Untitled Courtesy: Center for American Progress Action Fund/Flickr
21 June 2013

Kerry: Stepping onto an Asian merry-go-round

The U.S. Secretary of State’s visit to India comes at a time when India is witnessing significant realignments in its domestic politics while the U.S. is busy tackling its cyber-spying allegations. Amidst these preoccupations, will the upcoming India-U.S. talks churn out substantive outcomes?

Hassan_Rouhani2 Courtesy: Ansarymehr/Wikimedia Commons
17 June 2013

Will Rouhani plough a reformist furrow in Iran?

Hassan Rohani’s victory in the June 14 presidential election in Iran might allow more moderate voices in the political dialogue. But Iran's establishment decides positions on all major issues, including the nuclear programme, Syria, and dealings with the West. To what extent can Rohani change course?

iran election 1 Courtesy: Creative Commons/Flickr
13 June 2013

Why the world should take the Iran elections seriously

The 11th presidential election of Iran is unlikely to be fully democratic or transparent, but the winner will decide the nature of Tehran’s engagement with the West over its nuclear programme. The outcome of this election will also have a bearing on the crises in Syria and Iraq, and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

iran election wikimedia commons Courtesy: WikimediaCommons
17 May 2013

Iran: Contentious election, uncertain outcomes

The 11th Presidential election of Iran will be held on June 14, 2013. Why will this election be a test for the Islamic Republic’s stability? What are the factors at play that make this election critical; and more importantly, why must India monitor it closely?

Furmeyer/WikimediaCommons Courtesy: Furmeyer/WikimediaCommons
13 March 2013

Historical Perspectives on Piracy: The British Empire in the Persian Gulf

Maritime piracy is one of the several grave security issues faced by today’s world. This problem, however, isn’t a new phenomenon, and nations have long-battled this issue. How did piracy manifest itself in the Indian Ocean in the 19th century, and what was the nature of counter-piracy efforts during that period?

obama Courtesy: Pete Souza/The White House
22 February 2013

The pacific pivot: A decade late and five years too soon

The announcement of the Pacific pivot by the U.S. in 2001 has led to several nations making bold political moves. However, the U.S. isn’t yet ready to be a regional protector against China. What does Washington have to do to prepare itself for the Pivot?

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.

U.S. Department of Defense Courtesy: U.S. Department of Defense
11 January 2013

Chuck Hagel: Revising U.S. strategic postures?

The nomination of Chuck Hagel for the post of the U.S. Defense Secretary has garnered severe criticism from Israel and the Jewish lobby. Given the geopolitical changes unfolding in the Middle East and the rest of Asia, what will Hagel’s assumption of office mean for Israel, India and the rest of the world?

larjani Courtesy: BotMultiChillT/WikimediaCommons
4 December 2012

The Larijani factor in Iranian politics

The Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Ali Larijani, will soon visit India. Given that he enjoys Iran's Supreme Leader's confidence, and is Mahmoud Ahmedinejad’s rival, he’s likely to be visiting India not just as a Speaker, but also as a key strategist of the Islamic Republic, and a messenger of Khamenei.