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SHANTI Bill Signals a Strategic Reset of India’s Nuclear Power Framework

December 25, 2025

A Long-Awaited Reset in India’s Nuclear Journey

Parliament’s passage of the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill marks a decisive attempt to reboot India’s stalled civil nuclear programme. Despite early technological ambition, legal uncertainty, liability fears and regulatory ambiguity kept investment and global collaboration limited. SHANTI seeks to replace this fragmented architecture with a coherent framework, aiming to make nuclear power a core pillar of India’s clean energy mix, with a target of 100 GW by 2047.

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End of H-1B Lottery Signals Major Shift in US Skilled Immigration Policy

December 25, 2025

A Structural Redesign of the H-1B System

The United States has announced a fundamental overhaul of the H-1B visa programme, scrapping the long-standing lottery system and replacing it with a weighted, wage-based selection model. Effective from February 27, 2026, the change will apply to the FY 2027 H-1B cap cycle, covering around 85,000 visas annually. While framed as a move towards “merit-based” migration, the reform carries major implications for India, which accounts for over 70% of H-1B recipients.

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China Emerges as De Facto Oil Price Stabiliser in 2025

December 25, 2025

A Turning Point in Global Oil Pricing

For decades, global oil prices were shaped primarily by production decisions taken by OPEC and its allies (OPEC+). That assumption was decisively challenged in 2025, when China, the world’s largest crude oil importer, emerged not merely as a price-taker but as a price stabiliser. Instead of altering output, China influenced prices through strategic use of crude oil storage, shaping both the floor and ceiling of the market.

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India’s Export Growth Conceals a Widening Regional Divide

December 25, 2025

Export Strength and the Illusion of Uniform Progress

Despite a weakening rupee that places India among Asia’s poorer-performing currencies, national export figures remain resilient. However, a closer examination of the RBI Handbook of Statistics on Indian States 2024–25 reveals a structurally uneven reality. India’s export growth is becoming increasingly concentrated, challenging the long-held belief that exports automatically drive broad-based development.

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India’s Export Growth Masks a Deepening Regional Divide

December 25, 2025

Export Numbers and the Illusion of Uniform Growth

Despite a weakening rupee and slowing global trade, India’s export figures continue to appear resilient at the national level. However, a closer reading of the RBI Handbook of Statistics on Indian States 2024–25 reveals a structurally uneven picture. Export growth in India is becoming increasingly concentrated, raising concerns about its role as a driver of inclusive development.

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