No lowering our guard against China
China is planning to build a ‘passageway’ between Tibet and South Asia. The National People’s Congress opened in Beijing on...
Fingers crossed on India-Pak ceasefire
Moeed Yusuf later denied that any meeting between him and Ajit Doval was held. This should be taken with a...
Remembering Nelson Mandela
While Nelson Mandela was a genuine admirer of Mahatma Gandhi, he writes, ‘In India, Gandhi had been dealing with a...
Matter of Myanmar: Our own interest is priority
It would be unwise to withdraw our ambassador. He could be called for consultations and kept in Delhi for some...
Re-reading a Gandhi biography
Louis Fischer’s first book on the Mahatma, A Week with Gandhi was published in the United States in 1943. I read...
What if Netaji had returned to India?
Bose would have challenged Nehru for the post of Prime Minister. In the 1920s, the two upcoming Congress leaders were...
Trump divided the United States
Today, Washington resembles an armed fortress. ‘America is therefore the land of the future, where, in ages that lie before...
The worst US President ever
For the first time in the history of the USA four former Presidents have condemned a serving President. Mr Donald...
Donald Trump will not be forgotten
His amazingly thick skin makes him the most insensitive US President ever. President Donald Trump, to the relief of most...
2020: Anything that could go wrong went wrong
2020 ends with the frightening, unprecedented worldwide coronavirus pandemic.
My China Diary
After shaking hands, Dr Radhakrishnan patted Mao Tse Tung on the cheek. I was posted to China-Peking in July...
Men who shaped the 20th century
Some made the world a better place, others poisoned it. In the second half of the 19th century were...
Don’t underestimate Jat Sikh anger
I pray that reconciliation is achieved before it is too late. One of the most important duties of any government,...
Congress will miss Gogoi and Patel
Ahmed Patel’s death is a colossal loss to Sonia Gandhi, who gives her confidence and mind to few. She trusted...
Obama is a remarkable man
Whether he was a great President or not only time will tell. Former US President Barack Obama’s autobiography, A Promised...
Biden will be a blessing after Trump
In 2001, in Washington, Joe Biden hosted a lunch for Sonia Gandhi. Manmohan Singh, Murli Deora and I accompanied her....
Mahathir in the news, for wrong reasons
He is now out of office and in his mid-nineties, still active in politics, stirring the political waters. I...
Should democracy be at mercy of public opinion?
Winston Churchill said, ‘Democracy is not perfect. Alternatives are worse.’ It is becoming clear by the day that the...
Too many faux pas by Maharashtra Governor
The latest outrage is his ‘intemperate letter’ to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. Maharashtra is among the largest states in...
Trump vs Biden debate was a slanging match
Biden not only conducted himself with restrained dignity, but proved to be better debater and better prepared. I witnessed...
My meetings with Dev Anand
I first met him in 1962 at the United Nations Delegates Lounge. On 2 October was Mahatma Gandhi’s one...
Equality of nations not part of UN charter
The UN is almost bankrupt and a lame duck outfit. Does the world need the UN? The Charter of...
Beginning of end of Arab-Israeli enmity
If wisdom prevails, Palestinian leadership should begin to think about normalising relations with Israel. Early in the week an...
India, China make modest progress
Yet the road to de-escalation is an arduous and hazardous one. Even the critics of the Narendra Modi government’s China...
