Latest news with #Arthashastra
Hindustan Times
27-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Northeast hold keys to a $30 trillion economy
In the bustling markets of Dubai, people reach for a strange treat -- the golden Queen pineapple from Tripura. Its sweetness recalls monsoon-kissed hills and tribal wisdom passed down through the years. Eleven years ago, who would have thought that this fruit from a remote part of India would be served at Middle Eastern tables? But here we are, with close to 10,000 tons of Tripura's pride travelling across continents. The story isn't only about pineapples. This is about a region rising and awakening! Because of Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi's leadership, the Northeastern Region (NER), once relegated to the corners of India's development paradigm, is shedding its peripheral skin to emerge as the nation's eastern gateway. From the trade routes of ancient Kamrup, which produced Suvarnakudyaka, golden silk mentioned in the Arthashastra, to semiconductor fabs promising silicon dreams, the region is rewriting its own destiny. In India's pursuit of becoming a $30-trillion economy and Viksit Bharat by 2047, few regions will be as consequential as this awakening giant. Eleven years ago, when PM Modi was sworn in, India accelerated and the Northeast resurged. PM Modi provided a new lens and declared the Northeast as the Ashtalakshmi of India. In the very first few months of taking office, he was on ground in the Northeast. At the time, few outside the region noticed. Fewer still understood the significance. However, that visit, and the promises made on that soil, marked the beginning of a decade-long mission: to transform the Northeast from a neglected corner into a national frontier of growth, security, and international opportunity. In terms of financial commitment, the transformation of the Northeast under PM Modi's leadership is anchored by historic levels of investment. Over ₹6.2 lakh crore has been funnelled into the region through 10% gross budgetary support by central ministries. Infrastructure investments alone have exceeded ₹5 lakh crore. The tax devolution to NER states has grown multifold, reaching ₹5.74 lakh crore, while grants-in-aid have nearly doubled to ₹5.66 lakh crore. From Bhupen Hazarika Setu, Bogibeel Bridge, or Silchar-Shillong four-lane expressway, India's first high-speed corridor in hilly terrain, each project exemplifies the government's ability to deliver complex connectivity solutions in challenging geographies. The recently completed Bairabi–Sairang railway line in Mizoram connects Aizawl to the national railway network, bringing us closer to our 2027 target of linking all of the eight state capitals by rail. With ₹80,000 crore invested in railways and the number of airports in the region doubling from nine to 17, the Northeast has transitioned from being perceived as landlocked to becoming land-linked and future-ready. While infrastructure laid the foundation, what truly defines this transformation is the renewed investor confidence in the eight states. This emerged as a direct result of the stable governance, visionary leadership, and enabling policies championed by PM Modi. This foundational shift set the stage for the Rising Northeast Investors Summit 2025, inaugurated by the PM himself. It marked a defining milestone for the 45 million citizens of the Northeast and was a decisive step towards achieving the aspirations of 1.4 billion Indians collectively. The response has been overwhelming. Investment proposals worth over ₹4.3 lakh crore were received across sectors as diverse as the region itself: agriculture, agri-tech, hospitality, tourism logistics, renewable energy, sports, and services. Over 80 countries participated, including strategic partners like Japan and the European Union. Foreign ambassadors and global investors attended the Summit alongside India's top industrialists and entrepreneurs, underscoring global recognition of the Northeast as the next hub of opportunity for their enterprises and for the promise of Viksit Bharat. To further sustain this momentum, the ministry of development of North Eastern region (MDoNER) has facilitated the establishment of investment promotion agencies (IPAs) in all eight states to provide single-window clearances and seamless investor support. Eight chief minister-led high-level task forces are driving regional strategies across sectors, tailored to unique strengths of each state. Together, these marquee initiatives and policy frameworks signal that the Northeast has moved beyond potential — it is now primed for accelerated economic ascent. These policies and measurable initiatives also align with PM Modi's tri-fold doctrine: Act East, Act Fast, and Act First. The region has now become the gateway to Southeast Asia and a critical anchor for our larger Indo-Pacific strategy. With its unique geographic proximity to international cities, the Northeast is a vital corridor for India's economic diplomacy and trade integration. Here's the geographic poetry that changes everything: While a Mumbai businessman takes two days to drive to Chennai, his counterpart in Guwahati can practically see Singapore from his office window — metaphorically stating. With cities like Guwahati and Agartala being geographically