India Last Week #53
A round-up of research & reportage on India across climate, energy, foreign policy, politics & more over the last week
Climate, Energy & Environment -
“The Solar Energy Corporation of India has, over time, adopted a cautious approach to project ownership and control in its procurement processes. Its February 2025 Request for Selection for 500 MW of solar PV capacity continues this trend, requiring bidders to disclose the complete beneficial ownership structure at the time of bidding… The conditions in the tenders are a reflection of the larger policy obsession in India to uncover the ultimate beneficial owner behind every investment. The obsession stems from the presumption that any layer of corporate opacity must conceal fraud or malfeasance. This view, however well-intentioned, fails to appreciate the reality of international finance and constrains how capital flows into infrastructure. The result is a regulatory stance that is ill-suited to the realities of infrastructure financing and project development, especially in a sector like renewable energy which is capital-intensive, fast-moving, and global… If India is serious about achieving its 500 GW non-fossil fuel capacity target by 2030, SECI’s procurement design will need to accommodate the realities of how projects are developed, financed, and transferred.” Read more: Renuka Sane, ThePrint
“India’s Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change notified a new set of regulations on how the benefits arising from the access and use of biological resources should be shared, altering how businesses that rely on biodiversity “pay back” communities that provide such resources… The Biological Diversity (Access to Biological Resources and Knowledge Associated thereto and Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits) Regulations were notified on April 29, and follow the amendments made to the Biological Diversity Act. The Act was amended in 2023 to fast track the approval process, draw in foreign investments, and exclude users of cultivated medicinal plants, codified traditional knowledge, and AYUSH practitioners from the access-benefit sharing mechanism… “The biggest visible addition in India’s new ABS framework is the inclusion of Digital Sequence Information as a ground for benefit sharing. This is timely given the global developments on this issue,” said Shalini Bhutani, an intellectual property rights expert… The amendments to the Biological Diversity Act were made after the AYUSH industry – which includes goods and services related to ayurveda, homeopathy, and other forms of alternative medicine – raised demands to reduce compliances.” Read more: Simrin Sirur, Mongabay
“Seema Patil, a 62-year-old domestic worker in Mumbai, commutes daily from her home in Prabhadevi to Bandra, a distance of just 3.5 kilometres. In theory, the journey should take no more than 40 minutes by bus, including a short walk to the nearest stop and a direct ride to her employer’s home. But Patil only manages to catch a direct bus around seven days each month… She said that bus frequency has reduced over the years, the quality of service has worsened, and increased road congestion has slowed journey times, affecting her health, finances and overall quality of life… According to official data, 2,603 buses currently operate in Mumbai. BEST officials told DTE that another 248 buses are expected to be retired from service by November, potentially deepening the crisis… Greater Mumbai, comprising the island city and suburbs, spans just 458 sq km but is among the world’s most densely populated urban areas. The broader MMR, covering 6,328 sq km, includes nine municipal corporations and nine municipal councils. Yet, transport experts say that in this land-starved city — where public transport must be the backbone — policy has long favoured private vehicles.” Read more: Himanshu Nitnaware, Down To Earth
“For India’s automobile industry, particularly the EV segment, the Chinese restrictions are a clear and present danger. They threaten to derail the government’s ambitions making the country an electric vehicle manufacturing hub, an aspiration on which it has bet over ₹60,000 crore through various promotion schemes over the last six years. But the rare earths crisis is not the sole reason automakers who have invested billions of dollars in this technology have become nervous. They have also been hobbled by myriad other factors, such as cumbersome procedures and stringent eligibility criteria for aid programmes. Amid all this, the fact that EV adoption in India has not reached the levels they envisioned is adding to their anxiety… The dependence on China is not only for rare earths, which go into the electric motor. The world also relies on India’s neighbour for lithium-ion batteries, which power EVs—China controls about 80% of the global supply of these batteries. This over-reliance on one source for critical components is making automakers jittery.” Read more: Ayaan Kartik and Nehal Chaliawala, Mint
