Indian Policy Research Articles

Contemporary India – Sri Lanka Relations in Post-COVID Pandemic Period

India’s foreign policy under the Narendra Modi government has been focused on rebuilding cooperation in South Asia. The Indian foreign policy has been restructured as ‘Neighborhood First,’ which primarily plans to strengthen relations with its South Asian neighbours. In this context, India -Sri Lanka relations have been considered by scholars in South Asian politics in recent times. Relations between both countries during the immediate post-civil war period deteriorated with some better experiences. However, relations have been progressing since 2015 in the context of changing new governments in both countries. This paper examines the contemporary relations between India and Sri Lanka in the post-COVID pandemic era. The research paper is based on secondary data from books and journal articles in the relevant disciplines. Further, recent data was collected from printed and electronic media reports. The collected data were analyzed using a descriptive-analytical method. The economic crisis in Sri Lanka faced many adversities in the country. In this context, India offered her cooperation to rebuild the collapsed economy in Sri Lanka. India extended her financial and humanitarian assistance to the government of Sri Lanka. In addition, India signed some bilateral cooperation pacts in investment projects on energy, economic, development, and cultural relations by enhancing the relations between the two countries and the people-to-people of both countries. In addition, official visits of the two premiers during times of crisis in Sri Lanka initiated mutual relations again. It was proved that India was keen to initiate her policy of ‘Neighborhood First” towards her immediate maritime neighbour.

INDIA'S STRATEGIC PRESENCE AMID GROWING CHINESE INFLUENCE IN SRI LANKA: IN THE CONTEXT OF THE MODI REGIME.

Sri Lanka, located in the Indian Ocean to the south of India, is an island nation which has a rich and glorious past. It has centuries-old cultural, religious and social relations with India. India and Sri Lanka are closely connected to each other's life traditions and values. At the core of which is the centuries-old belief in Buddhism and Hinduism and shared cultural heritage. Both countries, having shared the experience of colonialism, give an important place to non-alignment and independent decision in their foreign policy. Promotion of their respective national interests, India's concern over questions related to the rights of expatriate citizens, especially Tamils ​​living in Sri Lanka, China's growing role in South Asia, rights over marine resources etc. have been influencing the relationship between the two countries. Due to its geographical location, Sri Lanka holds an important place in India's security purposes. In the 21st century, Sri Lanka has special importance for both India and China. India's current foreign policy towards Sri Lanka, which holds an important place in Indian foreign policy, is keeping in mind the growing influence of China in Sri Lanka. In this article we will mainly study the current state of India Sri Lanka relations during the rule of Narendra Modi in India and the role of China as an influential power.

Peace and Value Education Policy Perspectives in The Context Of India

Education must be autonomous for development. Cultural and ethical aspects of education are often overlooked due to the focus on economics in capitalist development. A lack of awareness of these realities impacts society significantly. Bringing in the behavior scale is necessary. Inculcate the idea that education for development fosters a commitment to global solidarity, peace, justice, and environmental awareness in youth. It aims to enable children and youth to contribute to positive development locally and worldwide. Based on the foregoing realities, peace and value education are pioneering initiatives that require vision and determination. A brief attempt may diminish its effectiveness and increase cynicism. Humans can become sophisticated destroyers of themselves and life on earth through education. Education alone is essential for citizens to live peacefully and with dignity. In this research, we emphasize the significance of value and peace education in policy formulation and implementation. Libraries will be used in this two-part research. The first section of this study discussed the significance of peace and value education at the national level. The second portion contains recommendations and suggestions for implementing peace and value education in Indian policy and related publications.

Tobacco Imagery in Indian Over-the-Top (OTT) Media and Its Compliance With Existing Tobacco Laws: A Content Analysis.

Over-the-top (OTT) media are internet-based content delivery systems offering media services to the viewers bypassing the traditional broadcasting platforms. The OTT media, with limited regulatory oversight, can serve as a source of exposure to tobacco-promoting content. This study analyzed the depiction of tobacco imagery in Indian OTT programs and assessed their compliance with existing Indian tobacco control policies. We conducted a content analysis of 28 purposively sampled OTT exclusive programs (14 movies and 14 web series) in India. Breathe California method was used to code the OTT content for tobacco imagery. We assessed the prevalence of tobacco imagery, its duration per episode or program, product placements, and brand appearances. We also evaluated OTT programs adherence to existing tobacco control policies in India. Tobacco imagery was identified in all of the web series and most OTT-exclusive movies. On average the web series depicted seven incidents of tobacco imagery per episode, whereas there were close to 19 incidents of tobacco imagery per movie. Ten minutes of OTT programming (including movies and web series) had on average 8.40 s of tobacco imagery. None of the OTT programs studied fully complied with Indian tobacco control policies. Depiction of tobacco imagery in OTT exclusive programs is common in India. Streaming platforms need to comply with existing tobacco control policies. Furthermore, there is a need to strengthen these policies and strictly enforce them to ensure tobacco-free mass media. India has more than 267 million tobacco users and accounts for the largest share of smokeless tobacco use globally. OTT platforms are largely unregulated and are considered drivers for global tobacco use. This is one of the few studies examining tobacco imagery in Indian OTT content, reporting the gaps in tobacco control policies in India. This study documents the product placement of smokeless tobacco, duration of exposure to tobacco imagery, and empirically report the compliance of OTT platforms with Indian tobacco control policies. The study findings can aid in strengthening tobacco control policies in India.

