Madan Mohan Political Insights

  What is unfolding between New Delhi and Washington at present is no ordinary trade disagreement. It is better understood as a war of words and nerves  one in which statements, symbolism and coercive economic threats are being deployed as instruments of pressure against India. Recent remarks by senior American officials, followed by contradictory messaging from former President Donald Trump, have only deepened the sense that the United States is attempting to strong-arm India into concessions it is neither willing nor obliged to make. The trigger for the latest escalation was a statement by U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who claimed that an India–U.S. trade agreement had collapsed not due to policy disagreements, but because of “ego and fear”. According to Lutnick, the deal had been “sealed” and merely required a phone call from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to President Trump a call that allegedly never came because India was “uncomfortable”. Within days, Donald T...

  Travel across India, leaving aside the North-Eastern states and Kerala for the moment, and one striking truth becomes clear: kindness in speech is not the exception, it is the norm. From villages to cities, across regions often portrayed as culturally divided, ordinary people speak with warmth and dignity. The idea of constant conflict between states is largely a political narrative, not a lived social reality. On the ground, India feels less fragmented than it is often made to appear. India’s vastness is not just geographical; it is cultural and social. Every town and every village carries its own distinct character, shaped by history, geography and tradition. Yet this diversity does not weaken the country. Instead, it creates a deep sense of pride for anyone willing to experience it firsthand. Unity in India does not come from uniformity, but from coexistence. At the heart of this coexistence lies the rural social system, one of the most enduring and balanced structures India...

  The Aravalli Range: Ancient Mountains Facing a Modern Threat The Aravalli Range is one of the oldest mountain chains in the world, formed around three billion years ago . These hills are so ancient that they existed long before the Indian subcontinent took its present shape. While the Himalayas are known for their great height, the Aravallis are far older. Scientists often describe them as the “grandfather” of the Himalayas. The range stretches for about 692 kilometres across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi . Nearly 80 per cent of the Aravallis lie in Rajasthan. In Delhi, well-known places such as Jawaharlal Nehru University and Rashtrapati Bhavan are located on Aravalli hills. The highest peak, Guru Shikhar in Rajasthan, rises to 1,722 metres . Despite their modest height, the Aravallis play a vital role in keeping North India liveable. They act as a natural barrier that slows the spread of the Thar Desert towards Delhi, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh. Their ro...

The 2025 Bihar Assembly election did not bring any dramatic wave, ideological churn, or youth-led surge. Instead, the results reflected a quieter, data-driven reality: Bihar opted for stability, predictable welfare, and an administrator it already knows. While the mandate may appear fragmented at first glance, a closer examination of turnout patterns, demographic behaviour and constituency-level dynamics reveals a consistent structural advantage that worked in favour of Nitish Kumar and the NDA. Age-Skewed Turnout and the Welfare Vote One of the most decisive factors was turnout composition. Although a section of young voters between 18 and 30 showed a mild inclination towards the Mahagathbandhan, their overall share remained around a quarter of the electorate, and their turnout was significantly lower than that of middle-aged and elderly voters. These older groups more loyal, more disciplined, and more invested in continuity voted in large numbers for the NDA. This turnout skew amplif...

India is once again debating whether the country needs a formal Right to Disconnect law, similar to the rules already in place in France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Luxembourg, Canada and Australia. These nations, supported by strong unions and highly formal labor markets, have framed laws that allow employees to ignore after-hours calls, emails and messages without fear of losing their jobs. Other advanced economies, including Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Ireland and South Korea, are still studying the idea or relying on company-level guidelines instead of national legislation. But in India, the question is far more complex, and many experts believe that this may not be the right time for such a law. While digital fatigue and long working hours are genuine concerns across urban India, especially in IT services, outsourcing, consulting and start-ups, the country’s economic structure relies heavily on flexibility. India’s service-export sector operates across the world’s time zones,...