In Focus by The Hindu

On April 2, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a new set of tariffs against countries that, according to him, charged high tariffs and imposed barriers that made products made in the USA more expensive.These tariffs are essential to Trump’s plan to reduce trade deficits and increase domestic manufacturing.The “baseline” tariff of 10% on imports from all countries came into effect on April 5, 2025. A new set of tariffs would come into effect on April 9.The Trump administration imposed a 26% tariff on imports from India, which is slightly higher than the 20% levy for the European Union, the 24% for Japan and the 25% for South Korea. However, this is lower than the levies on imports from China and other regional manufacturing rivals like Vietnam.Different countries have responded differently to the tariffs. China has announced retaliatory tariffs, the EU offered a ‘zero-for-zero’ deal to the US, while India has gone for a cautious approach. The Department of Commerce said it is “carefully examining” the implications of the tariff announcements.It is also engaging with exporters and other stakeholders and taking feedback on their assessment of the tariffs, and assessing the situation.India and the US are in talks to determine the terms for a mutually beneficial, multi-sectoral Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).Guest: Dr. Surendar Singh, Associate Professor, Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat.Host: Nivedita VEdited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian

Anjali Bhardwaj, a leading advocate for citizens' right to information, discusses how Section 44(3) of the DPDP Act threatens the Right to Information Act in India. She outlines the tension between privacy and transparency, explaining how the new regulations could erode public accountability. Bhardwaj highlights potential consequences for journalists facing penalties for accessing essential information and warns how marginalized communities might suffer from reduced access to governance data. The conversation emphasizes the urgent need for public discourse surrounding these changes.

Usha Ramanathan, a sharp-witted human rights activist, dives into the contentious proposal to link voter IDs with Aadhaar. She raises critical questions about the supposed 'voluntary' nature of this linkage and its potential to lead to voter profiling and disenfranchisement. The discussion also highlights concerns over data privacy and the erosion of voter autonomy, particularly for marginalized communities. Ramanathan critiques the lack of transparency in the UID system and emphasizes the need for a democratic electoral process that prioritizes individual rights.

In this engaging discussion, Dr. Krithiga Shridhar, head of the Cancer Epidemiology Unit at the Centre for Chronic Disease Control in New Delhi, sheds light on the alarming rise in cancer cases in India. She highlights the emerging role of environmental pollution as a significant risk factor, alongside traditional culprits like tobacco and alcohol. Dr. Shridhar dives into the dangers of 'forever chemicals' contaminating water sources and the impact of ultra-processed foods. The conversation emphasizes the importance of individual actions to combat these environmental threats.

India is up in arms again, over the words of a stand-up comedian known forpolitical jokes. Kunal Kamra’s remarks on Maharashtra Deputy ChiefMinister Eknath Shinde were not liked by the latter’s supporters,who responded with violence – vandalising the venue where Kamra hadperformed, with the police not intervening to protect privateproperty. Kamra has been inundated with threat calls. The Maharashtra government has also threatened to freeze Kamra’s bankaccounts, and has demanded an apology. But Kamra has said will notapologise, and that he is not afraid of “the mob.”Guest:Punit Pania, Mumbai-based stand-up comedian, also known for politicalhumour.Host:G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu.Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian.

The Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) and 22 players havefiled a class action lawsuit against the sport’s governing bodiesin a US court. The case has been filed against the ATP, the WTA, the InternationalTennis Federation (ITF) and the International Tennis Integrity Agency(ITIA). The lawsuit alleges that professional tennis players are being exploitedand abused by the unfair business practices of the sport’sgoverning bodies. Specifically, the lawsuit alleges that the ATP, WTA and others are running thesport in violation of the US’s anti-trust laws. Among other things, it also calls for a more equitable distribution of therevenue generated by the sport, a less gruelling calendar, and moretransparency in the anti-doping and anti-corruption investigativeprocesses followed by the ITIA.What are the likely implications of this lawsuit and will it help bringabout reform in the way the sport is organised?Guest:Ahmad Nassar, Executive Director of the PTPA. Host:G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu.Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian.

Blinkit, a quick commerce company was recently in the news after it announced the launch of its 10-minute ambulance service, to be rolled out, beginning in Gurugaon and with plans to expand to other cities over two years. The launch, while praised in some quarters and criticised in others has thrown into focus a larger question: why does India not have a national emergency service helpline and an adequate number of ambulances to cater to its population? Considering that we are a country with one of the highest road traffic accidents in the world and a growing burden of non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, this critical aspect of medical care seems to be neglected: emergency services at present are provided by private hospitals, at a cost, by emerging services such as Blinkit, also at a cost, and when provided by the government are uneven and fragmented across the country.What are the issues around emergency services in India? Do we have adequate numbers of vehicles for our population and an equal number of trained paramedics and driver? Do we need a framework to regulate this sector?Guest: Rama Baru, retired professor of social medicine and community health, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New DelhiHost: Zubeda HamidEdited by Jude Francis Weston

Ukraine and the US have jointly proposed a 30-day ceasefire deal to Russia. They reached an agreement following a meeting between Ukrainian and American officials in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Russian President Vladimir Putin has responded to the ceasefire proposal with caution. He has said that he agrees with it in principle but any ceasefire offer must address the root causes of the ‘crisis’.So, what does the ceasefire deal offer Russia and Ukraine? Will Russia agree to this ceasefire proposal in the coming days? And what are the likely key sticking points that could come in the way of a deal?Guest: Stanly Johny, The Hindu’s International Affairs Editor. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu.Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian.

The Trump administration’s trans-Atlantic policy has made a sharp break from that of the Biden administration, and in fact, from the entire post-World War II paradigm where the US was the prime guarantor of European security. Three quick, successive developments have underscored this departure.First came US Vice President J.D. Vance’s speech at the Munich Security Conference in mid-February, where he said that the biggest threat to Europe’s security is “from within”. Second, the very public spat between Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House, after which President Donald Trump announced that the US was pausing military and intelligence aid to Ukraine. Finally, Zelenskyy buckling under the pressure, and agreeing to a US-sponsored offer of a 30-day ceasefire deal with Russia.All these developments have made it clear that Europe will need to completely rethink its security-related assumptions that governed its relationship with the US under a capacious NATO umbrella.Is the trans-Atlantic alliance due for a comprehensive reset? Can Europe continue to outsource its security needs to the US, or does it need to mobilise more actively to achieve self-reliance? What adjustments does Europe need to make, and what kind of a security architecture does Europe need to work towards?Guest: Marta Mucznik, Senior EU Analyst, Advocacy & Research, International Crisis Group, Brussels.Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The HinduEdited by Jude Francis Weston

The United States is India’s biggest trading partner. In 2023, the U.S.-India bilateral trade in goods and services stood at $190.08 billion -- $123.89 billion in goods and $66.19 billion in services trade. 17.7% of India’s exports are to the US.In 2024, India enjoyed a goods trade surplus to the tune of $45.7 billion. American exports into India also face a higher rate of tariffs than India’s exports to the US. Now President Donald Trump has said that the US will mirror Indian tariffs from April 2. This means tariffs on Indian goods will increase substantially.If this does happen, how will it affect Indian industry? Should India get into a trade war or pre-emptively lower its tariffs on US goods? More critically, what are the implications of reciprocal tariffs for the World Trade Organisation (WTO) – is the US getting out of WTO?Guest: economist Neeraj Kaushal, Professor at the School of Social Work, Columbia University.Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu.Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian.