How Iranians see Trump’s hit to the Iran Deal
Scrapping the JCPOA will badly bruise Iran’s economy, citizens and foreign relations; it will have an impact on the U.S.’ allies too
Scrapping the JCPOA will badly bruise Iran’s economy, citizens and foreign relations; it will have an impact on the U.S.’ allies too
China’s ostensible intentions are to turn Gwadar port into a focal point of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor. But the geography of the region is a major stumbling block in the realisation of these ambitions and raises questions about the project’s underlying motives
India may end up being the unintended victim of renewed U.S. sanctions on Iran. It will push up the price of oil and cost India billions of dollars annually
North Korea's overtures to its immediate strategic neighbours through a series of summits have excluded Japan, which has long regarded Pyongyang's nuclear weapons and missile development programmes a direct threat. It is reacting by reaching out to the U.S., North Korea and China
Pakistan’s economic mismanagement and support for terrorism will leave its economy in a hole – and imperil the multibillion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor
Gwadar has lain in relative obscurity since 1958 when Oman sold it to Pakistan. It was only 50 years later that the Chinese ‘rediscovered’ it. Pakistan and China have much to learn from the British experience of this strategic asset
The Halifax International Security Forum offered western policy makers and strategic analysts a chance to reflect on the state of the trans-Atlantic security alliance, especially with the United States under the Trump administration, its relations with Russia, and China’s peaking global ambitions
The removal of 11 top ministers in the Riyadh government last week by the young crown prince Mohammad bin Salman, is a geopolitical upheaval, the implications are serious. Domestically, the kingdom is seeking to liberalise its conservative society and move away from oil-dependency – evident from the expected listing of its crown jewel Aramco. For India, which imports oil largely from West Asia, instability could cause a spike in prices, leaving less for its ambitious reforms. Globally, there is now space for new alignments – in the Great Power plays, in the Shia-Sunni rivalry, and in the war on terrorism.
For the last fortnight, the world has been captivated by the events of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, which elevated Chinese President Xi Jinping to the status accorded to Chairman Mao. Xi Jinping has consolidated his position in the CCP, strengthened his hold over the country and provided a policy road-map for the next five years. 'Xi' Jinping Thought' is now enshrined In the Chinese Constitution just as firmly as was 'Mao Zedong Thought'.
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s reforms, some of which have been effected in the run-up to the 19th Party Congress, have served to both modernise the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and also strengthen his hold on it. They may also have resulted in adversely affecting the PLA’s combat efficacy