The G20 Presidency of India in 2023: Achievements, Challenges, and Implications

The G20, a forum of major economies, plays a pivotal role in shaping global governance and responding to pressing global challenges. India, as the presidency holder in 2023, assumed a significant leadership role in steering the group's agenda. This research paper aims to analyse the achievements, challenges, and implications of India's G20 presidency in 2023.The main objectives of this study are to assess India's priorities and initiatives during its G20 presidency, evaluate the notable accomplishments, examine the challenges faced, and discuss the implications for global governance. The research methodology involves a comprehensive review of official G20 documents, analysis of India's policy statements, and interviews with key stakeholders. Our findings reveal that India's G20 presidency in 2023 made significant strides in various areas, including sustainable development, economic cooperation, and climate change mitigation. Notably, India championed initiatives focused on inclusive growth, digital governance, and sustainable infrastructure development. However, challenges such as divergent interests among member states and external pressures posed obstacles to the realization of certain goals. The impact of India's presidency on the G20's role in global governance and international relations is substantial. India's leadership provided impetus to ongoing discussions on crucial issues, emphasizing the importance of cooperation in an increasingly interconnected world. The presidency also shed light on the evolving dynamics of the G20 as it navigated complex geopolitical realities. India's G20 presidency in 2023 marked a notable chapter in the organization's history. While achieving significant milestones, it also faced challenges that underscored the complexities of global governance. The implications of India's leadership extend beyond the presidency year, shaping the G20's role in addressing the global challenges of the 21st century.

Navigating Apropos Midst Kautilya’s Mandala’s Ploy and Contemporary India’s International Relations Plays: An Analysis

The foremost objective of the study is to provide pragmatic in-depth analysis of India’s contemporary offensive as well as hegemonic backed-strategies regarding dealing with neighbors by following kautliya "Arthashastra” wisdom which reciprocate is the main pillar of India’s foreign policy since inception. The study examines the relationship between Kautilya's Mandala theory, a cornerstone of ancient Indian foreign policy expertise, and how it informs modern India's approaches to international relations. Kautilya's Mandala theory is presented in the "Arthashastra," which highlights the intricate interconnection of surrounding states by visualizing a circle of alliances and conflicts influencing a central authority. In India's current foreign policy endeavors, the Mandala concept remains vital. India's policy of 'Neighborhood First' towards its neighbors is a reflection of the Mandala's focus on fostering relationships with neighboring governments to uphold regional peace and safeguard national interests as well as aligns India's with multilateral forums, bilateral partnerships, and strategic alliances. The applicability of Kautilya's Mandala theory to the challenges and opportunities of India's current global engagement is thoroughly examined in this essay. It looks at how India strikes a balance between the ideals of the Mandala and the challenges of contemporary international relations, taking into account the varied players, interests, and shifting dynamics of the global scene? It also takes into account how India's objectives of strategic autonomy, regional dominance, and worldwide leadership are aided by this adaptability? This study is qualitative in nature and follows analytical, descriptive methods along with content and desk analysis.

India’s Military Modernisation in the Shadow of the China Threat

The violent Galwan clashes of 2020 have changed the trajectory of India–China relations. It has also compelled the Indian government and policy makers to undertake major and long-term changes to push for military modernisation. The need for a modernised, leaner, and younger military is quite eminent and the Galwan clashes have further underscored this issue. Given this backdrop, the article looks at the various changes, which the current Indian government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has undertaken to achieve this goal. It also argues that the government is aware that these changes will need time and resources while acknowledging that the Indian side cannot continue to be reactive. India under the current leadership appears to be a very different nation than the Chinese are used to.

