Asif_Ali_Zardari Courtesy: Eric Draper/WikimediaCommons
6 May 2013

Opening remarks: The civil-military equation favours the civilians

With Pakistan geared for a defining general election scheduled for May 11, Council on Foreign Relations' Daniel Markey, in a debate, titled ‘The civil-military equation in Pakistan has begun to tilt in favour of civilians,’ argues for the motion.

kayani zardari Courtesy: WikimediaCommons
6 May 2013

Online debate: The civil-military equation in Pakistan

In the run-up to the Pakistan elections on May 11, Gateway House hosts an online debate between Ambassador Neelam Deo, Director, Gateway House, and Daniel Markey, Senior Fellow, South Asia, Council on Foreign Relations. The motion: The civil-military equation in Pakistan has begun to tilt in favour of civilians.

immigration image Courtesy: Xavier de Jauréguiberry/flickr
3 May 2013

U.S. immigration bill targets Indian IT companies

The proposed immigration reform bill, currently being debated in the U.S. Congress, contains provisions to penalize Indian IT companies for allegedly misusing the H1-B and L1 visas. How can New Delhi tackle this rising U.S. sentiment against Indian companies?

Knowledge commons and the future of capitalism Courtesy: Leoboudv/WikimediaCommons
19 April 2013

Knowledge commons and the future of capitalism

Often, many vital inventions are left incomplete or do not reach the market as information is locked up by numerous patent holders. How does this hamper innovation, and why is it necessary to overcome the attitude of ‘anti-commons’ and foster cross-fertilization of knowledge?

Are political parties failing democracy Courtesy: Somenametoforget/Flickr
12 April 2013

Are political parties failing democracy?

Conventional political parties around the world seem to be on the decline, and there are common factors too – precarious economies and a leaching of ideology, for example. How can countries achieve grassroots empowerment in their village republics, and those of ordinary citizens the world over?

India-Pakistan Business first Courtesy: WikimediaCommons/Flickr
5 April 2013

India-Pakistan: Business first

The road to reconciliation between India and Pakistan is likely to be a long and treacherous one. But perhaps economic compulsions can overtake political ones. That is the hope in Karachi, whose business community has started to make its journey across the border to India.

obama israel Courtesy: The White House
2 April 2013

Obama: Still equivocating on Palestine

During his visit to Israel, U.S. President Barack Obama spoke in favour of both the Israelis’ right to security and the Palestinians’ right to sovereignty. The issue of settlements, however, remains unresolved and it is unlikely that Israel will make concessions when its neighbours are in turmoil.

WikimediaCommons Courtesy: WikimediaCommons
20 March 2013

Vote on Sri Lanka: Vote on UPA

New Delhi has taken some opportunistic actions, such as its vote against Sri Lanka in the UN Human Rights Council, to pacify internal political demands. But these extract a price in the international arena. Should we anticipate a further decline in India’s regional and international credibility?

Gandhi jappalang wikicommons Courtesy: jappalang/WikimediaCommons
14 March 2013

The relevance of Gandhi in China today

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in Gandhian philosophy and values among Chinese citizens. Can the Mahatma’s philosophy of non-violence, social harmony, and environmental protection be applied to address issues facing present-day China?

Gandhi currency Courtesy: Curtis Gregory Perry/Flickr
12 March 2013

Trusteeship: A futuristic concept

There is much global discussion on creating new metrics of ‘valuation’ to make markets respond to burgeoning crises such as the widening income gap, ecological imbalance and social instability. Can Mahatma Gandhi’s concept of Trusteeship enable the creation of a broader, more wholesome definition of value?