Tons of gold.

"Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Sanjay Malhotra has indicated that capital account liberalisation cannot come at the cost of macroeconomic sovereignty." "Highlighting some of the prudent measures.., Malhotra said that there were controls on the capital account for residents, limits on short term foreign debt and RBI intervened in forex markets when needed." TOI. Deputy Governor T Rabi Sankar said, "The RBI remains committed to the internationalisation of the rupee, but steps in with measures whenever there is excessive volatility." msn.com. The Indian rupee is freely convertible in the current account, which is for investment purposes (Medium) but is not convertible in the capital account, which is for buying assets (Tata). "Foreign investors (FIIs) pulled out nearly $19 billion from Indian equities in 2026 so far, even as domestic investors continued to deploy money through systematic investment plans (SIP) and lump-sum allocations." FE. In effect, FIIs repatriated foreign exchange bought by Indian rupees from domestic investors. But Indians are not allowed to buy and hold foreign currency. The result is that the RBI and the government can make Indians poorer deliberately. One US dollar bought Rs 59.44 in May 2014 (Thomas Cook) when Mr Narendra Modi was first elected prime minister (wikipedia), and is at 94 to one dollar this morning (xe.com). That is an impoverishing devaluation of over 58%. A weaker currency causes inflation by  increasing prices of imports and higher prices further reduce the value of the rupee. The RBI has been tolerating retail inflation at over 4% in most years (RI) and has overseen the rupee reduced to near junk. High inflation helps the government reduce its debt by increasing tax collections and rupee devaluation reduces the value of the debt. Economics Help. Thus, the RBI has been systematically transferring the wealth of Indian citizens to the government. In 2022, the RBI allowed foreign banks to open 'Vostro accounts' in Indian banks so as to enable payment for imports in Indian rupees. pib.giv.in. The idea is that when a company imports goods from a foreign company it will deposit the cost into the account of that country in an Indian bank in rupees which can then be used to pay for goods bought from India (Investopedia) by a company of the same country. This way India would save foreign exchange. This can only work if trade with another country is roughly equal but we incurred a deficit of $333.20 billion in merchandise trade and a surplus of $213.89 billion in services trade for a combined trade deficit of $119.30 billion in 2025-26. pib.gov.in. And, also the currency must retain its value. Russian banks opened vostro accounts in India to avoid Western sanctions but were stuck with over $8 billion in rupees in those accounts. They had to spend the money in buying Indian government bonds, machinery and arms. Mint. Ordinary Indians do not understand all these shenanigans but they can feel that they are being cheated somehow. So they buy gold. "Morgan Stanley economists Upasana Chachra and Bani Gambhir estimate that Indian households now hold 34,600 tons of gold worth nearly $3.8 trillion (Yahoo) which is just below India's nominal GDP at $3.916 trillion  (TOI). Ironically, India fell from 4th largest economy in the world to 6th because of the slump in the rupee. As India's central bank, the RBI should control inflation and honor the rupee. Making citizens poorer is no sovereignty. No capital account convertibility? No problem - there's gold convertibility. Tons of it.  

Perception is correct.

"India's central bank has flagged the risk of inflation becoming entrenched as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continue to disrupt global supply chains and energy markets." Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Sanjay Malhotra "suggested that the central bank's response would focus more on managing expectations than aggressively tightening demand." ET. Meaning, he is averse to higher interest rates. "When households are asked to assign a number to current or future inflation, their responses are shaped by recent movements in the prices of everyday items," wrote Deepa Vasudevan. "The lower and more uncertain the income, the greater the inflation anxiety, and the higher the inflation is perceived to be." "Household inflation perceptions are heavily influenced by food and fuel prices." Even with the new CPI basket which assigns lower weight to food (finshots.in), "Households continue to perceive inflation 4-6% higher than the official rate." So, how is the RBI going to change public perception? By telling people they are wrong? The government has a large number of goods and services items in the CPI basket and measures inflation year-on-year but people perceive only what they buy which gives rise to 'subjective bias'. People only remember what they have purchased recently so there is 'recency bias', a sudden sharp rise in prices gives 'shock bias' and they notice only changes in prices which is 'impact bias'. Still, if their perception changes their consumption it is important for the economy, wrote Madan Sabnavis. Last year, the Economic Survey pointed out that while companies are making record profits, wages are not growing. "Profits before taxes for over 33,000 sampled companies nearly quadrupled between 2019-20 and 2022-23. Nifty 500 companies posted profit growth of 22.3% in 2023-24 alone." But employment grew by just 1.5% and, while the GDP grew at 6.7% between 2021-22 and 2023-24, "real wages for regular workers contracted by 0.07%," wrote Ajit Ranade. Indian companies operate on the principle of gouging customers while paying niggardly wages to their workers. No Indian company will dream of doubling wages as Henry Ford did, when on 5 January 1914, "he announced that henceforth the minimum wage for Ford employees would be $5 for an eight-hour day, more than doubling the previous Ford minimum wage of $2.34 for a nine-hour day." Ford Motor's profits doubled from 1914-1916. ebsco.com. Corporate social responsibility, in which companies must spend 2% of net profits on social activity, has been made mandatory cleartax.in. "Indian firms spend about Rs 340 billion on CSR, but most of it flows into low-poverty areas, and larger firms are leaving funds unspent." indiaspend.com. No wonder, worker protests broke out in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh recently. BBC. In 2012, the General Manager Human Resources was burned to death at Maruti Suzuki's car plant in Haryana. TOI. When people are financially stressed even a slight rise in prices can seem intolerable. The RBI is not serious about inflation control, achieving its target only in 2025 (RI). Perception is correct. It's not bias.  

The price of cheap food.

On 31 December 2025, "Cut to 2026, three months in. India will expand to $4 trillion in GDP by then, just $150 billion shy of beating Japan and likely to cross the latter in FY27 to reach No 4 in the global pecking order." India will soon cross $5 trillion, wrote Pragya Sravastava and Payal Bhattacharya. However, "At an individual level, Indians remain behind. Per capita GDP - the real deal - is estimated at $2,818 for 2025-26, and puts India among the 50 poorest countries." Instead of rising to 4th, India has slipped to 6th according to the IMF's World Economic Outlook (April 2026). As per the IMF's estimate in April 2025, India should have been at $4,187.017 billion in April 2026, with Japan at $4,186.431 billion and the UK at $3,839.18 billion. Instead, India's nominal GDP is at $3,916 billion with the UK at $4,003 billion and Japan at $4,435 billion. TOI. This is partly because GDP is measured in US dollars and the Indian rupee has fallen from 84.5484 on 30 April 2025 (exchangerates.org.uk) to 93.33 to one dollar this morning (xe.com). Also, the base year for the GDP has been updated from 2011-12 to 2022-23 and the methodology has been changed to international standards. Accordingly, the nominal GDP in FY26 is calculated at Rs 345 trillion as opposed to Rs 357 trillion projected earlier. Kashmir Life. A research paper by Abhishek Anand, Josh Feldman and Arvind Subramanian have reworked the numbers. "Officially India's so-called 'gross value added' (an indicator of economic output from the production side) between 2011 and 2023 grew at an average rate of 5.9% in real terms. With the corrections, that average rate drops to 4-4.4% per year, according to Anand et al." The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) strongly disagreed. Mint. In December 2025, the economy was said to be in a 'Goldilocks period', with 8.2% growth in the second quarter of 2025-26 and consumer price index (CPI) inflation below 2%. ET. The glee is because the CPI inflation rate came in at 1.33% year-on-year in December 2025, with food prices contracting by -2.71%. pib.gov.in. That may not be something to celebrate as "Cheap food for the urban consumer has been secured by shifting the burden of inflation control on to the farmer." "When output prices fail to cover the full cost of production, debt ceases to be a choice and becomes a structural inevitability. In India, nearly 70% of farm households are trapped in a cycle of borrowing, with small and marginal farmers, who constitute 85% of all cultivators, bearing a disproportionate share of this burden." DH. In supreme irony, "The Union Cabinet... approved a two-percentage-point increase in dearness allowance (DA) for central government employees and dearness relief (DR) for pensioners, raising both to 60% of basic pay and pension respectively." HT. Dearness means higher prices or inflation. So, this pampered, overpaid crowd gets 60% extra cash every month while farmers are suppressed. The GDP series may be new, but the exploitation is old. They get 60%. Farmers borrow. It's redistribution. Indian style.       

