Pulind Samant

From India to Indonesia and Vietnam, Gen Z is testing the limits of power, accountability and public dissent. The Jantar-Mantar agitation in New Delhi between June and July 2026 was largely participated in and handled by Gen Z. Many had travelled from outside Delhi to participate, and it had echoed in some other cities like Mumbai. It was triggered by youth anger caused primarily by the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) paper leak and other irregularities, and was targeted at the...

India’s decision to pull out of the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup for a high-profile friendly with Brazil sends the wrong signal at a time when its Act East policy demands consistency and commitment. On the eve of India’s 80th Independence Day, Indian media carried the news of India’s withdrawal from the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup football tournament, as announced by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) a day before. Justification for the said decision explained that Indian participation in the...

The restoration of Indonesia’s Prambanan temple signals a new phase in India’s Act East policy, with heritage conservation as an instrument of diplomacy. Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto announced the collaborative project of conservation and restoration of Indonesia’s 9th century Prambanan temple complex during the former’s three-day state visit to Indonesia. The said project is about putting back into shape around two hundred ancillary...