Editorial

The Government of India’s recent notification of the 33-question household questionnaire for Phase I of Census 2027 marks the formal launch of the nation’s most important statistical exercise ahead of the actual population enumeration next year. This crucial step, announced by the Registrar General of India, sets the stage for the comprehensive house-listing and housing census to be conducted between April and September 2026.

At its core, this questionnaire seeks foundational data — the very framework on which the decennial census will build. It covers essential aspects such as housing characteristics, access to basic amenities like drinking water, sanitation, lighting and kitchen facilities, fuel use patterns and household assets including radios, televisions, internet connectivity and vehicles. Unique additions such as the main cereal consumed by the household or mobile number for census-related communication reflect the changing socio-economic landscape of India — where digital connectivity, nutrition and communication increasingly define living standards.

While on the surface these 33 questions may appear modest compared to the depth of data sought in later phases, their significance cannot be overstated. The house-listing exercise is not merely procedural; it creates a reliable operational frame for the subsequent population enumeration that will capture demographic, socio-economic and cultural data for every individual in the country. Accurate house frames ensure that no household is left uncounted, strengthening the legitimacy and usefulness of the overall census.

Importantly, this census will be India’s first fully digital exercise, deploying millions of enumerators using mobile applications — a technological leap from the pen-and-paper methods of the past. Combined with the government’s decision to include caste data after nearly a century, Census 2027 promises not only numerical counts but insights that will directly feed into policymaking, welfare targeting and affirmative action planning.

Yet challenges loom large. Carrying out such a massive enumeration in a country of India’s size is logistically monumental. Trust and public cooperation will be decisive — respondents must feel assured of data privacy and purpose, especially when asked about socio-cultural markers such as caste. Furthermore, translating this raw data into meaningful policy demands statistical skill and political will.

In an era where data is power, this phase of Census 2027 is more than a bureaucratic formality. It is a foundational act of democracy — a collective reckoning that helps shape the next decade of the nation’s growth, governance and inclusive development.

In the rarefied air of Davos, where the world’s elite gather to shape the future, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered a speech that cut through the diplomatic pleasantries like a northern wind. Declaring the world “in the midst of a rupture, not a transition,” Carney mourned the end of the post-war rules-based order while refusing to indulge in nostalgia. He warned that great powers now weaponize economic integration—tariffs as leverage, supply chains as vulnerabilities—leaving middle powers like Canada to adapt or be subsumed. His call for these nations to unite—“if we’re not at the table, we’re on the menu”—earned a standing ovation, a rare moment of consensus in a polarized era.

The response from U.S. President Donald Trump was swift and personal. Addressing the same forum, Trump asserted that “Canada lives because of the United States,” reminding Carney to be “grateful” for American largesse and implying dependence as the price of proximity. It was classic Trump: blunt, transactional, and dismissive of sovereignty when it inconveniences American interests. The remark, laced with condescension, echoed earlier threats to absorb Canada economically or pressure allies over issues like Greenland.

Carney, upon returning home, offered a measured yet firm rebuff in Quebec City. Acknowledging the deep Canada-U.S. partnership—in trade, security, and cultural ties—he rejected any notion of existential reliance. “Canada doesn’t live because of the United States,” he declared. “Canada thrives because we are Canadian.” These words resonated far beyond partisan lines, tapping into a national pride rooted in shared values: multiculturalism, rule of law, environmental stewardship, and a commitment to multilateralism even as it frays.

This exchange highlights a broader tension in North American relations. Canada’s economy remains intertwined with the U.S., its largest trading partner, yet Carney’s stance signals a strategic pivot toward greater autonomy. By championing middle-power solidarity, he positions Canada as a bridge-builder in a world of superpowers, resisting coercion while upholding democratic principles. Trump’s rhetoric, conversely, treats alliances as zero-sum bargains, risking alienation of neighbors who have long been reliable partners.

In an age of geopolitical fracture, Carney’s message is both defiant and hopeful: sovereignty is not negotiable, and national identity—Canadian identity—remains the true source of resilience. As global institutions weaken and great-power competition intensifies, middle powers must assert their agency. Canada, under Carney’s leadership, is choosing to thrive on its own terms, proving that true strength lies not in dependence but in the quiet confidence of being unapologetically oneself.

• SAS Kirmani