Dreaming of stars.

"The indigenously designed and built Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu successfully attained its first criticality on 6th April 2026, marking the initiation of a sustained chain reaction." "Once fully operational, India will become only the second country in the world after Russia to operate a commercial fast breeder reactor." pib.gov.in. "During the same time India's first PFBR achieved criticality, Bengaluru-based startup Pranos raised $6.8 million in seed funding to build India's first commercial fusion reactor prototype." "Fusion-based reactor technology is gaining traction with a couple of Indian-startups looking at power generation by 2035, while thorium-based rectors are a few decades away." "India is already contributing Rs 7.45 billion in 2026-27 for a global fusion project, the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), a multi-country endeavour located in France." BT. India's top companies Reliance and Adani are interested. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)  spent "$74 million on the Mars orbiter Mangalyaan and $75 million on...historic Chandrayaan-3 - less than the $100m spent on the sci-fi thriller Gravity." Nasa's Maven orbiter cost $582 million and Russia's Luna-25, which crashed on the moon's surface, cost $133 million. BBC. Although, India has a track record of achieving great scientific success on a shoestring budget, $6.8 million is really loose change for fusion research. China Fusion Energy and Neo Fusion of China have budgets over $2 billion, while Commonwealth Fusion Systems and Helion Energy of the US have budgets of nearly $3 billion and over $1 billion respectively. FEB. Tokamak technology has been around since !960. The Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) was built at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory in 1980 and entered service in 1982 but it could never achieve break-even, which means it used more power than it produced. It was dismantled in 2002. wikipedia. In December 2022, "an experiment carried out at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in California had for the first time managed to produce more energy than it than it consumed via nuclear fusion," but "The experiment in California was carried out under special conditions that cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world and produce modest results in terms of the amount of energy generated," wrote Marcos Pivetta. Perhaps, the biggest hurdle will be electricity. ICRA estimates electricity demand to grow by 5-5.5% in FY 2026 and by a compound annual growth rate of 6-6.5% over the next five years. ET. It is not sure whether this takes into account that "India's data center capacity is expected to surge nearly six-fold from about 1.5 GW in 2025 to 8-10 GW by 2030, while electricity consumption from the sector is expected to rise sharply from 10-15 terawatt hours (TWh) in 22024 to 40-45 TWh by 2030." FE. It's good to dream of producing fusion energy of stars in India. Others have tried and failed. At least it's cheap at $6.8 million.

All for women.

"Prime Minister Naredndra Modi yesterday apologised to women across the country after the Lok Sabha rejected the proposal for 33% reservation for women in Parliament," blaming opposition parties. ET. But why now, exactly one week before elections to assemblies of opposition controlled states of Tamil Nadu and West Bengal (wikipedia)? Government channels "Doordarshan National and DD News are the primary government broadcast channels that carry all presidential and prime ministerial addresses to the nation live and without interruption." Not just that, "Every household with a basic cable or DTH connection receives DD News." Dailyhunt. Which means that every Indian citizen is compelled to subscribe to these channels which serve the government. Mr Modi first came to power in 2014 (wikipedia) so why did he bring this law at this time in blatant violation of the Model Code of Conduct which "prescribes that official work and campaigning shall be kept separate and no official machinery should be used for campaigning. It also prohibits from spending public money for propaganda (wikipedia). At the very least the Election Commission of India (ECI) should postpone both elections by one month. Mr TN Seshan would have had the guts and integrity to do so TNIE. If the government's collective heart is bubbling over with concern for women, perhaps someone could explain why 35-year old Princess Latifa of Dubai was assaulted by Indian commandos, forcibly tranquilized and flown back to Dubai when she was begging for asylum (TOI). Or why thousands of women, many with little children, were forced to walk hundreds of kilometers back to their villages with no food, water, transport (gettyimages.in) or any help from the government after a very stringent lockdown was imposed on the whole nation on 25 March with just 4 hours notice (BBC)? Hungry toddlers cried for food and women even gave birth at the roadside without any medical help. TOI. Jyoti Kumari, born in 2005, would have been just 15 years old in May 2020, when she carried her injured father 1,200 kms on a bicycle from Gurugram near Delhi to Sirhulli in Bihar. Cycling 100 kms every day. wikipedia. Has anyone apologised to all these women for all the suffering that was imposed on them? "The 106th Constitutional Amendment in 2023 introduced reservation of one-third of seats in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies for women. It provides that reservation will come into effect after an exercise of delimitation is undertaken for this purpose, based on the first census after the commencement of the 2023 Act." PRS. A census started on 1 April 2026 and will continue till September. The Population Enumeration is scheduled for February 2027. wikipedia. The 131st Amendment Bill, which was defeated in Parliament, proposed Delimitation based on 2011 Census and Women's Reservation based on that. This was brazen, shameless duplicity. The ECI is a constitutional body and should take action at this sly, deceitful and  dishonorable electioneering. That would need a spine. Of bone. Not jelly  

At $1 per hour.

