Posted on by Sandeep

Problem of Colonial attitudes in Hospitality

Dress Code in Hospitality

The Colonial Table Reserves the Right to Exclude:

Dress Codes, Speech Codes, and the Postcolonial Banquet

In the age-old Indian hospitality scene, where butter chicken meets British binders, a curious phenomenon flourishes—one serving up colonial hangovers not on plates but in protocols. Welcome to the layered performance of power scripted by accents, attire, and playlists, where even your salwar-kurta might be the uninvited guest.

 The Gatekeepers’ New Clothes: Dress Codes as Colonial Echoes

Long gone are blunt signs declaring, “Dogs and Indians not allowed.” Instead, a new breed of gatekeepers brandish the “Dress Code Enforced” disclaimer like a velvet whip.

Recently, at a shining restaurant in Delhi’s Pitampura—“Tubata”—a couple faced this very modern gatekeeping. The woman, enveloped in the humble yet dignified salwar-kurta, was asked to stay out while patrons parading revealing Western attire sailed past unchallenged. The man’s recorded protest echoed through social media: “They insulted Indian culture and disrespected a woman.” Delhi’s Chief Minister, Rekha Gupta, promptly ordered a probe, calling the act “unacceptable.” The restaurant swiftly apologized, promising no further ethnic-wear exclusions, even offering Raksha Bandhan discounts for the culturally attired.

This incident punctuates a persistent colonial script: Western aesthetics remain the gatekeepers’ gold standard, while Indian attire is either “off-brand” or “cultural contraband”—at best a tolerated exception, and at worst a trigger for exclusion.

The Missi Roti Doctrine: Culinary Citizenship or Cultural Contraband?

Our satirical memoir hails from Delhi’s 1992 Hotel Meridian, where a father-son duo navigates the same colonial playbook. Draped in kurta-pajama and speaking impeccable Queen’s English, the father’s linguistic prowess becomes the ticket past velvet ropes that shun his ethnic silhouette.

They ordered and were served baked vegetable in Continental Restaurant. Missi Roti was brought in from Desi restaurant “Dawat”. Now past the “dress code” barrier, the hospitality knew no bounds in service.

This is The Missi Roti Exception: where ethnic wear is grudgingly tolerated only when paired with elite English and implied power. “He must be a NETA,” another host muttered approvingly, recognizing that power language overrides dress code.

Doctrine NameThe Missi Roti Exception
DefinitionEthnic wear tolerated only if paired with elite English and status.
Trigger Phrase“He must be a NETA.”
Cultural OverrideFluent English trumps dress code.
Culinary OutcomeMissi roti served alongside English soufflé.
Institutional LogicGatekeeping collapses when power is performed.
Satirical DiagnosisAesthetic profiling beaten by linguistic dominance.

Entry to Delhi’s posh restaurants is less about what one wears, more about who one sounds like. The kurta-pajama farmer? Denied. The kurta-pajama fluent English speaker? Revered. The three-piece-suited poet? Ignored. The suit beside a powerful political patron? Admitted.

Waiters Speak Empire: The Accent, The Apology, The Tip

Inside, colonial service scripts play out with unsettling precision. The waiter’s accent is neutralized, rehearsed—the colonial English, engineered not to serve but to soothe imagined white patrons, and signal class compliance to domestic elites. “Sir,” “Madam,” and scripted apologies rain down like perfunctory prayers, ritualizing guilt and servitude.

Tipping becomes less transaction, more tribute. Digital tipping interfaces peppered with folded hands and “thank you, kind sir” pop-ups encode colonial hierarchies into modern UX.

Menus and Music: Fusion or Confusion?

Menus blur regional identities into bland continental or ‘oriental’ catch-alls. “North Indian” and “South Indian” clustered like buffet options for Buckingham Palace, regional gems erased unless trendy. Playlists default to Ed Sheeran in a Rajasthani thali house—because if empire is gone, its Spotify algorithm lingers.

From Incident to Institution: The Contemporary Stakes

The Tubata incident surfaced the sharp edges of these coded hierarchies. As Indian attire clashed with a Westernized restaurant ethos, the outrage was swift, but the underlying bacterial colonial mindset remains endemic. Public pressure forced a reversal, but how many deny entry silently, coded by attire, accent, or accentless attire?

