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By:

Rajendra Joshi

3 December 2024 at 9:20:26 am

Pakistan eyes India’s sugar shortage

Kolhapur: Twenty-seven years after the controversial “Sugar Gate” episode during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, Pakistan is once again eyeing India’s sugar market, this time seeking permission to export up to 1.2 million tonnes of sugar to India amid a tightening domestic supply situation and a sharp rise in prices. The Pakistan Sugar Mills Association has approached the Pakistan government seeking approval to export up to 1.2 million tonnes of surplus sugar to India. The proposal comes...

Pakistan eyes India’s sugar shortage

Kolhapur: Twenty-seven years after the controversial “Sugar Gate” episode during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, Pakistan is once again eyeing India’s sugar market, this time seeking permission to export up to 1.2 million tonnes of sugar to India amid a tightening domestic supply situation and a sharp rise in prices. The Pakistan Sugar Mills Association has approached the Pakistan government seeking approval to export up to 1.2 million tonnes of surplus sugar to India. The proposal comes days after India permitted duty-free imports of one million tonnes of sugar to cool domestic prices, raising the possibility of Pakistani sugar entering the Indian market. The proposed exports are significant against the backdrop of the controversy that erupted in Parliament in August 1999, when India imported sugar to address a domestic shortage. The Congress had then alleged that a substantial portion of the imports came from Pakistan and accused the Vajpayee-led BJP government of favouring sugar mills linked to the family of then Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The government rejected the allegations, but the episode became a major political controversy. The latest development has acquired added significance because India is again facing a delicate demand-supply situation in sugar. Prices have surged sharply, with retail sugar prices nearing the Rs 70-a-kg mark in several markets. The Centre’s decision to allow one million tonnes of duty-free imports is aimed at improving domestic availability and containing prices ahead of the festival season. Pakistan’s sugar industry sees an opportunity in the situation. According to the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association, Pakistan had around 2.8 million tonnes of sugar stocks as of August 15, while monthly domestic consumption is estimated at about 550,000 tonnes. Pakistan’s sugar industry has also highlighted the country’s foreign-exchange constraints. The timing of the proposal is therefore significant. India’s decision to open a window for duty-free sugar imports has created an opportunity for Pakistan’s sugar industry to dispose of its surplus stocks while earning valuable foreign exchange. For India, however, any proposal to source sugar from Pakistan is likely to carry political as well as economic implications. The memory of the 1999 “Sugar Gate” controversy remains relevant, particularly because the proposed Pakistani exports come at a time when sugar prices and domestic availability have once again become politically sensitive issues. Whether Pakistan is eventually permitted to enter the Indian sugar market remains to be seen. But the request has already revived memories of a controversy that once shook Parliament and has placed Pakistan’s surplus sugar stocks squarely in the spotlight of India’s current sugar crisis.

Lord Ram: The Divine Human

Ram Navami gently reminds us that divinity is not outside—it is in the way we live our daily lives.

Ram Navami, celebrated on the 26th of March this year, marks the divine birth of Lord Ram, the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu. More than just a festival, it is a reminder of how a human life, when lived with discipline, truth, and devotion, can become divine. Lord Ram is not worshipped merely because he was God, but because he showed how to live as an ideal human being—Maryada Purushottam, the supreme upholder of righteousness.


Ram Navami symbolises the victory of dharma (righteousness) over adharma (evil). It is a celebration of hope—that even in the darkest times, goodness will prevail.


But beyond rituals and celebrations, the true significance lies in self-reflection: Are we living truthfully? Are we fulfilling our duties with sincerity? Are we compassionate, even when life is unfair?


Ram Navami gently reminds us that divinity is not outside—it is in the way we live our daily lives.


Living Ram’s Values

1. Unwavering Commitment to Duty (Dharma): Lord Ram chose exile for 14 years without hesitation, simply to honour his father’s word. He did not argue, blame, or resist. His example reminds us that in a world often shaped by comfort and convenience, responsibility and integrity remain the truest tests of character. Doing what is right, even when it is difficult, is the highest form of strength.


2. Grace in Adversity: Lord Ram chose exile for 14 years without hesitation, simply to honour his father’s word. His example reminds us that in a world shaped by comfort and convenience, responsibility and integrity remain the truest tests of character. Doing what is right—even when it is difficult—is the highest form of strength.


3. Respect in Relationships: Lord Ram brought grace and dignity to every relationship — as a son, husband, brother, and king. His love for Sita, his reverence for his parents, and his deep bond with Lakshman and Bharat were anchored in trust and honour. In an age of fragile ties, his life reminds us that lasting relationships are built not on words alone, but on sacrifice, responsibility, and respect.


4. Leadership with Compassion: As a king, Ram placed his people above himself. His rule, often called Ram Rajya, was marked by justice, equality, and peace. His example reminds us that true leadership is not about control—it is about service, empathy, and fairness.


5. Humility Despite Power: Even though he was divine, Ram lived like a common man—simple, grounded, and approachable. His example shows us that no matter how successful or powerful we become, humility is what makes us truly great.


6. Faith and Surrender: Ram’s life was a perfect blend of effort and surrender. He did his duty fully but trusted the divine flow of life. In life, we often try to control everything. But Ram teaches us to do our best and surrender the rest.


Ram in Modern Life

In a world shaped by stress, rising expectations, and emotional strain, Lord Ram’s life remains deeply relevant. His example offers a quiet moral clarity: when relationships become strained, choose respect over ego; when life feels unjust, let patience prevail over anger; when difficult decisions arise, hold fast to truth rather than convenience; and when uncertainty clouds the path, let faith speak louder than fear.


This Ram Navami, beyond rituals and celebration, there is value in a quieter pause for self-reflection. Are we truthful in our actions? Do we stand by our commitments? Do we treat others with dignity? Are we at peace within ourselves? The true celebration of Lord Ram lies not in temples alone, but in the effort to embody his values a little more each day.


Lord Ram’s enduring relevance lies in the fact that his life speaks across time — not only to faith, but to character. In an age of speed, strain, and moral uncertainty, his example still offers clarity. To truly honour him is not merely to celebrate Ram Navami, but to let his values shape the way we think, act, and live.


Jai Shree Ram!


(The writer is a tutor based in Thane. Views personal.)

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