Some tips from Jaipur for aspiring commentators
While I was in Jaipur to speak at the Literary Festival last week, a young blogger, Aayush Soni, interviewed me on a bunch of issues from how to become a … Continue reading
The real Modi story…
Via Ruchira Gupta, Salil Tripathi in Mint exposes the hollow reality behind the impressive investment figures Narendra Modi has been touting as his big achievement in Gujarat. The key point … Continue reading
Promise and pitfalls of Obama’s South Asia policy
India needs to guide Richard Holbrooke in his work as envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan and tell him the core issue is no longer Kashmir but the nature of the … Continue reading
India Inc. and Modi
My friend and former colleague, Jyotirmaya Sharma, has written the best piece I’ve seen on the craven ‘Modi for PM’ slogans raised by Sunil Mittal, Ratan Tata and Anil Ambani … Continue reading
The "lifetime achievement" of Mr. Advani
I was a bit taken aback by NDTV’s decision to give a “lifetime achievement award” to L.K. Advani of the Bharatiya Janata Party. After all, Mr. Advani was widely acknowledged … Continue reading
Debating India’s anti-terror law
I spoke over the weekend at a roundtable organised by the Public Interest Legal Support and Research Centre (PILSARC) in Delhi on anti-terrorism legislation in India. The panel was pretty … Continue reading
Miliband’s ‘aggressive’ style upsets Delhi
So why did the Ministry of External Affairs issue this rather unusual statement on British Foreign Secretary David Miliband a couple of days ago: “Mr. Miliband is entitled to his … Continue reading
India does U-turn on extradition of Mumbai suspects
Now open to Pakistani trial provided it is fair and not ‘a sham’… NEWS ANALYSISIndia does U-turn on extradition of Mumbai suspectsNow open to Pakistani trial provided it is fair … Continue reading
Chidambaram, MEA sing different tunes on trade, civil society links with Pakistan
A conscious ratcheting up of pressure, or more evidence of confusion among policymakers in Delhi? 14 January 2009The HinduChidambaram, MEA sing different tunes on civil society links with Pakistan Siddharth … Continue reading
‘When finally I am killed, it will be the government that kills me…’
These were Sri Lankan editor Lasantha Wickrematunge’s prophetic last words, contained in a farewell editorial he wrote for his newspaper, The Sunday Leader, to be published in the event that … Continue reading
Hear me on the Mumbai dossier @ NPR
Melissa Block from National Public Radio spoke to me on her news programme, All Things Considered’, about the dossier of evidence India has handed over to Pakistan. You can listen … Continue reading
After evidence dossier, direct accusation against Pakistan strikes discordant note
Ever since Mumbai, Indian policy towards Pakistan has attempte to strike a balance between three, sometimes contradicory, goals… 8 January 2009The Hindu NEWS ANALYSISAfter evidence dossier, direct accusation against Pakistan … Continue reading
Old habits die hard
Susanne Koelbl of Der Spiegel has a genuine international scoop, an interview with the chief of Pakistan’s Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) agency, Maj Gen. Shujaa Pasha. The ISI chief sticks to … Continue reading
Telephone trail key part of evidence shared with Pakistan
Indian dossier blames the Lashkar-e-Taiba, makes no mention of ISI. More than a collection of evidence presentable in a court of law, it contains leads that a diligent investigation on … Continue reading
Siddharth Varadarajan 