Author: ForumIAS

Sweet Success Context: West Bengal has been awarded the Geographical Indication (GI) for “Banglar Rasogolla” (Bengal rasogolla). In the backdrop, Odisha claims the origin of the sweet. What is the debate between Odisha and West Bengal about?   For long there has been a tussle between Odisha and West Bengal about the origins of the… Continue reading Sweet Success

Money can’t always buy votes Context: There is a widely held belief that voters in India, especially the poor, sell their votes in exchange for cash or other briberies. Thus, the supply of cash and consumption of liquor increases during elections remains unexplained. What does recent research says about briberies during election? Recent research says… Continue reading Money can’t always buy votes

Rajasthan conversion Bill returned by Centre Context: The Religious Freedom Bill passed by the Rajasthan Assembly in 2008, aimed at banning forcible religious conversions, was returned by the Union government as it deviated from the national policy. Introduction: According to the Rajasthan government, the Bill was sent back for “further clarifications”. The Bill, called Rajasthan… Continue reading Rajasthan conversion Bill returned by Centre

Zimbabwe Army seizes power, President Robert Mugabe ‘confined to his home’  Context Zimbabwe is under the control of the military after its army chief warned President Robert Mugabe against purging the ruling party’s senior ranks. What happened? Armoured personnel carriers and troops were deployed onto roads leading towards Harare on Tuesday, a day after army… Continue reading Zimbabwe Army seizes power, President Robert Mugabe ‘confined to his home’ 

After the tsunami: how the ‘Quad’ was born Context India’s full capabilities came as a surprise to the world the Indo-Pacific during Tsunami crisis as India had naval capabilities of scale to move in urgently further leading to the formation of QUAD. How did it start? The shocking death toll from the tsunami led to… Continue reading After the tsunami: how the ‘Quad’ was born

An itinerary in search of a strategy: on Trump’s East Asia tour Context Donald Trump’s statements and Twitter posts through his 12-day visit, five-nation tour of Asia, decodes a new American strategy towards the region that can be challenging. ‘Terrific’ China His main aim surrounds around resistance to China’s unrestrained ambitions in ‘freedom of navigation’… Continue reading An itinerary in search of a strategy: on Trump’s East Asia tour

France wants to work with India in Indo-Pacific Context France and India have a “special and specific” interest in the Indian Ocean, and would prefer to conduct their exchanges across the Indo-Pacific bilaterally. Growing cooperation The cooperation is growing in the Indian Ocean, where both India and France have focal positions. Both the countries are… Continue reading France wants to work with India in Indo-Pacific

A plan for Asia Context: Senior officials from the United States, Japan, India, and Australia met on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and East Asia Summits to discuss regional and global cooperation. The meeting brought forward the fact that without a plan to advance economic integration with East Asia, the gap… Continue reading A plan for Asia

Mapping illness  Context: In 2013, a World Bank report, The Global Burden of Disease, Generating Evidence, Guiding Policy-South Asia, suggested that India was going through an epidemiological transition. Introduction: Major national surveys, such as the National Family Health Survey and the Annual Health Survey, have provided valuable data on key health indicators, and several states… Continue reading Mapping illness 

120 Indian signatories to scientists’ ecology warning Context: More than 120 Indian scientists are among the 15,364 scientists from 184 countries to endorse the second warning that the world’s scientists have issued to humanity. They say that if the current unsustainable ways of living is not mended, it could augur “widespread misery” and “catastrophic biodiversity… Continue reading 120 Indian signatories to scientists’ ecology warning