Final Pour: Decolonize The Script, Not Just The Spice

Indian hospitality’s true revolution lies not in spices or soufflé finesse, but in tearing down colonial scripts—from dress codes to dialogue—reclaiming spaces for cultural pride, linguistic plurality, and genuine inclusivity.

So, next time you hear “May I take your order, sir?” with clipped British cadence, or see a “Dress Code Enforced” sign quietly excluding heritage, remember: the table is set, but the performance needs rewriting. Otherwise, every meal is a reenactment. Every salwar-kurta an act of subtle defiance.

And every “sir” is a whisper from the past.

Posted on by Sandeep

The real reasons for USA to impose tariffs on India.

Tariffs Beyond Trade: The Geopolitics of USA

India Economic Tensions in 2025

This article analyses the intensifying USA–India economic and geopolitical standoff in 2025, arguing that recent U.S. tariffs on Indian imports are not merely driven by trade policy but are tools of strategic signaling. India’s pushback—from full-spectrum defense modernization to retaliatory procurement suspensions and an assertive role in the Global South—reflects its broader repositioning as a sovereign pole in a multipolar world. The article also examines ongoing high-stakes Boeing aircraft orders by Indian airlines, evaluating how geopolitical escalation could spill over into commercial aviation sectors.

Introduction

As the world transitions deeper into a multipolar order in 2025, India’s ascent is reshaping power dynamics across continents. Once comfortably nestled as a strategic partner of the West, India is now asserting its independence in defense, digital sovereignty, and global trade frameworks. In retaliation, the U.S., under President Trump, has imposed steep tariffs totaling 50% on Indian goods—justified as responses to India’s Russia ties and trade barriers. However, these punitive measures are layered; they reflect more than transactional frustration—they reveal a geopolitical compulsion.

A Strategic Reversal: From Clinton to Trump

The current escalation represents more than policy adjustment. It marks a strategic rupture. Since President Bill Clinton’s efforts in the 2000s, successive U.S. administrations—Bush, Obama, and Biden—worked steadily to pivot away from their Cold War entanglement with Pakistan. They cultivated India as a long-term strategic partner. This entailed robust defense cooperation, civilian nuclear deals, and repeated affirmations of shared democratic values.

In contrast, President Trump’s return has brought an abrupt reversal. Within less than two months, he has begun dismantling this bipartisan consensus. He is re-embracing Islamabad and signaling a shift back to traditional Cold War calculus. This sees Pakistan as a frontline state and India as a non-aligned outlier.

The realignment is not yet fully institutionalized, but the direction is clear. Washington’s India policy is no longer insulated from transactional geopolitical arithmetic. Tariffs, airbase permissions, and intelligence sharing are once again being leveraged. Not to bring India closer, but to punish defiance.

Operation Sindoor: India’s Assertive Military Posture

Operation Sindoor marked a significant inflection point. Conducted on May 7, 2025, this Indian military operation surgically targeted cross-border terror infrastructure in Pakistan. India employed an integrated strike strategy using cruise missiles, kamikaze drones, and precision air strikes. It steered clear of nuclear or overtly military Pakistani targets.

The standout feature was the successful combat deployment of the indigenous Akashteer air defense system. This automated, AI-driven command-and-control platform achieved 100% aerial threat interception, according to military briefings. Symbolically and strategically, this demonstrated India’s transformation from a major buyer of defense systems to a capable indigenous defense innovator.

Operation Sindoor also took place in the shadow of escalating ideological provocation. Just days before the strike, Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir delivered a speech implicitly reviving the two-nation theory. This was rooted in communal division and anti-Hindu animus. Shortly after, terrorists struck Hindu tourists in Pahalgam. This rekindled memories of 1990s Kashmir violence. The Indian establishment viewed this not merely as an isolated attack but part of a renewed ideological offensive. Operation Sindoor was a surgical, symbolic, and policy-calibrated response.

During a post-operation press conference on May 10, India’s Director General of Military Operations smirked when asked if the BrahMos strike on Pakistan’s Kirana Hills had hit nuclear assets. Rumors abound that the facility may have hosted sensitive materials. Possibly even American-origin nuclear components covertly maintained in the region. While there is no official confirmation, this speculation helps explain the unusually swift and harsh response from Washington in the days that followed.

The Russia Energy Nexus and De-dollarization Agenda

India’s continued import of Russian oil—and its conduct of bilateral trade in non-dollar currencies—has drawn U.S. ire. Despite vocal Western pressure, India has sustained these relationships, arguing for energy security and strategic independence.