Early Childhood Education Management: A Study on Effectual in Village Institutions of West Bengal, India

The objective of this study is to discuss some methods that can be helpful for the development of Montessori as well as the Kindergarten Approach to Education. Our research work is based on an unstructured questionnaire and observation method. To imply adequate qualitative and quantitative data, we searched the goals and objectives of Kindergarten and Montessori education policy from local concerned institutions of West Bengal in India. Our field study was conducted on some villages of Midnapore and South 24 Parganas District of Bengal. Early childhood is a stage that requires an overall holistic development model. These two approaches deal with that, but there are some methods related to language and communication that can easily develop the quality of the approaches above. It is shown with projected lesson plans and timetable management. This study explores and discusses such methods and points out how these methods can bring changes to those approaches. This paper also inputs the Indian state education policy about it.

Impact of global liquidity on Indian financial markets and monetary policy outcomes: An ARDL approach

Liquidity management is essential for the financial framework of any economy, especially for operationalizing monetary policy. The relatively resilient Indian financial system experiences the transmission of global liquidity shocks, which results in a reversal of portfolio flows from domestic markets resulting in central bank interventions. This paper examines the impact of global liquidity shocks on key financial and monetary variables of the Indian economy using quarterly data for the period 2000–2018 using an autoregressive distributed lags framework. We find the presence of long-run relationships between global liquidity variables (such as the US treasury bill rate, CBOE-VIX index, and US broad monetary aggregate) and the Indian financial markets (NSE Nifty index) and the monetary policy outcome (91-day Treasury bill rate). In the short run, the results were significant for the impact of the risk aversion measure on domestic policy rate in line with the expectations channel. The exchange rate channel and global money supply also significantly impacted the Indian policy rate. The results have significant policy implications as they indicate the most optimal transmission channels through which global liquidity affects the Indian economy.

Indo-Iran Relations: Impact of Third-party Influence

Close historical, social, cultural and economic ties and geographical proximity present ample opportunity for both Iran and India to advance their national interests by forging strong bilateral relations. Rich in energy resources, particularly oil and gas, Iran can meet India’s growing demand for energy while serving as an international transit route in India’s march towards global prominence and power. India, on the other hand, can help Iran in its testing times to end its isolation and contribute to its economic development. The ground reality, however, is different. India, while maintaining some level of cooperation with Iran, has been increasingly looking towards other countries like Saudi Arabia and Iraq to meet its energy demands. Based on descriptive-analytical research methodology, the article posits that the shift in the Indian foreign policy paradigm from Nehruism during the Cold War period to pragmatism in the post-Cold War period has negatively impacted Iran–India relations. A number of additional factors hinder the development of positive Iran–India relations. The present article considers the role of third countries such as the United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and China as important factors impeding positive Tehran–Delhi relations.

Counter-Stories in the way of caste: towards an anti-casteist public health praxis in contemporary India

How can ethnographic methods track implicit & explicit forms of structural casteism in Indian public health policy and praxis? How can a critical attention to ordinary stories and subjectivities of casted lives reveal the underlying Brahmanical moralities, assumptions and imaginations of public health but equally also unravel anti-caste counter-framings/counter-theorizations of symptoms, afflictions, injuries and chronic wounds wrought by caste? How, in other words, can the horizons of anti-colonial theory-making be expanded to capaciously conceptualize casteism as a core determinant of community health outcomes and life-chances in India? By mobilizing ‘counter-storytelling’ as a concept and method for critical medical anthropology from the Global South, and case studies from longitudinal ethnography in northern India, this paper provides a dual critique of: 1. Public health praxis in relation to questions of caste, addiction, respiratory debilitation, air pollution and TB. And, 2. Epistemologies of health policy making pertaining to wellness for ‘the poor’ and the gendered and casted labour of community care workers like ASHAs and non-institutionalized health actors.

Sino–Russian Partnership in the ‘Asian Supercomplex’: Choices and Challenges for India

China’s relationship with Russia has been on an upward trajectory since the late Soviet period, with the strategic partnership growing steadily since the end of the Cold War. Built on political-economic-strategic convergences, the two sides benefit from their cordial engagement, both at the bilateral and multilateral level, without the obligations associated with an alliance relationship. This alignment has ensured that despite the asymmetric nature of this relationship characterised by China’s rise, the partnership has gone from strength-to-strength. This has particular implications for Indian foreign policy, which has been dealing with an increasingly aggressive China that is now considered a leading security challenge. The development of the Asian supercomplex has accelerated India’s already growing engagement within a regional security complex that is critical for its own security and its future positioning in the international system. Due to implications for India-China ties under conditions of Asian supercomplex, as the Sino-Russian partnership continues to gain strength, its ramifications will reverberate across the whole spectrum of Indo-Russian ties. The article will track the development of Sino-Russian relationship and how it reflects in the emergent regional security complex, before examining the challenges and choices for Indian policymaking in the context of its ‘special and privileged strategic partnership’ with Russia.

