The leadership of the Civil Services advises the policymakers and also coordinates implementation of the Government's decisions. The matter of whether inputs provided by it to the political masters were duly considered, cannot be easily fathomed but it can be rationally believed that 'wise counsels' would be rarely disregarded.
Guru Tegh Bahadurji was born into a tradition that challenged Mughals of Central Asia that had occupied vast tracts of Indian territory. He is a symbol of tenacity, sacrifice and his life is a wonderful example of physical and mental valour.
The pertinent question that has arisen is whether the Indian Premier League (IPL) should continue or not. The IPL at present is the lifeline for Indian cricket and cricketers. The Indian cricket board (BCCI) could have easily held it in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) like they did six months ago.
Seen in isolation, Khanjar-VIII, the name of the manoeuvres, may not mean much. But when clubbed with China's long shadow over the region, which has discomforted both Russia, the traditional heavyweight, and India, which is anxious that its deep cultural ties with Central Asia may soon be eroded under Beijing's influence, it acquires an altogether different meaning.
The article was subsequently shared on Chinese social media, briefly became a matter of discussion, and was promptly restricted/ taken down by the platforms. This episode reveals a lot about the changing nature of CCP's internal politics, and the growing intolerance of Xi Jinping's dictatorship. Let's consider a few points of note.
What is increasingly clear though is China aims to dominate the Southeast Asian politics through its asymmetric economic relations with its neighbours. China is effectively using its economic prowess for meeting its political and territorial goals.
History Tells a Story. History is replete with examples of path-breaking inventions being viewed with disdain at inception, and thought either impractical or even impossible. For instance, Marshal Ferdinand Foch, the Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in 1918 was quite dismissive of aviation, and had famously said that "airplanes are interesting toys, but of no military value."
