Israel-Saudi Courtesy: Wikipedia
13 July 2015

Reassessing our Israel, Arab engagement

The announcement in June of a Saudi-Israeli alliance against Iran has to be seen in the context of the strategic dimensions of India’s relations with Saudi Arabia, Israel, Iran, and the U.S. And it has far-reaching implications for India’s policy towards West Asia

Saudi Arabia_King Salman Courtesy: sodere.com
5 February 2015

Prioritising Saudi Arabia

The last ten years had signalled the Saudi intention of building closer relations with India based on their immense crude oil resources and India’s growing market and skill sets. With a new king on the throne and the on-going turmoil in West Asia it is in New Delhi’s interest to initiate high-level visits with Riyadh as soon as possible

IS Courtesy: U.S. Staff Sergeant Aaron Allmon
16 September 2014

Modi, Obama and the Islamic State

Obama’s strategy to target the IS in Syria within the framework of a U.S.-led international coalition has met with a tepid response. There are reports that the U.S may offer India a non-NATO ally status during Modi’s upcoming visit in a bid to seek greater support – a gesture that India will do well to disregard.

UNSC Syria UNSC Courtesy: United Nations
4 October 2013

Decoding the UNSC Resolution on Syria

The recent UNSC Resolution, which mandates the complete destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons, demonstrates that after more than a year, a degree of international agreement on the Syrian issue has been possible. In the evolving situation, Russia will now emerge as a major player

assadobama Courtesy: Freedom House/Flickr
6 September 2013

Syria: An unwarranted intervention

Despite rising international opposition, U.S. President Barack Obama is ready to penalise the Syrian regime for an alleged chemical attack in Ghouta, Syria, last month. The justifications given by the U.S. for an armed attack are questionable, and such retaliatory action will destabilise the entire region

Bahrain Activist/WikimediaCommons Courtesy:
8 February 2013

India navigates the Arab Uprisings

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.

Www.Oic-Oci.Org Courtesy:
23 January 2013

India and the OIC: To join or not to join?

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.

West Asia Courtesy: takver/WikimediaCommons
3 December 2012

Prioritizing West Asia

India is tied to West Asia by economic, religious and political threads. The ongoing social and political flux in the region can have adverse consequences for India and requires a serious rethink of its foreign policy priorities. How can India insert itself usefully into this geopolitical cauldron?

obama second term_0 Courtesy: U.S. Navy
10 November 2012

The second term

U.S. President Barack Obama will certainly have the benefit of continuity in his second term, but he has a range of impending crises to address immediately - be it to avert the so-called fiscal cliff before the end of the year when automatic cuts kick in or plan for the military drawdown from Afghanistan.

ambassador abhyankar interview Courtesy: Gateway House
8 June 2012

“We are not in the business of ‘civilizing’ nations”

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.