Learning for all? Ableism, education policy, and the 'global learning crisis' in India

ABSTRACT Large-scale assessments reveal the ‘global learning crisis’. Yet, many children with disabilities are excluded from such assessments. The global learning crisis is critiqued for narrowing the educational landscape. Drawing on concepts of ableism and the DisHuman child, this paper sets out to examine ableism within education policy by explicating the assumptions of normativity and how boundaries between the normal and the ‘aberrant’ are preserved and maintained. Through critical discourse analysis of the post-Sustainable Development Goals education policy landscape in India, the paper examines the 2018 Samagra Shiksha Integrated Scheme for School Education Framework for Implementation, the 2020 National Education Policy, and the 2021 National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN) Bharat. The paper identifies three processes that underlie the construction of disability and difference in Indian education policy: constructing urgency as a crisis of quality; assessing deviations in quality; identifying and mitigating difference to achieve quality. The DisHuman child calls on us to both trouble and disrupt ableist norms within educational policy and grapple with how policies aid access to services, rights, and entitlements that may be crucial for the everyday participation of disabled children.

Dependences and ways to eliminate them: a past that resonates with the present

The invasion of Russian troops into Ukraine has showed, on the one hand, the high cohesion and patriotism of Ukrainian society and their perception of independence as a higher value; on the other hand - the inability to preserve it with the resources of the national economy alone, and therefore - a high external dependence on the decisions of global leaders on the provision of aid and the use of the industrial base of the West to ensure the defense and security of Ukraine. Updated by S. Mariotti, the issue of "global protectionism" needs to be considered via the prism of the contextual economic conditions for the implementation of such a policy (wars, post-war recovery, crises). The purpose of the article is to investigate, based on the experience of the pioneer of industrial revolution and the adept of free market - Great Britain, the historical facts regarding the elites’ reaction to new challenges and threats of the beginning of the 20th century, and policy measures to encourage and protect national producers and their consequences, as well as to visualize various recent examples of protectionism, and draw conclusions for Ukraine. Historical parallels between the situation at the beginning of the 20th century and the events of recent years give grounds for assuming that the answer to the question "How to speed up the recovery of Ukraine's economy during the period of severe war test?" should not be sought in modern policy measures of developed countries (where a powerful industrial potential has been created by the joint efforts of government and business over many years and the governments’ activities are focused on managing the crises to preserve and strengthen this potential), but rather in retrospective mechanisms that ensured the expansion of the existing and creation of new industries to strengthen the economic efficiency and national security. The author shows that the state financial incentives and protectionist tariffs, introduced in Great Britain in the national interest in response to new challenges and threats, were effective for more than 40 years, which helped this country develop key industries, reduce dependence on imported strategic goods, and prepare for new challenges. It is substantiated that the stimulating and protective mechanisms of India's policy, which have been launched recently to reduce dependence on the supply of strategic goods from China, are a reflection of the measures implemented by Great Britain at the beginning of the 20th century to reduce dependence on supplies of important goods from Germany. Similar mechanisms are being introduced by the United States in accordance with the interests of national security. The author demonstrates that Ukraine has lower protective tariffs not only compared to Asian countries that are developing and protecting their own industry, but also to the EU. It is substantiated that when forming a strategy for economic independence and post-war recovery, Ukraine should take into account both the historical experience of Great Britain and the modern practices of introducing policy mechanisms to encourage and protect own industries for defense and security purposes.

Beyond the Classroom: A Case Study on the Relationship Between Education as a Public Good, Social Justice and Critical Pedagogy

The idea of education being a transformative force is central to the discourse of education. But with the evolution of societies at a rapid pace, the idea of education being a ‘public good’ stands challenged and needs to be further analysed in relation to contemporary societies. This article argues that the understanding of public goods stemming from the discipline of economics is inadequate to define the needs of the contemporary education systems. The article highlights that the idea/element of ‘social justice’ is central to understand the concept of education as a ‘public good’, and even though Indian policies on education have an element of social justice, the practice of it needs reimagining. Building on evidence from the ‘Bihar Mentorship Project’, which was an action research project at the Centre for Budget and Policy Studies, Bengaluru, the article establishes that ‘critical pedagogy’ can become a vital tool to actualise the idea of social justice in education systems and, hence, is at the core of imagining education as a ‘public good’.

