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Good evening, India’s External Affairs Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday. The State Department, in a press briefing, noted that Rubio had “expressed his sorrow for the lives lost in the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam” while also encouraging India to “work with Pakistan to de-escalate tension nd maintain peace and security in South Asia.” Jaishankar, on his part, noted in an X post that he discussed the attack with Rubio and that “its perpetrators, backers and planners must be brought to justice” – a consistent message India has been delivering in its diplomatic outreaches across the board. Meanwhile, Pakistan took an unusual step on Wednesday by appointing the sitting director-general of its spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Lt. Gen. Asim Muhammad Malik, as its new National Security Advisor (NSA). On that note, let’s dive in 👇🏽
📝 The Debrief
Why did the Narendra Modi government announce the caste census amid rising tension with Pakistan?
On Wednesday, the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA), headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, greenlit the enumeration of castes in the upcoming Census. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, while announcing the Cabinet decision, said, “The (caste census) will strengthen the social and economic structure of our society while the nation continues to progress.” Notably, the decision represents a stunning U-turn by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has, on previous occasions, opposed a caste census —a consistent demand by the Opposition. So what gives? Hard politics: It’s good old politics – cold, calibrated, and calculated – with more than one eye on this year's Bihar assembly elections. The move will surely blunt the Opposition, which had the caste census demand as a key agenda item in the run-up. It is also a result of introspection, especially following the BJP’s unexpected performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where the Opposition made gains by highlighting this issue, particularly in key states such as Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. This also reveals a degree of adaptability within the BJP, which has primarily been associated with strident Hindutva politics, and indicates that it could forge ahead with caste politics in line with political realities, as it did in the 1990s during the post-Mandal era by recruiting key leaders from the Other Backward Classes (OBCs). Support: Where does this leave the Opposition? For starters, the Leader of the Opposition (LoP), Rahul Gandhi, welcomed the move but demanded a timeline for its implementation. He also recommended that the government follow the Congress-led Telangana government’s “caste survey” and implement the same. To this end, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) is expected to meet on Friday and decide on its messaging strategy regarding the caste census with a focus on owning “the narrative” around it, with Gandhi dubbing it “our vision.” Other parties, such as the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Samajwadi Party (SP), have welcomed the move. The BJP’s chief ally in Bihar, the Janata Dal (United), thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the decision. Zooming out: The timing of the decision is particularly interesting, coming a week after the terror attack in Pahalgam. Its moves since then – diplomatic or otherwise – have significant public backing, in addition to the support of the Opposition. As my colleagues note, “the Government is on its surest footing ever.” Even as it may receive some short-term flak from its core upper-caste vote bank, the government has, in the process, bought some time in dealing with Pakistan, more so having given India’s security establishment “complete operational freedom” for any impending kinetic action.
✍️ From our newsroom
Tharoor’s Pakistan prescription: In light of the Pahalgam attack that claimed the lives of 26 civilians, India should adopt a balanced and strategic approach. While strong retribution is warranted, as Shashi Tharoor articulately writes here, it should not marginalise Kashmiris or Indian Muslims, as this would play into the terrorists’ agenda of division and destabilisation. Tharoor emphasises that India must continue to foster peace, tourism, and economic development in Kashmir while also bolstering security without resorting to indiscriminate punitive actions. On the diplomatic front, India should seek to isolate Pakistan and expose its thriving jihadi-military industrial complex. Ultimately, India needs to blend strength with restraint, addressing terrorism while maintaining national progress and communal harmony. As the Lok Sabha MP highlights, the objective should be clear: protect India’s unity, growth, and international reputation while delivering an unequivocal message to those who threaten its peace.
🔎 Need to know
End of the road: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) became the first team to be officially eliminated from the Indian Premier League (IPL) playoffs race on Wednesday. The franchise’s fate was sealed following the Punjab Kings’ four-wicket win at Chepauk.
Where’s he?: The board of the EV giant Tesla, the Wall Street Journal reported, approached several executive search firms to seek a successor to its CEO, Elon Musk, while the latter was busy in Washington, tending to his political and government-related duties. Musk and Tesla have denied the report. Greenlight: A Delhi court has allowed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to collect handwriting and voice samples of Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a key plotter of the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attacks. Rana is currently in NIA custody following his extradition from the US to India last month.
🎙️Expresso Playlist!
In today’s Playlist, I recommend an interesting episode from The Wall Street Journal’s The Journal podcast, which delves into whistleblower allegations of workplace toxicity surrounding the Davos-headquartered World Economic Forum (WEF). Also, read this report in the WSJ about the same.
✋🏽 One last thing
I’ll leave you with this intriguing story in the New York Times about how the popular weight-loss drug Ozempic is influencing weddings!
That’s all from me today. Thank you so much for reading this edition. If you enjoy the Evening Expresso, tell your friends to subscribe to the newsletter. You can do so by signing up for the Morning Expresso. Additionally, you can reach me via email for tips and feedback or simply to say hello! 😀 Until tomorrow, Venkat Ananth |
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