Curiously, both the EU and the USA continue to quietly import crucial products from Russia. These include liquefied natural gas, fertilizers, uranium, and rare metals. In contrast, India’s transactions have been met with a 50% tariff wall. This differential treatment has led Indian policymakers and analysts to accuse Washington of applying a geopolitical double standard.

Ambassador of USA Eric Garcetti had earlier offered a diplomatic clarification: “India bought Russian oil because we wanted someone to purchase it at a price cap. That was not a violation; in fact, it was the intent of the policy. As a commodity, we aimed to prevent the price of oil from rising, and they fulfilled that.” Here is a clipping of

While intended as a diplomatic olive branch, the statement also underscores the strategic ambivalence of U.S. policy. It encourages price-cap enforcement while simultaneously penalizing its success.

Notably, even as the U.S. criticizes India’s trade with Russia, its own oil exports to India have soared. The U.S. share of oil in India’s imports has more than doubled. It rose from 3.5% in 2023-24 to 7.3% in April 2025. This commercial gain for the U.S. contrasts with its rhetorical alarm over India’s diversified energy sourcing.

Trump’s tariff architecture also reveals a telling pattern.USA chose to impose 50% tariff on India on trade imbalance of $41 billions but has maximum trade deficit of $296 billions with China and $236 billions with EU and both have been imposed lesser tariff. This only shows that reason of imposition of tariff is not economical but political.

Sectors where the U.S. is dependent on Indian supply chains—such as pharmaceuticals—have been conveniently exempted. While Indian garments, electronics, and auto components were slapped with a 50% wall, life-saving generic drugs faced no restrictions. This underscores the transactional nature of U.S. policy: punish where possible, preserve where necessary.

India’s local-currency trade deals with Russia and UAE, part of a broader Global South de-risking agenda, highlight its push toward a “post-dollar” international system. An idea that unsettles some in Washington and on Wall Street.

Strategic Pushback: India’s Retaliatory Moves

In August 2025, India retaliated against U.S. pressure with a subtle but symbolic step. The Ministry of Defence halted the expected procurement of six Boeing P-8I aircraft, a deal valued at over $3.5 billion. While officially framed as a cost reassessment amid tariff volatility, the suspension is unmistakably a counter-signal to Washington’s high-handed economic coercion.

This procurement halt represents India’s effort to reassert bargaining space and recalibrate its defense procurement strategies. Especially as it moves toward greater indigenous production under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

Amid the escalating rhetoric and retaliatory defense postures, quiet diplomacy continues. U.S. negotiators are likely to visit India on August 25, 2025. This signals that strategic tension hasn’t closed all doors to dialogue.

The Boeing Civil Aviation Orders: Commercial Risk in a Strategic Chessboard

Beyond defense, the stakes for Boeing are even higher in India’s booming commercial aviation sector. Indian airlines, led by Air India, have placed or are in talks for orders totaling over 490 aircraft from Boeing. This is part of the largest fleet expansion in India’s history.

Though these deals are commercially driven, their execution relies on export licenses, financing approvals, and continued diplomatic goodwill. As Indo-U.S. friction intensifies, analysts caution that even these big-ticket commercial orders could face delays or renegotiation if Washington escalates further.

For now, these contracts remain intact, but industry observers agree: aviation—once seen as geopolitically neutral—may soon find itself caught in the crossfire of strategic tit-for-tats.

Agriculture, Data Sovereignty, and Cultural Dissonance

Adding to the friction are disputes over American agricultural products, notably dairy derived from cows fed with animal by-products, which India classifies as non-vegetarian. Milk as special religious place in daily rituals. These imports conflict with India’s religious and ecological sensibilities and are subjected to restrictions.

Watch this video clip of Narendra Modi vowing not to let down farmers of India.

At the same time, India’s requirement for data localization and the development of plug-and-play data centers reflects its growing emphasis on digital sovereignty. A move increasingly viewed in Washington as protectionist and strategically defiant.

India’s Role in BRICS and the Global South

India’s proactive leadership in BRICS and the Global South is another axis of U.S. discomfort. Under India’s influence, BRICS has expanded its focus vertically (climate, AI, energy) and horizontally (membership and financial architecture). India remains a bridge between the Global South and developed economies, but its alignment is increasingly issue-based, not bloc-based. This makes its actions unpredictable for powers used to binary alliances.

This non-alignment reimagined as multi-alignment is India’s answer to 20th-century superpower hierarchies.

