john kerry seema piece Courtesy: Officer/WikimediaCommons
3 January 2013

John Kerry: To the job born

U.S. Senator John Kerry will officially take office as the Secretary of State, later this month, replacing Hillary Clinton. Given his background of foreign policy, and his proven competency in related matters, what can India and South Asia look forward to, during his term in his new office?

parliament Courtesy: Shwkyn231/Flickr
31 December 2012

India’s foreign policy: A year in review

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.

saarc-flags_5 Courtesy: doreview.blogspot.in
6 December 2012

The time for SAARC is now

Domestic politics are impacting overall SAARC relations. As the largest SAARC economy, we must strive to minimise differences with our neighbours by understanding how they perceive our policies, and uphold the promise of this regional bloc

male international airport Courtesy: wallygrom/Flickr
5 December 2012

The Maldives: Geopolitics trumps geoeconomics

The move by the Maldives to renege on Bangalore-based GMR’s $500 million investment is a classic case of geopolitics trumping geoeconomics. This is an appropriate time for India to boost its diplomatic efforts by including the Ministry of Commerce in initiatives taken by the Ministry of External Affairs.

obama second term_0 Courtesy: U.S. Navy
10 November 2012

The second term

U.S. President Barack Obama will certainly have the benefit of continuity in his second term, but he has a range of impending crises to address immediately - be it to avert the so-called fiscal cliff before the end of the year when automatic cuts kick in or plan for the military drawdown from Afghanistan.

afghanistan route 606 Courtesy: Isafmedia/Flickr
25 October 2012

Afghanistan: Strategic depth to strategic peace

As the NATO troops prepare to pull out of Afghanistan in 2014, India is already positioned to take on a larger, pro-active role, which can radically alter the balance of power in South Asia. However, what will determine the future of security in the region, is how India and Afghanistan deal with Pakistan.

Mending India-Sri Lanka relations Courtesy: PMO
24 September 2012

Mending India-Sri Lanka relations

It is evident that Tamil Nadu plays a large role in shaping India’s policy towards Sri Lanka. The recent visit to India by Sri Lanka’s President, coming promptly after aggressive rhetoric from Tamil Nadu, is yet another sign that foreign affairs cannot be outsourced to regional or state governments.