Rights based approaches to forest landscape restoration; learning from the Indian forest policy experience

Secure rights and tenure are considered essential components for socially just forest landscape restoration (FLR). Through a content analysis of India's forest policies, we identify enabling factors and challenges for rights based FLR. We discuss the practical implications of these enabling factors and barriers for FLR in India using evidence from the literature. We find that policies like the Forest Rights Act (FRA) and the Panchayat Extension of Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act support rights based FLR by providing communities with secure forest management rights and ownership of forest products. However, other policies, such as the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, can act antagonistically and weaken community rights in FLR. From our analysis, we draw three key lessons for rights based FLR in India and globally. First, there is a need to identify and resolve conflicts among forest policies that undermine rights and affect community participation in FLR. Second, policies must go beyond providing a potential for claiming rights and make claiming rights actionable in practice. Third, there is a need for a greater focus on promoting FLR mechanisms that allow communities to participate in FLR decision-making with their full set of recognised rights, including in the design of FLR activities that align with community preferences and needs.

Historic Urban Landscape Recommendation in Indian Heritage Management Policies

ABSTRACT This research paper explores the significance of historic urban landscapes (HUL) in the context of Indian heritage management policies. It investigates the challenges faced in preserving and managing historic urban areas and provides recommendations to enhance the integration of HUL approaches within the existing policy framework. The study draws upon a comprehensive review of scholarly articles, reports, and policy documents related to heritage management in India. The findings emphasise the need for a holistic and inclusive approach that recognises the multifaceted nature of urban heritage and fosters sustainable development while preserving historical significance. The paper offers practical recommendations for policymakers and urban planners to incorporate HUL principles into Indian heritage management policies effectively.

Water-energy-food-ecosystem nexus in India—A review of relevant studies, policies, and programmes

Current approaches for utilization of resources in water-energy-food-ecosystem (WEFE) sectors appear to be unsustainable and sub-optimal because of silo-based approaches that ignore interconnectedness across these interdependent sectors. A nexus approach that considers the interactions and interdependence among the sectors helps overcome weaknesses of silo-based approaches to better address synergies and trade-offs. This paper discusses the concept of the WEFE nexus-based approach for achieving water, energy, food, and environment security in India and presents a review of recent relevant literature. The paper critically reviews the key Indian government policies and programmes in the WEFE sector to assess the synergies and trade-offs among them. More than ≈ 40 programmes across WEFE sectors were studied to understand the efforts underway in these sectors to attain the respective policy goals. Although the implementation of the nexus concept will depend upon the enabling government policies and programmes, we find that discussions on these aspects are missing in the literature. Our review shows that the policies of different sectors give inadequate consideration to the impacts of decisions on the other related sectors. Although the various programmes are appreciably contributing to the policy goals and security for respective sectors, there are significant overlaps among the programmes which could positively or negatively impact other sector(s). There is a need to quantify the trade-offs by using an integrated approach including modeling with the WEFE nexus lens. The study also discusses the key challenges and barriers in implementing the nexus concept in India and how to overcome them.

Deliberate Surrender? The Impact of Interwar Indian Protection

Abstract What is the role of trade policy in promoting intra-Empire trade? We address the question in the context of interwar India, whose trade policies have been accused of harming British export interests. We quantify the impact of trade policy on the value and composition of Indian imports, using novel disaggregated data on both trade policies and imports for 114 commodity categories coming from 42 countries. We find that, even though Indian protection lowered total imports, it substantially boosted imports from the United Kingdom. Despite the rising tariff barriers facing British exporters, trade diversion from other countries ensured that Indian trade policy benefited them overall.

Civic Sovereignty: Indigenous Civic Constructs in Public School Spaces

Context:This study examines how urban American Indian high school students negotiate their civic identities within the settler colonial structures of urban American public schools.Research Question:How do urban American Indian students negotiate civic identities in spaces where civic concepts are taught, such as American history classes in an urban public high school and a Native Youth Council (Native YC)?Research Design:This critical participatory ethnographic study examines the negotiation of civic identity by 11 urban Indigenous students in social studies classes, a Native YC, and a school in Washington State, where the STI curriculum is taught. Safety zone theory and tribal critical race theory were used to understand students’ experiences and their stories from observations, participant interviews, and focus groups, which were employed as data.Conclusions/Recommendations:The study found that the social studies classes and Native YC were zones of sovereignty (ZoS), forwarding survivance and self-determination for Native students. Students learned about the Indigenous civic constructs of sovereignty, self-determination, dual citizenship, tribal self-government, and federal Indian policy inside and outside of school, all of which supported Native students in civic identity development. Recommendations on teaching Indigenous civic constructs to all students as part of teaching for critical democracy in public schools as a component of social studies classes and extracurricular activities are discussed.