India’s strategic balancing act continues. Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in China on August 31. An event watched closely by the West. Simultaneously, India’s National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval, is in Moscow meeting with President Putin. This reinforces New Delhi’s multi-vector diplomacy. This dual-track outreach—toward both Eastern blocs—confirms India’s determination to avoid camp-based alignments.

Trump’s Oval Office as Reality Show: Symbolism Matters

Under the Trump administration, diplomacy has taken on the optics of television. Inside the Oval Office, interactions with world leaders are now theatrical confrontations. Foreign accents are ridiculed, political points scored in real-time, and leaders like Zelensky and Ramaphosa have faced public rebukes during meetings. India, too, has found itself in the rhetorical line of fire. A clear shift from earlier warmth in bilateral photo-ops.

This performative diplomacy is more than optics. It’s part of how Washington now orchestrates foreign pressure.

Modi Declines the Oval Stage: Diplomacy Minus Drama

After the G-7 summit, President Trump of USA invited Prime Minister Modi for a White House visit. An invitation that was politely declined. Analysts attribute this to several factors that go beyond scheduling.

First, India’s political culture maintains a civil-military distinction in diplomacy. Any likelihood that Pakistan Army Chief Gen. Asim Munir might also be in attendance made the prospect diplomatically untenable. Modi was not going to be photographed shaking hands with a man India blames for cross-border aggression.

Second, the nature of Trump’s public diplomacy has transformed the Oval Office into a performative space. More reality show than negotiation chamber. In televised encounters, foreign leaders are baited, interrupted, and even publicly mocked. With no opportunity to rebut falsehoods.

Even speculation that Modi might meet Trump during a possible UNSC visit in September is now seen as remote for the same reasons. The diplomatic cost of participating in such theatre is seen as too high.

In Delhi’s view, the ball lies squarely in Trump’s court. So far, his presidency has resurrected Nixon-era policies. And risks meeting the same fate: grand denial and ignorance.

Conclusion: Tariffs as Tactical Tools in a Global Chess Match

What began as a dispute over dairy, oil, and data has unfolded into a broader struggle over influence, alignment, and autonomy. The U.S. tariffs on Indian exports, totaling 50%, symbolize not only trade grievances but an intentional move to check India’s strategic independence. Particularly its strengthening ties with Russia and its stubborn pursuit of multipolarity.

India’s response has been calibrated: halting defense purchases, sustaining local-currency trade, doubling down on indigenous development, and signaling that commercial cooperation, too, is not immune to politics.

India, for its part, is not waiting passively. As per reports in Jagran, the government is finalizing a ₹20,000 crore export boost package aimed specifically at non-U.S. markets. This is an early signal of a “World Minus One” policy. India decoupling itself from economies that use unpredictability as leverage.

Prime Minister Modi’s cabinet is also examining fintech vulnerabilities, as American firms continue to extract significant revenues from India’s digital economy. There is now increasing talk of treating these apps the way Chinese apps like TikTok were handled post-Galwan: with regulatory throttling or outright bans. The metaphor is unavoidable—

Trump has done to India economically what China did physically in Galwan.

Equally concerning is the short notice of the tariff regime, which has thrown India’s export supply chains into chaos. Export orders are not casual transactions. They take months of planning, labor-intensive execution, and complex logistical coordination. A sudden tariff hike is not just economic coercion; it’s sabotage. Factories may shut, workers may be laid off, and entire business models may unravel. With no time to pivot.

Yet observers expecting India to retaliate loudly will likely be disappointed. The Modi government’s preferred mode of response is quiet, delayed, and disguised in procedural fog. Its foreign policy mirrors its domestic strategies—slow, legalistic, and impossible to trace to a single moment of vengeance.

One need only examine India’s internal policy toolkit: ask the groups that protested against NRC, or those alarmed by the comprehensive electoral roll clean-up. Just before elections, five million names were quietly deleted in Bihar, many flagged as duplicates or non-residents. No fanfare, no headlines—just an outcome.

India’s message to Washington may be similar: there will be a cost—but it will come silently and without warning.

As 2025 nears its final quarter, the world watches a new frontline emerge. Not one of open conflict, but of layered, multidimensional contest. Where strategy, sovereignty, and supply chains collide.

The U.S. may have once feared China’s dominance. Now it must contend with India’s defiance.

Posted on by Sandeep

India is a rich country.

