The Interview With Karan Thapar

India’s GDP Overstated by Up to 2% Since 2011-12: Ex-CEA Arvind Subramanian

Whilst as yet it’s too early to say how good or how inadequate is the new methodology for calculating GDP, which came into operation last month, India’s former Chief Economic Advisor, Arvind Subramanian, has pointed out that the old methodology, which came into operation in 2015, overstated GDP growth between 2011-12 and 2023-24 by 1.5-2 percentage points and between 2004-05 and 2011-12 it underestimated growth by 1-1.5 percentage points. He has identified two principal reasons for this. The first is errors and inadequacies in the way growth in the informal sector, which in this period was pretty close to 45% of the economy, was estimated. The second is the deflator. The old methodology used the wholesale price index which understated inflation and didn’t really capture prices in the services sector. So when economists would try to find answers to puzzles such as if growth is strong why is private investment so weak, why is FDI declining, why is capacity utilization, wage growth and employment growth so tepid, the real answer is that growth was not as strong as we thought. This also means that for most of the UPA years growth was underestimated whilst for the NDA years, starting 2014, it was overestimated.

Sky-high Aspirations After Elections In Nepal Need Best Talent In Country To Deliver: Ranjit Rae

India’s former Ambassador to Nepal Ranjit Rae has called the performance of Balendra Shah and his Rashtriya Swatantra Party in Nepal’s recently held elections “an astounding victory”, the scale of which has taken everyone by surprise. He says Balendra Shah in his person bridged the traditional divide in Nepal between the hills and the plains. He presented himself in the Terai as the son of the soil, often speaking in Maithili, and, of course, was very familiar to the hills because he has served as a remarkably successful Mayor of Kathmandu. However, with his huge majority expectations are sky-high. The RSP has committed itself to creating 1.2 million jobs, doubling national income and starting a health insurance for all. Ambassador Rae says the RSP has “very competent leaders” which he called the best talent available in the country. They will need this to deliver on their commitments.

Mid-East War: India’s silences & action inexplicable; they diminish us; this isn’t Satyameva Jayate

In strong and outspoken criticism of the government’s refusal and failure to criticize the US-Israel strikes on Iran and the assassination of Ayatollah Khamenei, India’s former National Security Advisor and former Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon has said it is “inexplicable” and “sad”. He says this will not impress India’s BRICS partners and it “diminishes” the country’s reputation.
Menon, who has also served as a former Ambassador to Israel and China and former High Commissioner to Pakistan and Sri Lanka, said: “I find our silences and our action quite inexplicable. Frankly. I mean not to have anything to say when a Head of State of a state you recognize and in your neighbourhood is assassinated by another country. By not signing the condolence book for five days and then sending the Foreign Secretary, not the Foreign Minister, not the Prime Minister. And to stay absolutely silent on the issues. Not to condemn the attack. And this is unfortunately part of a pattern. Not willing to call the Russian invasion of Ukraine an invasion. You are not willing to vote when Palestinians are being slaughtered in Gaza and on the West Bank. You abstain on voting at the UN. I find this very strange. And rather sad that a country like India with its traditions should end up absolutely mum.”

Flummoxed by Nepal election results; not just a landslide but an upheaval: Kanak Mani Dixit

One of Nepal’s most highly regarded journalists, the Founder Editor of Himal Southasian, Kanak Mani Dixit, says he is “flummoxed” by the Nepal election results which he said are “not just a landslide but up upheaval”. The BBC’s assessment of the result suggests that Balendra Shah and his Rashtriya Swatantra Party could have won 182 out of 275 seats, which is a two-thirds majority.

Modi’s Refusal to Criticize US-Israeli Strikes and Killing of the Ayatollah Have Let India Down

India’s former Foreign Minister, Salman Khurshid, says that Prime Minister Modi’s refusal to criticize the US-Israeli strikes on Iran and the killing of Ayatollah Khamenei have let India down. The strikes are a clear breach of the United Nations Charter and India’s silence is a break with its well-established tradition of speaking out and take clear positions in the interests of its strategic autonomy. Mr. Khurshid has also sharply criticized the timing of Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Israel, which happened roughly 36 hours before the US-Israeli strikes happened on Saturday. After explaining his view point, which is critical of the Modi government’s handling of this matter, Mr. Khurshid also answers questions about reasons why the government may have chosen silence rather than criticize and express concern about the strikes, which has been done by other leading BRICS members like Russia, China, Brazil and South Africa.

US-Israel-Iran: How Far Can the War Go? How Will it End?

With the US-Israel-Iran war becoming a regional crisis how much worse could the situation become? Can decapitation really lead to regime change in Iran? How long can Iran fight on? Will UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia retaliate? And what more does President Trump have in mind? Those are the key issues Karan Thapar discusses with the Defence Editor of The Economist, Shashank Joshi.

Nepal Elections: New Govt Will Be Unstable and Won’t Last Long; Sushila Karki’s Govt a Failure

The Editor of Desh Sanchar.com Yubaraj Ghimire says that the new Nepal government that will be elected by the polls to be held on the 5th of March is likely to be unstable and won’t last long. He also says that the interim administration under former Chief Justice Sushila Karki has been a failure and did not live up to the high expectation people had of it when it took over in September 2025. Ghimire says the final result of the elections to be held on the 5th may not be known for a month because Nepal has a hybrid system where 165 seats are chosen directly and the remaining 110 by proportional representation. It’s the proportional representation part that could take time to be finalised. Therefore, the new government may not take over till the end of March or even early April.

By Refusing To Hear Case Against Assam CM, SC Made ‘Himalayan blunder...Let Down India'

In strong and stinging criticism of the Supreme Court’s refusal to hear the hate speech against Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Dushyant Dave, a former President of the Supreme Court Bar Association, has said the top Court has made “a Himalayan blunder” and “let down 1.4 billion Indians”. Dave said the Supreme Court “insulted each one of us” by refusing to take up the matter and, additionally, it’s done a disservice to the institution and to the judges themselves. 

India Should Walk Out of the India-US Interim Trade Deal: Ajay Srivastava

In an interview to discuss the implications and consequences of the United States Supreme Court striking down President Trump’s reciprocal tariffs and his decision to impose 15% global tariffs on all goods from all counties, the Founder of the Global Trade Research Initiative Ajay Srivastava says that India should now walk out of the India-US interim trade agreement. He said India should now invoke the clause of the joint statement that permits it to modify its commitments if the other country changes its tariffs. 

Andrew’s Arrest a Blow for British Monarchy; If Charged & Convicted It Will Be Very Serious

In an interview to discuss the arrest of former Prince Andrew on suspicion of misconduct in public office and its implications and consequences for the British monarchy, the former Editor of the Financial Times, Lionel Barber, has said this is a blow for the monarchy and it will become a very serious blow if Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is charged and convicted. However, Lionel Barber says that King Charles has done enough to distance the monarchy as an institution from the former Prince and there is no danger of Britain becoming a Republic. “Look, it’s taken a blow and if he’s charged and found guilty it will be a very serious blow but I think King Charles has done enough to distance the monarchy from Andrew and if they carry on in the way that they do there is no question of us turning into a republic or anything like that.”