Economy -
“India's unemployment rate rose to 5.6% in May from 5.1% in April, partly due to a drop in farm activity after the end of the harvest season, the statistics ministry said on Monday. This was the second monthly release of India's labour force data covering both urban and rural areas. Previously, the government published employment data on a quarterly basis for urban regions and annually for both urban and rural areas. Asia's third largest economy, which expanded 7.4% year-on-year in the January-March quarter, is expected to grow 6.5% in the current fiscal year beginning April - broadly in line with the previous year's pace. The female unemployment rate stood slightly higher at 5.8% in May, compared to 5.6% for males, the data showed. Unemployment rate among urban youth aged 15 to 29 years rose to 17.9% in May from 17.2% in April, while in rural areas, the youth jobless rate increased to 13.7% from 12.3% over the same period.” Read more: Manoj Kumar, Reuters
“The publication earlier this year of the National Sample Survey’s (NSS’s) Household Consumption Expenditure Survey 2023-24 (HCES 2024), based on a survey conducted between August 2023 and July 2024, provides an opportunity to assess whether a faster rate of growth of consumption has indeed been achieved… As we have seen, there has been growth of consumption in India since 2014 and a reduction in its inequality. But what can be said of the standard of living implied by the level of consumption today?… Our estimate of the real value of consumption of food serves as guide to the standard of living of the population at large. In 2023-24 in rural India, up to 40% of the population could not afford two vegetarian thalis a day, up to 95% of the population could not afford two non-vegetarian thalis a day, and up to 80% could not afford the combination of one vegetarian and one non-vegetarian thali at a total cost of Rs 88 a day… Our findings using a thali index of the standard of living suggests that there is a case for reviewing the measurement of poverty in India. For a start, we would argue for a poverty measure that includes at least two thali meals a day.” Read more: Pulapre Balakrishnan and Aman Raj, The Wire
“The Indian government is not keen on providing further subsidies to export-oriented sectors of the economy, according to a senior government official. Instead, the government is going to follow a more “carrot and stick” approach where quality control orders (QCOs) are going to increasingly be used to push Indian industry to become internationally competitive, while all non-subsidy help will be provided to them in terms of land acquisition and other regulatory hurdles… There has been a debate in India on whether QCOs are helping or hurting. According to the government, including Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, QCOs are the path to enhancing India’s export competitiveness. However, Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Suman Bery has said that QCOs are a “malign intervention” to stop imports from certain countries, but that would actually end up hurting India’s MSMEs. The government has provided some relief for certain export categories that rely on inputs from abroad… The government’s stance on subsidies runs against what some industries have been demanding. The Federation of Indian Mineral Industries (FIMI), for example, on Tuesday released a report in which it called for an upfront subsidy of ₹10,000-15,000 per kWh on the purchase of alternate fuel Heavy Earth Moving Machinery (HEMM) for mining applications.” Read more: T. C. A. Sharad Raghavan, The Hindu
Foreign Policy & Security -
“Long-range projections of economic growth are admittedly difficult to make. Yet if past is prelude, India will become a great power by the middle of this century, but it will be the weakest of a quartet that includes China, the United States, and the European Union. It will not be on par with China. And it will certainly not be on par with the United States… India’s qualities as a great power will not just be characterized by its approach to other states. They will also be defined by its internal politics. And here, the country is experiencing a profound—and dangerous—shift… Unlike the India of the Cold War, which remained robustly liberal even when underperforming economically, India today, despite being more economically successful, has been markedly tainted by illiberalism and authoritarianism. Its long tradition of secular politics is now eclipsed by Hindu nationalism, whose proponents believe India to be the land of Hindus and that its religious minorities are, at best, second-class citizens… The combination of moderate economic growth, the persistent quest for partnerships with all states but privileged relationships with none, and growing illiberalism within the country make for an India whose global influence will fall short of its increasing material strength.” Read more: Ashley Tellis, Foreign Affairs
