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China still remains a difficult neighbour for India to tackle. Apart from border dispute, the concerns over growing trade deficit with China and resolving the water issue of trans-boundary rivers, particularly Brahmaputra, remains as a formidable challenge. To offset the huge trade imbalance, India has sought more Chinese investments. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a six-day official tour of three East Asian countries – China, Mongolia and South Korea – from May 14 to garner investments for his ambitious Make in India programme. But apart from assurances on investments, what does he expects from China: possibly, Beijing’s nod for India’s membership in Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) without the former insisting upon its membership in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

Punjab’s downward slide under the Akali-BJP rule continues unabated. Latest example is the death of 13-year old Arshdeep Kaur and serious injuries to her mother Shinder Kaur when the minor girl’s molesters threw them out of the ruling Badal family- owned Orbit bus near Moga.

For all the energy which a rejuvenated Rahul Gandhi has infused into the Congress, only an inveterate optimist will say that the latest phase in the party’s politics marks a turning point for it.

The full support given by India to the Russian role in defeating the fascist forces led by Germany in the Second World War during the Victory celebrations in Moscow on May 9 amidst the absence of the western powers, has given a big boost to India’s standing to the Russian Federation Government. It was a difficult period for Russian President Vladimir Putin as the major western powers including the USA, UK and France boycotted the celebrations for the 70 years of the end of the second world war on the issue of differences with Russia on Ukraine but the presence of both Chinese and Indian Presidents at the celebrations gave confidence to the Russian President.

Many of those who drink and drive, particularly journalists, coming out of late night parties or from the Press Club, should take a lesson from the case of Salman Khan who was sentenced for five-year imprisonment in a hit-and-run-case. Soon after the verdict, many of them were heard saying “we will never drink and drive”. What if some innocent person comes under the wheel and killed? Drunken driving alone is considered a serious offence after the law on the subject was made more stringent. Barely a year ago the amended law was rigorously enforced on the roads of Delhi and cases of drunken driving had come down and people were afraid of driving under influence of alcohol. But as law and order enforcement authorities became slack, the menace of drunken driving returned again.

LUCKNOW: BJP leadership of Uttar Pradesh is completely shattered by the successive defeats in by-polls being held in the state after phenomenal Modi wave which swept the state in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.BJP had then won in 71 out of the total of 80 seats from the state.

The issue of vigorous cooperation between the BRICS members to ensure energy security has assumed prime importance once again following the rise in the crude oil prices in the global market. For India, the soft oil price days of 2014-15 are gone now and it is high time that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi takes up seriously with his BRICS counterparts, especially from Russia and China, the issue of fast expansion of relationship for joint collaboration of oil and gas resources. The Ufa summit in Russia on July 9 and 10 offers that opportunity to India since the Indian Prime Minister will have prior discussions with the Chinese leaders during his visit to China from May 14 to 16.

The Narendra Modi Government, the strongest in three decades to take over in May 2014, completes its first year of office this month end with a creditable economic turnaround and impressive growth agenda, but faces a toughening challenge from a resurgent opposition on a populist track, which could derail some of its major reform policies like land acquisition.

At last, the Indian Parliament may ratify the long awaited Land Boundary Agreement between India and Bangladesh in the current session. It is an issue, which has remained a sour point between the two countries for the past four decades. The delay was mainly because India’s foreign policy has been held hostage to domestic politics.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: We have managed to win over the Janata Dal(U) with a promise to redress their grievances at the earliest. And all is hunky dory with the United Democratic Front (UDF). That is what Chief Minister Oommen Chandy would have us believe.