Interviews
3250 Courtesy: The Guardian
17 December 2015

Is Turkey the next Pakistan?

BY

The unfolding coup in Turkey demonstrates the instability that the nation has fallen into. Terror attacks like the one in Istanbul airport was the most high profile targeting of Turkey by ISIS and other extremists. This is the outcome of Turkey’s crackdown on internal popular protest, on allowing itself to become the highway for extremists, refugees and weapons to disparate terrorist groups and being a willing proxy for the major powers contending in Syria. The increasing frequency of the attacks in Turkey reveals a similar pathology to Pakistan, which is now in a low-grade civil war. Is Turkey going down the path of Pakistan?

Victor_Dubreuil_-_'Money_to_Burn',_oil_on_canvas,_1893 Courtesy: Victor Dubreuil / Wikipedia
15 December 2015

The Gulf storm ahead

BY

The GCC finds itself engulfed by a perfect storm – due to the oil price fall and the re-emergence of Iran on the world scene. While the GCC is forced to undertake politically challenging reforms and confront the regional challenge of Iran, there lies a great opportunity for India to strengthen their economic as well as security ties.

Risingpowersinitiative.org Courtesy: Risingpowersinitiative.org
14 December 2015

India’s Iran opportunity

BY

Iran has emerged on to the world stage after 36 years of isolation. India must double up its diplomacy and commercial engagement with Iran, and move boldly beyond the curtain of ‘civilisational’ ties. Time to put that natural advantage to good commercial use through a vigorous private sector engagement with Tehran.

EndISISFlickrDawn Endico Courtesy: Dawn Endico
3 December 2015

Can ISIS be defeated?

BY

Today ISIS is the gravest international security threat. To defeat ISIS, the world should pay heed to India’s experience of the need to isolate state sponsors of terrorism. Ultimately, only when Saudi Arabia acknowledges the danger to its own survival from past policies of alleged support to extremist groups, can it be a reliable partner in the fight against ISIS.

Ansari Rouhani 2013 MEA Flickr Courtesy: MEA Flickr
12 November 2015

Berthing a new era at Chabahar

BY

The strategic and geopolitical importance of Iran’s Chabahar Port is not lost on India. It is for this reason that India is keen to partner with Iran on investing in developing berths at the Port. Although the relationship between the two have had its ups and downs, it is time that with a nuclear deal in place between Iran and the P5+1, India realises that it has much more at stake in its relationship with Tehran.

U.S. Mission / Eric Bridiers Courtesy: Wikipedia
8 October 2015

UNSC and sanctions: a balanced role

BY

The sanctions against Iran impacted the country’s oil, banking, aviation, and other sectors, and had a major humanitarian impact. But neither is armed attack a more suitable method in most instances to address allegedly recalcitrant states. What then is the middle ground? And can the UNSC assume a more proactive role in this context?

Iran Talks. Abschluss Iran Verhandlungen. UNO. Wien, 14.07.2015, Foto: Dragan Tatic Courtesy: Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs/Wikipedia
14 August 2015

Iran after the deal

BY

A month after Iran’s milestone nuclear deal with the P5+1 countries, the fine print is being scrutinised by hardliners in Iran and the deal will eventually be prepared for implementation by President Rouhani’s government. India, poised to revitalise bilateral trade, will be among many countries that can now benefit from robust business ties with the Persian Gulf country.

Zarif-Kerry Courtesy: Wikipedia
17 July 2015

Iran sanctions: journey’s end

BY

A journey which began in Istanbul in 2012 ended in triumph in Vienna in July 2014, as the P5+1 countries and Iran announced a Joint Plan of Comprehensive action that would see Iran free of all economic sanctions while upholding the right to a civil nuclear programme. While this journey, fraught with challenges, technically is over, the ratification battle in the U.S. congress commences now