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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.
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All the major economic forces in the world have come together in Africa in a new version of the Great Game. The competition for the continent’s resources will ultimately harm Africa unless Africa uses this opportunity to its advantage and to address its own serious problems.
As India looks to diversify its sources for energy imports and grapples with food security issues, it is looking more towards Latin America. Gateway House interviews Ambassador Deepak Bhojwani to discuss India’s prospects with this increasingly significant region.
Courtesy: Embassy of India, Venezuela
CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) chose India as its first dialogue partner, expressing its intent to expand trade and diversify. Given the increased political will from both sides, can CELAC be the driver for India-Latin America relations or will bilateral ties maintain the status quo?
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Although India’s trade with Latin America has increased considerably, there is still much potential to be exploited. India’s should adopt an aggressive market oriented strategy by identifying local partners wherever possible to enable Indian companies to penetrate the region.
Courtesy: Martinmartin/WikimediaCommons
Latin America is witnessing an exponential rise in regional integration of business houses. The resource-rich nature of most Latin American economies has led to an inward concentration of investment, which makes it an extremely interesting prospect for Indian investors.
Courtesy: Juan Alberto Pérez/Flickr
While the ouster of Paraguay’s president is a setback to the young democracy of the country, it shouldn’t be viewed as a repeat of Latin America’s history of coup d’états. The painful process of democratic maturity will continue, albeit slowly.
Courtesy: ESO/WikimediaCommons
The newly-formed Pacific Alliance bloc seems more like a political club to counterbalance the Atlantic-facing, Brazil-led Mercosur group. However, the bloc accounts for 30% of India’s trade with Latin America. Can India engage the group so it is not left out from their Asia focus?
Courtesy: Brasília-DF
Brazil and India’s commonalities are truly striking – multi-party coalitions, strong regional powers, and pressures between the executive, legislative and judicial pillars – and bilateral ties have recently acquired greater content. Can Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff’s visit give bilateral ties a further boost?
Courtesy: nazeah/Wikimediacommons - Ramesh Lalwani/Flickr
The year 2011 saw various events - the Arab Spring, anti- corruption protests, Europe's sovereign debt crisis - transform countries and reshape the world order. Gateway House takes a look at what these events mean for India, and presents India's top foreign policy cheers and jeers for the year.
