https://thoughtfulindia.com/category/india-politics/ Elections, government and policy in India: reporting and analysis on the parties, leaders and decisions shaping the country. en Copyright Thoughtful India Mon, 19 Oct 2026 05:00:00 GMT https://thoughtfulindia.com/brand/ti-logo-512.png https://thoughtfulindia.com/category/india-politics/ https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/10/rubio-jaishankar-mumbai-trade-deal-oil-waiver/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/10/rubio-jaishankar-mumbai-trade-deal-oil-waiver/ Marco Rubio meets S. Jaishankar in Mumbai on Tuesday, four days after a White House order paused a 100 percent tariff threat over Russian oil and gave his office a say in when that pause ends. Mon, 19 Oct 2026 05:00:00 GMT M. Subramaniam India Politics Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/03/tier-2-cities-india-growth-engines/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/03/tier-2-cities-india-growth-engines/ Pune, Surat, Lucknow, Indore were supposed to relieve the metros. Why Tier-2 cities grew but never became economic engines — agglomeration beats cheaper land. Mon, 09 Mar 2026 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Business India Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/03/modi-second-term-100-days-economic-transformation/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/03/modi-second-term-100-days-economic-transformation/ Modi's third term opened with consolidation, not revolution: 7% growth, PLI expansion, strong FDI — and the same unresolved jobs crisis. Mon, 09 Mar 2026 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics Business https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/03/indias-space-programme-chandrayaan-success-and-beyond/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/03/indias-space-programme-chandrayaan-success-and-beyond/ Chandrayaan-3 landed at the lunar south pole — a first for any nation — on a $75 million budget. How ISRO built world-class space capability on a fraction Mon, 09 Mar 2026 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Tech India Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/03/india-china-border-normalisation-2026/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/03/india-china-border-normalisation-2026/ Five years after Galwan killed 20 Indian soldiers, the LAC is stable but unresolved — buffer zones, not peace. Normalisation means management, not settlement. Mon, 09 Mar 2026 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff World Politics India Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/03/indian-democracy-selective-outrage/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/03/indian-democracy-selective-outrage/ Criticism of Indian democracy is legitimate — and selective: Western indices, Xinjiang silence, Bangladesh. Scrutiny follows alignment, not principle. Sun, 08 Mar 2026 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics World Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/03/india-soft-power-moment/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/03/india-soft-power-moment/ 300 million practice yoga, turmeric lattes sell in Brooklyn, RRR won an Oscar — and nobody in Delhi planned any of it. India's unplanned soft power wave. Sun, 08 Mar 2026 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics Culture World Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/03/india-education-blindspot/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/03/india-education-blindspot/ The IITs admit 17,000 students a year while state universities educate 35 million. India's education story isn't about the top — it's about everyone else, Sun, 08 Mar 2026 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics Education India Economy https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/03/five-things-reshaping-india/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/03/five-things-reshaping-india/ Oil at $110, China's demographic collapse, the India-US AI talent corridor, an unplanned soft power moment, and why the rupee at 87 is not the real problem. Sun, 08 Mar 2026 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics India Economy World Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/03/china-reality-check-2026/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2026/03/china-reality-check-2026/ China's population fell for a fourth straight year in 2025, births hit a record low, youth unemployment sits near 17%, and the property sector is unwinding. Sun, 08 Mar 2026 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics World Politics China https://thoughtfulindia.com/2015/09/political-innovation-in-india-can-stop-future-revolution-by-ram-konduri/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2015/09/political-innovation-in-india-can-stop-future-revolution-by-ram-konduri/ Indian political framework built after independence is losing its relevance to govern a complex and diverse country. Six and a half decade of democratic… Mon, 07 Sep 2015 05:00:00 GMT Ram Konduri India Politics Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2015/02/a-team-from-iit-b-shaped-aap-delhi-poll-campaign/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2015/02/a-team-from-iit-b-shaped-aap-delhi-poll-campaign/ In the 2015 Delhi elections, a ten-student IIT-Bombay team built a sentiment-analysis tool that helped AAP read voter mood on social media — and win 67 of Mon, 09 Feb 2015 06:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2014/12/aap-leader-yogendra-yadav-urges-pm-narendra-modi-break-silence-religious-conversions-issue/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2014/12/aap-leader-yogendra-yadav-urges-pm-narendra-modi-break-silence-religious-conversions-issue/ In December 2014, AAP's Yogendra Yadav urged PM Narendra Modi to speak out against 'ghar wapsi' reconversion campaigns as the Rajya Sabha stalled for a Tue, 23 Dec 2014 06:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2014/11/pm-modis-estranged-wife-files-rti-security/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2014/11/pm-modis-estranged-wife-files-rti-security/ In November 2014, Jashodaben filed an RTI with Mehsana police asking what security and facilities she was entitled to as the Prime Minister’s wife. Mon, 24 Nov 2014 06:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2014/11/brahmins-conducting-homa-sultan-oman/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2014/11/brahmins-conducting-homa-sultan-oman/ In 2014, a 22-member team of Vedic Brahmins from Karnataka performed yagnas in Oman for the health of Sultan Qaboos — one of the most unusual interfaith Wed, 12 Nov 2014 06:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics Politics World Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2014/10/pm-narendra-modis-first-radio-address/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2014/10/pm-narendra-modis-first-radio-address/ On October 3, 2014, Modi launched Mann Ki Baat, the monthly radio address that became a fixture of his premiership. A TI essay, from the archives. Fri, 03 Oct 2014 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2014/01/arvind-kejriwal-dauntless-political-brand/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2014/01/arvind-kejriwal-dauntless-political-brand/ There are certain times in any nation’s history which define and change its direction and today is definitely one of those for India. What we are seeing… Tue, 21 Jan 2014 06:00:00 GMT Samresh Kumar India Politics Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/12/gay-sex-punishable-india/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/12/gay-sex-punishable-india/ In December 2013, India's Supreme Court upheld Section 377, recriminalizing gay sex. Five years later, the court reversed itself — the 2018 Navtej Singh Wed, 11 Dec 2013 06:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/11/tehelka-s-tarun-tejpal-deep-scandal/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/11/tehelka-s-tarun-tejpal-deep-scandal/ In November 2013, Tehelka founder Tarun Tejpal was accused of sexually assaulting a young colleague. The scandal — and the case's long road — unfolded over Wed, 27 Nov 2013 06:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/11/woman-bangalore-attacked/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/11/woman-bangalore-attacked/ In November 2013, a woman was brutally attacked inside a Bangalore ATM at 7:30 AM — caught on CCTV. The footage sparked a national debate on safety. Wed, 20 Nov 2013 06:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/08/72-year-old-godman-accused-sexually-molesting-15-year-old-girl/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/08/72-year-old-godman-accused-sexually-molesting-15-year-old-girl/ In August 2013, a teenage girl accused godman Asaram Bapu of sexual assault. A look at the case as it broke — and the convictions that followed. Tue, 27 Aug 2013 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/08/23-year-old-journalist-gang-raped-mumbai/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/08/23-year-old-journalist-gang-raped-mumbai/ The Shakti Mills gang rape of a 23-year-old photojournalist in August 2013 shocked Mumbai. A retrospective on the crime, the convictions, and what followed. Fri, 23 Aug 2013 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/08/message-from-pm-manmohan-singh-on-rakhi-ensure-safety-of-women/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/08/message-from-pm-manmohan-singh-on-rakhi-ensure-safety-of-women/ On Raksha Bandhan 2013, PM Manmohan Singh urged the nation to recommit to women's safety — while a viral CNN iReport exposed how little had changed. Tue, 20 Aug 2013 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/06/narendra-modi-bjp-campaign-chief/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/06/narendra-modi-bjp-campaign-chief/ The BJP named Narendra Modi chairman of its 2014 election campaign committee at the Goa conclave — a generational shift over LK Advani's opposition. Sun, 09 Jun 2013 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/05/another-story-of-rape-and-torture-from-india/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/05/another-story-of-rape-and-torture-from-india/ In 2012 India recorded 24,923 rapes with a 24% conviction rate — and behind every number was a woman. A 2013 editorial on the stories that forced a nation Tue, 28 