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In the Union Budget 2026 speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman mentioned “Artificial Intelligence” (AI) a record-breaking eleven times, marking the highest frequency the term has appeared in any Indian budget speech to date. The mentions of AI in the Union Budget 2026 speech was focused on the following specific applications Governance: Serving as a force … Read more

Over 45% of India’s rare earths are imported from China | Photo Credit: Steve Marcus Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced in her Union Budget 2026 speech that the government will support the mineral-rich States of Odisha, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu in establishing rare earth corridors to promote the mining, processing, research, and manufacturing … Read more

The history of India’s Union Budget is effectively the biography of a nation in transformation. This timeline traces the shifting centre of economic gravity through five decisive phases and how the ‘Briefcase’ has carried India’s destiny — from grain sacks to smartphones — in each Finance Minister’s own words.  Year: 1947-48 | A free nation  … Read more

India’s Labour Codes came into force in November 2025, marking the most significant labour law reform since Independence. By consolidating 29 central laws into four Codes, the reform aims to simplify compliance, universalise minimum wages, expand social protection, and modernise workplace regulation. Policy debates often portray the Codes as a balancing act between labour flexibility … Read more

As India prepares for Budget 2026-27, it must confront a fundamental, yet persistently ignored, constraint on growth: women’s time poverty. Women contribute only about 18% to India’s GDP, not because they work less, but because a large share of their labour remains unpaid and uncounted in national income. About 40% of India’s women are now … Read more

On January 25, India observed National Voters’ Day, which aims to promote electoral awareness and encourage informed participation. Close on the heels of the moment, let us take a close look at how voter participation and political behaviour have evolved over the past decade. Lokniti-CSDS survey data offer important insights into the stability of electoral … Read more

Among the nearly 100 people who died during the U.S. military incursion in Venezuela that led to the abduction of President Nicolas Maduro, there were 32 Cubans who were part of Mr. Maduro’s security detail. Their presence reflects the intricate relations shared between Havana and Caracas. Ever since Venezuela has been ruled by the Bolivarians, … Read more

Telangana is the richest among major Indian States, with highest per capita income. In 2022-23, the latest year for which data for all States are available, the figure for Telangana stood at ₹3.54 lakh (at current prices). For Karnataka it was ₹3.44 lakh, Haryana ₹3.24 lakh, Gujarat ₹3.1 lakh, Tamil Nadu ₹3.09 lakh, Kerala ₹2.9 … Read more

The Ministry of Finance is set to scrap curbs on Chinese firms bidding for government contracts, which were introduced in 2020. The curbs were imposed following a deadly clash between the countries’ troops in the Galwan Valley. They required Chinese bidders to register with an Indian government committee and obtain political and security clearances. According … Read more

In 1946, the U.S. put a price on Greenland for the first time. The country’s then-president, Harry Truman, offered Denmark $100 million in gold, which Copenhagen refused. More than half a century later, Donald Trump, another U.S. president, has doubled down on his quest for U.S. control of Greenland. But this time, the stakes are … Read more