Editorial 1: From a rules-based world to shambolic disorder
Context
Few parallels exist for the state of affairs, with some leaders intent on disrupting the existing world order.
Introduction
Even before Trump’s time in the United States, there were clear signs that the world was facing uncertainty in many areas. This pointed to tough conditions ahead in various parts of the world, and leaders in politics, strategy, and businesshad started preparing for harder times. However, some believed that new analytical tools and strategies being used would help reduce uncertainty over time.
Leader-led disruption
| Concept | Details |
| Global Disruption | Shifts in global power, disruptive technologies, and geopolitical tensions are creating instability. |
| Influential Leaders | Leaders such as Xi Jinping, Putin, Trump, and Zelenskyy are reshaping the global order. |
| New Global Phenomenon | A potential overhaul of the existing global order, differing from earlier 21st-century turmoil. |
| U.S. Disruption | The U.S. is experiencing internal divisions, rising global tensions, and unpredictable outcomes. |
| Trump’s Tariff War | Tariffs are destabilizing global trade, reducing U.S. GDP, and slowing down economic growth. |
| Impact on U.S. Education | Trumponomics is damaging top U.S. universities and foreign student numbers, adversely affecting the economy. |
| Long-Term Consequences | These disruptions may harm the U.S. in the future, weakening its global influence and capabilities. |
In Europe and West Asia
- Europe’s Dilemma:
- Europe faces significant uncertainty with Mr. Trump’s rise to power.
- The ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, unresolved for the past three years despite Trump’s peace efforts, adds to the uncertainty.
- Europe’s future, along with NATO’s, is in doubt.
- The European Union is weaker than it was just months ago.
- Trump’s criticism of Europe’s defense capabilities raises concerns about its future.
- West Asia Crisis:
- Israel’s offensive in Gaza is escalating into a virtual pogrom, with the U.S. and the West not restraining Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.
- The situation in the region is at its worst in recent decades.
- Israel seeks to expand its territorial presence and redraw the region’s geography.
- Israel is looking to claim territories that were never previously under Israeli control.
- Further Deterioration in West Asia:
- Israel ignores ceasefire agreements and seeks permanent positions in Syria.
- Syria’s new leadership under Ahmed al-Shara is on the brink of collapse, having disbanded the army and purged the civil services of Alawite elements.
- The Syrian government’s instability makes it easier for Israel to strengthen its control.
- Long-standing regional conflicts, such as between Ethiopia and Eritrea, have resurfaced.
- Türkiye faces political turmoil as President Erdoğan arrests his key political opponent ahead of elections.
- Israel may strike Iran’s nuclear facilities, citing concerns over Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
- Islamic State Expansion:
- IS affiliates have spread beyond West Asia, conducting attacks in Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo, parts of North Africa, and Afghanistan.
- The revival of IS poses a significant global security threat, potentially reigniting terrorist activity worldwide.
Events in Asia
- Asia’s Disregarded Turmoil:
- The world has largely overlooked events unfolding in parts of Asia, especially in Afghanistan and Pakistan, where internal turmoil and tensions are rising.
- Both countries are increasingly targeted by terrorist groups like IS and its affiliates, along with new terrorist factions.
- A fresh wave of terror attacks is not only occurring within these countries but is spreading to other regions.
- Some attacks are from groups like al-Qaeda and IS, while others are driven by new affiliates.
- New terrorist attacks are emerging across the region, with the most recent being an attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Kashmir on April 22, killing 26 people.
- Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Nepal—countries east of India—are also facing internal conflicts.
- China-Taiwan and Regional Dynamics:
- The unresolved China-Taiwan issue remains simmering, though it has not escalated.
- China is focused on solving its economic issues and countering Trump’s tariff offensives.
- Southeast Asia is witnessing a renewed Chinese economic and peace offensive.
- With the U.S. stepping back, China is exploiting the situation to its advantage, strengthening its influence in Asia.
- India might feel reassured by recent India-China agreements in Ladakh, but the rivalry between the two nations remains strong, especially for dominance in Asia.
- Several countries in the region are tilting towards China, which is enhancing its naval strength in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
- China is extending its reach beyond the nine-dash-line, including into the South Pacific and increasing its presence in the Indian Ocean region.
- India must remain vigilant, as the Asian region is in a state of flux and could face unpredictable challenges.
