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When free trade isn’t fair trade: India’s 'unequal pact' with Britain

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak*  The BJP-led Government of India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Labour Party-led British Government under Sir Keir Rodney Starmer have claimed that the India–United Kingdom Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, also known as the India–United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement, will usher in a new era of mutually beneficial partnership. The agreement, signed on 24 July 2025, was supposed to increase the mobility of capital and people, deepen social and economic ties between the two countries, remove market barriers for goods and services, and empower people and their livelihoods in both nations. Both leaders have continued to emphasize the significance of this trade relationship while addressing the Global Fintech Fest and the CEO Forum in Mumbai. However, Mr. Starmer’s two-day trade mission to Mumbai on 8–9 October 2025, followed by 10 Downing Street’s press release on 9 October 2025, reveals that “cooking fish in its own oil” aptly describes B...
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Justice under fire: What the attack on CJI Gavai reveals about India’s political climate

By Ram Puniyani*  In October 2025, advocate Rakesh Kishore hurled a shoe at Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud Gavai during court proceedings. The incident followed Justice Gavai’s remarks while dismissing a public interest litigation filed by Kishore, who had sought the restoration of the head of a Lord Vishnu idol in a Khajuraho temple . The Chief Justice reportedly commented that the matter was not a legitimate PIL but a publicity-seeking attempt, suggesting that the petitioner should approach the Archaeological Survey of India —or, humorously, “ask the deity to restore its head.”
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Rising anti-rights pushbacks spur renewed call for action on gender equality, sexual rights

By A Representative   At a time when rising anti-rights and anti-gender movements threaten decades of progress toward equality, advocates and educators across Asia and the Pacific are uniting to reaffirm the critical role of teachers in advancing adolescent health, well-being, and gender equality through comprehensive sexuality education (CSE). The recent SHE & Rights session, held ahead of the International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP) 2025 in Bogotá, Colombia , brought together educators, youth leaders, civil society representatives, and policymakers to demand accountability and renewed action for CSE and gender justice.
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Ladakh’s discontent: A warning against alienating border communities

By Bharat Dogra   India shares long and sensitive borders with several neighboring countries. People living in these areas face multiple difficulties and risks. The government has recognized this and launched various programs and schemes to assist border communities. The armed forces stationed there have often extended vital help to villagers during floods, landslides, and other emergencies, saving lives and providing reassurance in times of crisis.
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‘No more unscientific development’: Activists warn NDMA of worsening Himalayan disasters

By A Representative   A coalition of scientists, environmentalists, and people’s organisations under the banner of People for Himalaya has submitted a detailed memorandum to the High-Powered Committee of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), urging immediate reforms to strengthen disaster governance in the Indian Himalayan Region . The submission, made on October 16, 2025—coinciding with the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction —warned that the catastrophic monsoon events across the Himalayas this year have underscored the consequences of decades of unsustainable development and ecological neglect.
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Construction sector grapples with slow project rollouts, tight liquidity amid strong demand

By A Representative  India’s construction sector , one of the country’s largest employment generators and contributors to GDP , is facing a period of short-term turbulence despite promising long-term fundamentals. According to Rohan Agarwal of Redseer Strategy Consultants , the industry continues to anchor India’s economic growth, accounting for about 9% of total gross value added and employing over 74 million people. 
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Beyond demographic strength: The case for population stabilization

By N.S. Venkataraman*  India has recently overtaken China to become the most populous country in the world, with an estimated population between 1.45 and 1.5 billion . Projections suggest that this number could rise to around 1.8 billion by 2050 , a level that raises serious concerns about sustainability and quality of life. Despite the magnitude of this demographic shift, public discourse in India has not reflected a sense of urgency. Some continue to describe this situation as a “ demographic strength ,” overlooking the potential socio-economic pressures that come with such rapid population growth.
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Grey memories, silent youth: What Ahmedabad Emergency anniversary meet revealed

By Rajiv Shah    Recently, I attended what I would call a veterans’ meet — a gathering to recall the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi , whose resistance is said to have begun in Ahmedabad on October 12, 1975 . At that time, Gujarat was one of the two states described as an “island of freedom.” It was ruled by Janata Morcha chief minister Babubhai Jashbhai Patel . The other such “island” was Tamil Nadu .
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Rights in the forest: Supreme Court’s crucial test for FRA implementation

By Palla Trinadha Rao  The Supreme Court of India, in a recent order in Sugra Adivasi & Others v. Pathranand & Others (Civil Appeal No. 2590 of 2019), has raised one of the most critical questions in the continuing tension between two key environmental legislations — the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 (FRA), and the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, now amended as the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023.
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Rights groups demand end to forced displacement in the name of clean energy

By A Representative   Over sixty human rights, environmental justice, and Indigenous Peoples’ organizations have endorsed a new policy proposal calling for a rights-based approach to community participation in investment projects affecting their lands and livelihoods. The proposal, authored by Inclusive Development International (IDI), warns that the rush to scale up renewable energy must not perpetuate forced displacement and other injustices historically associated with extractive industries.
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