Innholdsfortegnelse for July 27, 2020 i India Today

Let China sleep; for when she wakes, she shall shake the world.’ These portentous words often attributed to the French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte may be apocryphal but they now sound prophetic. China, it seems, has finally woken up, two centuries later. And the world is guaranteed never to look the same again: from the deadly virus that spread out from a Chinese wet market to trigger off a global cataclysm of a scale not seen since World War II, to a trade war with the United States, a crackdown on civil protests in Hong Kong, bellicose moves in the South China Sea, threatening Taiwan with military force and, closer home, an aggressive mobilisation of its troops on India’s frontier, culminating in the biggest border stand-off since the 1962 India-China war.…

In January 2014, then Congress president Rahul Gandhi made Sachin Pilot, then 36, the Rajasthan chief of the party and tasked him with reviving it. In the 2018 assembly poll, Pilot led the Congress to victory and staked claim to chief ministership. But the post went to his rival, the veteran Ashok Gehlot, on grounds that he enjoyed the support of most MLAs. Gehlot had also promised a good tally for the party from Rajasthan in the 2019 Lok Sabha poll. Pilot was made deputy chief minister, but he projected himself as a CM-in-waiting, much to Gehlot’s annoyance Under Gehlot, the Congress failed to win a single Lok Sabha seat from Rajasthan in 2019; Pilot upped his demand to be made chief minister With Rahul resigning as Congress president after…

AS THE US-CHINA COLD WAR continues to escalate, China appears to be adjusting its grand strategy in Asia. The broad contours of President Xi Jinping’s emerging strategy may be seen in some of its recent moves. First, Xi has shifted from the expansion of Chinese influence to the consolidation of gains made in the past decade. In terms of economic ties, China now seeks to cement its trade and investment relations with its neighbours in the context of the US-China “decoupling” so that it remains the economic centre of gravity in Asia even if Chinese trade with the US falls dramatically in the coming years. On the security front, Xi is determined to hold on to China’s artificial islands in the South China Sea in spite of escalating American measures…

A VIOLENT FACE-OFF AGAINST INDIA in the highlands of Ladakh. A new security law for Hong Kong that eliminates basic civil rights. Chinese military jets flying into Taiwan’s air defence space. A border conflict with Bhutan in a specific area where there previously was none. The sinking of a Vietnamese fishing boat in the South China Sea. Territorial disputes in the same maritime area with not only Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia but also Indonesia. And meddling in Australia’s domestic politics, for the first time giving rise to critical voices against China in a country which until now has been extremely reluctant to criticise its most important trading partner. Is China shooting itself in the foot with increasingly aggressive policies that appear to be making more foes than friends? Or…

HISTORICALLY, THE MARITIME DOMAIN has played a crucial role in power transitions in India’s turbulent past, and since it will also be the source of future challenges, it continues to shape regional dynamics and our destiny. Unfortunately, maritime power has remained a ‘grey area’ for India’s political and national security elite, giving rise to the belief (commonly held by sailors) that they are afflicted with ‘sea blindness’. But is this an appropriate juncture to discuss maritime matters, when India is locked in a military confrontation with China on its northern borders? While diplomatic and military parleys are under way, it appears unlikely that, given their past intransigence and exaggerated claims, the Chinese will pull back or agree to a settlement. Sino-Indian tensions are, therefore, likely to persist, and if India…

Megha Majumdar’s debut novel, A Burning, has come out at both the worst of times and the best, forced as we are to stay at home, casting about for something, anything, to read. Published in the US this month to universal fanfare, it’s an Indian horror story. The plot enmeshes the lives of three characters—the pointedly named Jivan, a bright Muslim girl living in a Kolkata slum; PT Sir, her seemingly upright physical education teacher who sees in her an athletic ability and drive that distinguishes her from her indolent, middle class classmates; and Lovely, a hijra with the ambition and talent to act in films, who lives in the same slum as Jivan. Jivan is at the local station on the night that train carriages are set on fire—the…

