Decoded

How China's CIPS could gain from Iran war and challenge dollar grip

As Iran crisis disrupts key trade routes, China's expanded payment system now offers a pathway to settle transactions outside the dollar system, though its scale remains limited

What is the '19th-century rule' shipping firms are invoking amid Iran war?

Global carriers such as MSC, Maersk, CMA CGM and Hapag-Lloyd have told customers they may discharge containers at alternative ports, invoking a long-standing maritime contract clause

What is Nowruz festival and why Israel wants Iranians to celebrate it now

Israel is urging Iranians to celebrate Nowruz and Chaharshanbeh Suri but Tehran sees risk as festivals can turn into spaces for dissent amid war, causing internal unrest

Explained: Why India faces LPG shortage amid ongoing West Asia war

India relies heavily on LPG imports from West Asia routed through the Strait of Hormuz. The ongoing conflict has forced the Centre to divert domestic output to protect households

How a 1953 CIA-backed coup set Iran and the US on today's collision course

Today's Iran-US confrontation traces back to a Cold War coup, oil politics and the 1979 revolution that transformed a strategic partnership into one of the world's longest geopolitical rivalries

Govt eases China-linked FDI curbs under Press Note 3: What it means

The Union Cabinet has reportedly eased FDI norms under Press Note 3, which requires prior government approval for investments from entities in countries sharing a land border with India

Decoding a decade-long transformation of defence budgets

Assessing if India can bear a relatively higher expenditure within a constrained fiscal space

Why Trump's plan to secure tankers in Strait of Hormuz may face hurdles

Trump has floated deploying Navy escorts for tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, but analysts say geography, Iranian military threats and limited naval resources pose challenges

Iran war: How ships are avoiding being targeted in Strait of Hormuz

As attacks intensify around the Strait of Hormuz, several commercial ships are altering transponder signals to claim Chinese ownership or crew in an apparent attempt to avoid being targeted

Israel-Iran conflict: Who are the Kurds and why are they in focus again

Spread across Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria, the Kurds are the world's largest stateless ethnic group. Their long struggle for autonomy now intersects with rising geopolitical tensions

Explained: What is the Strait of Hormuz and why it is vital for oil trade

Tensions in West Asia have put the Strait of Hormuz in focus; here's what this narrow sea route is, why it is crucial for global oil and gas supplies and how any disruption can affect prices worldwide

Explained: How new GDP series will alter growth estimation methodology

India will shift GDP base year to FY23 and adopt price deflators and double deflation to improve accuracy, reflect structural shifts, and align national accounts with global standards

After Tarique Rahman's Bangladesh election win, what changes for India now

Tarique Rahman's decisive win marks a political reset in Bangladesh after months of turmoil and India is now closely watching how the new leadership approaches security, trade and regional alignments

What are GM crops and why they are a point of concern in US trade deal?

The India-US trade deal has revived debate over genetically modified crops, as New Delhi offers limited farm market access while keeping its most sensitive agricultural sectors protected

Why India is resetting GDP and CPI base years and what the change means

From shopping baskets to growth calculations, India is updating the base years for CPI inflation and GDP to reflect today's economy, a recalibration that will change headline numbers without altering

Explained: What is Project Vault, Trump's $12 bn critical minerals plan?

The US government has rolled out Project Vault, a $12 billion scheme to stockpile rare earths and critical minerals, aiming to shield American companies from global supply disruptions

What is the Power Gap Index the Economic Survey cites for the first time?

The Economic Survey 2025-26 cites the Power Gap Index to show that India is operating below its full strategic potential despite strong economic, military and demographic fundamentals

Explained: Why the rules-based international order is being questioned

The rules-based international order, built after World War II to restrain power through law and institutions, is under scrutiny as Western leaders acknowledge gaps in how it has been applied

Sony-TCL TV joint venture: What the Bravia deal means for both firms

As competition squeezes margins in the TV market, Sony has opted for a joint venture with TCL, handing operational control of Bravia TVs to TCL while Sony retains brand ownership and a 49 per cent sta

Explained: What is Trump's Gaza Peace Board and who are its members

The US-led Gaza Peace Board, proposed by President Donald Trump, will oversee ceasefire, governance and rebuilding in Gaza, with India among the countries invited to join

Why weight returns fast after stopping obesity drugs? Homeostasis explained

Here's how homeostasis, hormones and obesity drugs affect why lost weight often returns faster than expected

Why Havana Syndrome is back in focus after a 'secret device' test by the US

A covertly acquired device by Pentagon that emits pulsed radio waves is under US testing, reopening questions around Havana Syndrome even as officials say evidence of a foreign attack remains limited

Why Nato was formed and how Trump's Greenland push tests the alliance

As Donald Trump revives calls for US control of Greenland, Nato faces rare internal strain. Here's how the alliance was born, how its role evolved, and why allies are alarmed

How AI boom is exhausting memory supply, sending RAM prices soaring

Explosive demand from Nvidia and other AI chipmakers has soaked up global memory supply, pushing DRAM and HBM prices to unprecedented levels

Explained: Can the US legally acquire Greenland without using force?

As Donald Trump revives talk of acquiring Greenland, here's explaining on whether the US can legally buy the island, what international law allows, and why Europe is pushing back

From Cold War era to Venezuela: A look at previous US military invasions

As the Venezuela operation and capture of Nicolas Maduro revives questions over US presidential war powers, a look back at US military invasions since 1950 and how they were authorised

Explained: How tax regime on tobacco has changed in India since 2014

As the Centre scraps the GST compensation cess, here is how India's tobacco tax structure has evolved over the past decade

Explained: Why govt wants to replace MGNREGA with VB-G RAM G after 20 years

The draft VB-G RAM G Bill, 2025 seeks to replace MNREGA to offer 125 days of rural work, focus on durable assets, improve transparency, and align employment schemes with rural economy and needs

Explained: How India handles pollution and what WHO air guidelines say

The government says India sets its own air quality standards and does not follow WHO guidelines; cities are ranked under NCAP, with top performers rewarded annually

Did the US commit a war crime at sea? Decoding the Pete Hegseth strike row

US lawmakers are probing a September 2 strike on an alleged drug boat off Venezuela and a reported second blast on survivors, raising questions on authority, war powers and the law of armed conflict