OPINION ON China is generally hostile in this country. War in the 1960s all but obliterated a unique friendship and a shared vision for peaceful co-existence that was enunciated in the Panchsheel Agreement between India and China in 1954. So inspiring was the set of principles announced by prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Zhou Enlai that it was incorporated in the Bandung Conference declaration a year later by 29 Afro-Asian countries for a new era of peace and development. Rajiv Gandhi's epochal visit to Beijing in 1988 managed break down the great wall of animosity between the two countries, but relations have become a lot worse in recent years.
When it comes to the economy and China's technological prowess, the Indian government and its handmaiden media, in particular, tend to be dismissive and disparaging, fuelled by barely disguised resentment and envy. This results in paradoxes. In recent years, when the Narendra Modi government banned around 250 Chinese apps citing these to be "prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of the state and public order", there was a frenzy of nationalist outpouring on WhatsApp exhorting patriotic Indians to boycott the apps. The irony is that the messages were, for the most part, being sent on Chinese-made mobile phones which they were unwilling to jettison!
Denne historien er fra March 01, 2024-utgaven av Down To Earth.
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Denne historien er fra March 01, 2024-utgaven av Down To Earth.
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A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara
