There has been widespread unrest in Kashmir for more than a month now. The present government strategy of deploying security forces will treat the symptoms of the crisis but not the malady at the heart of it. Only political and economic development has the potential to build durable peace in a volatile Kashmir.

The Indian government has declared 2010-2020 as the Decade of Innovation. Although the gamut of innovation is vast and government efforts will be directed towards stimulating reforms in various sectors including education, environment, healthcare, and legal, there is an underlying emphasis to boost advances in science and technology. The stress on providing an impetus to science and technology is important, keeping in mind the crucial role it plays in the progress of a nation.

It is not easy to miss the signs of destruction of nature where ever one goes. Tall skyscrapers and the large cranes building them are a constant feature of every city in the world. Mountains of granite and rocks are being flattened, trees cut and rivers diverted to provide the raw materials for the construction industry. It is estimated that about 90% of all non-fuel mineral use and a large proportion of timber use goes into the construction industry. It is easy to fuel economic growth, especially in the short term with no regard to the damage that it is causing on longer term environmental and social sustainability. What we need to find are imaginative and constructive solutions, that not only fuel growth and economic development, but also restore to the earth some of her natural bounties.

The Indian government will soon introduce the National Food Security Bill in the Parliament. The Bill will probably become an Act without difficulty as the United Progressive Alliance government has a majority in the Parliament and the principal opposition party; the Bhartiya Janata Party is also extending support to the government on the bill. However, if the National Food Security Bill in its present form becomes an Act, it is unlikely to tackle chronic hunger and acute malnutrition in the country.

Economic rules have always pointed out that the best way to fight recession is by indulging in spending, so that the slack outlays by under-pressure consumers and businesses are compensated for. But the global credit crisis and the harsh terms of an EU-IMF bailout to rescue Greece from bankruptcy have turned that principle on its head across Europe. From Madrid to Athens, governments are unveiling emergency budgets that slash tens of billions from their economies, under pressure to control their soaring deficits, popularly known as the European Austerity Drive. But such a coordinated attempt towards austerity may result in a step down for this group of countries, rather than a way out of the current crisis.

In January 2010, India and Bangladesh agreed to cooperate in the energy sector to tackle the looming energy crisis. This development is significant as co-operation in the past has been constrained by political mistrust and public misconceptions. Cooperation in the energy sector is crucial for Bangladesh given that the demand for natural gas and electricity in the country has already outstripped the supply. Also, the proximity and dominant position of India in the region will open up energy trade and facilitate new investments in the energy sector for Bangladesh.