Blogs

When tariffs give way to terms of service For most of the post‑war period, commercial diplomacy meant negotiating tariffs, quotas, and market access for goods. Ambassadors lobbied for aircraft deals or pharma approvals; trade negotiators haggled over steel and agricultural subsidies. That grammar of statecraft has not disappeared, but it is no longer the only…

SpaceX boss sees govts as service providers, to him Much has been written about Elon Musk, the world’s only trillionaire, but, what exactly does Muskism entail? To understand, one has to look at what kind of society Musk’s version of political economy produces, as he goes about diluting, dismantling, or evading laws and regulations that…

By Brahma Kumari Shivani Every year, as International Yog Day arrives, a familiar thought visits us – ‘i really should start yog.’ And in the same breath comes the excuse – ‘i am too busy. Maybe when life slows down…’ Yog equips us to shift from a busy to an easy life. Yog stems from…

In April, Vlerick Business School in Belgium and the Institute of Management Technology, Ghaziabad launched their Global Executive MBA, becoming the latest in a wave of education partnerships Indian institutions have struck with European counterparts over the past year in senior-level and executive education.  What is notable is not the volume of these partnerships, but…

A ₹370 biryani bill has become one of the most expensive meals in India. Not because of inflation, but because it has triggered FIRs, job losses, social media wars, television debates, and a nationwide argument about consent, misogyny, and the limits of comedy. The controversy is only the latest in a growing list of stand-up…

Men’s need to feel superior to their women partners isn’t natural, but conditioned by centuries of patriarchy. Happy is the man who ignores it and listens to his heart From the time we were tree dwellers, to about 5,000 years ago, males and females were equal. In the sense that either could sit on a…

Avijit Ghosh Avijit Ghosh is a associate editor with The Times of India. He is addicted to films, music, cricket and football—and not necessarily in that order. He is the author of Bandicoots in the Moonlight, Cinema Bhojpuri, 40 Retakes, and now, Up Campus, Down Campus, a novel set in 1980s JNU. He tweets from…

Ancient trees are some of the closest things we have to forever An old tree has died, and people are sad. The ancient oak tree that, according to legend, once sheltered Robin Hood in England’s Sherwood Forest has fallen. Why is that news? After all, it’s just a tree. Yet many people feel a quiet…

Ancient trees are closest to ‘permanence’ humans know An old tree dies. Grief arrives. The ancient oak that, according to folklore, sheltered Robin Hood in England’s Sherwood Forest, has fallen. Why should that even be news? Yet it is – not just for conservationists, but for all of us. The news carries a sadness that’s…

IT story isn’t in tatters, stocks are a different matter Friday morning’s rout of Indian tech stocks is a signal for sober reflection, not panic. It was waiting to happen after outsourcing major Accenture announced weak revenue growth, and more importantly, a dip in new orders. The company said clients aren’t increasing their overall tech…