Leadership role for India

Refer to ‘Bandung Spirit merits a revival’; the 1955 Bandung Conference was reflective of the commitment of Jawaharlal Nehru-led India to Africa and Asia. Seventy years later, the same dedication remains an integral part of India’s foreign policy. The India-Africa Forum Summit, a conclave started in 2008 by the Manmohan Singh government with the aim of demonstrating India’s commitment to the continent, has not been held in a decade. China is attempting to expand its influence in Africa and is keen to secure vital resources from that continent. It is time for India to renew the Bandung spirit that laid stress on multilateral cooperation.

SS Paul, Nadia

Canada poll results good for India

Apropos of ‘Carney’s Canada’; the results of the parliamentary elections indicate that the Khalistan movement that was being spearheaded from Canadian soil has lost steam. Its greatest votary, Jagmeet Singh, has suffered defeat and his party (NDP) has been decimated. Even though the Khalistan movement in Punjab died down long ago and Sikh separatism is no longer an issue in India, except as a political tool used by fringe elements, the bogie of Khalistan has been a preoccupation of a small group of Sikh migrants who left India at the peak of separatist violence and still carry old wounds.

RN Goyal, Toronto

Carney can make a difference

Apropos of ‘Carney wins Canada poll, 22 Punjabis make it too’; PM Mark Carney led the Liberal Party to a stunning win in the federal elections, riding on the anti-Trump sentiment in his country. Carney’s distinguished record as the Governor of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England would help him a lot in improving the fiscal position of the Maple Country. Moreover, he would be keen to reset ties with trusted ally India after the tensions that arose during Justin Trudeau’s tenure. The defeat of pro-Khalistan NDP president Jagmeet Singh offers another ray of hope for rebuilding ties between Canada and India.

Upendra Sharma, by mail

The dragon is trapped

The tariff war between Washington and Beijing has resulted in shutting down of many factories in China after losing orders from the US. Many factories manufacturing toys, sports goods and other cheap products have sent their workers home and have nearly stopped production. In response, several Chinese companies are now seeking new customers in Europe and Latin America. They are also considering setting up production units in India and Southeast Asia. Chinese tech companies have come forward to support domestic businesses. They have provided free AI tools and virtual hosting services to many firms to help them resume online sales quickly amid difficulties caused by Trump’s tariffs. The dragon seems to have been deeply entangled in the web of American tariff strategies.

Dattaprasad Shirodkar, Mumbai

All hopes pinned on SC

Refer to ‘SC: CBI to probe unholy nexus of builders, banks’; people have still not forgotten the Rs 13,500-crore PNB loan fraud. Now, a loan scam worth Rs 2,700 crore, involving a builder who borrowed money from a bank under a subsidy scheme, has come to light. Big builders, along with banks, have been looting people in the name of providing modern housing. The builder-bank nexus is eating into the earnings of prospective home buyers. Now, the case is before the Supreme Court, which is hearing 170 petitions filed by aggrieved people. Hopefully, the court will take the matter to its logical conclusion.

Vinay Kumar Malhotra, Ambala

Pak nuclear threat a farce

With reference to ‘Raising the N-bogie’; the recklessness of Pakistan’s ministers is not surprising. Democracy has often been on a weak wicket in Pakistan. Leaders are rarely accountable to the public, courts or even to their party. The country has nothing to boast of — there is no political and economic stability. So, Pakistan’s recurring ploy is to declare that it can use nuclear weapons. India need not worry about such warnings and must move ahead with its resolution to curb the menace of Pak-sponsored terrorism in Jammu & Kashmir.

Krishan Bhatia, Hansi

Letters to the Editor