Daily Briefing: India, US charge ahead on N-deal

On that note, let’s get to today’s edition.

Big Story

India and the United States are set to get the ball rolling on the nuclear deal nearly 20 years after it was laid out. The announcement came during US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan’s visit to India as the Joe Biden administration wraps up its final days in the White House.

Ease up: While Sullivan was mum on the details, sources told The Indian Express that the US would scratch out three government-run Indian entities from its Entity List. The move is significant, as it removes long-standing regulatory measures that prevented civil nuclear cooperation between India’s leading atomic entities and US companies.

Red tape: But two key hurdles remain on each side. A US regulation doesn’t allow them to manufacture nuclear equipment in India. Meanwhile, a law on liability in India has been cited as an impediment by foreign players.

Slow pace: The Indo-US nuclear deal, signed in 2008, remains a shining star in former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s premiership. Facing opposition from allies, Singh risked his government over the deal’s signing with then-US President George W Bush. However, despite both sides’ intent, there has been very little progress on nuclear projects over the years.

Only in Express

Job hunt: Is your Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) degree enough to get through a job interview? Well, data shows hiring trends have shifted. At least four first-generation IITs have seen a decline in campus placement percentages in recent years per data obtained through the Right to Information Act. One institute, however, bucked the trend—IIT Delhi. The reasons behind this shift are aplenty.

From the Front Page

Under attack: Maoists blew up a police vehicle using an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in the jungle area of Kutru in Chhattisgarh on Monday. At least eight security personnel and a driver were killed in the incident.

Overhaul: The appointment of Vice-Chancellors at universities has long been a flashpoint between the Opposition-run state governments and the BJP-led central government. With new rules issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC) on Monday, Governors in states now have broader powers in appointing V-Cs. Even non-academics can be chosen for the post.

Must Read

The elusive script: For more than a century now, scholars have tried and failed to decipher the Indus Valley script. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin is offering a $1 million prize for anyone who successfully decodes it. The winner would solve a lingering mystery regarding the 5,000-year-old civilisation. They would also help Stalin bolster his image as the champion of the ‘Dravidians’. The task is by all means a tall order with experts unable to agree on the language of the Indus script.

Whose Hinduism?: In our Opinion pages today, Professor Ashutosh Varshney examines Hindutva’s relationship with Ambedkar’s ideas. “To Ambedkar, Hindu unity was exactly the opposite of what his own project sought.”

And Finally…

Our man on the ground Sriram Veera’s tour diary from Australia is both personal and telling. Read the behind-the-scenes of India’s tour Down Under and The Indian Express‘ big scoop.

Before you go, tune in to the ‘3 Things’ podcast, where we discuss the row over the country’s largest hydropower plant in Arunachal Pradesh, the rupee’s fall against the dollar, and the Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh.

That’s all for today folks. Until tomorrow,
Sonal Gupta

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