The pivotal moments in singer-songwriter Zoya Mohan’s (she goes by ‘Zoya’) career were set in motion by unusual, even outlandish, decisions. At the Berklee College of Music, she chose a degree programme in music business over the more popular songwriting and performance courses. “That was mainly because of this inherent nature of being an Indian kid and wanting to have a job after college,” says the 27-year-old, laughing. “But it was the best decision ever as it taught me how the industry works and how to manage my career.” After graduating in 2014, she got on a plane from LA to Mumbai with a one-way ticket in 2015. She stayed for nearly four years, gave a dream performance at the NH7 weekender, taught classes on songwriting and the music business…

Q. You were supposed to have shot your next project with Ayushmann Khurrana in May. Yes, we were looking for a jungle to shoot in. I went to Arunachal Pradesh to see some locations. There is no yardstick on when we can shoot. I am hoping that around Diwali we will be able to. I don’t think we will be ‘fine’ vis-à-vis the virus but I think we will have the means to start working. Q. Is the Bachchans testing positive worrying? Did the industry rush to resume work? It did shake me up. My first thought was how safe is my house where I live with my 88-year-old father? We aren’t rushing in terms of time, but preparedness. No magic is going to happen for a year. I have…

G EOPOLITICS IS A CRUEL GAME. It rewards cunning and calculating moves and punishes emotional responses. In the 21st century, as we move into an era of massive power shifts, geopolitical nimbleness will become even more critical for all countries. In this regard, India is one of the most fortunate countries. Given its size and political heft, it has more choices than most. Yet, it too has to choose wisely. Each choice has benefits but also a cost. The first choice is obvious. To balance China’s growing weight and influence, especially after the tragic clash at the Sino-Indian border in June, India could drift towards becoming an ally of the US. Many influential voices are advocating this option, which has many merits. Despite its problems, the US remains the world’s…

OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES, India and the US have forged a close partnership based on their shared concerns about a rising China’s behaviour. So, it is not surprising that the recent China-India crisis has sparked debates about—and calls for—a greater Indian alignment with the US, especially considering the prevailing view in Washington of China as a strategic competitor. The impact on the partnership will depend on how the border crisis plays out, Washington’s responsiveness and China’s approach, and whether or not India can overcome the hesitations of history that have dogged its relationship with the US. One of the most consistent elements of Indian foreign policy in recent years has been the strategic logic of managing China through a closer partnership with the US, which has helped the three…

The three-storeyed building, which stands on 9,319 sq. yards of land, is owned by the Jawahar Bhavan Trust (JBT), headed by Sonia Gandhi and housing the RGF, RGICS and RGCT. The land was originally allocated to the Congress in 1988 to build the party HQ. However, on Dec. 28, 1995, the urban development ministry, based on a request made by the JBT, accepted the use of the land and building by RGF for free. Designed by Bombay-based architect Raja Aederi, its construction was supervised by Ahmed Patel. The initial estimated cost of the building was nearly Rs 5 crore. JBT raised more than a crore from donations by Congress legislators across India and by selling coupons of Rs 5, 25, 50 and 100.…

Dystopia is pornographic,” says one character to another in Chosen Spirits. “You see it and shiver but it’s also kind of fun because it’s happening somewhere else, to someone else, you know? It requires distance. Some of us are actually sitting in the f***ing middle of it and we may never learn to care in time. This isn’t dystopia. This is reality.” Samit Basu has previously written award-winning fantasy and science fiction, but his speculative account of Delhi roughly a decade from now explores territory much closer to home. The world he describes is horrific enough to qualify as dystopia, but as Basu has said in interviews, he has actually imagined a ‘best-case scenario’. This is true in the sense that things mostly work for Chosen Spirits’ privileged classes, who…