“The two countries have taken steps toward normalized ties after an October 2024 border agreement, but the experience of the preceding four years has showcased the depth and scope of India’s economic vulnerability to China. China is India’s top trading partner — with bilateral trade significantly skewed in China’s favor — and New Delhi relies on Beijing for imports in industries critical for India’s growth including electronics, solar power and pharmaceuticals… In the future, Beijing could leverage its dominant position in key supply chains to disrupt or limit exports of critical components to India, potentially crippling sectors like electronics manufacturing or pharmaceutical production… Chinese economic coercion against India could take several forms. Beijing might leverage its dominance in key supply chains to disrupt or limit exports of critical components to India, potentially crippling sectors like electronics manufacturing or pharmaceutical production… India’s dependency also risks undermining the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy, particularly if it were to constrain India’s support for U.S.-led initiatives due to concerns of economic retaliation from China.” Read more: Sushant Singh, United States Institute of Peace
“In the aftermath of their recent military clash, rival delegations from Delhi and Islamabad converged on various global capitals, each aiming to shape elite opinion, win sympathy, and control the post-crisis narrative. Having witnessed some of the exchanges in London firsthand, the diplomatic duel across briefing rooms, think tanks, and diaspora events was as revealing for what was unsaid as for what was spoken… In my observation, Indian representatives appeared quietly frustrated that while many countries expressed sympathy after Pahalgam and tacitly accepted India’s right to act, few explicitly condemned Pakistan. Though confident in their message, their delivery often felt restrained. In think tanks, the tone was formal, even stiff; diaspora engagements were reportedly more fiery… Crucially, the delegation faltered when pressed on domestic radicalization. Two of the Pahalgam suspects were reportedly Indian nationals. Asked how New Delhi planned to prevent disillusionment turning to violence, the only response was that “things today are better than in the 1990s.” This was a missed chance to demonstrate nuanced understanding of the challenge.” Read more: Walter Ladwig, Times of India
“Nepal has begun exporting 40 megawatts (MW) of electricity to Bangladesh through India's power grid in its first move into the international energy market and positioning India as a key facilitator of regional electricity trading. Nepal is also exporting 80 MW to Bihar state in India's east, Nepal's Energy Minister Dipak Khadka said on X on Sunday, adding that power exports had unlocked a 5,000 MW export market for the Himalayan nation… India exports electricity to Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar, while importing power from Nepal and Bhutan and is discussing plans to integrate its grid with Sri Lanka. The development comes as Nepal rapidly expands its hydropower capacity, with Indian hydro power producer SJVN currently developing the 900 MW Arun-3 project in Nepal's Sankhuwasabha district. In April, India's Power Grid Corporation and Nepal Electricity Authority agreed to implement high-capacity cross-border transmission infrastructure to facilitate increased power trading.” Read more: Reuters
“India is often misunderstood, misrepresented, or, more often, simply missing in the frameworks that shape western elite understanding. The Cold War’s bipolar logic left India unmoored in American strategic thinking. China was a site of ideological competition, and later, a partner in global capitalism. India, non-aligned and self-reliant, never fit the template… With a few exceptions, India-focused research, by contrast, is fragmented, often subsumed under South Asian or Postcolonial Studies, with an emphasis on religion, anthropology, or classical languages… The consequences are serious. Future American leaders, whether in diplomacy, business, or policy, are not being trained to understand India in its full complexity. The persistence of reductive frameworks, such as the old hyphenation of “India-Pakistan”, continues to distort strategic thinking. U.S. President Donald Trump’s repetitive remarks about mediating between India and Pakistan are not just personal gaffes. They reflect institutional inertia, a failure to update mental maps to match geopolitical reality.” Read more: Nirupama Rao, The Hindu
People & Politics -
