india kazakh Courtesy:
14 April 2011

India-Kazakhstan: Beyond energy

The India-Kazakhstan relationship is in need of a massive overhaul. Manmohan Singh’s visit to Astana is full of possibilities that can transform the relationship from a short-sighted association into a broad-based, strategic, long-term one focusing on energy, security, trade and technology.

UN Photo Marco Castro_210x140 Courtesy: UNPhoto/MarcoCastro
14 April 2011

South Africa’s human rights dilemma

As the newest entrant of the BRICS group, South Africa's unpredictability in upholding the human rights dimension of its foreign policy agenda, by its stance to impose a ‘no fly zone’ over Libya, has brought about an incoherency between the BRIC countries and South Africa.

UN Photo Marco Castro_210x140 Courtesy: UNPhoto/MarcoDormino
12 April 2011

New trends in the management of upheaval

A new United Nations doctrine is revolutionising the manner in which Western powers achieve regime change. Under the pretext of “Responsibility to Protect” –as the doctrine is named –armed intervention does not depend on the aspirations of a populace but the facilitation of existing power equations

Energy Courtesy: RahmEmanuael/Wikimedia
1 April 2011

Energy: The post-Japan era

Japan’s Fukushima fallout puts the future of nuclear power in India in jeopardy. Our energy needs are so high that we will now need to consider all forms of energy - solar, wind, bio-mass, geo-thermal, oceanic energy, even energy through waves.

AL J Libya fLICKR Courtesy: AlJazeeraEnglish/Flickr
31 March 2011

A New Taliban in Libya?

The fundamental problem when supporting an anti-regime opposition is to ascertain the identity and purpose of the rebels. It is a question –which M.D. Nalapat discovers –is never asked by the United States, no stranger to shoring up rebels in far-off countries.

The Strokes Wikipedia Courtesy: The Strokes/Wikipedia
28 March 2011

No-fly zone over Mohali

Now that Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has accepted his Indian counterpart's invitation to the the World Cup semi-final match between the two countries, speculation is rife about what possible good could come out of this cricket diplomacy.

Frank Wisner Courtesy: GatewayHouse
26 March 2011

“No political connectivity between BRICS”

Frank Wisner, the legendary US diplomat who was not only President Barack Obama's special envoy to Egypt but also a former ambassador to India, discusses the outlook for Egypt, resolving the mayhem in the Middle East and India-Pakistan relations in a Gateway House exclusive.

Japan in Crisis Courtesy: Generationbass.com/Flickr
18 March 2011

Japan in crisis: Assessing the impact

The impact of the earthquake and subsequent tsunami on Japan could be graver than imagined but it’s an opportunity for Prime Minister Kan to take decisive action and strengthen his administration.

Durova Wikipedia Courtesy: Durova/Wikipedia
16 March 2011

Japan: A model of resilience

Japan has always been the quickest to extend relief to any country facing a humanitarian crisis. In the wake of its cataclysmic earthquake and subsequent tsunami, the former Indian Ambassador to Japan hopes that India can extend the same measure of compassion to a country that is celebrated for its resurgence.

M Shamma Flickr Courtesy: Feb17.info
7 March 2011

Mid-East: Belligerence vs. evolution

As the young protesters in Libya struggle to rewrite the contract between the people and their rulers to make them more accountable, the world is reacting in predictable ways.