Rajesh Ramachandran

Rajesh Ramachandran is a former Editor-in-Chief of The Tribune group of newspapers and Outlook magazine.

How the SIR Row Could Work in the BJP’s Favour

Opinion

The BJP could turn anger over voter exclusions into a contest over identity, leaving the Opposition battling to keep the focus on accountability.

Rajesh Ramachandran

October 16, 2026 at 11:59 AM IST

iStock.com

Indian Diplomacy in Crisis Mode

Geopolitics

India’s strategic autonomy is under growing strain as Washington’s renewed engagement with Pakistan, pressure over Russian oil and the deepening US-China rivalry complicate its choices.

Rajesh Ramachandran

October 2, 2026 at 8:39 AM IST

iStock.com

India-China Détente and Blumenthal’s Sanctions

Geopolitics

India’s pushback against US sanctions over Russian oil comes as New Delhi and Beijing seek to turn a fragile thaw into a broader reset in ties. The development points to a more assertive Indian foreign policy.

Rajesh Ramachandran

September 18, 2026 at 10:32 AM IST

PIB

SCO Signals a Possible Reset in India-China Ties Ahead of BRICS

Geopolitics

The SCO summit offered fresh signals on India-China ties, while closer coordination with Russia and Iran could shape the BRICS agenda.

Rajesh Ramachandran

September 3, 2026 at 12:11 PM IST

Via WikiCommons

Climbing the BRICS Summit Via Kashmir and Arunachal

Sergio Gor’s endorsement of India’s position on J&K and reports from Arunachal of a Chinese incursion should be seen in the context of a possible Russia-India-China huddle.

Rajesh Ramachandran

August 21, 2026 at 9:46 AM IST

Wikimedia.org

Middle-Class Alarm Bells for BJP From Bihar

Bankipur’s shock verdict points to middle-class anger over exam failures, weak accountability and a political establishment seen as unresponsive.

Rajesh Ramachandran

August 7, 2026 at 7:01 AM IST

X/@jansuraajonline

Blumenthal’s Tariff Should Push India, China and Russia into a Cosy Corner

Geopolitics

The US Senate's bipartisan push for punitive tariffs on countries buying Russian oil is more than a trade measure. The move presents a rare opportunity for India, China and Russia to deepen strategic cooperation and reshape the emerging global order.

Rajesh Ramachandran

July 31, 2026 at 7:50 AM IST

PMO

The Wrath of the Middle Class

The protests over the NEET paper leaks are no longer just about an examination, they reflect the growing disillusionment of the middle class that once formed the BJP's core support base.

Rajesh Ramachandran

July 24, 2026 at 9:19 AM IST

@Cockroachisback/X

Guardians and Decoys of Hormuz

Geopolitics

The biggest setback for the US-Israeli campaign against Iran was not on the battlefield but in intelligence. Decoys and intelligence failures have upended plans for regime change.

Rajesh Ramachandran

July 18, 2026 at 6:02 AM IST

Via WikiCommons/White House

Khamenei’s Funeral and the Unravelling of the Islamabad MOU

Opinion

Iran’s greatest act of military defiance is its rising threshold for misery, not missiles or drones; the Strait remains its only leverage in war.

Rajesh Ramachandran

July 10, 2026 at 1:23 PM IST

https://khamenei.ir/

Ayodhya Theft Triggers Poll-Time Hope for Opposition

To a great extent, the UP poll will be a contest between Yogi and Akhilesh, with the former, given his clean personal record, holding an advantage over his rival. But the Ayodhya scandal is a tough test even for Yogi.

Rajesh Ramachandran

July 3, 2026 at 11:45 AM IST

Istock.com

Five Reasons Why Modi Should Attend Khamenei’s Funeral

When Modi visits Tehran, it would be an assertion of India’s standing in the world, still fighting forces of Anglo-American imperialism in the neighbourhood.

