cash Transfers Work: Lessons from Bihar and Beyond
Trump, His Western Detractors, and the Shifting Overton Window
Every September, the world gathers in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, a stage unlike any other, where presidents, prime ministers, and monarchs stand before humanity to define what they believe the world should become. But this year's assembly felt different. Three speeches stood out. Not because they agreed, but because together they reflected a western world at a crossroads where commerce grapples with conflict and hierarchy, where insularity and even prejudice are returning … [Read more...] about Trump, His Western Detractors, and the Shifting Overton Window
Decoding of the trending meme: Mere Paas Modi Hai (I have Modi on my Side)
The inspiration of this video is a meme which I saw recently. It is a take on a very popular Hindi film Deewar where the elder brother Amitabh Bachchan who has accumulated wealth in dubious ways tells the younger brother, “Mere paas building hai, property hai, bank balance hai, Bangla Hai, Gaadi Hai; Tumhare paas kya hai” and the younger brother Shashi Kapoor says, “Mere pass Maa hai” meaning that it's a very strong moral strength which I get from my mother and she cannot be discounted against … [Read more...] about Decoding of the trending meme: Mere Paas Modi Hai (I have Modi on my Side)
What BRICS and India Can Learn from the Bystander Effect
The famous bystander effect was first noticed by two psychologists, Latane and Darley, after a murder occurred in New York’s Kew Gardens at 3:00 a.m. There was nothing extraordinary about the victim, the murderer, or even the method. What … [Read more...] about What BRICS and India Can Learn from the Bystander Effect
When Everyone’s Responsible, No One Is: The Hidden Cost of Diffused Ownership
I came across this striking experiment by social psychologist Bibb Latané. Participants were placed in separate booths and asked to cheer as loudly as possible. In some cases, they were told they were shouting alone; in others, that their shouts would be combined with others in a group. In truth, they were always shouting alone. But when they believed they were part of a group, their effort dropped. When they thought their individual voice would be heard and measured, they shouted … [Read more...] about When Everyone’s Responsible, No One Is: The Hidden Cost of Diffused Ownership