Four days ago, "Police lobbied tear gas shells and used 'minimum force'...to quell a factory workers' protest in the Indian national capital's suburb of Noida, which turned violent on its fourth day, with vehicles torched and stones pelted in parts of the satellite city." Perhaps incensed by the news that, "Similar protests in the auto-making state of Haryana last week led to the government ordering a 35% hike in minimum wages." Reuters. Noida is in Uttar Pradesh and so, "Noida police have alleged that two social media accounts in X, operated from Pakistan, played a major role in escalating the April 13 labor protest into violence by spreading false information about multiple deaths during the demonstrations, as per TOI." India's strict labor laws imposed high costs on employing permanent labor. So companies resorted to laborers on temporary contracts, on lower wages and no benefits, supplied by manpower supply companies. Scroll. Last year, "With the four labor codes now live, the government has effectively rewritten the rules for how companies hire outside permanent roles. In plain terms: India's workforce has long run on two parallel tracks, fixed-term direct hires and contract labor via agencies. The codes try to formalize both." MC. However, Noida is not the only place, workers have protested in Faridabad and Manesar in Haryana, in Surat in Gujarat and in Bhiwadi in Rajasthan. Paltry wages, which have stayed stagnant for years, while prices have risen make life impossible. DH. A shortage of manufacturing jobs for unskilled labor forces people to work for low wages. On 31 January 2025, "The sector's contribution to GDP, which has stagnated at 16-17% (of GDP) for years, is projected to drop to 13-14% by 2025." "Supply chain disruptions, cost disadvantages and a tepid export environment have significantly eroded the sector's competitiveness." FE. India produces a large number of graduates, but "graduate unemployment for the 15-25 age group is hovering near 40%", because, "India's elite, hemmed in by its own risk aversion and stifling bureaucratic controls, has shown little ambition to build the kind of mass-employment manufacturing base that could provide an alternative," wrote Andy Mukherjee. Mopping and dusting offer better returns. "At Indian startup Pronto's training hub, women hone their mopping and chopping skills while learning how to send SOS signals if they feel unsafe in customers' homes. They are set to join India's new consumer craze: house help for $1 an hour." "The potential annual earnings from working eight hours a day can be as high as $5,000 - a figure that surpasses India's per capita income of around $3,000." "Similar services can cost around $30 an hour in the United States, and around $7 in China." Reuters. In Noida, most protesters are "non-unionised contract workers employed in small factories across industrial clusters." "They earn between Rs 10,000 ($107) and Rs 15,000 a month - wages that have remained largely unchanged for months. Many are migrant workers, living hand-to-mouth in cramped housing on the city's outskirts." BBC. While women are becoming home helps, men are joining the gig workforce as delivery men. "India's gig workforce is 12 million strong and expected to double to 24 million by the end of this decade." BBC. Given all that, $1 an hour is the highest price for an Indian. Only if you are lucky.      

A loud 'No' please.

In a special session of the Parliament, "Formally known as the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyan, the Women's Reservation Bill is a constitutional amendment that seeks reservation of 33% of seats in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies for women." TOI. But, why now? Exactly one week before assembly elections West Bengal and Tamil Nadu (wikipedia), both states ruled by opposition parties. The original bill passed in 2023 was to come into effect in 2034, based on the 2027 Census. However, the BJP has moved a Delimitation Bill prematurely, tying it to the Women's Reservation Bill (ET) even before the Census has been completed. Delimitation is meant to increase the number of seats in the Lok Sabha to reflect the growth in population. The problem is that the total fertility rate (TFR) is high in the northern Hindi-speaking belt while it is below replacement level in the South and East. wikipedia. "Projections suggest the number of Lok Sabha seats could rise from 543 to 753 if current population trends continue." Seats of southern states will rise from 129 to 144, which will be a fall from 24% of the Lok Sabha to 19%, while northern states will see a jump of 60% from 222 to 357. Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Chandrababu Naidu and "his counterparts in other southern states are desperate to escape the sheer weight of numbers in the country's north. Naidu promised women Rs 25,000 if they had a third child, and also suggested extended maternity leave and a longer period of free education." ET. And yet, while other southern states have opposed the bills, Mr Naidu said that the present Women's and Delimitation Bills have his 100% support. ET. Why? What is Mr Naidu afraid of? In fact, with 240 seats, the BJP is well short of the 272 required for a majority and is only in power because of the support of the TDP of Mr Naidu with 16 seats and JDU's 12 seats from Bihar. wikipedia. In Bihar, JDU Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has been sent to the Rajya Sabha and replaced by Mr Samrat Choudhary who switched from the JDU to the BJP. BBC. The Lok Sabha has 540 members at present so 271 will give a simple majority but a Constitutional Amendment requires two-thirds majority which means 360. The Wire. Mr Naidu can kill off the Delimitation Bills while supporting the Women's Reservation Bill. Mr Naidu should remember that the BJP has a habit of cannibalising its friends and destroying them in the process. He should see what happened to BJP's friends, the Shiv Sena, also a Hindu party, and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCD) in Maharashtra, the Akali Dal in Punjab and the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) in Bihar. The Wire. Mr Eknath Shinde broke away from the Shiv Sena and was the chief minister of Maharashtra from June 2022 to December 2024. wikipedia. Now he is Deputy Chief Minister alongside Ms Sunetra Pawar of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) (wikipedia). In 2019, the undivided Shiv Sena had 56 seats and the NCP had 54, for a total of 110, while the BJP had 105 seats. Since 2024, the BJP has 132, while Mr Shinde's Sena and Ms Pawar's NCP have a total of 98 seats. PRS. Mr Naidu should prepare for sunset. Unless he stands up to the rapacious BJP. Say "NO". Loudly. 

Going backwards.

 "Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal...said India has achieved a record in exports of goods and services, with total shipments crossing USD 860 billion in 2025-26. Total services and merchandise exports were worth USD 825 billion in 2024-25." ET. "India's trade deficit widened to $119.3 billion in FY 2025-26 from $94.6 billion in the previous financial year, marking the second highest gap in the past 11 years, according to official data." Imports grew 6.4% year-on-year to $979.4 billion, driven by the high gold and silver prices, while exports grew 4.22%. Merchandise exports rose 1% to $441.78 billion. CNBCTV18. "India's nominal GDP ranking has dropped to sixth place in 2025, according to IMF data, mainly due to the rupee's fall against the dollar and updated base year calculations." However, India's economy is still growing strongly, as the real GDP growth has been revised upwards to 8.2% in the second quarter of FY 2025-26. Whalesbook. Foreign investors are selling out of Indian equities. "According to veteran investor Akash Prakash, FPIs (foreign portfolio investors) have been persistent sellers in Indian equities since October 2024, with outflows exceeding $45 billion over an 18-month period." "In aggregate terms, the selling accounts for nearly 1% of India's total market capitalisation, indicating pressure that surpasses levels seen during the global financial crisis." And yet, "Indian equities continue to trade at a steep premium of 50% compared to emerging market peers." CNBCTV18. It is because of systematic investment plans (SIP) (MFSH) said fund investor Shankar Sharma. "They are exiting because SIP money is entering. Selling equals buying." "Even in utopia, you can't have SIP and FPIs both buying together. Somebody's got to sell for them to buy," he said. "India's foreign exchange restrictions have made it costlier and more complex for overseas investors to hedge against rupee swings, denting the appeal of Indian bonds, while a war-driven hit to earnings prospects is adding fresh pressure on equities." "Steps taken by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to steady the rupee - including curbs aimed at limiting arbitrage trade" mean that "One-year hedging costs in the onshore markets have risen by about 30 basis points since the measures were introduced. The increase has been steeper offshore, with NDF (non-deliverable forwards) (Investopedia) hedging costs climbing nearly 70 basis points." Reuters. First the RBI forced banks to sell dollars in excess of $100 million, forcing banks to incur losses (TOI) and then it restricted rupee hedging in the onshore and offshore NDF markets (msn.com). As a result, "Banks are staring at potential losses running into hundreds of millions of dollars, according to Jefferies Financial Group Inc. Hedging costs have jumped, making it harder for investors to buy protection." "Two senior foreign bankers said clients had questioned the RBI's seemingly arbitrary move." "Some foreign investors said they may stay away from India even after the current uncertainties ease, the bankers added." ET. The RBI had been trying to encourage foreign trade in the Indian rupee which would preserve foreign exchange and protect against sanctions by western countries. rbi.org.in. Now no one will be willing to touch the rupee with a hundred-foot barge pole (wytv.com) after this. Seems that the RBI is contradicting its own actions. A collective Brain Fog (Cleveland Clinic). Indians blame foreigners. Brainwashed. 