closer to Southeast Asian hubs than to Indian metros, the case for eastward economic integration becomes compelling. This enhanced connectivity is being reinforced by specialised infrastructure such as upgraded air cargo facilities to support the export of high-value products unique to the region. Projects like the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway, the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project, and the operationalisation of Sittwe Port form a cohesive strategy to physically, commercially, and culturally connect the region to Southeast Asia and beyond. It is in this context that MDoNER's Rising Northeast Investors Summit 2025 rises from an economic congregation to a declaration of strategic intent. It is that bold prologue of India Acting East and inviting our investors to Act First and Act Fast. As the global economy pivots towards Asia, there is an unmistakable first-mover advantage for those who engage with this rising frontier now. As India approaches its centenary of Independence, the Northeast tale becomes increasingly important to the national narrative. As the eight capitals of the Northeast prepare to integrate into global value chains and corridors stretch towards the Pacific, the region is rising. And a New India rises with it. Jyotiraditya Scindia is the Union minister of communications and development of North Eastern region. The views expressed are personal.
Asia Times
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Asia Times
The US factor in India-Pakistan tensions: a Kautilyan perspective
This commentary first appeared on Pacific Forum and is republished with permission. Read the original here. Following the deadly terrorist attacks in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir on April 22, Delhi and Islamabad engaged in immediate diplomatic and security measures and countermeasures. This period of heightened tension culminated in a four-day military clash that ultimately concluded with an 'understanding' between the two nations. The international community's response to these events has varied, encompassing widespread condemnation and condolences, appeals for de-escalation and restraint, and expressions of enthusiastic or cautious support for India or Pakistan. These reactions, viewed through the lens of ancient Indian strategic thought, starkly highlight the enduring primacy of political interests in the global arena, echoing the rajamandala (circle of states) theory articulated by Kautilya. Within this framework, the response of the United States—arguably occupying the position of the udasina (neutral king) in India's rajamandala —warrants scrutiny. Kautilya's seminal Arthashastra conceptualizes the intricate web of interstate relations through the rajamandala , a construct comprising 12 distinct categories of states. The defining characteristics of each state within this system are determined by a confluence of three key factors: geographical proximity, the prevailing balance of power, and the state's intentions or disposition ( bhavin ). Applying this ancient wisdom to contemporary geopolitics, the United States arguably embodies the quintessential udasina —the neutral king—within India's rajamandala . 'One outside (the sphere of) the enemy, the conqueror and the middle king, stronger than (their) constituents, capable of helping the enemy, the conqueror and the middle king when they are united or disunited and of suppressing them when they are disunited, is the neutral king.' In the context of the post-Pahalgam scenario, India assumes the role of the vijigishu (the aspiring conqueror), Pakistan its immediate ari (enemy), and China potentially fits the description of the madhyama (middle king) or parshnigraha (rear enemy), given its geographical proximity and complex relationship with both India and Pakistan. The United States, geographically distant from this immediate sphere of interaction, possesses a comprehensive national power that surpasses that of India, Pakistan, and China. Historically, Washington has strategically navigated the dynamics between these actors, often shaping their interactions in pursuit of its own national objectives. India has cultivated a strategic partnership with the US, elevating it to the status of a mitra (ally) since the turn of the century, in line with Kautilya's framework that acknowledges the significance of external allies. His enumeration of the seven elements of state power uniquely includes mitra as the final component, a resource to be tapped when internal balancing proves ineffective to achieve foreign policy objectives. The US has reciprocated this alignment, driven by considerable strategic convergences, resulting in a demonstrably strengthening bilateral relationship over the past decade. From an Indian perspective, the United States is an important strategic partner with growing alignment of interests across several domains, notably in counter-terrorism. Washington, in turn, has witnessed a growing divergence, and even outright contestation, of its interests with Pakistan, primarily due to Islamabad's enduring 'iron brother' relationship with Beijing, America's principal strategic competitor. Against this backdrop, Delhi would have likely anticipated a more robust and unequivocal response from Washington following the Pahalgam attacks, moving beyond mere condemnation and calls for restraint to a more direct attribution of blame and support for India's security concerns. Despite Washington's affirmation of 'full support' to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 2, its reluctance to explicitly hold Pakistan accountable for its role in fostering terrorism has been conspicuous. This contrasts with the aftermath of the 2019 Pulwama attacks, where Washington adopted a significantly more assertive stance against Pakistan, both in terms of assigning blame and acknowledging India's right to self-defence. Some analysts attribute this shift in response to the absence of a 'formally claimed responsibility' by a specific Pakistan-based terrorist group for the Pahalgam attacks, unlike Jaish-e-Mohammed's claim for Pulwama. However, statements from US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Vice President J D Vance, hinting at US support for India's right to self-defence post-Pahalgam, suggest that a lack of definitive evidence was not the primary constraint. Notwithstanding recent vacillation and flip-flops of President Trump, a growing sentiment has emerged within Washington over the past few years, suggesting that its significant bet on India has not yielded the anticipated returns in countering the dual challenges posed by Russia and China. The proliferation of intense and protracted global flashpoints and the resulting alignment of major powers on opposing sides have severely tested India's delicate balancing act. Furthermore, Washington's apparent shift in strategic focus from the Indo-Pacific towards the conflicts in Russia and the Middle East has arguably diluted the strategic convergence that once defined the US-India partnership. The strategic value derived from the bilateral relationship is evident for both New Delhi and Washington, albeit tempered by an inherent power asymmetry that renders the relationship multifaceted and complex. India, as the relatively weaker partner, is naturally circumspect in its alliance with a stronger power to avoid potential manipulation. Conversely, the US delicately balances its approach towards its ally, based on the attitude it exhibits. For Kautilya: ' The ally is permanent because of (exclusive) feelings of friendship, fickle because of (his feelings) being common to the enemy, indifferent when not interested in either, with feelings for both when interested in the two .' From Washington's perspective, India remains a significant, albeit smaller, ally. Drawing upon Kautilya's wisdom, a stronger ally (the US) would be advised to bolster the power of an ally who aligns with the vijigishu (in this case, the US), manage the growth of an ally who shows potential to become too powerful, ensure that a weak ally remains neither excessively weak nor overly strong, prevent a fickle ally (one equally inclined towards the adversary) from defecting, support a weak ally seeking help from the conqueror and the enemy so that he doesn't turn to the enemy, and assist an ally in crisis to overcome their adversaries independently. Given Delhi's cautious approach to fully 'identifying' with US strategic objectives and its continued growth in power, Washington may be resorting to measures designed to keep India strategically tethered. Arguably, the recent strains in bilateral relations concerning the alleged plot to assassinate a US-based Sikh separatist, the evolving situation in Bangladesh, and the recent re-hyphenation of India and Pakistan with an offer to mediate on Kashmir, could be interpreted as strategic manoeuvres by the stronger ally to subtly influence a weaker ally perceived as unwilling to fully comply. While the convergence of interests between Washington and New Delhi is sufficient to sustain their partnership, it may not be comprehensive enough to entirely bridge the inherent power gap. India, committed to safeguarding its strategic autonomy, will likely continue to navigate its relationships with other major powers, including Russia, based on its own national interests. By the same logic, the US may see strategic value in maintaining a relationship with Pakistan. In the long term, India's demographic dividend, growing economic influence, advancing military capabilities, and expanding diplomatic footprint will likely serve as the enduring anchors that keep the US engaged—driven by both economic opportunities and geopolitical considerations. In conclusion, the path forward for the US-India relationship necessitates strategic maturity on both sides, particularly in appreciating the underlying principles guiding the other's strategic behavior. Washington's constructive involvement in India's domestic growth is not only beneficial for New Delhi but also serves America's broader strategic objectives in the subcontinent and the Indo-Pacific. The inherent differences in their approaches to partnerships—India's preference for strategic autonomy versus America's inclination towards alliances—will likely persist as a point of friction. However, viewed through a Kautilyan lens, this dynamic tension might be understood not as a flaw in the relationship but as a natural consequence of their respective strategic positions and objectives. Dr Kajari Kamal ( kajari@ ) is associate professor at The Takshashila Institution.