The Soul of India’s Wealth: Beyond Currency and Colonial Shadows

When we consider a nation’s “richness,” metrics like Gross Domestic Product (GDP), per-capita income, or currency strength often dominate the conversation. Yet, for India, these conventional measures only scratch the surface of its profound wealth. India’s true richness lies not in fleeting economic indicators but in its historical resilience, its vibrant human capital, and its strategic, often understated, assets that anchor its sovereignty and future, exemplified by its technological triumphs in defense and space.

Strategic Sovereignty: The Bedrock of Prosperity

India’s wealth is deeply rooted in its sovereign control over its resources, a hard-won legacy of its post-independence journey. Unlike nations tethered to external dependencies or scarred by colonial plunder, India has prioritized strategic autonomy. This is most evident in its indigenous defense capabilities, showcased during the 98-hour war in May 2025, where the Akashteer air defense system proved its mettle. Developed by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Akashteer is an AI-powered, fully indigenous system that neutralized Pakistani drones and missiles with a reported 100% kill rate during Operation Sindoor. Integrating real-time satellite surveillance, stealth drone swarms, and the NAVIC navigation system, Akashteer enabled precise, autonomous strikes on 11 Pakistani air bases, outmaneuvering foreign-supplied systems like the US AWACS and Chinese HQ-9. By channeling approximately 75% of its defense capital acquisition budget toward domestic procurement, India has built a robust defense industrial base, ensuring financial resilience and geopolitical independence. This self-reliance, demonstrated by Akashteer’s success, is a form of wealth that transcends balance sheets, safeguarding long-term prosperity.

Resource Wealth: Powering the Future

India’s natural endowments further amplify its wealth. The country holds 14% of the world’s rare earth reserves and is actively exploring lithium deposits, critical for the global energy transition and technologies like electric vehicles and renewable energy systems. Additionally, India’s domestic oil and gas reserves, including recent discoveries in the Krishna-Godavari basin, bolster its energy security. India is also completely food self-sufficient, producing a vast array of crops to meet domestic needs, though it does import certain food articles to diversify its supply. By prioritizing the domestic use of these resources, India breaks free from a colonial past where its wealth fueled foreign empires. Strategic control over these assets shields India from global supply chain disruptions and positions it as a key player in the 21st-century economy, ensuring that its resources serve its people first.

Space Supremacy: NAVIC and ISRO’s Ascendancy

India’s space program, led by ISRO, is another pillar of its wealth, embodying technological sovereignty and global influence. The Navigation with Indian Constellation (NAVIC), a regional GPS system, provides sub-meter accuracy across South Asia, surpassing foreign GPS systems in challenging terrains like mountains and deserts. NAVIC’s integration into Akashteer during the 98-hour war enabled pinpoint strikes, showcasing India’s ability to leverage space for strategic advantage. With over 80 spacecraft launched since 1975, including the INSAT, GSAT, Cartosat, and RISAT series, ISRO supports critical applications from defense to communications. India’s lunar missions, Mars orbiter, and planned crewed spaceflight by 2025 underscore its ambition, with a lunar landing targeted for 2040. This space prowess, entirely indigenous, enhances India’s security, economic resilience, and global standing, marking it as a space superpower.

Cultural Capital: The Golden Foundation

Perhaps the most unique facet of India’s wealth is its vast gold reserves, held not just by the state but by its people. Indian households collectively own an estimated 25,000 to 30,000 tonnes of gold, surpassing the reserves of most global central banks. This decentralized store of value, revered as a symbol of prosperity, acts as an economic shock absorber, providing liquidity and stability to millions outside formal banking systems. Gold, accumulated over millennia, reflects a deep-seated wisdom forged through centuries of invasions and economic upheavals, favoring tangible assets over volatile fiat currencies. It is a golden thread weaving through India’s history, embodying a distinct form of national richness.

Human Wealth: The Heart of India

India’s greatest asset is its people. With a population of over 1.4 billion, India boasts a young, dynamic workforce driving innovation in technology, science, and entrepreneurship, producing the largest number of technocrats, engineers, and STEM graduates globally. The Indian diaspora, spread across the globe, is a testament to the nation’s industrious nature and cultural upbringing. Indians have not only assimilated seamlessly into diverse societies but have also risen to leadership roles, heading international institutions like the World Bank and IMF, and steering multinational corporations such as Google, Microsoft, and PepsiCo. This global influence, paired with significant remittances—amounting to over $100 billion annually—strengthens India’s foreign exchange reserves and amplifies its economic clout. Initiatives like Digital India and a thriving startup ecosystem, home to over 100 unicorns, showcase India’s intellectual capital. This human wealth, rooted in a cultural heritage that fosters resilience, adaptability, and ambition, forms the beating heart of India’s prosperity.