Food is not an allowance.

"Despite the sharp surge in global energy prices triggered by the ongoing West Asia conflict, the impact on India's retail inflation has remained limited so far, according to a report by Crisil Intelligence." "The report noted that although Brent crude prices rose about 45% in March and international natural gas prices jumped nearly 69% compared with February, the pass-through to domestic retail inflation has been muted." ET. Indeed, "Year-on-year inflation rate based on All India Consumer Price Index (CPI) with base year 2024 for the month of March 2026 over March 2025 in 3.40%. (Provisional)." Food price inflation was 3.87%. pib. gov.in. "India's robust macroeconomic and financial sector fundamentals are likely to cushion the impact of sustained oil price shock, though economic growth could slow by up to 80 basis points (bps) if crude averages USD 130 per barrel in 2026, according to S&P Global Ratings." "The agency warned that an energy shock would transmit through higher input costs, squeezed corporate margins, rising consumer prices and increased fiscal strain if the government steps in with subsidies." ET. Energy shock is already affecting the vulnerable. "India has more than 450 million internal migrants, according to the last census in 2011 and government estimates, forming the backbone of its informal economy." Food has become unaffordable as "Black market prices of cooking gas cylinders have soared beyond what laborers living hand-to-mouth can earn." HT. "At least 12 eateries in Delhi were forced to shut operations...due to shortage of commercial LPG cylinders," with black market prices rocketing to over Rs 5,000 per cylinder. MC. Many have lost their jobs and the wages that go with them. Uttar Pradesh (UP) raised the minimum wage of workers as "Protesters in Noida - a suburb of the national capital that houses industrial units including that of South Korean technology giant Samsung Electronics - had torched vehicles pelted stones...as they demanded higher pay." "Similar protests in the state of Haryana, an automaking hub, last week also led to its government ordering a 35% hike in minimum wages." "Around 40,000 workers took part in the Noida protests." Reuters. "UP Labor Minister Anil Rajbhar...described the violence during workers' protests in Noida as 'well-planned conspiracy' and said a possible Pakistan link is being investigated in the light of recent terror related arrests in the region." ET. It is hard to understand the plight of the low-paid when UP politicians awarded themselves an enormous rise in salary, pensions and family pensions + constituency allowance + secretarial allowance + daily allowance + medical allowance + public service allowance (when not working) in August 2025. HT. Rice can be cooked over an electric stove but chapati, or whole-wheat flatbread (wikipedia), is best cooked over a gas flame. And, North Indian and Pakistani cuisine are very similar. Royal Nawab. Food prices may have dropped but can't eat without cooking. Hunger is not Pakistani. Not asking for allowances. Just food.   

Strategic imitation.

The first high-level talks between the US and Iran since 1979 "were meant to turn the fragile two-week ceasefire into something lasting. Instead, the marathon talks lasting some 21 hours, ended with no agreement between the warring parties." India Today. If Iran succeeds in making a nuclear weapon it will not hesitate to threaten nations along the Gulf and even demand a fee from every oil tanker, as it is doing now. "Saudi Arabia has warned that it will develop its own nuclear weapon if regional rival Iran acquires one." Prince Mohammed bin Salman "called Iran's (deceased) Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei 'the new Hitler of the Middle East'." BBC. The Abraham Accords (wikipedia) show that "now Sunni Arab states are publicly aligning with Israel because they recognize Israeli military strength is the most powerful check on Persian imperial expansion. A weakened or eliminated Israel does not produce Palestinian statehood. It produces a Hezbollah-Hamas-Iranian arc from Tehran to the Mediterranean, with nuclear ambitions and a declared ideological commitment to the destruction of the Western liberal civilization," wrote Ravi Shankar. Israel is vital, Iran is lethal. After the talks in Pakistan broke down, "A US blockade of Iran's ports and a partial blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, chokepoint for shipments of oil, fertilizer and other vital goods began this morning." CBS. Iran has called it an act of piracy and threatened to hit other Gulf states. Iran has been attacking other Gulf countries with missiles and drones even though they are not involved in the conflict." NBC. So, that is an empty threat. Also by threatening to bomb oil tankers Iran has been collecting $2 million from every ship. HT. Iran has been essentially defanged by the adoption of its own tactics and it is already feeling the effects. "This not only potentially curtails the outward flow of Iranian oil, impacting the ability to raise funds for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), but also affects every import." Its currency the Rial has dropped to 1.58 million to one US dollar, so that it has issued a 10 million Rial note, and inflation is over 50%. The Print. "According to an estimate, the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz could cost Iran up to $435 million a day," including $276 million in lost exports, mainly crude oil and petrochemicals. News18. "Lebanon's future is in danger; as long as Hezbollah exists." "Actually, the whole region would benefit from this war delivering a weakened Iran." "What it's really been spreading is hatred and extremism," wrote Khaled Zein Eddine. The regime is a victim of its own corruption. Iranian banker Ali Ansari acquired properties along The Bishops Avenue, dubbed Billionaire's Row, in north London, at a cost of 90 million pounds (around $120 million today). These are lying empty because of sanctions. WSJ. Last year, Ayandeh Bank, run by the regime's cronies, went bust with $5 billion in debt. "The government folded the carcass into a state bank and printed a vast amount of money to try to paper over all the red ink." WSJ. The currency dropped, inflation rose. If the US blockades Iran's ports for a few days the economy will collapse and the regime will have to accept terms for peace. Without using expensive missiles and without any loss of life. Using Iran's own strategy. What Iran can do, the US can do better. Brilliant. 

TN Seshan and Sonali Khatoon.

Elections to the assemblies of Assam, Kerala and Puducherry have been held while elections to West Bengal and Tamil Nadu assemblies will be held next week. wikipedia. Election to the Uttar Pradesh (UP) assembly will be held in February-March 2027. wikipedia. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has been conducting Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in every state to bring the electoral register up to date by removing those who have migrated, died or are foreigners. eci.gov.in. It may seem logical to delete bogus and dead voters from electoral rolls but the present EC has lost confidence and is increasingly suspected of taking orders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Last month, "The Election Commission blamed clerical errors for a letter by the EC being circulated with a BJP seal." The EC dismissed it as a clerical error but the CPI(M) party sneered on X, "It is no secret that the same power center seems to control both the Election Commission of India and the BJP. Even then, at least maintain the courtesy of two separate desks." TOI. What a descent into disgrace from the days of Mr TN Seshan under whose "superintendence, direction and control of elections, execution of the universal suffrage principle envisaged in the Constitution reached new heights, making countrymen proud of the commission and our elections (TNIE). In UP which has a BJP government the "electorate expanded by 8.43 million between the draft roll in January and the final number.., the highest among the 13 states and Union Territories where the SIR has concluded." HT. Whereas in West Bengal, which is ruled by the Trinamool Congress Party the SIR has deleted "over 5.8 million names, redrawing voter profiles across districts, border belts and high-profile constituencies." MC. Large number of Muslims have been deleted from the rolls on the ground that they are foreigners from Bangladesh (BBC) even after the odious incident of 26-year-old pregnant woman, Sonali Khatoon, who was picked up and dumped in Bangladesh and was brought back only after the Supreme Court ordered. Her husband and three others are still stuck in Bangladesh. TOI. An NGO, Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR), has alleged in the Supreme Court that the EC failed to weed out 500,000 duplicate voters in Bihar (TOI), which has a BJP-led coalition government (wikipedia). In 1990, when Seshan became Chief Election Commissioner (wikipedia), India had a coalition government with Mr VP Singh as Prime Minister  (wikipedia) followed by a Congress-led minority government from 1991 under Mr Narasimha Rao  (wikipedia). Politicians were no saints at that time but at least they tried to maintain a facade of decency, unlike the brazen shamelessness at present, secure in the rock-like support of an army of deluded Bhakts  (DH) whose dung-filled skulls preclude any logical thought. Immoral politicians will do anything for power and the infinite opportunities for enrichment, but sycophants, who spinelessly accept orders to commit criminal acts, are contemptible trash. "Nobody hates living in India like Indians," said an influencer in the US. TOI. Does the EC feel insulted? If not, India is finished. No redemption.             

