041005-N-0021M-001 Courtesy: U.S. Navy photo/Journalist 1st Class Todd Macdonald
29 July 2014

Malabar 2014: a good beginning

India’s invitation and the subsequent participation of the Japanese navy in the Malabar 2014 exercise is a sign of the deepening of the political-security relationship between India and Japan. However, an actual fruition of the potential requires both the administrations to be more flexible, especially on the nuclear deal and defence purchases

kerry Courtesy: IBtimes.com
29 July 2014

India-U.S: from strategic to historic

On the eve of his departure to India for the fifth India-U.S Strategic Dialogue, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry outlined a roadmap of partnership between the two countries. While mentioning some of the ongoing concerns of the U.S government, he said this was a moment to chart a new course in the bilateral relationship

images Courtesy: wikipedia\commons
29 July 2014

India-U.S. ties: expert speak

Four years ago, U.S. President Barack Obama announced that the India -U.S. relationship would be "one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century". However the relationship hasn’t matched up to the rhetoric and bilateral ties hit a low in 2013. Forthcoming high profile engagements between the two suggest the tide might be changing

food-sedurity Courtesy: Rigues/Flickr
25 July 2014

Food security, WTO and India

Recent developments at the WTO's two-day General Council Meeting that started on July 24 suggest that India will agree to sign the trade facilitation agreement only if the deal comes bundled with a permanent solution that will allow unhindered roll-out of welfare schemes such as the food security programme.

Modi at BRICS_210x140 Courtesy: MEA/Government of India
18 July 2014

Incubating a non-dollar architecture

The launch of the BRICS bank can now give the member countries confidence to experiment with other geoeconomic ambitions. Incubating a non-dollar financial architecture can be the next goal. There are existing models to build upon but India will need smart economic diplomacy to secure its interests

asias cauldron Courtesy: Random House
18 July 2014

Book review: the rise of China

‘Asia’s Cauldron: The South China Sea and the End of a Stable Pacific’ is a pragmatic narrative by Robert D. Kaplan of the receding power of the U.S. and China’s growing dominance

IBSA Courtesy: Gateway House
15 July 2014

Time to revive the IBSA Dialogue Forum

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Brazil for the BRICS summit is an opportunity for India to intensify its engagement with South America and reactivate the long-dormant IBSA (India, Brazil and South Africa) grouping. This grouping is a promising partnership comprising of different models of democracies spread over three continents

US_Flag_Backlit Courtesy: Jnn13/Wikimedia Commons
9 July 2014

Awaiting an American ambassador

The U.S. has not yet appointed a new ambassador to India. But this absence of urgency is less a ‘signal’ to India and more a result of factors such as a backlog of appointments awaiting approval in the Senate and candidates unwilling to accept the post only for the remaining period of the Obama administration