A Tapestry of Resilience and Vision

India’s richness transcends economic metrics, weaving together strategic autonomy, natural resources, space supremacy, cultural wealth, and human potential. As the fourth largest economy in USD terms and third in PPP terms, India’s economic might complements its multifaceted wealth. The 98-hour war and Akashteer’s triumph, powered by NAVIC and ISRO’s satellite grid, highlight India’s technological self-reliance. Its control over critical minerals, vast gold reserves, food self-sufficiency, and vibrant populace—both within its borders and across the globe—create a unique form of prosperity, one that is patiently cultivated, fiercely guarded, and deeply rooted in the nation’s soul. As India navigates global challenges, this multifaceted wealth ensures it remains a formidable force, thriving on its own terms.

Posted on by Sandeep

Why does India have such poor infrastructure at the local level?

Poor infrastructure in India

Why India’s Local Infrastructure Lags – And How to Fix It

India is a land of immense “richness” – from its vibrant human capital to its bold economic strides. Yet, a glaring paradox persists: despite growing individual prosperity, the quality of public infrastructure, especially at the state and local levels, often falls short. Potholes scar roads, sanitation systems falter, and projects languish in delays. This isn’t a reflection of India’s inherent wealth but a consequence of flawed policies that stifle progress. The solution lies in surgical policy reforms that dismantle systemic inefficiencies and curb endemic corruption, unlocking equitable prosperity from the ground up.

The root of poor local infrastructure isn’t just funding shortages or technical limitations. It’s the pervasive corruption that thrives in opaque, unaccountable systems, particularly where small contractors dominate.You walk out of world class airport or squeaky clean railway station or take an arteriole road from world class expressway and it appears that you have entered another country. Why infrastructure built and maintained by Central/federal Govt is world-class but at State level or Municipal level it is squalor all around?

All the infrastructure and public amenities are build by private contractors who are paid by Government and together they abysmally fail in either building it properly or maintaining it properly and do nothing to keep it clean. These contractors are awarded the contracts to construct, repair or maintain the public infrastructure on the basis of competitive bidding. But it appears this system is not bringing meritorious bidders out.

A key issue in this problem is collusive bidding: multiple bids for public contracts are often submitted by members of the same family or group, rigging the process to secure inflated contracts under the guise of competition. To transform this broken system, three targeted policy changes can pave the way for transparency, accountability, and citizen-driven progress.

1. Mandate Business Name Registration for All Contractors
Many small-scale contractors operate informally, using personal names as their “business” identity. This anonymity enables collusion and fraud. Requiring every proprietorship or corporation to register a distinct business name creates a traceable, formal identity. This simple step makes it harder for individuals to hide behind multiple entities, ensuring a public record that fosters accountability and deters corrupt practices.

2. Enforce Transparent Bidding Disclosures
To tackle collusive bidding head-on, tender documents must include a mandatory declaration. Bidders should disclose whether other bids for the same project come from family members or associated entities. Paired with registered business names, this requirement exposes hidden connections, enabling authorities to disqualify collusive bids. The result? Genuine competition, fair pricing, and a cleaner procurement process.

3. Introduce a Public Feedback Rating System
Quality infrastructure demands accountability beyond the contract award. A public feedback rating system, hosted on accessible digital platforms, empowers citizens to evaluate completed projects based on quality, adherence to specifications, and performance. Contractors with consistently high ratings gain a competitive edge in future tenders, while poor performers face reputational and financial consequences. This mechanism incentivizes excellence and deters shoddy work, putting citizens at the heart of infrastructure oversight.

Together, these reforms shift India’s infrastructure landscape from opacity and manipulation to transparency and accountability. By addressing the policy failures that fuel corruption, they unlock the nation’s vast potential to deliver world-class public goods that match its economic and human dynamism.

For a deeper exploration of these issues and transformative solutions, check out Corruption in India: The History, Law and Politics of Corruption, available on Amazon. Join the movement to reimagine India’s infrastructure – one policy, one project, one citizen at a time.