Rajesh Ramachandran

June 26, 2026 at 11:07 AM IST

wiki commons

Iran’s Victory Resets West Asia, Diminishes Israel, Offers India Opportunities

Opinion

The Anglo-American Empire’s Iran setback should prompt the BJP-led ruling establishment to rethink its reflexive support for Israel. India must view West Asia with new power possibilities.

Rajesh Ramachandran

June 19, 2026 at 9:20 AM IST

Istock.com

The Unravelling of the Trinamool

Opinion

Electoral defeat, internal revolt and Bengal's shifting political landscape have left Mamata Banerjee confronting the gravest crisis of her career.

Rajesh Ramachandran

June 12, 2026 at 11:42 AM IST

iStock.com

Cockroaches May Be Videshi, But The Rot Is Desi

This is the inflection point before a steep decline in the bell curve of the people’s trust in the government. If it cannot even conduct annual exams diligently, how can it make people’s lives better?

Rajesh Ramachandran

June 5, 2026 at 12:25 PM IST

https://cockroachjantaparty.org

The Big Picture is the Loss of US Supremacy in West Asia

Geopolitics

The imminent US-Iran deal discusses the ownership of the Strait of Hormuz for the first time in 100 years — a victorious assertion of regional hegemony by Iran, something inconceivable three months ago.

Rajesh Ramachandran

May 29, 2026 at 11:31 AM IST

istock.com

A Leaked Cable that Tells a Post-Colonial Story

Opinion

An Eastern Economic Corridor that brings energy and prosperity from Russia through China to India and a BRICS currency should be discussed when Modi hosts Putin and Xi in September

Rajesh Ramachandran

May 22, 2026 at 11:18 AM IST

PMO

India-UAE Embrace is a Security Handshake

India’s expanding strategic embrace of the UAE signals a deeper security role in West Asia, even as New Delhi attempts to preserve its delicate balancing act with Iran.

Rajesh Ramachandran

May 16, 2026 at 12:24 PM IST

Twitter/@narendramodi

Op Sindoor and the Resetting of India’s Engagement with the West

Pakistan is protecting Anglo-Saxon interests in West Asia, for which it was created by the British Empire, and the US, in turn, is offering it security, while a Russia-India-China huddle promises greater multilateralism and sovereignty

Rajesh Ramachandran

May 7, 2026 at 7:32 AM IST

PMO

Anti-Incumbency Poll Outcomes Signal Need for Governance Recalibration

Election outcomes across key states highlight voter demand for improved governance, stronger policy execution, and greater accountability in economic and administrative delivery.

Rajesh Ramachandran

May 5, 2026 at 1:06 PM IST

Istock/com

Basis Shorts

October 22

RBI Minutes Sound Less Hawkish Than Policy, but Market Holds On To Rate Hike Bets

ICICI Readjusts Welcome Mat

From ₹11 Trillion to ₹5 Billion in 45 Days

The Cost of Caution at the RBI

October 21

RBI’s Pre-emptive Hike and the Inflation Divide

MPC Minutes: Are the MPC and Its Policy Back to Speaking the Same Language?

MPC Minutes: Why the Cost of Waiting for Clearer Inflation Evidence Has Risen

RBI Drains Liquidity, Then Rejects the Price Tag

Jio’s IPO Is Covered, but Institutions Still Carry the Book

The Bureau

Asian Stocks Mixed as Meta Beats, Tesla Slides; US Futures Retreat

Rubio’s Venezuelan Oil Proposal: Issues India Must Resolve Before Committing

India Core Industries Growth Accelerates to 7.9% in September

Highlights of Comments by MPC Members at October 5-7 Policy Meeting

Navratri auto sales fall 6.52% on year to 1.12 mln units; EV sales rise 26.78%, says FADA

YES Bank AT-1 Bonds, Cancer Drug Pricing, Google-Adani Data Centre & More

India Can Grow at 7% — But Reforms Must Go Deeper