Author: ForumIAS

The outlook for oil in 2018  Context The price of oil rose this year as the supply-cut agreement signed by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in 2016 managed to survive despite a lot of speculation otherwise. A bull market looks unlikely  How did oil fare in 2017? The price of oil rose this… Continue reading The outlook for oil in 2018 

Rising crude oil prices, fiscal slippage a concern, says Patel  Context Reserve Bank of India Governor Urjit Patel voiced concern over rising crude oil prices and fiscal slippage, during the meeting of the fifth bi-monthly monetary policy review held earlier this month. Uncertainties persist on fiscal, external fronts: RBI Governor The recent upturn in crude… Continue reading Rising crude oil prices, fiscal slippage a concern, says Patel 

No systemic risk due to bitcoins as yet: Tyagi  Context Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Chairman Ajay Tyagi said that while bitcoins could not be ignored, the cryptocurrency had so far not posed any systemic risk and the government has formed a panel to look into it. Panel looking into virtual currency Regulators,… Continue reading No systemic risk due to bitcoins as yet: Tyagi 

Another tool of resolution  Context The Financial Resolution and Deposit Insurance Bill does not take away from the government’s implicit guarantee to depositors. The Financial Resolution and Deposit Insurance Bill does not take away from the government’s implicit guarantee to depositors The reason we need bank resolutions and also a special law to deal with… Continue reading Another tool of resolution 

No plan to take away J&K’s special status, says Centre  Context The government informed Parliament on Wednesday that there was no proposal as of now for abolition of Articles 35A and 370 which give special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Article 370 gives autonomous status to Jammu and Kashmir The reply came in response to… Continue reading No plan to take away J&K’s special status, says Centre 

Ryan student to be tried as an adult  Context The 16-year-old student of the Ryan International School, apprehended in connection with the murder of his schoolmate Pradhyuman Thakur, will be tried as an adult, the Juvenile Justice Board said here on Wednesday. The Judgement Pronouncing its judgment around noon, the court said the juvenile in… Continue reading Ryan student to be tried as an adult 

Cleaning up  Context A permanent mechanism is needed to review laws and weed out the obsolete ones A permanent mechanism is needed to review laws and weed out the obsolete ones If law-making is a long and tedious process, it appears that unmaking existing laws is an equally arduous task  Backdrop In the latest round,… Continue reading Cleaning up 

Finding used copters for Kabul  Context In a bid to bolster Afghanistan’s air capabilities, India is considering buying several second-hand Russian-made Mi35s for the Afghan National Defence Security Forces (ANDSF) from other countries, a move that signals closer cooperation between New Delhi and Moscow on Afghanistan, Indian and Afghan officials confirmed to The Hindu. India is… Continue reading Finding used copters for Kabul 

Being neighbourly  Context To fulfill ambitions in Indo-Pacific and beyond, India must work for a cohesive South Asia SCAARCE? The 32-year-old SAARC scarcely registers in our foreign policy debate, which is preoccupied with the exciting prospect of India’s role in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. The South Asian agenda has been reduced, at least in public… Continue reading Being neighbourly 

In Donald Trump’s world  Context National Security Strategy of US Author’s contention For India, continuity in US policy towards the Subcontinent under Trump is welcome but Delhi must watch out for the implications of Trump’s determination to pare down America’s expansive internationalism that has been there since the end of the Second World War Serious about… Continue reading In Donald Trump’s world