RSS discusses religious conversions, demographic 'imbalances' during 3-day meet
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Time of India
22 minutes ago
- Time of India
LatAm pivot
Times of India's Edit Page team comprises senior journalists with wide-ranging interests who debate and opine on the news and issues of the day. India must shed its protectionist mindset and trade more with resource-rich South America That Modi's ongoing five-nation tour includes Argentina and Brazil isn't a trivia. These two key South American nations can be important fulcrums of a potential Indian pivot to the continent. While India-South America trade has been steadily growing, it's far below potential. This has much to do with our unambitious approach to the region. True, India has a preferential trade agreement (PTA) with MERCOSUR bloc that includes Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia. The idea was that the PTA would be gradually expanded and upgraded to a free trade agreement (FTA). However, progress has been really slow and India's exports to Latin America in FY2025 stood at just $15.17bn – less than 2% of the region's total imports. But trade is back on the agenda during Modi's visits, and rightly so. While one still hopes that an India-US trade deal can be clinched, New Delhi must be prepared for all eventualities. And with Trump keen on using tariffs as a strategic weapon to achieve geopolitical goals – take the Lindsey Graham-proposed bill to hit countries buying Russian oil with 500% tariff – India must diversify its trade relations. South America is a natural resources powerhouse. With vast deposits of oil, gas, copper, lithium, rare earths etc it can power India's industrial growth, advance critical sectors like EV batteries, and bolster food security. The key for GOI would be to expand its diplomatic bandwidth and take a courageous approach to trade. We must cast away the protectionist mindset and be ready to compete. That's the only way beneficial FTAs can be worked out. Vietnam, which recently worked out a trade deal with US, has been following precisely this strategy, having inked 20 FTAs, with 16 already implemented. China already has a huge presence in Latin America. So, the latter is looking for balance. This is the perfect time for India to step up. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email This piece appeared as an editorial opinion in the print edition of The Times of India.
Mint
22 minutes ago
- Mint
Is world order in the middle of a tectonic shift?
People in the US, startled by the rise of Zohran Mamdani as a Democrat candidate for New York's mayorship, are now witness to an even bigger and spicier political potboiler: Elon Musk's announcement last weekend of the formation of 'America Party", a new political outfit. Till the other day Musk was considered a staunch ally of US president Donald Trump. He was made the head of the now infamous Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). He ruthlessly chucked out many from their jobs citing the need to pare government expenses. His axe also fell on a host of schemes and departments that were considered foundations of the US democracy. Musk wanted the government to be run like a corporate entity. But then, he had run-ins with vice president J. D. Vance and other influential people, which ended in his unceremonious removal from DOGE. Since then, Trump and Musk have been publicly threatening each other. Musk alleged Trump was named in the Epstein sex case files in a post on X, the short-messaging platform he owns. Later, he deleted the post, but not before an enraged Trump got back at his former ally by threatening to deport him. Also read | A new 'terror pot' that may be kept boiling for now Being a beneficiary of government subsidies and doles, Musk knows his ambitions can be fulfilled only by being on the right side of the government. This is why he has launched his political party. Musk feels US citizens are tired of the system and yearn for a new dawn. But the question is, will he succeed? Especially at a time when 'Democrat Socialist" Mamdani is gaining ground in New York. Mamdani has garnered political support at a pace akin to which Musk amassed wealth. He has won the primaries for the New York mayoral elections and will create history if he wins in November. He would be the first Muslim mayor of New York. Mamdani, son of celebrated Indian film-maker Mira Nair, became a US citizen in 2018 and married a Syrian Muslim. His father is a Gujarati left-wing intellectual based in Uganda. Mamdani's views and principles set him apart from his peers. At times, he becomes so aggressive that even his colleagues fear his approach may be extreme. But Mamdani isn't bothered. Also read | Testimony to the enduring spirit of Indian democracy During his campaign, Mamdani connected with New York's large immigrant population. He promised free bus rides, and told people he would freeze metro fares the moment he won elections. He promised construction of low-cost housing blocks, fixing rents for residential properties, and the creation of free childcare centres throughout the city. He wants to rein in the state-sponsored grocery shop owners' cartel. According to estimates, the average New Yorker's expenditure on groceries and essential items has risen by 50% over the past decade to now stand at 10–12% of their total income. Mamdani also proposes to levy higher taxes on the rich. India has seen this brand of politics for decades, but, we are also the ones who have exemplified limitations to such politics. In contrast to India, communist countries such as China and Vietnam have created economic models which give equal opportunity to work with state-sponsored enterprises or pursue private entrepreneurship. Is it due to their success that 70% of the people polled last year in the US showed them gravitating towards the communist model? Also read | Firm and focused leadership keeps India on course It is in such a situation that a triangular tussle between Musk, Mamdani and the established political order promises to create history. People who understand the US system know that the country became great as people from varied backgrounds and ideologies had the same opportunity to live and thrive in harmony. With the rise of the right wing, it seemed that this space was shrinking. But Mamdani's rise and civil society's rear-guard actions have once again brought the US to a point where it's still considered a democratic ideal despite being an imperial power. Today, China and the Global South are challenging US domination. The world order set by the US and the western European nations at the end of World War II has started withering. This is the reason scholars are talking of a tectonic shift in the systems laid down by the West-backed capitalism and US imperialism. Increasing geopolitical constraints are heightening such apprehensions. Have we unwittingly reached a crossroads that's leading to a systemic change? Shashi Shekhar is editor-in-chief, Hindustan. Views are personal.