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/05/8-year-old-british-girl-killed-for-her-organs/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/05/8-year-old-british-girl-killed-for-her-organs/ The family of 8-year-old Gurkiren Kaur Loyal claimed she died after a mystery injection in Punjab in April 2013, and that her body returned to Britain Tue, 28 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/05/indian-women-who-will-fight-for-your-rights/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/05/indian-women-who-will-fight-for-your-rights/ India worships women as goddesses yet tolerates rape and blames victims. A 2013 op-ed on the hypocrisy — and who will fight for women's rights. Mon, 20 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/04/varun-gandhi-the-gandhi-who-will-make-a-difference/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/04/varun-gandhi-the-gandhi-who-will-make-a-difference/ A profile of Varun Gandhi — Sanjay Gandhi's son, who charted his own political course with the BJP and won Pilibhit in 2009. Tue, 30 Apr 2013 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/04/sarabjit-singh-declared-brain-dead/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/04/sarabjit-singh-declared-brain-dead/ Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh lay on a ventilator in a Lahore hospital after a jail attack, with conflicting reports over whether he was brain dead. Tue, 30 Apr 2013 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics Politics World Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/04/teenage-girl-raped-by-the-driver-in-the-school-bus-in-bikaner/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/04/teenage-girl-raped-by-the-driver-in-the-school-bus-in-bikaner/ A school bus driver was arrested in Bikaner for allegedly raping a 15-year-old student; a hostel warden in Jaipur was also held in a separate case. Mon, 29 Apr 2013 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/04/another-15-year-old-girl-raped/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/04/another-15-year-old-girl-raped/ A 15-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped by five youths in Ballia district, Uttar Pradesh, in April 2013. Police said three were detained. Tue, 23 Apr 2013 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/04/second-suspect-in-the-child-rape-caught/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/04/second-suspect-in-the-child-rape-caught/ Police arrested a second suspect in the rape of a five-year-old in East Delhi, as the child continued treatment at AIIMS. Mon, 22 Apr 2013 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/04/rapes-happen-all-over-india-sushilkumar-shinde/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/04/rapes-happen-all-over-india-sushilkumar-shinde/ Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde's remark that rapes happen across India, made after the Delhi child rape case, drew sharp criticism from the opposition. Mon, 22 Apr 2013 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/04/rape-of-a-five-year-old-in-india/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/04/rape-of-a-five-year-old-in-india/ A five-year-old girl was allegedly raped in East Delhi in April 2013, sparking protests and renewed scrutiny of police handling of sexual assault cases. Fri, 19 Apr 2013 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/04/media-frames-innocent-women/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/04/media-frames-innocent-women/ Four NALSAR students say Hyderabad TV crews filmed them against their will, then aired edited ‘anti-pub culture’ stories painting them as drunk. Tue, 16 Apr 2013 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/02/7200-children-are-raped-in-india-every-day/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/02/7200-children-are-raped-in-india-every-day/ After Anoushka Shankar's revelation and a damning Human Rights Watch report, a 2013 TV panel confronted India's child sex abuse crisis — and the silence Fri, 15 Feb 2013 06:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/02/54-of-indian-women-agree-that-it-is-okay-to-get-beaten-by-the-husband-over-burnt-dinner/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/02/54-of-indian-women-agree-that-it-is-okay-to-get-beaten-by-the-husband-over-burnt-dinner/ A 2012 remark by a Karnataka High Court judge sparked outrage — but a national health survey found 54% of Indian women themselves said wife-beating could be Wed, 06 Feb 2013 06:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics Lifestyle Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/02/will-this-all-girl-band-from-kashmir-survive/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/02/will-this-all-girl-band-from-kashmir-survive/ The National Commission for Women and some parliamentarians on Monday came out in support of Kashmir's first all-girls rock band 'Pragaash' whose singing was… Mon, 04 Feb 2013 06:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/01/daood-sayed-gilani-aka-david-coleman-headley-pakistani-american-just-sentenced-to-35-years-for-planning-the-mumbai-attack/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/01/daood-sayed-gilani-aka-david-coleman-headley-pakistani-american-just-sentenced-to-35-years-for-planning-the-mumbai-attack/ David Coleman Headley received 35 years in a U.S. federal prison for scouting the 2008 Mumbai targets, spared the death penalty by his cooperation. Fri, 25 Jan 2013 06:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics Indian Economy Politics World Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/01/hafiz-saeed-had-announced-rs-5-lakh-reward-on-bringing-indian-soldiers-head-as-trophy-sources/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/01/hafiz-saeed-had-announced-rs-5-lakh-reward-on-bringing-indian-soldiers-head-as-trophy-sources/ After the January 2013 Mendhar beheading, Indian intelligence sources claimed Hafiz Saeed had offered Rs 5 lakh for an Indian soldier's head as a trophy. Fri, 11 Jan 2013 06:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/01/man-thrashed-and-in-trouble-with-law-for-protecting-a-girl-as-the-girl-turns-against-him/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/01/man-thrashed-and-in-trouble-with-law-for-protecting-a-girl-as-the-girl-turns-against-him/ A man who stepped in to protect a woman from harassers was beaten for his trouble, then found the law turning on him when her account changed. Wed, 09 Jan 2013 06:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/01/girl-slashes-her-palm-at-nitish-kumars-janata-darbar-her-only-want-computer-training/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/01/girl-slashes-her-palm-at-nitish-kumars-janata-darbar-her-only-want-computer-training/ At Nitish Kumar's Janata Darbar in Patna, a young woman slashed her own palm to be heard. All she wanted was computer training and a chance at a job. Mon, 07 Jan 2013 06:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/01/indias-rising-rape-cases-one-every-22-minutes/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/01/indias-rising-rape-cases-one-every-22-minutes/ NCRB data showed a rape reported in India every 22 minutes, and experts agreed the real figure was far higher. Then December 2012 broke the silence. Sun, 06 Jan 2013 06:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/12/big-b-says-that-if-goddesses-are-worshiped-in-india-how-can-we-treat-girls-so-badly/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/12/big-b-says-that-if-goddesses-are-worshiped-in-india-how-can-we-treat-girls-so-badly/ Days after the December 2012 Delhi gang rape, Amitabh Bachchan asked the question haunting India: a nation that worships goddesses yet brutalizes daughters. Wed, 19 Dec 2012 06:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics Lifestyle https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/11/two-women-arrested-for-facebook-post-on-mumbai-shutdown/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/11/two-women-arrested-for-facebook-post-on-mumbai-shutdown/ Shaheen Dhada questioned Mumbai's shutdown for Bal Thackeray's funeral on Facebook. She was arrested. Her friend was arrested for liking the post. Mon, 19 Nov 2012 06:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/10/national-law-school-student-raped-on-bangalore-university-campus/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/10/national-law-school-student-raped-on-bangalore-university-campus/ A student of the National Law School of India University was sexually assaulted on campus in October 2012, sparking protests over safety at Indian universities. Sun, 14 Oct 2012 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics India https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/10/how-did-robert-vadra-become-a-billionaire/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/10/how-did-robert-vadra-become-a-billionaire/ In October 2012, Arvind Kejriwal alleged a quid pro quo between Robert Vadra and DLF. DLF and the Congress denied it. What was claimed — and denied. Mon, 08 Oct 2012 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics Indian Economy https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/09/indian-government-will-not-fall/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/09/indian-government-will-not-fall/ In September 2012, Mamata Banerjee withdrew TMC support over FDI in retail — and Manmohan Singh's UPA government held on anyway. Thu, 20 Sep 2012 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics Indian Economy Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/09/henna-bakshi-booked-for-facebook-post-hopes-police-will-take-lenient-view/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/09/henna-bakshi-booked-for-facebook-post-hopes-police-will-take-lenient-view/ Bravery-award winner Henna Bakshi was booked under the IT Act for allegedly abusive posts on Chandigarh traffic police's Facebook page after her stolen-car Tue, 18 Sep 2012 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff India Politics https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/09/fdi-in-retail-to-create-10-million-jobs-in-10-years/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed https://thoughtfulindia.com/2012/09/fdi-in-retail-to-create-10-million-jobs-in-10-years/ The Indian Staffing Federation projected FDI in retail would create 10 million jobs in a decade. The claim, the opposition's rebuttal, and why the number Tue, 18 Sep 2012 05:00:00 GMT Thoughtful India Staff Business India Politics Indian Economy Politics