Breed unlimited fuel.

"Google has secured a crucial power distribution license from the Andhra Pradesh cabinet for its planned 1 GW data center hub in Visakhapatnam." Electricity can constume 40-60% of operating expenses, so, "As India's data center capacity grows, expected to reach 10 GW by 2030, there are significant concerns about energy and water use." Data centers already use 2-3% of India's power output. Whalesbook. "The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has urged state governments to ensure robust power supply for India's rapidly growing data centers." As of 31 January 2026, the installed generation capacity in India stands at 520.5 GW. Data centers alone are expected to guzzle more than 13.6 GW power by 2032 and 16.4 GW by 2040." The Print. Electricity generation could jump as, on 6 April 2026, a 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam went critical. This type of reactor converts depleted uranium into fissile plutonium which is used to convert thorium into fissile uranium, thus 'breeding' more fuel than it consumes. The Wire. "According to the Department of Atomic Energy (DoAE), India has identified over 11.93 million tonnes of in situ monazite resources, containing more than 1 million tonnes of thorium. With this self-sustaining technology India can meet its energy needs well into the future without producing greenhouse gases. NBP. "Traditional reactors slow down neutrons using a moderator such as water." PFBR used liquid sodium as a coolant. "Unlike water, sodium does not slow down neutrons and has excellent heat transfer properties." TOI. The problem is that, "When you wet a piece of sodium metal, it gets hot and fizzes. Sometimes, the reaction can be extreme enough to produce flames and explosions." Chem Talk. "Breeder reactors have been developed and operated in Russia, India, Japan, the United States, France and China, but only Russia is currently operating a commercial fast breeder reactor." wikipedia. India will be the second country to commercially operate such a reactor. Accidents at nuclear reactors are not common and there have been only two at sodium-cooled breeder reactors, presumably because most countries have not adopted these. ieer.org. The latest severe nuclear accident was at Fukushima in Japan in 2011, when tsunami waves swamped the reactor and caused partial meltdown of the core. About 470,000 residents around the plant were evacuated. Radioactive water leaked out into the landscape, severe enough for "Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority to classify it as a level-3 nuclear incident". Britannica. "India's long-term nuclear vision is ambitious by design. With policy backing, dedicated funding, and indigenous research at its core, the country is building a nuclear future that is both self-reliant and globally significant." pib.gov.in. Kalpakkam is a coastal town in Tamil Nadu with about 20,000 inhabitants, 39 of whom died in a tsunami on 26 December 2004. wikipedia. India needs abundant energy with zero pollution. PFBR will do both without having to buy uranium ore from other countries. It is ideal for us. Only if water doesn't get into the sodium. We don't want it to hiss and fizz.              

US and Iran in Pakistan.

"India...welcomed the ceasefire arrangement between the US and Iran, expressing the hope that the development would pave the way for lasting peace and stability in West Asia." "Meanwhile, India has issued a fresh advisory for its nationals in Iran, urging them to leave the country in view of potential escalation despite the ceasefire." ET. Across the border, "Pakistan has acted as an intermediary between Iran and the US over the last few weeks, passing messages between the two." "Just before 05.00, Pakistan's Prime Minister announced that a ceasefire had been agreed and invited the two sides to meet in Islamabad on Friday, 10 April." BBC. "The Iranian delegation has arrived in the Pakistani capital Islamabad," and "Vice President Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner are set to meet with the Iranian delegation Saturday (today) morning, local time, for Pakistan-mediated talks on ending the war." The Hill. "Islamabad finds itself at the center of a tense diplomatic gamble," "giving the Pakistani capital a rare moment on the global stage." However, "In the hours after the ceasefire was announced by Pakistan, Iranian officials reportedly credited a last-minute push by China with securing their acceptance, a claim soon after validated by Trump." ET. Pakistan is not important, China is. Trump has credited "Field Marshall Asim Munir's counsel for helping avert a wider catastrophe." Because Trump has a "grandiose narcissistic personality" and "Munir delivers obsequiousness, deference and strategic utility, all packaged in a decisive military approach." "Trump has consistently sought to claim credit for preventing a nuclear war between India and Pakistan," and Munir openly thanked Trump for the ceasefire and saving 10 million people, wrote Prof Vinay Kaura. Uncontrolled rage. Because this is contrary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claim in the Lok Sabha that during Operation Sindoor (pib.gov.in), someone in Pakistan phoned and begged, "Stop now, you beat us badly, we cannot take any more.  (NDTV)." Pakistan a friend of the US while Mr Modi is ignored, is intolerable to Bhakts who live in an altered reality (DH). "It's hard to believe now, but US President Donald Trump was once the BJP's (Mr Modi's party) pin-up boy." "It was embarrassing to watch TV anchors declare that the whole world trembled because Trump held a door open for Modi, or that other nations quaked before the power of this supposedly awesome duo." But, "In India, the same social media fantasists who once sang his (Trump's) praises have now turned viciously against him," wrote Vir Sanghvi. The 'Goldilocks economy' has been upended (Reuters), 11 million graduates constitute 67% of unemployed youth aged 20-29 (DH) and foreign investors have lost interest in  India and pulled out Rs 1.77 trillion in 2026 (NDTV). As PM, Mr Modi is responsible for India's dire situation. Poor Bhakts have been reduced to praising our greatest enemy China (India Today) and abusing Trump. Not easy when facts intrude on their delusion. How to worship Dear Leader. When he is a failure.    

The RBI didn't.

