MyVoice: Views of our readers 27th May 2025
Spare a thought for the suffering BPL lot
India has become the world's fourth largest economy, sooner than later. Despite concerted efforts by the forces inimical to India, especially engineered by Pakistan, India's economy continued its surge to pip Japan and take the fourth spot in the rankings. Amid the 'hail Modi' slogans, many people are oblivious of the sufferings of millions of poor people, who are deprived of life's necessities. The rich are having a field day in our country and NPAs are being written off by banks. The fourth largest economy status is no doubt laudable, but it makes no sense as people are getting the benefits of a large economy. I hope the NDA government at the Centre will focus on the poverty alleviation schemes and lift all BPL families out of misery.
Govardhana Myneedu, MG Road, Vijayawada
Indian economy on the right track
India has officially surpassed Japan to become the fourth largest economy in the world. It is a good augury, especially considering that the rise in economic growth is likely to push the country to the third spot in the next three years. The Union government has set a roadmap to become a $30 trillion economy by 2047, from the current $3.6 trillion. This can help in strengthening geo-political ties with the rest of the world.
Dimple Wadhawan, Kanpur Nagar
No benefits on the ground
India's leap to the world's fourth-largest economy is a milestone—but it remains a mirage for the masses? While our GDP climbs, the ground-realities paint a different picture: jobless graduates, rural distress, and widening inequality. Yes, we're celebrating in boardrooms, but what about the daily wagers and farmers, who feel no ripple of this 'growth'. It's time we give economic justice the same limelight as fiscal rankings. Policymakers must stop chasing global applause and start uplift of those in the grassroots. Let's stop treating development as a number game and start asking: development for whom? Until the prosperity graph reflects the lives of the poorest, the tricolour of success remains incomplete.
Hasnain Rabbani, Mumbai
India's giant leap must be sustained
India becoming the world's fourth-largest economy is not just about numbers. It reflects the nation's determination, clear vision, and steady progress. Overtaking Japan is a strong sign that India just does not dream but knows that it can realise those dreams. The latest milestone reminds us to trust our potential, improve our systems, and use healthy dissatisfaction as fuel for growth. Today's global and political climate favours India, but the real challenge is to maintain this pace. If we continue with the same spirit, India can lead not just economically, but also socially, educationally, and technologically. This is more than just development—it's the making of history.
Mohammad Asad, Mumbai
Millions of BPL families still languish
On the face of it, Nithi Aayog asserting that India has emerged as the fourth largest economy is a good sign. Even more delightful is that it can surpass Germany to take the third spot within the next three years. However, in this celebratory mood, let us not ignore the plight of the teeming millions in the BPL category. There is hardly any scope for their economic well-being.
B Veerakumaran Thampi, Thiruvananthapuram
Collective approach needed to tackle Corona onslaught
Just as the country was bouncing back from the pain and suffering inflicted by the Covid-19 pandemic, we are once again staring at a fresh outbreak of the dreaded disease. In this grim situation, it is important to take precautionary measures from now onwards. The figures of Corona victims are increasing every day, and we cannot fight Corona by relying on the government alone. Every person has a responsibility towards combating this menace. Being cautious and vigilant is the need of the hour. There should be a collective approach in curtailing the spread of Corona in India.
Arvind Rawal, Jhabua (MP)
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Time of India
37 minutes ago
- Time of India
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India's cautious case India's delegation framed Operation Sindoor as part of a broader shift: limited cross-border retaliation to terrorist acts as policy, not aberration. They emphasized terrorism as a global threat whose response merits international understanding—not moral equivalence. The delegation linked India's counterterrorism struggle to challenges faced by Western democracies, with Pakistan as a common denominator. In my observation, Indian representatives appeared quietly frustrated that while many countries expressed sympathy after Pahalgam and tacitly accepted India's right to act, few explicitly condemned Pakistan. Though confident in their message, their delivery often felt restrained. In think tanks, the tone was formal, even stiff; diaspora engagements were reportedly more fiery. Though most accepted the delegation's basic premise, some observers noted the irony in Delhi resisting calls to frame Russia's invasion of Ukraine as a shared threat but now seeking solidarity on Pakistani-based terrorism. Crucially, the delegation faltered when pressed on domestic radicalization. Two of the Pahalgam suspects were reportedly Indian nationals. Asked how New Delhi planned to prevent disillusionment turning to violence, the only response was that 'things today are better than in the 1990s.' This was a missed chance to demonstrate nuanced understanding of the challenge. Other inconsistencies emerged. India's representatives rejected 're-hyphenation' with Pakistan, yet much of their messaging focused on Islamabad. While stressing the quarrel was with Pakistan's military, not its people, questions about suspending the Indus Waters Treaty complicated that briefings took place inside the High Commission, with diaspora members complaining to me that they thought too much political outreach was aimed at UK politicians of Indian heritage. Playing it safe has a certain logic, but may have limited engagement with new or skeptical audiences. Pak's polished—but problematic—pitch If India played it safe, Pakistan opted for smooth. Their delegation turned up at major think tanks eager to engage and keen to appear misunderstood. With assistance from lobbying professionals, their narrative was tightly crafted for European audiences: Pakistan sought peace through dialogue, emphasising Kashmir as the 'unfinished legacy of Partition,' terrorism, and water. Pakistan said it wanted talks, a neutral investigation into Pahalgam, and accused India of refusing cooperation or prove culpability. This narrative of peace sat uneasily beside claims of military success and personal attacks on Indian leaders. Critique of Indian media spin might have bolstered believability had it not been accompanied by other factual distortions: legal sleight-of-hand over Kashmir, misreadings of UN resolutions, and claims that India admitted culpability for terrorism in most convincing moment came on the Indus Waters Treaty, where the stark picture painted of the consequences struck a chord, even if significant action has yet to follow. A key question remains: what was the objective? If persuasion abroad was the objective, the reliance on longstanding misrepresentations made it a difficult sell to informed audiences. If the goal was domestic signaling, that focus likely came at the expense of deeper foreign engagement. Simpler sell, harder ask Ultimately, the Indian delegation framed all terrorism as emanating from Pakistan; Pakistan framed it as emerging from Kashmir. The narratives didn't just clash—they barely shared the same terms of reference. As performative exercises providing content for domestic media, both probably succeeded on their own terms. In the battle to move international opinion, outcomes were uneven. India may have achieved more, but it also had the easier task — framing terrorism as a universal threat aligns with European security narratives. Pakistan, by contrast, asked outside actors to invest political capital in corralling New Delhi back to the negotiating table — a much harder sell. Yet neither side escaped contradiction. India's claim to strategic clarity was weakened by deflection on domestic aspects of terrorism in Kashmir. Pakistan's message of peace was blunted by triumphalism and tired tropes. In diplomacy, silence often speaks louder than words. In London last week, the most telling signals were what each side omitted, ignored, or performed for the audience they believed mattered most. Ladwig III is a senior lecturer at the department of War Studies, King's College London
New Indian Express
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40 minutes ago
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PM Modi to begin 3-nation tour from Cyprus today
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