“Indian aviation has been booming in recent years, with the number of airports, travellers and routes both domestic and international expanding at a blistering pace. Over the past decade modern airports have opened on the outskirts of many Indian cities, including Rajkot in Gujarat itself. Ahmedabad is one of the few major cities where the airport is still in the middle of a dense urban environment… Indian aviation is broadly safe. The country’s rating on an index prepared by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, a un body, is above the global average but well below Western nations or even China… Indians’ appetite for air travel is unlikely to slow much. They have in recent years taken to the skies with gusto. Domestic air-passenger numbers grew from 137.6m in 2019 to 228m in 2024. The number of domestic routes rose to 823 by March last year from 646 before the pandemic… As Indians’ incomes rise, that trend seems unstoppable. The government harbours aspirations of making India a global aviation hub, with passengers from Europe to East Asia or Africa to north Asia choosing to change planes in Delhi or Mumbai rather than in Singapore or Dubai. For airlines, that will mean offering more than just shiny new airports and good service, but also winning the faith of global passengers that India is a safe place to fly to and through.” Read more: The Economist
“The shock and grief inside Ahmedabad’s Civil Hospital and the nearby B.J. Medical College were still raw Friday morning, and the full scale of the tragedy was still coming into view. The plane had ripped through the dining hall of the medical college — on the perimeter of the airport — as students were eating their lunch… Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site Friday, touring the wreckage and speaking with Viswashkumar Ramesh, the flight’s sole survivor. News outlet ANI released an image of Modi looking up at the aircraft’s mangled tail jutting out from the wall of the college. The prime minister did not speak to reporters… Nearby, Hina Kundani trembled with rage inside the crowded hospital auditorium, waiting to provide a DNA sample. Three of her relatives were on the flight. “This is not the time for a photo session,” the 45-year-old shouted at Harsh Sanghavi, the home affairs minister of Gujarat, who was visiting the hospital… “We’re in trauma,” Kundani said, “and ministers are taking photos.” Read more: Sahal Qureshi, Karishma Mehrotra, and Supriya Kumar, The Washington Post
“Under Modi, there is practically no Congress initiative—direct benefit transfers, Aadhaar, MGNREGA, etc—that the Modi government has not carried forward with minor tweaks… India needs reforms and deregulation in many areas, including defence, agriculture, land and labour laws, and in the police-legal-judicial system, which is neither capable of delivering speedy justice nor maintaining law and order without draconian laws… Even with a political consensus, these reforms will take three to five years to start delivering, and so we need a Prime Minister fully engaged with this effort—not one distracted by short-term political compulsions. The good news is that Modi has ample political capital. The big question is whether he will use it sparingly, more to win elections than to build consensus… Forget opposition obstructionism. Can Modi get even his own BJP-ruled states to deregulate, reform and make the changes needed to force competitive reforms in other states? Paradoxically, Modi’s political capital may also be hindering reform, for his own partymen may think political survival only needs them to sing Modi’s praises instead of doing the hard work on reforms.” Read more: R. Jagannathan, ThePrint
Tech -
“Tata Electronics is sending scores of employees for training to Taiwan as the company’s plans for semiconductor fabrication (fab) and assembly and test (OSAT) facility pick up speed, people aware of the developments told ET. So far, the electronics arms of the Tata Group has sent “a couple of hundred” employees to its technology partner Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (PSMC) for training in specialised skills required to operate the upcoming fab in Dholera, they said. “The number of people going in for training to Taiwan from Tata Electronics has certainly gone up as the company gets closer and is preparing for its fab,” one of the persons cited above said. “Talent is the biggest gap.”… Tata Electronics has been doubling down on the talent front, be it hiring top executives from chip makers like Intel and GlobalFoundries, or making its fresh or less experienced employees ready and equipped with the requisite skills… ET has also reported on June 3 that the company may possible acquire a Malaysian chip plant as a means to gain on-ground experience of how to run such facilities.” Read more: Dia Rekhi, The Economic Times
