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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.
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At present, the ASEAN is at a critical phase in its dealings with China – the regional hegemon with growing heft. Why do ASEAN nations need to collaborate and find innovative ways to deal with its giant neighbour.
New Delhi has actively worked with Beijing to address its massive bilateral trade deficit. However, it has another option. India can seek greater economic integration with ASEAN and substitute its imports from China with that of ASEAN. The India-ASEAN Summit on December 20 would be a good place to start.
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As India and the world welcome the recent democratization of Myanmar, this presents India an opportunity to increase its access to South East Asian countries as well, especially with members of ASEAN which still have catching up to do – particularly Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.
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The West is quick to claim that their sanctions against Myanmar have forced the government to implement political and economic reforms in the country. However, such bans do not usually achieve their stated purpose of forcing regimes to change their behavior.
Manjeet Kripalani, Executive Director, Gateway House blogs about the hurdles social entrepreneurs in India face and the alluring idea of an India-South East Asia Social Enterprise Corridor.
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What have economic blockades in India's North East achieved? For one, they choked off the supply chain of an already isolated region. With Myanmar showing signs of warming towards India, New Delhi must establish ties with its eastern neighbour, but first, it needs to fix Manipur’s broken socio-political landscape.
Amidst myriad country groupings that already exist – BRICS, IBSA, APEC, SCO and many others – a new initiative in the Pacific is looking to integrate more powerful countries to form a multilateral free trade agreement – the Trans Pacific Partnership. How important is this towards the reshaping of trade and power?
Courtesy: Foreign Affairs
As Indonesia hosts a number of high-level summits this year, it looks set to take its place among the world’s economic superstars. But celebrations are premature: although Indonesia has made great strides, its gains are reversible. To continue to prosper, Jakarta must address rampant corruption and poor governance
Sreeram Chaulia, Vice Dean of the Jindal School of International Affairs, talks to Gateway House’s Samyukta Lakshman about his new book titled, "International Organisations and Civilian Protection".
