Courtesy: The New Indian Express
Studying the reaction of key stakeholders to the India-Pakistan conflict, and how India’s diplomatic machine coped with it, is revealing. Some of the major powers like the U.S., raised the temperature, China expectedly stood by Pakistan while Russia once again proved a dependable friend. Unsurprisingly, South Asia had a consistently neutral stance toward the conflict.
Courtesy: Khyber News
The horrific attack on April 22 on tourists in Kashmir has exposed its stark and violent reality. Kashmir remains tumultuous even after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. Before confronting Pakistan, India must first address its internal challenges and deliver on its election promises to achieve enduring progress.
Courtesy: Reuters
Kurdish independence has been an unresolved problem in West Asia for over a century, but a solution may be in sight. Two recent developments highlight this: the unilateral ceasefire declaration by the Kurdistan Workers Party and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Syria’s transitional government and the Syrian Democratic Forces. These may be key to resolving the Kurdish issue.
Courtesy: India Today
India’s new Agnipath scheme was launched in 2022, which offered young Indians a chance to qualify for four-year military service with 25% possibly being retained for a full service job. How have the ‘Agniveers’ fared now? In this time of multiple wars, how does the Agnipath scheme compare to ones offered globally?
Courtesy: Tata Steel
As a country building a strong fitness culture and renowned for its adventure tourism, India has an opportunity to become a power in adventure sports. Many of the nation’s top achievers are women, overcoming hard challenges to reach significant milestones. However, adventure sports is largely viewed as recreational. Better government coordination, corporate support and creation of a competitive environment will help put it on India’s sporting map.
Courtesy: Times of India
The allocation for defence in India’s annual budget for 2024-25 was, for the first time, not included in the budget speech. The country is upgrading its military, with new programmes and schemes, encouraging a start-up domestic defence industry, and reforming the defence research establishment. The separation will allay fears that India’s defence budget is never adequate.
Courtesy: International House
Frank G. Wisner was the most consequential U.S. ambassador to post liberalisation India. He used his three years in India to put the economic and commercial elements into the heart of the bilateral. He had friends on both sides of the aisle in India. He was an astute diplomat, but also accessible, making everyone feel comfortable regardless of their hierarchy in business or in official circles.
Courtesy: Reuters
The 18 February bilateral negotiations between Russia and the U.S. to end the war in Ukraine, will take Russia out of western isolation and put it back into the global mainstream. This is a success for President Vladimir Putin, who has now been ruling Russia for 25 years, by focusing on domestic stability and development and a revival of relations with the West, China and India.
Courtesy: AFP
February 1 marks four years of the military coup in Myanmar, which plunged the country into a bloody civil war, still on-going. The crisis is deepening, as the struggle between the Junta forces and a fragmented resistance wages on with no resolution in sight. A stalled mediation by ASEAN, and lack of consensus amongst neighbouring countries on how to help, leaves Myanmar’s future uncertain.
Courtesy: Newsweek
U.S. President Donald Trump is back for a second term, and India and the U.S. together have much to gain from it. The bilateral has grown tremendously over the decades, with technology, scientific and trade ties deepening and expanding. Also, both countries have a common interest in addressing the ascent and bullying tactics of China.