Professor, School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University
Rajendra Abhyankar was the Indian Secretary of External Affairs from 2001-2004 and has served as the Indian Ambassador to the European Union, Belgium and Luxemburg, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Syria, and Cyprus. He was also the Consul General of India in San Francisco, California. He currently teaches at the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington and was former Chairman of the Kunzru Centre for Defence Studies and Research, Pune.
Disclaimer: External experts are not affiliated with Gateway House and have been presented here for reference only.
Hassan Rohani’s victory in the June 14 presidential election in Iran might allow more moderate voices in the political dialogue. But Iran's establishment decides positions on all major issues, including the nuclear programme, Syria, and dealings with the West. To what extent can Rohani change course?
The Arab uprisings show no sign of closure, and have become amorphous. While New Delhi has so far been immunised from the political and religious dimensions of the uprisings, the rise of political Islam, Islamic governance, and continuing instability will impact India.
India’s relations with Islamic nations, many of which are members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), have become even more prolific over the last decade. While India does not visualise becoming a member of a religious international body, many reasons militate against our formally joining the OIC.
Despite U.S. President Barack Obama’s re-election, a number of issues like the U.S.’s national debt, unemployment and the military withdrawal from Afghanistan need to be addressed. With these multiple national and global imperatives crowding his agenda, will Obama have any time for India?
All the major economic forces in the world have come together in Africa in a new version of the Great Game. The competition for the continent’s resources will ultimately harm Africa unless Africa uses this opportunity to its advantage and to address its own serious problems.
The presidency of Mohamed Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood's candidate, will have a defining influence both in Egypt and the region. Having won the battle through the ballot though, will Muslim Brotherhood also be willing to cede power through the ballot?
Apart from bilateral ties, also at play at the India-U.S. Strategic dialogue is the difficult triangulation in India’s relations with the U.S. and Iran. It does not serve India to get enmeshed in the U.S-Iran confrontation. Instead, the relationship must develop on the basis of realpolitik and mutual interest.
Over the past year, there has been a drastic change in the political scenario in Syria, which is now engulfed with violent sectarian conflict. Gateway House speaks to former Indian Ambassador to Syria, Rajendra Abhyankar, about the changing political scenario and the implications of the ongoing conflict in Syria.
As the al-Assad regime faces increasing international pressure to step down from power, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad attempted to make political reforms recently. However, Syria has strong relations within West Asia and the denouement will profoundly impact developments in this region.
Former Indian Ambassador to Syria, Rajendra Abhyankar, speaks to Gateway House’s Samyukta Lakshman about the developments in Syria, the impact on India-Syria relations and the future of the region.
Rajendra Abhyankar was the Indian Secretary of External Affairs from 2001-2004 and has served as the Indian Ambassador to the European Union, Belgium and Luxemburg, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Syria, and Cyprus. He was also the Consul General of India in San Francisco, California. He currently teaches at the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington and was former Chairman of the Kunzru Centre for Defence Studies and Research, Pune.
Disclaimer: External experts are not affiliated with Gateway House and have been presented here for reference only.
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