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Iran’s foreign minister Javad Zarif was in Mumbai on 16-17 January 2020, just days after the Iran-U.S. showdown in Iraq and the assassination of Iran’s top general. Zarif explained Iran’s dilemma to audiences in India and was hoping for public support. But the fact is that the January tensions are not Iran’s problem alone; it’s a global game-changer that has propelled the formation of new alliances
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Oil prices, arms exports and conflict are inter related especially when it comes to the U.S. Its arms industry grows when high prices and conflicts coincide. This has kept West Asia on a perennial geopolitical boil. This infographic charts the highs and lows of U.S. arms sales, especially in the light of conflicts centred around West Asia
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The global balance of power is in the process of a fundamental shift. The West appears fixated on China, which is both a “systemic rival” and a strategic partner to be cultivated. Europe now needs to choose between the values it shares with India and commercial profitability from China
Courtesy: Bloomsbury
This book’s premise is that Donald Trump’s attempt to withdraw from various agreements, supposedly harmful to America’s interests, is an opportunity for regional players to come into their own. The author’s presentation of facts dazzles, but his recommendations are unspecific
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India will host four prestigious international conferences, such as the India-Africa Forum Summit and the subsidiary SCO Summit in the course of the next three years. These are historic opportunities for the country to show global leadership and fulfil a diplomatic agenda that involves handling strategic competition and advancing partnerships
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The rise in Saudi Aramco’s stock price within two days of its IPO in November 2019, has taken the company’s market value past the $2-trillion mark. This valuation should not be taken at face value for the offering is miniscule, and closely linked to the ruler's prestige rather than stock market fundamentals
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Relations between India and Sri Lanka are set to change. The expeditious manner in which the Indian external affairs minister met the newly elected Sri Lankan president, who reciprocated by making India the first foreign country he visited, raises hopes. An analysis of the factors that impede and facilitate such a shift
Courtesy: Gateway House
Kartarpur is an exemplary achievement of bilateral discussion over two decades. For the faithful, it is an emotional reconnection with the life of Guru Nanak, now made into a grand memorial. For others, on both sides of the border, it is a neutral place where they can renew contact with long-lost relatives. The author, who visited Kartarpur a month after its inauguration, was witness to the joy and aura of collective worship
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The United States’ decision to rebuild Afghanistan’s ring road was a change of strategy from its earlier focus on countering terrorism. But the road remains in a state of disrepair because the U.S.’ commitment to the cause has wilted
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India and France have converging interests in the Indo-Pacific – diplomatic, strategic and economic. The 4th Indo-French Maritime Security Dialogue held in New Delhi in December 2019 was an example of major bilateral cooperation. By working together, the two countries became the model for fostering a rules-based, free, open and inclusive region.