“India’s approach to export controls is increasingly consistent with three norms that it prioritizes when engaging with the liberal international order. First, while India’s export controls are currently based on multilateral regimes, it may now seek to incorporate elements in its domestic export control laws from other sources… Second, India emphasizes its strategic autonomy in international actions… Finally, India hugely prioritizes its domestic needs, particularly with regard to development: even though it has committed to net-zero targets by 2070, it defends coal as necessary for development… India has displayed a commitment to international export control regimes, joining three out of the four major ones: the Wassenaar Arrangement, which regulates the process of transfer of conventional dual-use arms and technologies; the Australia Group, which sets out the guidelines for the export of chemical and biological weapons; and the MTCR, which governs the norms that seek to prevent missile proliferation. And it has applied to join the fourth, the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), which sets out guidelines for nuclear and nuclear-related exports.” Read more: Konark Bhandari, Council on Foreign Relations
“After transforming how India orders groceries and meals, the 10-minute delivery model is now knocking on an unlikely door: on-demand domestic labour. Startups are racing to dispatch cooks, cleaners, and other household workers within minutes of a booking. Backed by marquee investors, these ventures are betting that urban India’s hunger for speed and convenience will extend beyond products to people-powered services… Snabbit’s model breaks from the typical gig platform playbook. Unlike typical gig platforms that merely connect users with workers, Snabbit controls the entire supply chain—recruiting, training, assigning, and paying its workforce, according to co-founder and CEO Aayush Agarwal… But as with any speed-driven platform, the question of worker welfare remains. “India is increasingly becoming a testing ground for what we call blood and sweat aggregator companies, platforms that extract maximum labour for minimal compensation, with little regard for social security, safety, or job stability," said Shaik Salauddin, National General Secretary of the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT). “These businesses thrive on hyper-commodified labour, where workers are treated as disposable tools to meet tight delivery timelines and rising customer expectations," he added.” Read more: Sakshi Sadashiv, Mint
Bonus -
“For 27 years, Lakshmi Myneni steered Akshara Books through Hyderabad’s shifting literary landscape. From witnessing the rise of malls to surviving the pandemic, the independent bookstore has seen it all. For years, Akshara and 67-year-old Myneni were waging a lonely battle against dwindling reading habits, bookstore chains and unbelievable discounts from online sellers… In 2022, Luna Books, located in a lovely bungalow in the upscale Jubilee Hills, was founded by sisters Shilpa and Sapna Sudhkar. Off the Shelf arrived two years later, started by siblings Manasa and Meghna Gummi in the heart of the city’s IT district… Indeed, each of the three independent bookstores functions as a space for people to drop in not only for books but also to catch a breather in an increasingly frenetic urban lifestyle. Authors from V.S. Naipaul to Khushwant Singh have promoted their books at Akshara, while numerous young authors have held sessions under its jackfruit and mango trees… Bookstores do not exist in isolation. They need a community to nurture them, and Hyderabad has realised this. Since the surviving independent bookstores in Hyderabad are tucked away in residential colonies and glass towers, social media helps spreads the word.” Read more: Mallik Thatipalli, Vogue India
“But as the Dalai Lama turns 90 next month, Tibetans in exile are anxious about the fate of their stateless nation. The man who has been Tibetans’ binding force and most recognizable face is growing increasingly frail. His goal of returning his people to their homeland remains distant, with China working to finish the task of crushing the Tibetan movement for autonomy… When his birthday is celebrated on July 6, the Dalai Lama has promised, he will reveal a plan for deciding on his successor that factors in the complexities of the moment. The most pressing is dealing with China’s efforts to hijack the process. Under Tibetan tradition, the search for a Dalai Lama’s reincarnation, who becomes his successor, begins only upon the incumbent’s death… China already has a blueprint for inserting itself in Tibetan successions. After the 10th Panchen Lama, as Tibet’s second highest spiritual figure is known, died in 1989, the boy whom the Dalai Lama recognized as the successor went missing in Tibet when he was 6. He has not been seen since… Questions now also hover over India’s strong support of Tibetans, as New Delhi has remained silent over the succession question while navigating fraught relations with Beijing.” Read more: Mujib Mashal and Hari Kumar, The New York Times
Watch/Listen -
The State of Speculative Fiction in Southasia | Himal Fiction Festival 2025 | Himal Southasian