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By:

Akhilesh Sinha

25 June 2025 at 2:53:54 pm

Driving Change

Once trapped by poverty and abuse, Sufina found freedom behind the wheel — and now helps women travel safely across Delhi. The woman who once felt unsafe is now ensuring women travellers get home securely from Delhi’s airport, day or night. Among those providing this round-the-clock service is Sufina, a cab driver with the “Driven by Women for Women and Families” initiative. Sufina, who now offers peace of mind and safe journeys to female passengers, was once deeply troubled herself. But she...

Driving Change

Once trapped by poverty and abuse, Sufina found freedom behind the wheel — and now helps women travel safely across Delhi. The woman who once felt unsafe is now ensuring women travellers get home securely from Delhi’s airport, day or night. Among those providing this round-the-clock service is Sufina, a cab driver with the “Driven by Women for Women and Families” initiative. Sufina, who now offers peace of mind and safe journeys to female passengers, was once deeply troubled herself. But she refused to give up. Pulling herself out of hardship, she not only became self-reliant but also an inspiration for marginalised women in society. Partnering with the Sakha-Azaad Foundation, Sufina has scripted an extraordinary story. Sakha Consulting Wings launched this women-driven cab service for female passengers under the brand  Women with Wheels . All drivers, including Sufina, received training in driving and self-defence through the Azaad Foundation. Born Into Hardship Living in East Delhi’s Anand Vihar, Sufina was married to a daily wage labourer at just 16. By 18, she was a mother. Poverty was crushing; meals were often scarce. Desperate to escape this misery, she began searching for a way out. That was when she met a Sakha volunteer who suggested driver training. It became the turning point in her life. The road ahead, however, was anything but easy. Breaking Free Sufina was stepping into a male-dominated world, and it frightened her at first. Yet her hunger for financial independence gave her courage. In the early days, she faced strong opposition from both her husband and parents. Before leaving for work, her husband would beat her and lock her inside the room to stop her from attending training. But Sufina refused to surrender. Teaming up with her mother, she found a way out. After her husband left for work, her mother would unlock the door. Before he returned, Sufina would quietly slip back home to avoid more conflict. After completing her training, she worked as a private driver for nearly two years, continuing the same routine. As her earnings, confidence and independence grew, so did her assertiveness — and with it, her husband’s suspicion. One day, when he raised his hand again, Sufina fought back. She told him she would not tolerate it anymore. Shocked, he stopped. He never hit her again. Driving Change Sufina believes the turning point in her marriage came when her husband fell seriously ill. She admitted him to a private nursing home and paid for his treatment from her own savings. From then on, he began trusting her and valuing her work. Though the struggle had been painful, Sufina emerged stronger. She now asks a powerful question:  Why must a woman endure so much just to prove herself? Today, she is determined that her daughters should grow up with freedom and choice. In her community, she is respected and admired. Local girls and women see in her a path to self-reliance and dignity. The woman who once lived in fear now helps other women travel without it — and in doing so, she is driving change far beyond Delhi’s roads.

Trump’s Tariff Threat

Updated: Feb 24, 2025

Trump

February has been all about Trump’s Tariffs. Trump’s new reciprocal tariffs order has sent ripples through the global markets like the peaks and troughs of his flashy signature. “An eye for an eye, tariff for a tariff, same exact amount”, the newfound swag seems to have convinced America of its greatness again.


Yet, a deeper dive into the historical data reveals a troubling reality. Despite being the world’s third-largest manufacturer and raising import tariffs since 2018, America’s trade deficit is swelling! Last year’s goods trade deficit reflects that the Americans fancy imported goods, while a strong dollar pinching US exports. Rather than reassessing the aggressive tariff policies, America has slapped additional tariffs on adversaries like China and its allies, raising serious concerns about the effectiveness of its trade strategy and the unity of the Western alliance.


The President has justified the imposition of higher tariffs by citing “urgent national security concerns” related to illegal immigration and drug smuggling from Canada and Mexico. With this special tariff - wand, Trump is now making the neighbors toil to fulfill his past promise to raise and maintain the border wall. Although Trump has granted them a 30-day reprieve from the levy, his overall policy has undermined the prosperity and sovereignty of its neighboring countries.


Trump is also retaliating against Europe’s non-tariff barriers, highlighting EU’s burdensome high internal VAT system and inefficient supply chain as the major obstacles to fair trade. As a result, the EU may evaluate and reform its internal system or consider warming up to China for batteries and wheels. This shift would indeed be a significant opportunity for China.


The President has also introduced a blanket 25 per cent tariff on steel and aluminium imports as an anti-dumping measure. This bold move has triggered retaliation from Canada and Mexico, the top exporters of steel to the United States, fulfilling nearly 50 per cent of American demand. Such a trade conflict is not merely a concern for America’s neighbours but also poses a serious threat to U.S. manufacturers who rely on these neighbouring countries for steel supplies. This would substantially increase American industry’s input costs, jeopardizing its competitiveness and the jobs it supports.


Ultimately, these rising costs will be passed on to consumers through higher prices, fueling inflation. Higher tariffs would increase the dollar value, making it more difficult for American exporters to sell their goods in the global market. As a result, it would lower revenues for American exporters, resulting in a trade deficit again.


In this context, it is necessary to critically examine India’s high import tariffs and their impact on her economy. Well! These high tariffs align with WTO guidelines, as India is recognized as a developing nation and hence enjoys perks not available to a superpower! The strategic intent behind India’s tariff system is to safeguard vital domestic industries, ensure food security and adhere to Make In India policy while imposing higher taxes on end-use luxury imports, thus encouraging people to invest in “Swadeshi” rather than indulging in foreign “sins”.


The Modi government anticipated the challenges posed by the Trump Tariff policy and proactively took decisive action to strengthen diplomatic ties with the United States while protecting the Indian economy. In the recent budget, India strategically lowered duties on luxury bikes, vehicles, and chemicals, demonstrating her commitment to bilateral trade.


Additionally, India introduced the Agriculture Infrastructure Development Cess (AIDC) to offset the potential impact on Government revenues. India is strategically diversifying its exports beyond the American market, aiming to minimize dependency risks and fortify its trade relationships with Europe and the Middle East. At the same time, our country is working on its diplomatic engagements with China.


In light of a potential tariff hike by the Trump administration, India’s move highlights her ability to navigate complex trade dynamics effectively. India’s robust trade partnerships, proactive export diversification, and significant improvements in her supply chain efficiency ensure her sustainable export growth. India’s multilateral approach guarantees India the resilience and a stable economy in this ever-evolving global landscape.


(The author is a foreign affairs expert. Views personal.)

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