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Neighbourhood Views of India
In the past few years, the SAARC region has seen promising engagements in mutual cooperation between nations. For these developments to hold, new ideas must be discussed
Courtesy: Swami Stream/Flickr
Mumbai, after 26/11
Four years after the 26/11 terrorist attacks, Mumbai remains almost as vulnerable. The city is losing its expansiveness, while terrorism drives a wedge between the Hindu and Muslim communities in bindaas Mumbai. Are India’s secular traditions strong enough to emerge from such assaults with its integrity assured?
Courtesy: movieevery/WikimediaCommons
Squeezing the Haqqanis: Will it work?
In the backdrop of a gradually weakening Quetta Shura, the Haqqani network has emerged as a powerful extremist group operating in the Afghanistan-Pakistan theater. How can the UN Security Council's recent sanctions against the Haqqanis act as a potential de-motivator for this Pakistan-based terrorist outfit?
Courtesy: U.S. Navy
The second term
U.S. President Barack Obama will certainly have the benefit of continuity in his second term, but he has a range of impending crises to address immediately - be it to avert the so-called fiscal cliff before the end of the year when automatic cuts kick in or plan for the military drawdown from Afghanistan.
Courtesy: Imran Ghazali/WikimediaCommons
Imran Khan’s India equation
Imran Khan is coming to India to speak at the World Economic Forum to be held from 6 to 8 November in Gurgaon. What does Pakistan’s potential next prime minister have in store for India?
Courtesy: Isafmedia/Flickr
Afghanistan: Strategic depth to strategic peace
As the NATO troops prepare to pull out of Afghanistan in 2014, India is already positioned to take on a larger, pro-active role, which can radically alter the balance of power in South Asia. However, what will determine the future of security in the region, is how India and Afghanistan deal with Pakistan.
Courtesy: Guilhem Vellut/WikimediaCommons
Siachen: To hold or to fold?
There have been many discussions on the need to de-militarise the Siachen Glacier. Why have India and Pakistan suddenly begun to believe that they were mistaken in holding on to the region all this while? What are the possible ramifications of de-militarising this strategic location?
Courtesy: VOA/WikimediaCommons
Romney vs. Obama on U.S. supremacy
In a recent speech, U.S. Presidential candidate Mitt Romney criticised incumbent President Barack Obama's foreign policies, and called for U.S. supremacy. However, it seems apparent that Romney wouldn’t usher in a foreign policy revolution if elected.
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Advantage: Pakistan
Manmohan Singh is likely to visit Pakistan later this year. As the first visit of an Indian Prime Minister to the country in 8 years, it will be a significant event. The timing and the agenda of the PM’s visit, however, raise a few questions.
Courtesy: Kashiff/Flickr
Pakistan: Supreme Court vs. Democracy
The ongoing political chaos in Pakistan indicates that the Supreme Court is bent on weakening civilian authority and strengthening Army control in the country – which is unfavourable for Pakistan and its neighbours alike.