In the early 1940s, when Kekoo Gandhy got into the framing business, he had no dearth of customers. Everyone with pictures of gods and goddesses in their home wanted a handsome frame for the deities. But more than his frames, Gandhy was interested in what lay inside some of them—art. And so, in 1963, he opened Gallery Chemould, one of the first exhibition spaces exclusively dedicated to Indian modern art. With help from his wife Khorshed, Gandhy promoted dozens of struggling artists—M.F. Husain, F.N. Souza, Tyeb Mehta, S.H. Raza and Bhupen Khakhar. It was Gallery Chemould, for instance, that gave the relatively untested Mehta his first solo show in 1964. Shrewd art dealers know how to blend commerce with aesthetic and aspiration, but in matters of art, Gandhy was driven…

THE DEATH OF 20 INDIAN SOLDIERS and an unknown number of PLA (Peo- T ple’s Liberation Army) soldiers in a clash in Ladakh on June 15 marks an inflection point in India-China relations. The clash was a result of changes in Chinese behaviour on the border since April this year. The PLA has attempted to establish a permanent presence across the Line of Actual Control (LAC), concentrated force along the line and prevented Indian soldiers from following their normal patrolling patterns in several places in Ladakh. In effect, China’s actions have changed the status quo that both sides are legally bound to respect under a series of bilateral agreements since 1993. A reset of India-China relations is now inevitable and necessary. WHERE ARE WE TODAY? The June 15 clashes come…

UNTIL RECENTLY, I had argued that while India should negotiate hard to get the best deal possible, its end goal should be to sign on to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) consisting of India, China and 14 other Asian counties. The economic argument was sound. The RCEP represents a vast market and India has low wages. Therefore, barrier-free trade within this market made India a very attractive destination for multinational enterprises currently operating in other RCEP countries but looking for an alternative location. Given its own fragmented goods and factor markets and concentration of workforce in either self-employment or tiny enterprises, the benefits from having multinationals move to India, especially in labour-intensive sectors, were huge. The multinationals carried the potential to create an ecosystem that would create pressures for…

Union ministries: Home Affairs; HRD, Environment & Forest, Health & Family Welfare, Small-Scale Industries PSUs: Life Insurance Corporation, Steel Authority of India, GAIL India, Oil India Limited, Oil & Natural Gas Corporation, State Bank of India Corporate: Reliance Industries, Tata Steel, Mahindra & Mahindra, Essar Steel, Jindal Steel & Power, GVK Industries, Max Healthcare, ITC, TVS Motors, RPG Enterprises, L&T, Jubilant Enpro Charities: Birla Charity Trust, Pirojsha Godrej Foundation, JRD Tata Trust, GVK Airport Foundation *amount donated is not listed…

June 30 A diplomatic baggage addressed to acting UAE consul-general, Rashid Khamis-al-Sheimeili, arrives at the Thiruvananthapuram customs cargo division. The 37 kg consignment is listed as bathroom fittings, dates and noodles July 1 H. Ramamoorthy, assistant commissioner, customs, receives a tip-off from the UAE that 30 kg gold is concealed in the consignment July 2 Sarithkumar arrives with an Arab national and produces an authorisation letter from the consulate to receive the baggage. Customs delays the release, informs the CBDT and MEA July 3 The president of the Customs Forwarding Agents Association, affiliated to the BMS, O.G. Hariraj, telephones the customs officer and threatens him with dire consequences if he doesn’t release the consignment July 13 NIA informs the court that the smugglers were funding a terror network in south…

He’s arguably India’s most popular hip-hop producer, but unlike the braggadocious rappers he has worked with, Sez on the Beat aka Sajeel Kapoor, 26, is charmingly humble. “Whatever I have achieved in my career has been community driven,” he says. “I’m a beat maker and music producer. All I can do is collaborate.” The Delhi resident is currently riding high on the response to ‘Kahaani 2020’, the bright and happy new single from The MVMNT, a collective he formed with his manager Faizan Khan to help support and develop the careers of upcoming rappers, producers and recording engineers. Along with electronic music composer and vocalist Zaeden who sings the instantly memorable chorus, ‘Kahaani 2020’ features four rising rap talents—Enkore, Lit Happu, Shayan and Yungsta—each of whom contributes a verse over…