"The RBI's six-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted unanimously to keep the benchmark repo rate at 5.25%...The policy stand was retained at neutral." HT. "The repo rate is the interest rate at which the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) lends short term funds to commercial banks against government securities... with an agreement to repurchase them later at a slightly higher price. The difference in price reflects the repo rate." Monefy. Banks decide their lending rates based on the repo rate, so a high repo rate reduces borrowing by increasing costs for borrowers and slows the economy, a low rate is expected to encourage economic growth by increasing investment due to lower borrowing costs. The MPC projected real GDP growth at 7.6% in FY 2025-26 and at 6.9% in FY 2026-27. News18. "For the new fiscal year (1 Apr 2026-3 Mar 2027), CPI inflation is projected at 4.6%, with quarterly estimates of 4% in Q1, 4.4% in Q2, 5.2% in Q3 and easing to 4.7% in Q4. Core inflation is projected at 4.4%." ET. In March 2026, "India's federal government ...retained its retail inflation target of 4% with a comfort band of 2%-6%, according to an official notification. The target will remain in place for five years." Reuters. "Zerodha founder and CEO Nithin Kamath has said foreign investor interest in India has 'pretty much died out'," because "India is being seen as geopolitically exposed, especially to an oil shock, while the lack of strong AI-linked plays and weak rupee are also weighing on the sentiment." NDTV.  The RBI listed five dangers to the Indian economy: 1. "elevated crude oil prices could increase imported inflation and widen current account deficit"; 2. higher commodity prices may affect agriculture, industry and services and lower domestic output; 3. risk aversion by foreign funds may tighten liquidity and raise borrowing costs; 4. weaker global growth could reduce exports and inward remittances and 5. increased borrowing costs globally could raise borrowing costs in India. ET. Higher inflation should prompt a higher repo rate while falling output and lower GDP growth demands easing borrowing costs. This uncertainty regarding the effects of the Iran war on the global economy (ET) is the reason for the MPC voting for status quo. Just a few weeks ago, "A rare Goldilocks mix - robust growth, contained inflation, a low current account deficit and ample foreign exchange reserves - has set the economy apart from most peers." But now, "Rupee has depreciated by over 4% - underperforming most EM Asian peers, and foreign portfolio outflows have approached $12 billion in March alone," wrote Sakshi Gupta. As the Indian rupee crashed to 95 to the US dollar (in.investing.com), on 03 April, "The RBI announced new rules capping the open positions banks can hold in the onshore currency market at the end of each trading day (ET)."  "Traders rightly sensed RBI's mandate to cap local banks' end-of-day currency positions at $100 million as a desperate measure." "The market is no longer confident that the RBI will be able to stop the rupee from slipping past 100. After all, when a monetary authority restricts how lenders manage their books, it unwittingly ends up signaling that traditional tools like interest-rate hikes or dollar sales are no longer sufficient. That's when speculators swoop in," wrote Andy Mukherjee. "When in doubt, don't," said Benjamin Franklin (azquotes.com). That's what the RBI did. It didn't.   

How it won.

"Iran and the US agreed to a conditional two-week ceasefire, during which shipping traffic will be allowed through the Strait of Hormuz." US President Donald Trump "said he had agreed to 'suspend the bombing attack of Iran for a period of two weeks", and "Iran has agreed to allow vessels through the Hormuz Strait for two weeks, with their passage coordinated by the Iranian military." BBC. In a huge diplomatic achievement, "Pakistan has acted as an intermediary between Iran and the US over the last few weeks, passing messages between the two." It has a border with Iran and "regularly refers to its 'brotherly' relationship with that country." BBC. "On 16 January 2024, Iran conducted a series of missile strikes in Pakistan." "Two days later, on 18 January, Pakistan conducted a retaliatory series of missile strikes in Iran," "Iran's government condemned the strikes and stated that nine people had been killed, including four children." wikipedia. Kill children of "brotherly relationship". "Iran has the largest Shia majority, with more than 66 million making up nearly 90% of the population." BBC. "About 97% of Pakistanis are Muslims," with Sunnis making up 85%- 90%. wikipedia. On the one hand, in Pakistan, "Over 4000 Shias have been killed by sectarian violence in the past 20 years alone." CSOH. On the other hand, "In India, Shias enjoy constitutional protections that allow them to practice their faith openly. They have representation in politics, access to Shia-specific religious institutions, and the freedom to observe their rituals without fear." News18. The Hazaras, most of whom are Shia, are regularly massacred in Pakistan. The Print. In February 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was hosted at Blair House, the Presidential guest House in Washington  (NDTV), and "PM Modi is the first Indian Prime minister to address the joint session of the US Congress twice. He is also just the second international leader, after Israel Prime Minister Benjamim Netanyahu, to be granted the honor more than once (HT)." And yet, curiously, both Iran and the US chose to trust Pakistan as the mediator and not India. Pakistan's powerful army chief, Field Marshall Asim Munir, has built up a personal rapport with US President Donald Trump." Munir and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Washington following Operation Sindoor, the conflict between India and Pakistan in May 2025, during which, "Sharif praised Trump's 'bold and visionary' intervention, while Munir said the US leader deserved the Nobel Peace Prize for stopping an escalation between the nuclear armed neighbors." ET. The Indian government claimed, "All strikes were executed without loss of Indian assets, underscoring the effectiveness of our surveillance, planning and delivery systems." pib.gov.in. Trump claimed to have stopped the conflict by threatening 200% tariff and said 11 planes were shot down, but "India has consistently denied all claims about any third-party intervention during the armed conflict in May 2025." NDTV. Pakistan has agreed to use World Liberty Financial stablecoin for cross-border transactions (TOI), while Indian media portrayed it as an inducement to Trump's family. Even if we won Operation Sindoor, we have managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. The US and Iran trusted Pakistan's duplicity. Pakistan won.

Obesity on candid camera.

"A day after Semaglutide lost patent protection in India, top drug makers including Dr Reddy's, Sun Pharma and Zydus Lifesciences launched generic versions priced 50-90% below the innovator brands, kicking off an aggressive scramble for share in the fast-growing weight-loss and diabetes market." "GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) drugs such as Semaglutide work by mimicking a natural hormone that signals the brain to feel full and slow down digestion, helping one to eat less and lose weight more effectively." Mint. Concerned by likely indiscriminate use of these drugs the Indian government has published a list of their side effects and has made it illegal to sell without prescription. Defining obesity as BMI over 25 kg/m2, it advised, "Obesity is preventable and reversible. To prevent and reduce obesity," people should: Reduce calories from fats and sugars, increase intake of fruits, vegetables,legumes and whole grains, and exercise daily. pib.gov,in. The use of the body mass index (BMI) by doctors is wrong and emphasis on weight-loss diets on social media are examples of bias against fat people and of fat shaming. withinhealth.com. But buying expensive drugs which mimic dieting is not. Strange. "The India GLP-1 receptor agonist market size was estimated at $110.55 million in 2024 and is expected to grow at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 34.3%" to reach $513.1 million by 2030. Grand View Research. However, eye-watering profits will not be limited to pharma companies. As people put on weight the skin stretches, so rapid, significant weight loss leads to loose folds of skin resulting in facial aging (aao.org) and ugly folds elsewhere in the body (Dr John Burns) which need plastic surgery. Should the drugs be continued lifelong? A study at Cleveland Clinic showed that "After 1 year without medication, those in the obesity group regained an average of 0.5% of body weight, and those treating type 2 diabetes lost average 1.3% of body weight on average." Medical News Today. However, 27% switched to another obesity drug, 20% restarted the original drug, 14% continued exercise and diet and less than 1% required bariatric surgery. That is about 68% of the sample. The Drug Controller General of India (DGCI) is considering allowing chemists to sell loose tablets to cut costs for patients who have to buy an entire strip of 10-15 tablets when they may not need more than 5-6. Mint. The chemist will, naturally, keep the part of the strip with the name, price and expiry date so as to be able to sell the rest at a later date. How will anyone know what the patient is taking? At the same time the "Drug Consultative Committee has agreed to make the installation of CCTV cameras at medical stores mandatory." ET. That means no more medical confidentiality as any government official will be able to access information. So, patients and doctors won't know what loose tablets the patient is taking, but the police will. Is that a definition of a 'police state'  (wikipedia)? No wonder, "A nationwide survey of over 1,200 Indian doctors has revealed that more than nine in ten physicians would hesitate to recommend medicine as a career to their own children." India Today. Let politicians, civil servants and the police treat patients as a side hustle. No need for doctors. Everything will be on Candid Camera anyway.   

