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22 August 2019

Chief of defence staff: executive chief or staff officer?

The announcement by Indian prime minister Narendra Modi of a new position of a Chief of Defence Staff is a long-pending and vital appointment for national security, but it will be effective only if the defence apparatus is also overhauled

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22 August 2019

The Telegram phenomenon

The tool used to sustain and coordinate protests is a young, encrypted messaging service called Telegram. Its unique privacy and security features and resistance to the state has made Telegram more popular than its larger rivals, WhatsApp and WeChat. What is this communication phenomenon?

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22 August 2019

Japan in India’s North East

India and Japan have emerged close strategic partners, particularly in the current decade. They are cooperating for the economic development of India’s landlocked North East Region through connectivity building and infrastructure projects. The Modi government’s Act East policy has been a major impetus in the flow of Japanese assistance. Such cooperation also comes in direct response to China’s BRI

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15 August 2019

Sequencing Governance and Economic Growth

The Narendra Modi government came to power in India in 2014, promising "minimum government, maximum governance". Its roll-out of numerous government schemes meant that democracy and governance came before economic growth. But it returned Modi to power.Analysing the current debate on growth and governance the author explores how the sequencing of governance and economic outcomes is different in China, Turkey and India

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14 August 2019

The DMZ, between peace and hostility

The Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) is a 250-km-long militarised border that divides the Korean peninsula roughly into half. It is one of the most heavily guarded borders in the world. The author, who had a unique opportunity to visit the DMZ, narrates her experience

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14 August 2019

The Persian merchants of Bombay

Bombay’s trade with the Persian Empire grew rapidly in the 19th century because of regular steamship services between the city and prominent Iranian ports such as Bushire. The wealthy and public-spirited Persian merchants, who settled in Bombay, endowed their community with a religious and social infrastructure, in use even today