Look at this tweet or X post and decide:

https://x.com/VishalBhargava5/status/1952707880848949578?t=acH4eYv2JwPmhxKRPokKzQ&s=19

Posted on by Sandeep

Tariff and tariff everywhere yet no solace for Trump.

🏛️ Trumpian Tarrifficcing: The Coliseum of Strategic Absurdity

Opening Ceremony: Pandemonium, Escorted

Welcome to the Coliseum of Strategic Absurdity, where the crowds roar—not in applause, but over delayed shipments and contradictory tweets. Glitz, ego, and a Jumbotron featuring Donald Trump’s “Tarrif Tracker” meet bureaucratic inertia from India’s world-class Ministry of Paperwork. Bets are placed not on who wins, but on whose customs queue collapses last.

A lone announcer bellows:

“Tonight: The art of the deal meets the paperwork of denial. Let the games begin!”

Act I: The Basmati and Mango Blockade

Cast: Trump (The Tariff Titan), India (The Silent Scribe), Chai-Sipping Customs Officer

The curtain rises on a refrigerated dock somewhere in Mundra port. Pallets of basmati rice and Alphonso mangoes huddle together for warmth as customs officers practice the ancient Indian sport of “routine inspection.” Hours pass. Then days. Local pigeons organize a sit-in demanding “free trade for all feathery stakeholders.”

Trump, noticing a dip in New Jersey mango supply, erupts: “Obnoxious!” He schedules a 3AM Truth Social post. But in Delhi, officialdom simply shrugs. “Routine inspection,” a ministry statement says, sipping masala chai in full Lotus Pose, while the containers bloom a secondary crop of moss.

Media Chyron: US outraged. India: Only the paperwork has moved.

Rumors of a secret “Basmati Withdrawal Agreement” swirl. Analysts on both sides debate if “green channel” in Indian ports refers to customs or actual plant growth on stuck rice sacks.

Act II: Oil Promises Evaporate

Cast: Oil Barrels, Indian Procurement Committee, Trump (Voice-only, on speakerphone)

Once, there was a handshake deal. America ships oil, India keeps tweeting about “strategic partnership.” Then, Trump live-tweets the entire negotiation, ranking Indian negotiators by “likeability.” Within hours, a procurement memo floats through Indian ministries:

“Due to evolving global circumstances, alternate suppliers are being considered.”

New map: Angolan and Abu Dhabi tankers cheerfully wave from Gujarat’s coast. “We’re reviewing our procurement strategy,” intone officials—diplomatese for, “Congratulations, you’ve just been left on read.”

Meanwhile, Trump’s team triangulates between blaming Canada and threatening to convert the Statue of Liberty into a refinery.

An intern whispers: “Sir, India says they’re focusing on renewables…” Trump, confused, asks if “renewables” is a golf resort in Goa.

Act III: Defence Deals on Ice

Cast: HAL, DRDO, Adani Defence, Enigmatic US Weapons Salesman, Trump (in full camo)

Gone are the days of glitzy contracts and F-16 flypasts. Now, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. and DRDO rediscover patriotism in their HR mission statements. Boards meeting in windowless rooms—PowerPoint slides emerge: “Freedom Through Indigenous Procurement” and “Atmanirbhar: Because Imports Fluctuate, Bureaucracy Endures”.

Across the table, the US arms salesman, jacket adorned with tiny eagles, offers a commemorative pin. “We can throw in a Trump-autographed missile shell.” HAL’s chief demurs, referencing the great Dreamliner Malfunction of Ahmadabad as proof that “true sovereignty is manufactured in Peenya.”

Air India, sensing the mood, pauses the Boeing deal with a press release citing “unexpected turbulence in the supply chain of optimism and landing gears.”

The Pentagon receives a gesture from New Delhi: “We value the partnership—please enjoy our new line of khadi uniforms.”

Silence, somewhere, from the Dead Economy Chamber.

Act IV: Quad Goes VC

Cast: Quad Nations, Silicon Valley Tech Bros, Trump (with parade baton)

The defence summit? India is “on mute”—literally. Instead, Modi joins a Zoom breakout room, replete with family photos and a VPN. The Quad, erstwhile security pact, is now a Silicon Valley pitchfest. Australia pushes lithium. Japan flashes a rare earth mining JV. The US ambassador tries to share a blockchain presentation, but the connection lags just enough to prevent policy disaster.