Iran's strength.

Four days back, "Iran's downing of two US military aircraft marks the first time in more than 20 years that American warplanes have been shot down by enemy fire, underlining Tehran's ability to retaliate despite claims by US President Donald Trump that the country has been 'completely decimated'." The US confirmed that an F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down. "One service member has been rescued, while search operations continue for another." TOI. Three days back, the missing weapons officer "was rescued by US Special Operations Forces in a risky Saturday night mission that took commandos deep into enemy territory." There were no US casualties and "All commandos and the weapons officer returned safely." DH. The rescue mission involved 155 aircraft, including four bombers, 64 fighters, 48 refueling tankers, 13 rescue aircraft, and more, Trump said." Two planes got bogged down in the soil and "were destroyed to keep them out of enemy hands." BBC. This operation values the officer at hundreds of millions of dollars. "One of the biggest miscalculations by Washington and its allies appears to be the expectation that sustained strikes would destabilize Iran internally," "Instead, Iran's power structure has adapted. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has consolidated control and continues to drive both military operations and internal security." MC. Iran has resorted to asymmetric warfare and its "strategy is based around the Shahed, a one-way attack drone costing between $20,000 and $50,000." "Iran has fired thousands of these drones since the war began, combining them with more expensive ballistic missiles in an attempt to overwhelm air defenses." DW. Perhaps, Iran's main strength is its disregard for the welfare of its citizens. Iran's Ministry of Health told Time Magazine that 30,000 protesters were killed on 8 and 9 January alone. Even now, Iran is executing civilians. yahoo.com. Whereas, the US media conduct polls showing that a majority of Americans are against the war, to pressure Trump. pbs.org. The US Department of Defense planned to spend $995.13 billion in fiscal 2026. usaspending.gov. Why spend so much of taxpayer money on defense if it is just for show? With a population of nearly 350 million (worldometer), every citizen could receive over $3000 each, $12,000 for a family of four, if this money was saved. Iran has responded to US attacks by attacking Gulf countries (Reuters), consisting of a large majority of Sunni Muslims. Of the total of over 2 billion Muslims in the world, 1.7-1.8 billion are Sunni and about 200-300 are Shia. Iran and the south of Iraq are mostly Shia. wikipedia. Yet, with more than six times the number, the Sunnis seem to be terrified of Shia Iran. TOI. "An Iranian official on Tuesday (today) called on youths in the country to form human chains around power plants ahead of potential strikes threatened by US President Donald Trump." Fox. It's striking that they are willing to sacrifice ordinary people but not the IRGC or the Basij militia thugs. Was it a request or an order? Will they force ordinary people at gunpoint? They can and may. Inhuman scum. Yet the US media is rooting for Iran. That's how treacherous they are. That is Iran's strength. 

They are Americans.

"Pepsi has announced it is withdrawing as main sponsor of the Wireless Festival in London this summer after news that Kanye West is to headline the three-day event. The US rapper, now known as Ye, has drawn widespread criticism for antisemitic comments he made in recent years and for which he issued an apology in January." BBC. "Wireless Festival is an annual rap and hip-hop music festival that takes place in London England," and Kanye West has been listed among the greatest rappers of all time with 160 million records sold. (wikipedia). As an American company, Pepsi's withdrawal is strange because, "For the past two years, college and university campuses across the US have become hotbeds of antisemitism and intense anti-Israel activism." ADL. Perception matters. In March, "Seven foreign nationals including an American are in NIA custody after a Delhi court granted the anti-terror agency 11 days to investigate an alleged conspiracy to train ethnic armed groups in drone warfare. The six others are Ukrainian nationals." NDTV. "Home Minister Amit Shah...said a group of foreigners...arrested recently by NIA from Kolkata, Lucknow and Delhi did not pose any threat to India, but were trying to use the country as a transit point to Myanmar for terror training." TOI. So we are safe, or are we? Would any other country allow 'terrorist trainers' to use it as a "transit point" and what if radicalized Indians accompanied them to Myanmar and returned after training? Yesterday, "Delhi Police Special Cell and Maharashtra ATS arrested two radicalized suspects in Mumbai, alleging links to Jaish-e-Mohammed and Islamic State. They were allegedly planning a toy car bomb attack  in Delhi." India Today. India does not dare arrest an American. Perception matters. On 12 June 2025, Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed 32 seconds after take off from Ahmedabad Airport, killing 12 crew members and 229 passengers. One passenger survived. "On the ground, 19 people were killed, and 67 others were seriously injured." wikipedia. A cover up is underway. "Multiple Boeing whistleblowers have revealed several manufacturing defects in the 787s," especially VT-ANB, which was the AI171 Aircraft: "structural gaps, force-fit assembly practices, and water leakage from toilets into electric bays. Then there's the history of 787 incidents: battery fires, control failures, fuel leaks and even fuel switch issues," wrote S Raghotham. India may end up blaming the pilots under American pressure, just as Union Carbide was allowed to walk away with a token payout of $470 million for the deaths of 8,000 and injuries to 558,175 people (wikipedia). Americans can kill thousands of Indians with impunity. Perception matters. On 2 December 2025, the Union Home Ministry revealed in the Lok Sabha that only 335 persons, out of 10,440 arrests under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, had been convicted. The Wire. So, Judges in the Nirav Modi trial in London said "proscribed treatment (torture) to obtain confessions" was "commonplace and endemic". TOI. Where there is no proof, torture is necessary for confessions. Indians a 'Jm Crow' nation? Yes Massa. Perception matters. 

The power to buy.

