Ravi K Pillai

@johnstanly India has to fight its way to the podium of recognition, respect and rewards not on the shoulders of the US but in spite of the cunningness and slipshodness of the current American regime.

Rubio comes to India at a time when US-Pakistan ties are at its post-Bin Laden peak; when the US is pursuing a new detente with China at any cost; and US policies, from tariffs to wars, are directly hurting the Indian economy and millions of Indians.

The current IPL season is coming to a close. In the next edition, there may be scope to add more teams. Already, Bihar has roped in the Vedanta Group, reportedly to invest in the Bihar team. Kerala had a team, and due to technical reasons, primarily, and for lack of alternative investor support in place of the earlier team owners (the setup having gone defunct), we need to secure a new commitment from an anchor investor and proceed cautiously to restore Kerala's IPL Team. One of the many successful homegrown Groups from Kerala - Kalyan, Lulu, Muthoot or Federal Bank, for example- should come forward and bid for a new team. I sincerely hope the time is ripe for the Kerala IPL Team's reincarnation. What do you think?

With the US under President Trump bent upon scoring self goals and with China playing master strokes and silent oneupmanship, the time is not far when the US and China might flip their positions. The pecking order in geopolitics would move decisively in favour of the Panda sooner than most of us think.

My column: If the U.S. itself is pursuing a more conciliatory approach toward China, what exactly is the Quad's central strategic purpose? The reality is that the Quad increasingly lacks strategic clarity and cohesion as it has become marginal to U.S. strategy. asia.nikkei.com/opinion/what-s…

@GBX_Press Hasn't he already become??

BREAKING 🚨: 🇺🇸 Donald Trump is on the verge of becoming the most stupid President in American history.

The Indian Rupee is sniffing at 100 a USD, and the breaching of the all-important mark may come sooner than expected. But nothing to worry about. It is better for us to find the market-adjusted rupee-dollar parity without artificial padding up. Let us be candid, mature, and resilient in accepting reality. Let the reality be reflected more positively in our export competitiveness.

In the VD Satheesan Ministry there are many senior and seasoned leaders. There are also some young blood. But to me the most unique and balanced minister with a clear vision and enthusiasm to do good without looking at the caste, creed or belief system of people appears to be CP John. I wish him all the best on his new innings as a Minister and that too in a non-Communist set up.

@HappymonJacob Some obsessions of political leaders are outright stubbornness and irreverence to liberal values. What else can describe Modi’s persistent refusal to address the media and hold press conferences? A few habits need to change. There is no holy cow in politics and geopolitics!!!

Foreign media needs to stop adding fuel to the fire; it’s 46 degrees in Delhi!

As a Keralite, I am happy today. We have a new CM and a brand new cabinet. What makes me happy is that the new Cabinet is a diverse set of politicians with, on average, far better educational and intellectual backgrounds than the LDF Govt that ruled us for a decade. Today, the world is changing fast. Technology, more particularly AI and digital technologies, is transforming almost all sectors. Jobs and businesses are undergoing a paradigm shift. Gen Zee would be the driver of the coming decade. The competence, willingness to change, and openness of rulers would determine policies and strategies. Can the new Govt lead Kerala to the future with confidence and with a willingness to shun cliched political overhang? Time will tell. But for now, I choose to be optimistic.

@ShekharGupta @Shrru_art Because Pakistanis are indeed blinded by a congenital hatred and convulsive urge to negate the very existence, leave alone, prosperity of their neighbour and the parent nation (from which the cunning British sliced them into shape!! ).

Pakistan is tactically brilliant, strategically disastrous. It’s primed for compulsive blunders #NationalInterest for the week Illustration: Shruti Naithani @Shrru_art theprint.in/national-inter…

@JDinkan @Chellaney @suchetadalal Yes indeed. Otherwise why does Trump, reportedly, agree with Xi's comment that the US is an economy in decline?

@ravi_k9 @Chellaney @suchetadalal Does this "democracy discount" apply to USA?

India’s compliance, China’s defiance: As New Delhi petitions Washington to renew the sanctions waiver expiring today so it can keep importing Russian oil, Trump says he is considering lifting U.S. sanctions on Chinese refiners buying Iranian crude. China defies American sanctions and gets accommodation; India complies and still needs permission.

The style and impact of the Presidential form of Governance leave much to be desired. Vulnerable subjectivity, scope for corruption and opacity at high places and the whimsical and non-consultative decision making have raised serious question marks on the soundness of the American model of governance. Probably, a time has come for the US to convert itself into a Parliamentary Democracy where collective responsibility, consensus building and widespread deliberations make decisions more sustainable and balanced. What do you think? Isn't the Presidential Governance the Achilles Heel of American Democracy?

The Trump-Xi Summit could have been a Zoom call. “Constructive Strategic Stability “ is the first step towards a G-2. Trump - 0 Xi - 1

Trump sees China through the prism of Pakistan. He is oversimplifying a complex and matured political machinery and thinks he can win it over through kindergarten posturing. It will work with Pakistan or Saudi. But not for sure with China, India and the matured Western democracies😊

🚨 SON DAKİKA: 🇨🇳 Çin, Trump'ın Hürmüz Boğazı'na kuvvet gönderme talebini reddetti. Çin, Hürmüz Boğazı'nın uluslararası bir su yolu olduğunu ve hiçbir yabancı kuvvetin müdahale etmemesi gerektiğini belirtirken, İran'ın haklarının saygı görmeli diyor.

Every leader has a SWOT profile. What are the key Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities- Threats profile of VD Satheesan, the CM designate of Keralam? Strengths: Integrity and Honesty, Empathy and Inclusion Weaknesses: Effervescence- tendency to act in haste; Overly Consultative, Risk of Yielding to lobbying Opportunities:,Lack of baggage, Openness and Youth orientation, Threats: Overbearing Influence of key coalition parties, Compulsion to adopt anti-Modi posturing, temptation to appear leftist and anti-investment, Poor financial condition of the state Let us give him the grace period to put his stamp on the style of leadership and governance. All the best, VDS!

VD Satheesan is the new Kerala CM. No surprise at all for those who know the undercurrents of Kerala politics. There is a distinct selective secularism in Kerala. Say secularism and practice sectarianism. That is Kerala Story.

If you watch an episode of a high octane TV serial the suspense might get high and spill over to the next episodes. If you see Durandhar, the excitement will last a few hours. But AICC and High Command are providing excitement and suspense that has already crossed ten days. Have fun!!

Many friends ask me,” who do you think would be the new Kerala CM?” My answer,” I can only say if I am to choose one of the three contenders, my hand will rise for RC.” “Because, if reports are to be believed, VDS has apparently breached the democratic discipline by his acquiescence or instigation of street orchestration of factionalism” And KC may perhaps give in to signals from High Command to lie low for now. RC is the matured and pragmatic choice as of now.