Economic Times
10-05-2025
- Economic Times
Bring the periphery to the centre
It was the final day of the week-long Rongali Bihu celebrations to mark the beginning of the Assamese new year and sowing season. Guwahati was dressed in festive finery, with vibrant japis (hats) and gamosas (white-and-red handwoven fabric) adorning every pause and turn. Assam State Museum was celebrating its 86th Foundation Day, recalling the contributions of many, especially Rai Bahadur Kanak Lal Barua, who had spent their lives collecting, documenting, and disseminating the tangible and intangible heritage of the people of invitation to Guwahati in end- April felt like being in the right place at the right time. Earning one's pitha (rice cake) and laru (a sweet) by speaking on the sculptural heritage of Assam to an august assembly can be daunting. But delectable larus and the beauty of Assamese sculptures make for a heady combination that can embolden an art historian to let her thoughts flow with the Brahmaputra. The Brahmaputra valley is a connected-yet-distinct geographical space nestled within the eastern Himalayas, Patkai, and Naga hills, and the Garo-Khasi-Jaintia and Mikir hills. Its natural beauty finds mention even in ancient inscriptions that extol its golden hills in the likeness of Kailash, with gushing waters of the grand Lauhitya River resembling the silvery rays of the moon. Brahmaputra, lifeline of the valley, is known by 'Lauhitya' in some early inscriptions and texts. The ancient name of Assam best corresponds to Kamarupa in some historical records, such as Samudragupta's famous Allahabad pillar inscription, and Kautilya's Arthashastra. The other name, Pragjyotisha, of the epics and epigraphs, also included territories corresponding to ancient Assam. Assam's remote antiquity goes back to the Stone Age. But written records in the form of inscriptions begin to offer insights into its early history only from 4th c. CE. Substantial art and architectural remains in stone have survived from 6th c. CE, most notably, a grand temple doorway at Da Parbatia in the Tezpur-Sonitpur region (photo). Often explained in terms of a 'Gupta art'-inspired door frame, its own localised aesthetics have remained unsung. The personified river goddesses, Ganga and Yamuna, are conceptually aligned with 'Gupta' temple doorframes. But their iconography and stylistics at Da Parbatia reveal refined local artistic sensibilities. The presence of Lakulisha on the door lintel and, beneath him, a majestic garuda (eagle) in combat with nagas (serpents) is distinctively rendered, even if a coin of Gupta king Skandagupta Kramaditya reveals similar iconography. That ancient Kamarupa was connected with the great Gupta empire of central India is well-known. In the Allahabad pillar inscription, the king of Kamarupa is addressed as a 'pratyanta nripati' (frontier king). But even if Kamarupa was peripheral to the Gupta empire, centre and periphery are relative to one's vantage point. In its regional interactions with eastern Indian kingdoms too, from the time of King Shashanka of Gauda (circa early 7th c.) to the Palas of Bengal and Bihar (c. 8th-12th c.), Assam's contributions to regional, national, and Asian histories have remained underrepresented, if not eclipsed. It is a truism to say that West Bengal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Assam and Northeast Indian states formed culturally contiguous zones of contact with shifting political boundaries before the establishment of modern nation-states sharply segregated their identities. Perhaps less obvious is how such shared pasts are sculpted in stone. The artistic imagination of a multi-armed dancing Shiva (Nritteshvara) astride Vrishabha-Nandi (bull) is an east-northeast Indian creative innovation that had travelled to neighbouring and distant lands as far as Champa in ancient Vietnam. Perhaps nowhere is he as evocatively visualised as in a large 10th c. stone roundel housed in the Assam State Museum at Guwahati (photo). The northeast and its artistic achievements deserve to be relocated from the periphery to the centre. It's high time. The writer is professor of art history, Department of History, University of Delhi
India Gazette
08-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
Our Prime Minister exemplified Kautilya's philosophy in action: Vice-President Dhankhar
