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The Hindu
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
National Education Policy objective is to build a knowledge-based society, says expert
ICSSR National Fellow and Distinguished Professor at Council for Social Development, New Delhi, Jandhyala B.G. Tilak has said that the core objective of the National Education Policy (NEP) is to provide quality education to all sections of society and building a knowledge-based society. Delivering a special lecture on 'Origins of the National Education Policy' as part of an eight-day online refresher programme 'Perspectives and Sensitivities of the New National Education Policy' organised by the Malaviya Mission Teachers Training Centre of Karnatak University here on Tuesday, Prof. Tilak said that the goal of the NEP is to provide universal education, increase student enrolment in higher education and prioritising skill-based learning. Prof. Tilak also emphasised the need for democratising and decentralising the education system. Elaborating on the evolution of educational policies from 1944 to 2020, Prof. Tilak said that the National Knowledge Commission played a pivotal role in reforming higher education. 'The 1986 policy emphasised industry-based education, while in 2009, the Right to Education Act was implemented, recognising education as a fundamental right for all,' he said. He said that although the field of education has seen considerable progress and is closely linked to social and economic development, still a large number of students discontinue education at primary, undergraduate and higher education levels. Prof. Tilak said that there is a lack of emphasis on technical and professional courses, while regional disparities in access to education persist. This apart, school education also faces several challenges that require urgent solutions. Emphasising that declining quality in education is a matter of serious concern, Prof. Tilak pointed out the need for integration and comprehensiveness in higher education. Faculty and researchers, including B.H. Nagoor, Bharati Ganiger, Shilpa Ramanagol, and others attended the session.
Mint
17-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
India needs to assert itself strongly with the US at the bilateral trade talks: Biswajit Dhar
A top Indian trade policy expert says he has never seen the country buckle down to US demands the way it is doing now. "We must respond strongly. We cannot accept whatever the US is thrusting upon us,' Biswajit Dhar, a well-known trade policy expert from the Delhi-based think tank, Council for Social Development, told this reporter. India's recent decision to invoke its right under World Trade Organization (WTO) norms to impose retaliatory tariffs on certain American goods will be among the key issues discussed during trade talks with the US starting May 17, the PTI said, quoting unnamed officials. Describing the move as a 'pragmatic' one, the official clarified that India has not implemented the retaliatory measures yet but has merely reserved the right to do so in accordance with WTO provisions. "My point is that the WTO is hardly the organization it once was. The more important negotiations are going to be at the bilateral trade talks between the two sides scheduled for May 17,' Dhar, a former Professor at the Centre for Economic Studies and Planning, JNU and Director General of Research and Information System for Developing Countries, a think-tank under the Ministry of External Affairs, said. "I don't see why India is under pressure. It is our market we are dealing with,'' he asserted. Raising New Delhi's hackles, President Donald Trump said on Thursday that India has offered to eliminate tariffs on the United States as part of a potential trade deal. 'India is the highest — one of the highest tariff nations in the world. It's very hard to sell into India, and they've offered us a deal where, basically, they're willing to literally charge us no tariff,' Trump said during a roundtable with business leaders in Doha, Qatar. India reacted swiftly, saying the talks were not complete. Foreign minister S. Jaishankar said talks were ongoing, calling negotiations between New Delhi and Washington 'complicated' and 'intricate.' 'These are very complicated negotiations. They are very intricate. Nothing is decided till… everything is,' he told reporters in Delhi, within hours of the US President's claims. Just days earlier, the US and China announced a dramatic descalation after a battle of attrition in the tariff war between the world's two biggest economies. After Beijing hit back with retaliatory tariffs and disrupted US access to rare earth metals, the US blinked first. US tariffs on Chinese goods were slashed from 145% to 30%. "We need to borrow from the Chinese playbook,' Dhar said. Asked how the US could react to retaliatory tariffs by India, he said it is imperative that New Delhi put forward its points forcefully. In the past, India has taken similar steps, including notifications submitted to the WTO in 2019 and 2021 regarding the European Union's steel safeguard measures, although those retaliatory actions have not been enforced. India and the US are working towards a comprehensive trade agreement aimed at significantly increasing bilateral trade, which currently stands at $191 billion. The goal is to push this figure to $500 billion by 2030. This crucial round of trade talks will take place in Washington, with a high-level Indian delegation led by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal. The four-day negotiations, starting May 17, will involve meetings with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Can Trump's sweeping global tariffs spark a manufacturing boom in India?
Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs have shaken global trade, but disruption often creates opportunity. Starting 9 April, Indian goods will face tariffs of up to 27% (Trump's tariff chart lists India's rate as 26%, but the official order says 27% - a discrepancy seen for other nations too). Before the tariff hike, US rates across trading partners averaged 3.3%, among the lowest globally, compared to India's 17%, according to the White House. However, with the US imposing even higher tariffs on China (54%), Vietnam (46%), Thailand (36%) and Bangladesh (37%), India "presents an opportunity" in textiles, electronics and machinery, according to the Delhi-based think tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI). High tariffs on Chinese and Bangladeshi exports open space for Indian textile manufacturers to expand in the US market. While Taiwan leads in semiconductors, India can tap into packaging, testing and lower-end chip manufacturing - if it strengthens infrastructure and policy support. Even a partial supply chain shift from Taiwan, driven by 32% tariffs, could work in India's favour. Trump tariffs a 'major blow to world economy' Machinery, automobiles and toys - sectors led by China and Thailand - are ripe for tariff-driven relocation. India can capitalise by attracting investment, scaling production and boosting exports to the US, according to a note by GTRI. But will India be able to seize the moment? High tariffs have increased costs for companies dependent on global value chains, hobbling India's ability to compete in international markets. Despite growing exports - primarily driven by services - India runs a significant trade deficit. India's share of global exports is a mere 1.5%. Trump has repeatedly branded India a "tariff king" and a "big abuser" of trade ties. With his new tariffs, the fear is that Indian exports will be less competitive. "Overall, the US's protectionist tariff regime could act as a catalyst for India to gain from global supply chain realignments," says Ajay Srivastava of GTRI. "However, to fully leverage these opportunities, India must enhance its ease of doing business, invest in logistics and infrastructure and maintain policy stability. If these conditions are met, India is well-positioned to become a key global manufacturing and export hub in the coming years." That's easier said than done. Biswajit Dhar, a trade expert from the Delhi-based Council for Social Development think tank, points out that countries like Malaysia and Indonesia are possibly better positioned than India. "We may regain some lost ground in garments now that Bangladesh faces higher tariffs, but the reality is we've treated garments as a sunset sector and failed to invest. Without building capacity, how can we truly benefit from these tariff shifts?" says Mr Dhar. Since February, India has ramped up efforts to win Trump's favour - pledging $25bn in US energy imports, courting Washington as a top defence supplier and exploring F-35 fighter deals. To ease trade tensions, it scrapped the 6% digital ad tax, cut bourbon whiskey tariffs to 100% from 150% and slashed duties on luxury cars and solar cells. Meanwhile, Elon Musk's Starlink nears final approval. The two countries have launched extensive trade talks to narrow the US's $45bn trade deficit with India. Yet, India did not escape the tariff war. "India should be concerned - there was hope that ongoing trade negotiations would shield it from reciprocal tariffs. Facing these tariffs now is a serious setback," says Abhijit Das, former head of the Centre for WTO Studies at the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade. One upside: pharmaceuticals are exempt from reciprocal tariffs, a relief for India's generic drug makers. India supplies nearly half of all generic medicines in the US, where these lower-cost alternatives account for 90% of prescriptions. However, exports in key sectors like electronics, engineering goods - automobile parts, industrial machines - and marine products could take a hit. It would be especially troubling for electronics, given the heavy investments through India's flagship "production-linked incentives" (PLI) schemes to boost local manufacturing. "I'm apprehensive about our exporters' capacity - many are small manufacturers who will struggle to absorb a 27% tariff hike, making them uncompetitive. High logistical costs, rising business expenses and deteriorating trade infrastructure only add to the challenge. We're starting at a major disadvantage," says Mr Dhar. Many see these tariffs as Trump's bargaining chip in trade negotiations with India. The latest US Trade Representative report underscores Washington's frustration with India's trade policies. Released on Monday, the report flags India's strict import rules on dairy, pork and fish, requiring non-GMO certification without scientific backing. It also criticises India's sluggish approval process for genetically modified products and price caps on stents and implants. Intellectual property concerns have landed India on the 'Priority Watch List', for which the report cites weak patent protections and a lack of trade secret laws. The report also frets about data localisation mandates and restrictive satellite policies, straining trade ties further. Washington fears India's regulatory approach is increasingly mirroring China's. If these barriers were removed, US exports could rise by at least $5.3bn annually, according to the White House. "The timing couldn't be worse - being in the middle of trade negotiations only deepens our disadvantage. This isn't just about market access; it's the whole package," says Mr Dhar. Also, gaining an edge over Vietnam or China won't happen overnight - building opportunities and competitive strength takes time.
