Best of BS Opinion: IPEF versus Rcep, covid is not over, and more

Here are the top BS Opinion articles of the day

By becoming a founding member of the Indo-Pacific Economic Forum (IPEF), India has indicated that it is willing to participate in a US-led grouping that is meant to contain China. But, as Jaimini Bhagwati points out, IPEF has military ramifications not least because it includes the four participants of the Quad security dialogue. India would do well to balance its interests in the region, as Japan has done, and become a member of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCECP) that does not include the US. Plurilateral groupings that are trade related or strategic can be useful, he suggests here. 

In other views:

The top edits explains why the next few quarters will be tough for the IT sector. Read it here

Harsh V Pant and Aditya Bhan assess the growing indigenous defence export market and examine the key factors that are hindering faster growth. Read it here

The second edit argues that the threat from Covid-19 is not over yet and issues such as vaccines and genome sequencing still need government attention. Read it here
 

QUOTE OF THE DAY

The BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government is showering flower petals on Kanwariyas using public money. We want them to treat everyone equally. They do not shower flowers on Muslims. Instead, they bulldoze our houses"

AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi