Parley by The Hindu

In 2023, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s remarks in India on the cost of training foundational AI models — like the ones that power ChatGPT — sparked a debate on whether Indian firms should spend millions of dollars on the aim of that technology. The issue pits sovereignty and national pride against financial constraints. Is it necessary for sovereignty and business reasons for India to work towards a fou...

The INDIA bloc managed to prevent the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from reaching the majority mark in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. However, it went on to lose the Haryana and Maharashtra Assembly elections. In the ongoing campaign to the Delhi Assembly elections, the INDIA bloc appears fragmented as certain constituents of the coalition, such as the Samajwadi Party and the Trinamool Congress, are...

Last month, the government released a factsheet on the 2023-24 Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES), which recorded a decline in poverty in urban and rural areas. Over the last few years, policymakers and academics have debated the issues of incomparable data sets, the unavailability of data, and the definition of an adequate consumption basket to determine a poverty line. Is poverty be...

India’s 1-3 loss in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy marked the end of its decade-long dominance in the series against Australia. This was not an exception; India’s performance in Test cricket has been dismal for a while now. Over the last four months, the team has lost six out of eight Tests, including a shocking 0-3 defeat against New Zealand at home. Has T20 cricket deskilled Indian batting? Here we...

At an event in December, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said there are a lot of challenges in providing dual citizenship to Indians settled abroad. He pointed out that the Overseas Citizenship of India drive is a step towards meeting the demand and added that the debate on dual citizenship is “still alive”. Here we discuss the issue. Guests: Vivek Katju, Diplomat Ambassador; Amitabh Matto...

On December 29, 2024, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused each other of manipulating the Delhi electoral rolls in an attempt to win the Delhi Assembly elections, scheduled to be held in February. While the AAP has accused the BJP of submitting applications to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to get the names of voters removed from the list in its stronghold...

At a recent panel discussion in New Delhi, French economist Thomas Piketty suggested that a wealth and inheritance tax be imposed on the super-rich in India, which, in turn, could fund health and education. India’s Chief Economic Advisor, Anantha Nageswaran, opposed the idea, arguing that higher taxes could encourage fund outflows. Should the wealth tax be brought back to address inequality in Ind...

The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 17, 2024, mandates a fixed five-year term for the Lok Sabha, with State Legislature elections aligned to this cycle. If the Lok Sabha or any State Assembly is dissolved before completing its full term, mid-term elections will be held only for the remainder of the five-year term. Should leg...

United States President Joe Biden’s recent decision to pardon his son Hunter Biden for any federal crimes he committed or may have committed between January 1, 2014, and December 1, 2024 has brought renewed focus on the expansive clemency powers granted to the President by the U.S. Constitution. The President’s volte-face has provoked strong condemnation from both Republicans and Democrats. Should...

Nearly 400 days since the October 7 attacks on Israel that led to the Israeli bombardment of Gaza, West Bank, and Lebanon, more than 43,000 have been killed, mostly civilians. Despite calls by the United Nations (UN) for urgent action to address the humanitarian crisis; an International Court of Justice (ICJ) verdict on the risk of genocide being perpetrated in Palestine; and warrants issued by th...

On November 23, the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party-led Mahayuti alliance won a landslide victory in Maharashtra Assembly elections. Among several reasons cited for this victory are the implementation of the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana — a direct benefit transfer programme introduced by the Maharashtra government in July 2024 – four months ahead of the polls. The scheme, much like its M...

The U.K.’s The Guardian newspaper announced earlier this month that it will no longer be posting on X, claiming that it is “a toxic media platform” and that its owner, Elon Musk, “has been able to use its influence to shape political discourse.” Is social media a useful tool or is it becoming a threat to democratic societies? Here we discuss the question Guests: Alan Rusbridger, Editor of Prospect...

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu recently expressed concern about Andhra Pradesh’s ageing population and urged the people of his State to have more children. Days later, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin attended a mass wedding event in Chennai. He said that the Census and delimitation process may encourage couples to give up thoughts of having a small family. Are pro-natalis...

India won a historic double gold at the 2024 Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary, by clinching the top spot in both the open event and women’s team competitions. These victories will forever remain among India’s greatest achievements in sport. Chess enjoys huge popularity across the world. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) considers chess as a sport and recognises the International Chess F...

The Congress’ social justice platform, centred around the call for equal representation at the caste-level and a nationwide caste census, has been hailed after the Lok Sabha elections this year. But within four months of the general election results, the results of the Haryana Assembly polls have raised questions about how well this messaging has percolated to the lower rungs of the party organisa...

India’s multi-party democracy thrives on diversity but often sees political parties driven by individual charisma rather than internal democracy. Despite their role in upholding the nation’s democratic framework, many parties struggle to maintain democratic structures. Can the Election Commission (EC) ensure these organisations practice internal democracy? Guests: O. P. Rawat, Former Chief Electio...

India’s impressive economic growth since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic has surprised many, including those who were critical of the Centre’s economic policies. The Indian growth story is today widely praised across the world. In 2023-24, the country grew at 8.2%, the fastest among major economies. However, most of the economic gains in the last few years have mostly come from big businesses. Is...

The Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recently announced a plan to set a minimum age to use social media platforms. Should children be barred from social media? Here we discuss the question. Guests: Amanda Third, Professorial Research Fellow in Digital Social and Cultural Research in the Institute for Culture and Society and Co-Director of the Young and Resilient Research Centre at Wester...

Due to the phenomenon of jobless growth, i.e., the rise in output and labour productivity without the commensurate growth in employment generation, several countries have mooted the idea of a universal basic income (UBI). This idea has gained traction, especially since the International Labour Organization (ILO)’s most recent World Employment and Social Outlook links the decrease in jobs growth an...

Russia-born tech tycoon Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, was arrested in Paris on August 24. French authorities announced that Mr. Durov is under investigation for a litany of serious crimes, including enabling the distribution of child sexual abuse material on the app, facilitating drug trafficking, and refusing to cooperate with law enforcement. Should digital platform owners be held liable...

Following the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata, the issue of violence against healthcare workers has come to the forefront, with medical professionals across India demanding the enactment of a Central law to protect healthcare workers. In 2019, a Bill on this issue was drafted by the Central government, but it never saw the light of day. Can a Central law ensure security for h...

Following the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata, the issue of violence against healthcare workers has come to the forefront, with medical professionals across India demanding the enactment of a Central law to protect healthcare workers. In 2019, a Bill on this issue was drafted by the Central government, but it never saw the light of day. Can a Central law ensure security for h...

The Paris Olympics just ended with India securing six medals — one silver and five bronze — to place 71st in the medals tally. The country’s performance led to many questions about the need for a sporting culture. Was India’s performance in the Olympics an outcome of its lack of sporting culture outside cricket? What more can be done? Here we discuss the question in a conversation. 

Opposition leaders have termed the 2024-25 Budget as the “Kursi Bachao Budget.” Chief Ministers have boycotted and walked out the NITI Aayog meeting chaired by the Prime Minister. There are allegations that Centre is discriminating against non-NDA States. This has renewed the interest in the debate about how resources are distributed amongst States. Here we discuss whether the Centre is being iniq...

On July 11, the BJP-led Maha Yuti government tabled the Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill, 2024, in the Assembly. While presenting the Bill, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that it is aimed at curbing the menace of Naxalism in urban areas. He said that Naxalism is not limited to rural areas and is increasing in urban areas through frontal organisations. The unlawful activities...