Trump, expecting a tank parade, is offered a filtered cat avatar and a politely worded 15-minute slot to “promote synergies in battery storage.” He asks Melania if this counts as “strategic.”

Meanwhile, India quietly invests in a meme coin dedicated to Indo-Pacific resilience and marks the calendar: “Next face-to-face, 2050?”

Act V: Stadium Diplomacy Collapses

Cast: Motera Stadium (furloughed), Cricket Board, Trump (misreading GPS), Lahore Dignitaries

The famed “Namaste Trump” moment at Motera is now a legend—a Wikipedia page flagged for possible exaggeration. Stadium lights flicker, then fade. Cricket diplomats declare retirement. “All stadiums are on a fact-finding mission to nowhere,” says a press release.

Trump, redirected by an optimistic GPS, arrives in Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium. Instead of rallying fans, he finds himself greeted by a panel including Golani, ex-terrorist-turned-festival-organizer, and General Asim Muneer, RSVP’ing on behalf of “deep state multilateralism.”

A new event is born: the “Strategic Ambiguity Cup.” The only rule is there are no rules, and every commentator disagrees about who is winning. The crowd, unsure if booing is safe, checks for drones.

Rumors swirl that Trump vows to return with a baseball bat and a 12-part docuseries: “America’s Greatest Trade Showdowns.”

Finale: The Tarrifficcing Weather Forecast

  • 🌾 Basmati: Cloudy with a chance of customs, rice grain futures settle on “mostly ambiguous.”
  • 🛢️ Oil: Evaporating promises, scattered rerouting, sunny in Angola, stormy in Houston.
  • 🛡️ Defence: Frozen with indigenous flurries; occasional gusts of press releases.
  • 📞 Quad: Dial-in diplomacy, no handshakes; Zoom storms expected.
  • 🏟️ Stadiums: Closed for renovation, open for satire, seating limited to nerve.

“India doesn’t retaliate loudly. It retaliates bureaucratically. Trump calls it obstruction; Indians call it tradition; the world calls it yoga for diplomats. Only the paperwork wins in the end.”

— End Scene. No mangoes were cleared during the making of this performance.

Posted on by Sandeep

British Empire’s Exploitation of Girls and Prostitution for Army Personnel in India.

The Queen’s Daughters in India (1899) – Detailed Summary

By Elizabeth W. Andrew and Katharine C. Bushnell

1. Scope & Purpose

This investigative report, published in 1899, exposed the systemic exploitation of native Indian women and girls by the British Army through military-run brothels—called chaklas—within cantonments. The authors (who were members of Parliament) conducted a two-year undercover mission between 1891–1893, visiting around 100 British cantonments.

2. Military-Managed Brothels & Lock Hospitals

  • Chaklas were sanctioned, licensed, and supervised by the British military.
  • Native women were subjected to compulsory and invasive medical inspections.
  • If found infected, women were imprisoned in Lock Hospitals; if cleared, they were returned to service.
  • Those unable to work due to illness were abandoned to starve.

3. Graphic Exploitation Methods

  • Debt bondage: Women earned little and remained in perpetual debt to procuresses.
  • Forced confinement: Some were imprisoned in brothels or hospitals under threat.
  • Underage exploitation: Girls as young as 11–12 were lured, sold, or trafficked into chaklas.
  • Medical abuse: Regular “examinations” violated bodily autonomy and dignity.
  • Child-bearing women: Mothers were not exempt, nor were they given support for their children.

4. Personal Cases & Narratives

The report documents over 300 individual cases, including:

  • A high-caste Brahmin girl found starving and forced into registration as a prostitute.
  • An 11-year-old Kabul girl sold into prostitution under false pretenses of marriage.
  • A white woman held captive in a rooftop room by a knife-wielding guard.
  • Girls trafficked from Egypt, hill regions, and famine-stricken areas of India.

5. Legal & Political Response

  • Their work prompted an internal British investigation and telegrams from the India Office.
  • It contributed to the 1895 amendment of the Cantonments Act.
  • Helped amplify the abolitionist campaign led by Josephine Butler against the Contagious Diseases Acts.

6. Broader Impact

The report is one of the earliest feminist indictments of colonial policies that treated native women as disposable. It helped reframe prostitution in India not just as a medical or moral issue, but as a systemic abuse of power involving the British Army.

“I am only a black woman. They can do anything to me.” – Statement from a girl in the report

🔗 Read the Full Report

You can read or download the original report from Project Gutenberg: