34784282675_bc82e8c9d3_b Courtesy: The White House/Flickr
31 May 2017

Trump: blunt to NATO, cosy with Saudis

Trump’s first foreign visit to West Asia and Europe brought home what the president means by “America First” even as he stands accused of committing two major foreign policy transgressions

120416-N-ZI635-259 
INDIAN OCEAN (April 16, 2012) The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG 52) and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Halsey (DDG 97) participate in a passing exercise with Indian navy ships during Exercise Malabar 2012. Carl Vinson, Bunker Hill, and Halsey comprise Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 1 and are participating in the annual bi-lateral naval field training exercise with the Indian navy to advance multinational maritime relationships and mutual security issues. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman George M. Bell/Released) Courtesy: Wikimedia
24 April 2017

Military option in North Korea too risky

As the United States considers its policy options towards North Korea it must understand that Pyongyang has been thinking about military conflict for decades. It too will have military plans and they could pose major challenges for the U.S. This is why China and South Korea–and U.S. regional experts too–prefer the diplomatic route

29562902274_daf9fb5c4d_k Courtesy: IMF/ Flickr
18 April 2017

IMF spring meetings: projecting a pickup

The IMF spring meetings on April 21-23 will take place amidst good news of the global economy moving into a better position. But the underlying fundamentals are still weak both in advanced countries and emerging markets, with the risks considerable. Economic policy makers must recognise and address the challenges with global consensus and multilateral actions

g20 baden baden Courtesy: The Telegraph
4 April 2017

Dark clouds over free trade in G20

President Trump’s “America First” rhetoric has eroded support for the commitments that leaders made at previous G20 summits regarding trade: rejecting protectionism and strengthening the multilateral trading system. What implications does this have for global trade? Will the more moderate voices in the administration get heard?

e92550d47b6d4ed5ad131f474187f8a7_18 Courtesy: Al Jazeera
6 March 2017

The Trump challenge: unpredictability as norm

Forecasting uncertainty is a full-fledged task for security and foreign policy analysts, but when countries resort to being unpredictable then it is likely to backfire. Uncertainty about his next course of action seems to be Trump’s defining characteristic. How India will manage this to better relations will be critical

India's Foreign Secretary Subrahmanyam Jaishankar (L) and US Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson Courtesy: AFP
6 March 2017

India-U.S.: continued ‘solid’ footing

Foreign Secretary Jaishankar’s third visit to the United States since Donald Trump's election is an indication of India’s commitment to engage with all-quarters in Washington with its full diplomatic might. Despite the current situation of concern due to the H-1B visa and the recent shooting of an Indian in Kansas, initial soundings are reassuring and positive.

trump Courtesy: Wikipedia Commons
28 February 2017

Trump: overturning the status quo

President Trump has moved to deliver on his campaign promises with rare alacrity: his executive actions cover everything from policies on trade and energy to bringing back manufacturing to America. But he has also been walked back on some of his explosive assertions while ambiguity looms large over several issues