"After extensive consultation, govt has decided to retain the retail inflation target for the monetary policy committee (MPC) at 4%. For the next five years the tolerance band of 2-6% has also been retained, according to the notification issued by the Finance Ministry." TOI. This allows the MPC of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to set low policy rates by ignoring inflation at up to 6%. The flexible inflation target of 4%+/- 2% was first set by the government in 2016 for a five year period and was renewed in 2021. prsindia. org. However, the RBI kept its policy rate unchanged at 4% from May 2020 to May 2022 when it raised the rate by 40 basis points (bps) to 4.40% (BBC) even though the consumer price index (CPI) inflation rate was 6.28% in May 2020, rising to 7.61% in October 2020, and stayed near or above 6% till May 2022 (RI), when it raised rates in an emergency meeting because the US Federal Reserve raised interest rate by 50 bps (bankrate.com). Rising prices mean that the rupee is buying less, or the rupee is depreciating in value. The US targets an inflation rate of 2%, which is the target rate for most developed economies. Brazil targets 4.5%+/-2%, Mexico 3%+/-1%, Indonesia 5%+/-1% and Russia targets 4%. IMF. If the inflation rate in the US (usinflationcalculator.com) stays below that in India the dollar will keep getting stronger against the rupee. The rupee has fallen from 66.46 to one dollar in 2016 (bankbazaar.com) to 92.92 this morning (xe. com), having recovered from 95.220 on 31 March 2026 (in.investing.com). India's foreign exchange reserves fell by $10.3 billion in the week ended 27 March 2026 to $688.1 billion, having fallen by $11.4 billion to $698.4 billion in the week ended 20 March. TOI. Though some of it was because of a fall in the price of gold, most of it was because the RBI sold dollars to support the rupee. In addition, "The RBI's unorthodox move to steady the rupee by forcing a banks to unwind foreign exchange positions beyond $100 million will prevent its slide towards 95," but, "The move will also cause banks with large open positions to lose money." TOI. Following that, the RBI protected the rupee further  "by targeting the rebooking of canceled forex derivative contracts and tightening norms around related party contracts." Mint. "The Indian rupee may weaken to a record 100 per dollar or beyond," as "Analysts at Wells Fargo and Van Eck Associates Corp say elevated oil prices will accelerate the rupee's decline by worsening inflation and the current account deficit." ET. Yield on India's benchmark 10 year bonds is at 7.129% this morning (in. investing. com), greatly raising the borrowing costs for the government. The fall in the value of the rupee from 66.46 to 92.92 against one dollar is a 59.86% drop. The dollar has also lost some value in that period, which means there has been over 65% erosion in the value of the wealth of Indians in the 12 years of this government. And, the ability to buy. That is some achievement.

Taxing sins.

"India's economic outlook remains supported by strong domestic demand and improving high-frequency indicators, but rising geopolitical tensions, particularly in the Middle East, pose significant risks, including possibility of stagflation, according to a report by Morgan Stanley." ET. "India's net Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections rose to Rs 1.78 trillion in March 2026, registering a growth of 8.2% compared to the same period last year, as per official data." Gross GST collections grew 8.8% to Rs 2 trillion. "For the full financial year 2025-26, gross GST collections rose 8.3% year-on-year to over Rs 22.27 trillion, while net GS revenue grew 7.1% to Rs 19.34 trillion." ET. Starting on 22 September 2025, GST rates were reduced to 5%  from 12% on a range of commonly used goods and to 18% from 28% on automobiles, air conditioners, televisions and washing machines. cleartax.in. If collections have increased despite lower rates, it means that demand and sales have surged. Unfortunately, fruit juices, non-alcoholic beverages and carbonated beverages continue to be taxed at 40%. "India's taxation for non-alcoholic beverages stands out as one of the most onerous in the world." "The median global tax rate for carbonated beverages hovers around 18.4%." Also, at 351.9 million tonnes, India had the second largest horticultural production in 2022-23, so lower taxes would increase demand for fruit juices, wrote Aruna Sharma. All these drinks are treated as 'sin' products possibly because, "India is among the top three countries globally with the highest number of children affected by excess weight, with about 41 million aged 5-19 living with high body mass index (BMI), including nearly 14 million with obesity." "The rise is being driven by easy access to calorie-dense foods, sugary drinks and ultra-processed products, along with declining physical activity and increasing screen time." TOI. "A debate around banning social media for children under 16 is gathering momentum in India," as Australia has done, but "Experts, however, warn that such a ban would not be easy in India and could face legal challenges." BBC. Municipalities have to arrange easily accessible playing grounds and swimming pools for children to exercise in. India's middle class is becoming poorer. "A family that lived comfortably on Rs 1 million in 2016 would now need close to Rs 2 million a year." As prices have surged, "Their salary, in most cases, has barely moved. The middle class is on a treadmill, and every year the belt speeds up." BBC. Poverty has a strong indirect relation to obesity in developed countries (Medical News Today) but this phenomenon is now being seen in low and middle income countries as well. As salaries stagnate, both parents have to work to continue the same standard of living, so there is no time to cook. It is easier to order junk food online. What is a greater sin - non-alcoholic beverages, social media, tasty calories without nutrition, or falling salaries? Who should we ask? Government, priests or people. Difficult.            

Make it entertaining.

Yesterday, President Donald Trump delivered a primetime address to the nation on Operation Epic Fury targeting Iran's nuclear program. The White House. The reaction to his speech has been due to hatred of Trump rather than a dispassionate analysis of Iran's nuclear capability and its determination to build a nuclear weapon. "Trump, facing a war-wary American public and sliding poll numbers," "stopped short of offering a firm timeline for an end to hostilities." Reuters. This is not a game of American football whose timing is dictated by television companies. "An average professional football game lasts 3 hours and 12 minutes, but if you tally up the time when the ball is actually in play, the action amounts to a mere 11 minutes." A Wall Street Journal "analysis found that an average NFL broadcast spent more time on replays (17 minutes) than live play." "The average NFL game includes 20 commercial breaks containing more than 100 ads." Quartz, Perhaps, the US Army could show commercials on laxatives after showing a missile striking an Iranian target. Or female soldiers could show how to get in and out of Interceptor Body Armor (Premier Body Armor) without suffering a 'wardrobe malfunction' as in the halftime show at Superbowl XXXVIII (wikipedia). Americans would no longer be "war-wary" and the US government could potentially earn billions of dollars. "While threatening new air strikes if Iran tries to move the stockpile (of uranium), he (Trump) made no mention of sending special forces on a risky mission to seize it." Reuters. Revealing when and where special forces would attack would eliminate surprise and expose them to counterattack. It would be better if they carry body cameras (wikipedia) showing live action, and uniforms carrying ads. Very entertaining. Trump says that the US produces its own oil and has no need to buy from the Gulf. Those countries that do should "build up some delayed courage...Go to the Strait and just take it. Protect it. Use it for yourselves." He was probably addressing craven Europeans who have been protected by Nato, while contributing very little. The US spent $$980 billion on Nato last year which was 62% of the Nato total. BBC. Trump has threatened to pull out of Nato, which consists of European countries, plus Canada.  Reuters. If the US withdraws its troops and arms from Nato countries it would reassure Russia (wikipedia) and would end the conflict in Ukraine. Apparently, Germany is building up its army because it fears an attack by Russia. BBC. This is so much rubbish that it insults our intelligence. Russia has enormous natural resources and would want nothing from Germany. Secondly, Germany invaded the Soviet Union on 22 June 1941 in Operation Barbarossa  (wikipedia). The Soviet Union won World War II by defeating the German Army, losing 8 million soldiers and 16 million civilians. History Ireland.On 24 June 1812, Nepoleon of France invaded Russia  (wikipedia) and suffered a crushing defeat. It would be best if the US breaks away from these lying, treacherous Europeans and eradicates the fanatical Iranian regime. That will end support for terrorist groups like Hezbollah, Hamas and Houthis, bring peace to the Middle East and prevent further bloodshed. Oil prices will plunge as sanctions are removed on Iran and the global economy will boom. But first, entertain US citizens. Live coverage with commercials. Polls will skyrocket.