Under the dome_India's daughter Courtesy: YouTube
12 March 2015

India, China and censorship

In the past week two documentaries that went viral in China and India were banned. In China, a documentary about pollution. In India, a documentary about the Nirbhaya rape incident in 2012. India's decision to ban the film suggests that the government's approach to censorship is starting to look more like China's

SAARC Courtesy:
2 March 2015

An Indian democracy template for SAARC?

Indian foreign secretary S. Jaishankar’s visit to SAARC countries from March 1 is an opportunity to examine the political trajectories in the region. While democracy in some countries like Sri Lanka is on an upswing, in others, like Bangladesh, it is in decline. With China’s growing economic influence in South Asia, can Indian democracy be an effective counterpoint?

mexico bollywood Courtesy: NPR
26 February 2015

Mexican inspiration for Bollywood

Mexican director Alejendra Inarritu’s Oscar for his work on Birdman comes after his compatriot won the same category award in 2014. This is a matter of pride for the Mexican film industry which is undergoing a renaissance in the last fifteen years. Although Indian cinema dwarfs the Mexican film industry, Mexico’s success in Hollywood should hold as inspiration for Bollywood

Jaishnkar Courtesy: Saddahaq.com
26 February 2015

SAARC sojourn: surmounting the entropy

The SAARC Yatra to be undertaken by foreign secretary S. Jaishankar from March 1 is an opportunity for India to improve relations, resurrect stalled projects and create new synergies with its neighbourhood. An initiative like this could hold the key to India shedding the ‘hegemon’ tag and pursuing mutually beneficial policies with its neighbours

Latin America AAP Courtesy:
16 February 2015

Latin American lessons for AAP

The nature of the sweeping victory of AAP and Kejriwal may be unprecedented in India but not in Latin America. In Brazil, Mexico and Colombia, there are lessons for AAP and Arvind Kejriwal as they assume power in New Delhi – and also for the Congress Party as well as the BJP

Normandy four talks Courtesy: MoFA/Russia
12 February 2015

‘Ukraine crisis has one winner: China’

With the crisis in Ukraine worsening, Europe seems to have realised that the solution is not military, though the U.S may push to send in arms. Although no country wants a war with Russia, the conflict over Ukraine between the West and Russia could escalate. What are the future scenarios for the region and with what global implications?

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