Prashant Shukla

  India's economic ascent is facing a critical test. After registering an impressive 8.2% GDP growth in the fiscal year 2023–24, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has revised its projection for 2024–25 downward to 6.6%, a marked drop from the earlier estimate of 7.2%. Manufacturing growth has slowed to 2.2% in the third quarter of 2024, down sharply from 7% a year prior, while private investment has shown signs of stagnation. Though India continues to outperform most major economies, its recent loss of momentum, exacerbated by internal weaknesses and an increasingly volatile global trade environment, signals a decisive moment for its $4 trillion economy. India's Position in the Global Economic Landscape To understand India's trajectory, it is helpful to compare it with four other leading economies: Vietnam, the United States, China, and Ireland. Each exhibits distinct growth dynamics.  With a projected GDP growth of 6.8% in 2025, Vietnam has emerged as a formidable competitor...

  Photo Courtesy Andrew Harnik/Getty Images   FBI Director Kash Patel, from left, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe appear during a Senate Committee on Intelligence.  The recent leak of sensitive military communications via the Signal messaging platform, in which operational details regarding airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen were inadvertently shared with  The Atlantic  editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, represents a significant security lapse for the Trump Administration. This incident, occurring in mid-March 2025, provoked intense scrutiny of the administration's approach to national security, procedural rigour, and overall competence. While officials have sought to downplay the breach, claiming no classified information was disclosed, the nature of the leak and its consequences indicate systemic failures that warrant critical examination. The Incident: A Failure of Operational Security The leak originated fro...

In recent time, the American political landscape has undergone a profound transformation under the influence of Donald Trump, with policies that have been characterised by a move towards what some commentators describe as “extreme capitalism” and a transactional form of democracy. This report examines the evolution of these policies and their multifaceted implications, both domestically and on the international stage, while providing a critical analysis of the advantages and disadvantages inherent in the Trump administration’s approach. At the heart of the economic agenda pursued by the Trump administration was a decisive embrace of deregulation and substantial tax cuts. The rationale behind these measures was to stimulate economic growth by reducing the financial burdens on corporations and high-net-worth individuals, thereby encouraging investment and business expansion. Proponents argued that such policies revitalised domestic industries, fostered an environment of entrepreneurial d...

  L-R Ambassador Kevin Kelly, Tánaiste Simon Harris, Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar   and Ambassador Akhilesh Mishra  From 6 to 7 March 2025, India's External Affairs Minister, Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, officially visited Ireland. This visit, distinguished by diplomatic meetings, academic engagements, and strategic discussions, underscored the evolving global partnerships in a rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape. Despite the historical alliance and mutual support during both nations' freedom struggles, the Ireland-India relationship has not expanded as robustly as anticipated, particularly in contrast to Ireland's increasingly strong ties with China. Diplomacy and Academic Outreach During his stay in Ireland, Dr Jaishankar delivered a lecture entitled India's View of the World at University College Dublin (UCD). This address outlined India's foreign policy vision for a multipolar world and emphasised the significance of cultural, educational, and scient...

ReArm Europe: The Dawn of a New Global Power Dynamic The European Union's newly unveiled "ReArm Europe" plan marks a decisive turning point for the continent's defence, security, and role in shaping the global balance of power. As the EU prepares to mobilise close to €800 billion in defence spending, this historic rearmament drive is set to reshape relationships within the West, recalibrate global alliances, and redefine Europe's place in the emerging world order. Beyond its immediate scope, the plan raises critical questions about Europe's commitment to security, its partnership with the United States, and the strategic consequences for significant powers like India, China and Russia. The ReArm Europe plan comes against the backdrop of mounting geopolitical instability, driven by the ongoing war in Ukraine and rising threats from authoritarian regimes. The EU's decision to dramatically increase its defence spending is as much a response to the immediate c...