In the light of Farm Bills 2020, passed by the Indian Parliament, the author reflects on the state of agriculture sector in India and the adverse impact unregulated privatization can have on it. In his opinion, any agrarian reform made in haste and to profit private stakeholders will only worsen the farmers' conditions in India.
India: Farmers in Ferment and Democratic Pendulum
Since September 2020, millions of Indian farmers are aggrieved owing to the passage of Agriculture related bills in parliament with a minimal discussion that many feel hollows out agrarian sector to benefit larger corporates. The author discusses the trajectory of ongoing events and the meaning they have for Indian Democracy.
Quad: Are there Common Interests between India and Taiwan?
With the rise of aggressive China, the indo-pacific region has taken a central stage in the security posturing of regional and global powers. In this context, the reinvigoration of Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) mechanism, an informal consultative platform comprising Australia, India, Japan and the United States, has drawn major attention. In this CSSAME issue, both the scholars debate the less-talked about role of Taiwan in relation to Quad’s aims and mechanisms. Taiwan is analyzed as a vital piece to the successful progression of both traditional and non-traditional security ambitions of Quad nations. Though there is a hesitation in predicting a real time participation of Taiwan in the mechanism itself in near future, both the authors agree on the shared normative interest of the four nations and democratic Taiwan in ensuring ‘free and open Indo-pacific’. The issue also points out that any active engagement of Taiwan with QUAD mechanism immensely depends on its bilateral relations with India and India’s eagerness to reinvent and repurpose its Taiwan approach.