New Delhi [India], May 8 (ANI): Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday drew a striking parallel between Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership and the ancient wisdom of Kautilya (Chanakya), the legendary strategist and author of the Arthashastra, and said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has exemplified Kautilya's philosophy in action. Speaking at a public forum, Dhankhar said, 'Our Prime Minister has exemplified in action Kautilya's philosophy. Kautilya's thought process is a treatise in governance, virtually encyclopedic for every facet of governance--statecraft, security, role of the king--now those elected. In our multipolar world of shifting alliances.' 'We had a concept--fly-by-night concept. Same can be seen with the alliances. Kautilya imagined then that this will be ever shifting. Let me quote Kautilya: 'A neighboring state is an enemy, and enemy's enemy is a friend.' Which country knows better than Bharat? We always believe in global peace, global fraternity, and global welfare,' he added. Interacting with the Kautilya fellows from the India Foundation in New Delhi, Dhankhar said, 'Our Prime Minister, a great visionary, believes in big scale. He believes in massive transformation. And after a decade of governance, the results are written on the wall. It is after a long gap of several decades, that we have a Prime Minister continually in the third term. And that is making all the difference.' Kautilya had one great emphasis, the Vice-President said, 'Democracy has to be participatory; development equally has to be participatory. He laid great emphasis on individuals contributing for national welfare. A nation is defined by decorum, discipline -- that is individualistic in nature. Similarly, I quote Kautilya: 'Just as one wheel alone does not move a cart'.....Administration cannot be accomplished single-handedly.' He highlighted how this ethos are reflected in contemporary governance, 'This nation has an administration which is innovative. In the country, we had some districts that were lagging behind. Bureaucrats did not venture into those areas. Prime Minister Modi created a nomenclature for those districts: 'Aspirational Districts'. And now, those 'Aspirational Districts' have turned out to be lead districts in development. Prime Minister Modi suddenly thought that people are going to metros. Tier 2, Tier 3 cities must also be hubs of economic activity. He devised a mechanism of smart cities. Smart cities were not in the context of infrastructure or beauty. It was in the context of facilities being available for entrepreneurs, for students.' Reflecting on the foundational principles of power and governance, the Vice-President said, 'Power is defined by limitations. Democracy is nurtured when we are ever mindful of the limitations of power. If you go deep into Kautilya's philosophy, you will find all this converges only to one essence, nectar of governance--welfare of the people.' Quoting Kautilya's Arthashastra, Dhankhar noted, 'Kautilya declared, 'The happiness of the king lies in the happiness of his people.' If you look at constitutions of any country that are democratic, you will find this philosophy is the underlying spirit and essence of democratic governance and democratic values.' Concluding with a reflection on India's civilizational ethos, the Vice-President remarked, 'Democracy is nurtured best when expression and dialogue complement each other. That distinguishes democracy from any other form of governance. And in India, democracy did not start with our Constitution coming into force or we getting independent from foreign rule. We have been a democratic nation in spirit for thousands of years. And this expression and dialogue, complementary mechanism--Abhivyakti, Vaad Vivaad--has been known in Vedic culture as Anant Vaad.' (ANI)
The Print
29-04-2025
- Science
- The Print
Charaka Samhita to Arthashastra, new NCERT Class 7 science book highlights India's scientific heritage
The book, released Saturday, includes references to Sanskrit terms such as 'grahan' for eclipse, mentions Arthashastra by Kautilya, and also highlights the launch of the government's Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA) launched on 15 August, 2020. The new textbook, Curiosity, is among the latest set of books released by NCERT under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the new National Curriculum Framework (NCF), which stresses content 'rooted in the Indian and local context and ethos'. New Delhi: References in the Charaka Samhita, an ancient Ayurvedic text, reveal how early scholars forecast monsoon's arrival by tracking star specific patterns, demonstrating India's deep scientific roots. National Council of Educational Research and Training's (NCERT) newly released Class 7 science textbook showcases such contributions to India's rich scientific heritage. The previous Class 7 Science textbook, used until the 2024-25 academic year, did not include such references. However, the Class 6 textbook released by the council last year incorporated various