Time of India
37 minutes ago
- Time of India
Rapid urbanisation fuels alarming heat surge in Bihar
1 2 Patna: As skyscrapers rise and roads widen, Bihar's cities are paying the price of progress – in degrees. Rapid urbanisation across Patna and other key urban centres in recent decades has dramatically altered local microclimates, giving rise to a growing and dangerous phenomenon – the urban heat island (UHI) effect. With the mercury hitting record highs and heatwaves becoming more frequent, experts warn the situation is no longer just uncomfortable but a looming crisis. According to a recent study published in 'Nature' journal, Indian cities are warming at nearly twice the rate of their surrounding regions. While climate change is pushing up global temperatures, the study reveals that urban centres are experiencing a unique kind of acceleration – a "selective warming" linked directly to city development. This phenomenon, dubbed urbanisation-driven warming, is reshaping the climate profile of cities like Patna. The findings are stark – cities are warming at an average of 0.53°C per decade with urbanisation alone contributing 0.2°C to that rise. In effect, urban areas are warming nearly 38% faster than non-urban areas. Unsurprisingly, Patna now ranks among India's top ten cities most impacted by urbanisation-induced temperature rise, alongside Pune, Raipur, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Nashik, Ludhiana, Lucknow, Bengaluru and Vadodara. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo "The contribution of urbanisation was observed to be higher in cities in the eastern and central Indian regions," the study noted – a direct nod to Bihar's scorching capital. Dr Pradhan Parth Sarthi, a fellow of the Indian Meteorological Society and head of the environmental science department at the Central University of South Bihar, has been closely monitoring the urban heat island intensity (UHII) across the state. "A significant increasing trend of UHII is found in Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, Gaya and Purnia, besides Patna, particularly during December, January, February and April," he said. "UHII during winter is becoming more intense and significant, which may be due to a remarkable increase in night-time temperatures over urban areas." Between 2001 and 2014, Sarthi and his team recorded the highest UHII in Patna, followed by Bhagalpur, Gaya, Muzaffarpur and Purnia. "Extreme UHII over Patna, compared to other cities, may be seen as an impact of fast urbanisation. In Patna, the peak difference in temperature between urban and rural areas was observed to be 4.17°C," he said, citing research published in the Asia-Pacific Journal of Atmospheric Science. "Patna is growing at a rapid pace compared to other places, and hence the greater rise in temperature," he added. But the consequences go far beyond discomfort. "Fast urbanisation has been adversely affecting water resources, agriculture and vegetation," said Sarthi. "Changes in rainfall patterns over urban areas may lead to severe depletion of groundwater resources. A strong increase in extreme precipitation indices under global warming conditions highlights the potential exacerbation of urban flooding risks and infrastructure strain in future," he added The culprit, according to experts, is the concrete jungle itself. Dr Ashok Kumar Jha, a physics teacher at Patna University, said, "Urbanisation in the form of large-scale construction of concrete structures – residential buildings, offices, roads – significantly contributes to the development of the UHI effect, which is making cities warmer than the surrounding rural areas. Cities often have less greenery, which would otherwise provide shade and cool the air through evapotranspiration. " Higher temperatures come with a high cost. "They lead to increased use of air conditioning, resulting in higher energy bills and strain on power grids," Jha said. "Moreover, urban heat islands can increase the risk of heat-related illnesses, especially for vulnerable populations like the elderly, children, and those with pre-existing medical conditions. Rise in temperatures can substantially increase air pollution by increasing the formation of ground-level ozone and other pollutants," he added. To counter the crisis, Jha advocates for greener, smarter urban design. "Provision of more green spaces, parks and gardens in cities and use of light-coloured or reflective materials in pavements to reduce heat absorption would help. Promoting vegetation on rooftops to provide insulation and reduce heat absorption would also provide great relief to the city dwellers," he said Environmentalists echo this urgency. Mehta Nagendra Singh said, "India's urban centres are facing a compounded heat crisis, a result of both global climate change and local urban mismanagement. The UHII effect magnifies this crisis, turning cities into heat traps where both day and night temperatures threaten health, productivity, and quality of life." His prescription? "To reverse or contain this trend, cities must adopt aggressive climate resilience strategies – not just policy-driven, but ground-level interventions such as green roofs, heat-resilient infrastructure, protected urban forests, and public awareness campaigns."
