Courtesy: Shwkyn231/Flickr
The year 2012 has been a busy one for foreign policy: from escalating disputes in the South China Sea to alternate financial instruments from the emerging world. India’s foreign policy too has its shown strengths and weaknesses. We present our top foreign policy Hotspots, Sweet spots and Blind spots for 2012.
Courtesy: PMO
NATO’s poor strategy in Afghanistan has failed to quell the Taliban. Now, India will begin to train the Afghani military, and has proven with its light force tactics in Kashmir that it is better suited for the role than NATO forces.
Courtesy: PMO
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s speech at the UN General Assembly has put Indian perceptions on the record and clearly outlined India’s independent foreign policy. India came out unequivocally in support of the Palestinian struggle & reiterated its traditional stance of respecting countries’ sovereignty.
Although the U.S. has not faced another terrorist attack since 9/11, much has changed in its democratic framework. Gripped by fear, 3,984 federal, state and local organizations work on domestic counter-terrorism, spending an estimated $1 trillion.
Courtesy: Scott Hudson/Flickr
India's security concerns seem to grow weaker by the year. The dangerous political polarity, a paralysed ruling coalition, a fractured opposition, a popular distaste for a corrupt polity and complicit bureaucracy, and a slowing economy, has handicapped any progress towards this issue.
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A decade after 9/11, the U.S. has prevented further terrorist attacks - a major achievement. But with a $1.3 trillion budget deficit, a debt downgrade, and 24 million Americans searching for jobs, the U.S. needs to attend to matters at home rather than intervening in the world's affairs.
Courtesy: Sven-steffenarndt/WikimediaCommons
The U.S. Justice Department is slowly but surely clamping down on Pakistani terrorist activities, as is evident not only by the recent arrest of Kashmiri propogandist Ghulam Nabi Fai but also in open claim that the ISI Security Directorate "overseas militant groups".
Courtesy: openDemocracy/Flickr
The circumstances involved in the execution of Osama bin Laden make clear the connections between the Pakistan military and the Taliban-Al Qaeda. Will it finally slow the U.S. descent down the Wahabi-friendly trail?
Courtesy: PeteSouza/WhiteHouse
A week after Salman Taseer's murder, US Vice President Joseph Biden flew to Pakistan to "gauge priorities" in the Af-Pak region. India, Ambassador Neelam Deo says, must not allow itself to become a victim of American imperatives and Pakistani maneuvers.