aseanindia Courtesy: Prime Minister's Office
31 January 2014

India-ASEAN’s elusive services FTA

The India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement in services and trade will allow India to leverage its competitive offerings in IT, finance, among other fields. But the pact has proved elusive so far due to the open squabbling between ministries. The deal now looks set to come through only after the new government takes over

tpp Courtesy: Gobierno de Chile/Wikimedia Commons
24 January 2014

India and the TPP: Wait and watch?

Can India integrate more fully into the global economy and energise its trade by joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership? Or will negotiating an entry require significant concessions, not necessarily in India’s interests? These outcomes will depend on how TPP framework itself develops – inclusively or exclusively

wheat 2 Neil Palmer (CIAT) flickr Courtesy: Neil Palmer (CIAT)/Flickr
5 December 2013

Food Security at stake in Bali

At the World Trade Organisation (WTO)’s ongoing ninth Ministerial Conference, the focus of several countries is on food security. What does the proposed ‘Peace Clause,’ mean for developing nations? What are the complex factors at play in the decision-making process, in the ongoing meeting?

Eu iran Courtesy: European External Action Service
26 November 2013

Iran-P5+1 interim accord: An assessment

On November 24, the P5+1 and Iran reached a consensus on the interim agreement regarding Tehran’s long-disputed nuclear program. How comprehensive is this agreement, and what are its potential upshots for U.S., and West Asia – especially Israel and Saudi Arabia? More importantly, can India play a positive role?

himani Courtesy: counting chest bullets/Flickr
13 November 2013

The new energy price economics

In recent years, U.S. oil and gas imports have declined due to the development of shale resources in the country. How will the production of shale oil, increase in oil production by non-OPEC countries, supply disruptions in West Asia and economic growth in India and China impact global crude oil prices?

food sedurity Courtesy: Rigues/Flickr
8 November 2013

Food security and WTO

A recent UN report praises governments for promoting the right to food. At the same time, India’s Food Security Act will encounter resistance at the WTO meeting in Bali in December. Can India play an exemplary role in the global power struggle over food security?

ind jap Courtesy: generalising/Flickr
6 November 2013

The new Indo-Pacific core

The India-Japan alliance needs to be viewed through a prism broader than that of "containing" China, and by treating the Indian and Pacific oceans as a single entity. Such an alliance has the potential to strengthen the geopolitical security of India and Japan, along with that of all their allies and associates

obamaxi Courtesy: Systemman, Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo/Wikimedia Commons
21 October 2013

U.S. government shutdown, China’s gain

The U.S. government shutdown and President Obama’s absence gave China immense diplomatic and political space at the APEC and East Asia Summit meetings. China’s declaration of a “de-Americanised” world may be premature but the crumbling old order is doing little to dispel this notion

UNSC Syria UNSC Courtesy: United Nations
4 October 2013

Decoding the UNSC Resolution on Syria

The recent UNSC Resolution, which mandates the complete destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons, demonstrates that after more than a year, a degree of international agreement on the Syrian issue has been possible. In the evolving situation, Russia will now emerge as a major player