Operation Mountain Fire Courtesy: Staff Sgt. Christopher Allison/Wikimedia Commons
30 March 2014

Afghanistan: At a turning point

The presidential election is vital not only for Afghanistan’s future but also for the stability of the region. The ensuing race has thrown up candidates from various ethnicities and they face an uphill task with a resurgent Taliban and a former President who still hopes to be a force in the political arena

obama manmohan pete souza Courtesy: Pete Souza/Wikimedia Commons
29 September 2013

India-U.S: Consolidating relations

Since 2009, distraction and dysfunction in India and the U.S. resulted in low enthusiasm vis-à-vis bilateral ties. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who met U.S. President Barack Obama, prior to the UNGA, had one last chance to salvage India-U.S. ties before the country goes to elections in 2014. Did he succeed?

biden MEA Courtesy: Ministry of External Affairs, India
23 July 2013

Biden’s political skills will be tested in India

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden’s visit to India this week comes at a time when the India-U.S. bilateral relationship has gone seemingly adrift. Can this visit, which comes just months ahead of the Indian general elections, rejuvenate the relationship which is rooted in long-term common strategic interests?

osama Courtesy: 2winTradez/Flickr
12 July 2013

What the Abbottabad report reveals

How did the Pakistani military fail to detect the raid in Abbottabad or the presence of Osama bin Laden? A report by a judicial commission in Pakistan, leaked by a TV channel on Monday, reveals the extent of the incompetence of civilian and military institutions, and the army’s complicity with the U.S.

Li manmohan abe Courtesy: Ministry of External Affairs, India
31 May 2013

Li and Abe

While the recent India-Japan Joint Statement contains significant breakthroughs, the China-Pakistan Joint Statement reveals the absence of warmth between India and China. With the current flurry of bilateral exchanges, India is fine-tuning its approach to emerging regional realities, as are others.

saarc-flags_5 Courtesy: doreview.blogspot.in
6 December 2012

The time for SAARC is now

Domestic politics are impacting overall SAARC relations. As the largest SAARC economy, we must strive to minimise differences with our neighbours by understanding how they perceive our policies, and uphold the promise of this regional bloc

debnath shaw Courtesy: Gateway House
5 July 2012

“Russia still dominates Central Asia”

Though some countries like Russia gained a strong foothold in Central Asia and the Caucasus post-1991, India has been a late-comer. Gateway House interviews former Ambassador to Azerbaijan Debnath Shaw to discuss India’s energy interests in the region, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the TAPI pipeline.

strategic dialogue seema Courtesy: Embassy of India, Washinton D.C.
18 June 2012

India-U.S.: Another big bilateral shift

The third India-U.S. Strategic Dialogue saw more talk of ‘mutual capabilities’ than of a mere alliance. The larger endeavour in the bilateral is to find the right fit as partners, where both countries can preserve their strategic autonomy and benefit from their unique positions in the international community.

bobs piece for 26,11 Courtesy: isafmedia/Flickr
18 November 2011

9/11 and 26/11: Are we any safer?

Last May, U.S. citizen David Headley confessed to being a spy for the Lashkar-e-Taiba. What no one has tackled yet is whether there are other Headleys out there whose actions threaten India, or any other country. Even with thousands of intelligence agencies scouting for terrorist activities, are we really safer?