Conclusion
The global order is undergoing profound disruption, marked by shifting power dynamics, internal divisions, and geopolitical tensions. With influential leaders reshaping strategies, the stability of regions like Europe, West Asia, and Asia is increasingly uncertain. Amid rising terrorism and global rivalries, vigilance and adaptive strategies are essential for navigating this evolving landscape.
Editorial 2: India’s shame — the trap of bonded labour
Context
India’s economy thrives by exploiting its most vulnerable, relying on bonded and forced labour to sustain industrial growth.
Introduction
On May 1, as the world observes International Labour Day to celebrate the dignity of work and workers’ rights, the plight of millions trapped in bonded labour in India casts a dark shadow over the occasion.
Mukesh Adivasi – Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh
- In 2023, lured by job promises, Mukesh and his family were trafficked 1,400 km to Karnataka.
- Trapped in bonded labour on a sugarcane farm, he worked 14–16 hours daily.
- A ₹500 advance turned into relentless exploitation and brutal violence.
- Demanding wages led to a savage beating, leaving his leg shattered.
- Rescued by police, Mukesh still suffers physical and emotional trauma.
K. Thenmozhi – Puttur, Andhra Pradesh
- At 13, Thenmozhi’s family took a ₹2,000 advance to work in a Bengaluru brick kiln.
- Faced 12–14 hours of labour, abuse, and confinement.
- A social worker’s visit led to the owner fleeing, giving the family a chance to escape barefoot.
- They returned home, but the scars remain.
Bonded Labour in India: Survivors and Structural Roots
- The harrowing stories of survivors like Mukesh Adivasi and K. Thenmozhi highlight the plight of lakhs of individuals trapped in bonded labour across India.
- Their experiences expose the brutality of exploitation and emphasize the urgent need for systemic reforms to ensure justice and freedom for all workers.
- Bonded labour is caused by a complex web of factors, involving both immediate triggers and deep-rooted structural issues.
Immediate Triggers
- Medical emergencies, religious ceremonies, dowries, food shortages, or the sudden loss of income force impoverished families to seek loans or advances from employers or labour agents.
Structural Causes
- Caste, ethnic, and religious discrimination
- Social exclusion and illiteracy
- Lack of access to legal aid or information
- Employer monopolies over credit and labour markets
- Dominance of local elites, reinforcing economic dependency
- These factors transform what should be a simple economic transaction into a system of coercion and control, perpetuating modern-day slavery.
Bonded Labour in India: Progress and Challenges
| Year/Topic | Details |
| Abolition of Bonded Labour | 1975 – Bonded labour officially abolished in India. |
| Government’s 2016 Plan | In 2016, Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya announced a plan to release and rehabilitate 1.84 crore bonded labourers by 2030. |
| Progress (2016-2021) | Between 2016 and 2021, only 12,760 bonded labourers were rescued and rehabilitated, leaving 1.71 crore still trapped. |
| 2030 Target | To meet the 2030 target, approximately 11 lakh labourers would need to be rescued annually since 2021. |
| Feasibility of Target | Given only 12,000 rescues between 2016-2021, rescuing lakhs annually seems overly optimistic. |
| Unorganised Labour | 39 crore workers (out of 47 crore total employment) work in the unorganised sector, including migrants enduring forced labour. |
| Quality of Jobs (2024 Report) | International Labour Organisation’s India Employment Report 2024: Low-quality jobs and informal employment dominate India’s workforce. |
The ground reality
- Unorganised workers, especially migrants in India’s informal sector, lack unionisation, which deprives them of collective bargaining power.
- Without unions, they face exploitative conditions, no formal contracts, and the constant threat of arbitrary dismissal.
- In the 1940s, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar fought for labour rights, ensuring trade union recognition and the right to strike.
- However, the Labour Codes of 2019-20 have weakened Ambedkar’s legacy, reducing workers’ rights and focusing on profit over people, leaving workers more vulnerable to exploitation.
Conclusion
Since early 2022, this writer’s investigations into forced labour in Indian industries have revealed a grim reality: they thrive on exploitation, betraying the rights of workers. Migrant workers, displaced by climate change, poverty, and joblessness, face low wages, precarious work, and the threat of dismissal. This systematic abuse reflects a model that prioritises profit over people, ignoring the rise of modern slavery. India’s economic growth is shamefully built on bonded and forced labour, exploiting its most vulnerable.
