War of attrition

The 50-day buffer of crude and refined products provides a critical albeit temporary cushion as the Strait of Hormuz closure chokes 40% of our supply lines. While 25 days of crude, excluding Strategic Petroleum Reserves, is reassuring, the volatility of Brent crude exceeding $80 per barrel demands accelerated diversification. With Qatar’s LNG production paused and Aramco’s Juaymah terminal damaged, our energy security hinges on distant geographies. True resilience requires aggressive procurement from non-Middle Eastern sources to ensure that cautious optimism doesn’t dissolve if the conflict becomes a protracted war of attrition.

Dr Vijaykumar H.K., Raichur

Democracy at risk

A video of Arvind Kejriwal breaking down after his acquittal by a CBI court has gone viral, drawing mixed reactions. While some see it as a moment of human vulnerability deserving sympathy, others dismiss it as political theatrics. As a leading face of the “India Against Corruption” movement, Kejriwal had strongly raised allegations of major scams. Then, he himself faced serious allegations, investigations, and imprisonment, placing his government under strain. Toppling governments merely on the basis of allegations poses a challenge to the health of democracy.

Tushar A. Rahatgaonkar, Mumbai

Wrong move

The US media reporting that Indian ports have facilitated the attack on the Iranian ship, a claim that is refuted by Indian foreign minister S Jaishankar, is rather disturbing. Even Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, is pointing to India’s violation of international naval exercise protocol that aided the US in attacking the Iranian vessel. India had always benefited from the friendship and cooperation with Iran, and it would have been wiser to be neutral, if not sympathetic, towards Iran’s predicament.

P.R. Ravinder, Hyderabad

TN rail projects

It’s good to see three TN railway line projects that were on hold for nearly a decade have been revived by the union railway board. One such project is the Tindivanam-Tiruvannamalai project. Tiruvannamalai is an important pilgrim town in Tamil Nadu where rail connectivity from Chennai is still found wanting. With this project, direct trains from Chennai Egmore/Tambaram can be operated on a regular basis, reducing the distance and travel time. 

S. Sankaranarayanan, Chennai

House of elders

The Rajya Sabha should benefit from leaders who have handled administration for decades, but such experience must translate into constructive debate, not merely political positioning. If Nitish Kumar uses this forum to highlight Bihar’s continuing challenges, he can contribute meaningfully to national discussions. A more active, policy-orientated RS would strengthen parliamentary democracy. 

M. Barathi, Bengaluru

Nitish out

By filing his nomination for the RS, Nitish has tendered his de facto resignation as CM, making his 10th term the shortest in office when his alliance had a clear majority. It is widely expected that the new Bihar CM will be from the BJP. As far as the state’s governance is concerned, things should not change much. With Bihar conquered, only WB, TN, Kerala, AP, Punjab, Telangana, and J&K, among the large states, remain outside the BJP’s orbit.

Vandana, Chandigarh

Why the silence on rights’ violation? 

Why are the United Nations and international human rights bodies silent on the ongoing conflict in the Middle East? Their role increasingly raises troubling questions. These institutions often speak forcefully about human rights violations when conflicts occur elsewhere, particularly where the United States is not directly involved. Yet, in the present war, where Washington’s role is widely discussed, there appears to be a striking absence of decisive intervention or moral clarity. The concern deepens when civilian casualties are considered. Reports of an attack on a school in Iran, in which nearly 170 schoolgirls were killed, should have triggered strong international condemnation. 

Tushar A. Rahatgaonkar, Mumbai