references to India's scientific history. In the foreword of the book, NCERT Director Dinesh Prasad Saklani writes, 'The content attempts to integrate science subjects such as physics, chemistry, biology, and earth science with cross-cutting themes like environmental education, value education, inclusive education, and Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS).' Also read: Modi gives students and parents tips on exams, leadership & more during Pariksha Pe Charcha Highlighting India's ancient scientific knowledge Chapter 9, Life Processes in Animals, emphasises the long-recognised importance of digestion in maintaining good health. It references The Charaka Samhita, an ancient Ayurvedic text, which highlights the role of easily digestible foods and the judicious use of spices like ginger, black pepper, and cumin to enhance digestion. In Chapter 10, Life Processes of Plants, the book draws from the ancient Indian text Vrikshayurveda. 'The knowledge in the text seems to be based on practical experiences and patterns seen over time. These ideas were then systematically documented to guide farming practices. For instance, there are references to different methods of organic manure preparation, such as mixing water, barley, and various seeds, like green, black, and horse grams,' the textbook states. In Chapter 12, titled Earth, Moon, and the Sun, the book discusses how an eclipse is referred to as grahan in Sanskrit and many Indian languages. It also mentions that many ancient Indian astronomical texts provide calculations to predict eclipses. 'The best known and most referred text is the Surya Siddhanta, which is written in the classical Sanskrit poetry tradition in rhythmic shlokas,' it states. In the chapter Measurement of Time and Motion, the book explains how ancient India used both shadows and water clocks to measure time. It mentions that the earliest reference to shadow-based time measurement is found in the Arthashastra by Kautilya, written between the 2nd century BCE and 3rd century CE. 'An accurate expression for time in terms of the shadow of a vertical stick was given by Varahamihira around 530 CE,' it adds. It says that water clocks, described in texts such as the Arthasastra and Sardulakarnavadana, were initially unreliable due to decreasing flow rates as water levels dropped. 'This led to the development of the sinking bowl water clock, or Ghatika-yantra, which was first mentioned by Aryabhata and then in several astronomical texts later. Time was measured constantly with Ghatika-yantra at Buddhist monasteries, royal palaces, town squares, and each time the bowl sank, it was announced by drums, conch shells, or striking a gong,' the book states, adding that while the Ghatika-yantra was eventually replaced by pendulum clocks in the late 19th century, it continued to be used in religious places for rituals. Contributions of Indian Scientists The book highlights various Indian scientists and their invaluable contributions to science. For instance, it mentions Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray (P.C. Ray), who is regarded as the 'father of modern Indian chemistry'. 'Through his writings on the history of chemistry in India, he highlighted the achievements and expertise of ancient Indian scientists to the modern world. Ray, a social reformer, also advocated the use of the mother tongue as a medium of instruction in educational institutions,' the book says. It further references Varahamihira, the renowned astronomer and mathematician of the sixth century CE from Ujjaini (modern-day Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh). 'In his work Brihat Samhita, he gave methods for predicting seasonal rainfall. His predictions of seasonal rainfalls were based on factors, such as cloud formation, wind patterns, position of stars and the moon, and other natural phenomena,' the new NCERT book states. The book also mentions Rustom Hormusji Dastur (1896–1961), who studied the role of water, temperature, and light colour in the process of photosynthesis, as well as scientist Kamala Sohonie, whose work helped improve the nutritive values of plant foods. She also researched the sap of the coconut palm, developing a nutritious drink called Neera. In a chapter on Adolescence, which mentions the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, the book says that the programme was 'launched by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, aiming to spread awareness about substance abuse through the active participation of youth, women, and the community.' (Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri) Also read: India's education spending falls behind other SAARC nations' like Bhutan & Maldives, notes House panel
