The importance of being neighbourly
India is subtly adding four new elements in the policy matrix
Courtesy: Twitter/@MaithripalaS
Courtesy: Twitter/@MaithripalaS
Courtesy: Egypt Today
Russia returns to Africa
The inaugural Russia-Africa summit in Sochi in October is President Putin’s way of proclaiming a new phase in Russia’s relationship with the continent while increasing its relevance among countries with an established presence. The aim is to strengthen cooperation in the nuclear power, mining and security sectors
Courtesy: IEEE Spectrum
BECA and the 5G-weather clash
The Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geospatial Cooperation (BECA), the last of the India-U.S. foundational agreements, will enable India to avail of U.S. expertise on geospatial intelligence and to sharpen the accuracy of weapons and automated hardware systems used for military purposes. But the over-emphasis on imaging in the agreement overlooks the likelihood of a clash between the telecom and meteorological technologies, which can hurt India’s crucial capabilities in space-based weather forecasting and disaster management
Courtesy: The Wall Street Journal
Suu Kyi, more politician than icon
The Aung San Suu Kyi-led National League for Democracy, which has been in power for three years, has shown a modest score card, winning more censure than praise. Suu Kyi’s civilian-military equation has been good, but not her reluctance on the Rohingya issue. What chances does her party have of winning in Myanmar’s elections in 2020?
Courtesy: CNBC TV18
PM Modi’s foreign policy 2.0
India's foreign policy under the second Modi government will take account of a turbulent world in which the old verities are disappearing and domestic political compulsions exert overwhelming influence on external postures
Courtesy: Gateway House
Pricing nature: India’s opportunity
The re-election of the Bharatiya Janata Party to Parliament means that India’s infrastructure buildout will continue apace. This will be a heavy load on the environment. It will also have to abide by Prime Minister Modi’s commitment to the successful implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. This offers an opportunity for the government to think innovatively about measures for sustainable development, particularly in pricing nature
Courtesy: Gateway House
A case for balanced BITs
The Bilateral Investment Treaty has been losing favour as a dispute resolution mechanism since the recession of 2008. India has terminated several BITs after receiving an unfavourable award in a 2012 case. These terminations have created uncertainty regarding existing foreign investments and are not the answer to disputes. A balance is needed, especially for emerging markets, which must protect against claims whilst ensuring confidence in business. The analysis below provides some options
Courtesy:
The IBSA task list
Why this unique grouping of India, Brazil and South Africa must be revitalised
Courtesy: Enterprenuer.com
Cannibalising U.S. firms in China
The U.S. strategy to impose steep tariffs on Chinese goods shipped to the U.S. has been puzzling since the tariffs are likely to hurt a large number of American enterprises based in China
Courtesy: India Today
Elections 2019: Making India Middle Class
The Bharatiya Janata Party, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been returned to power for another five years, till 2024. In the run-up to the national elections, the author travelled to Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, two of India’s most important states, to gauge the mood of the electorate, and to assess the economic and political conditions on the ground since the last election in 2014. She found a new generation with big dreams, and a population whose basic needs were being met. Economic citizenry has trumped identity politics. Modi is the leitmotif for this India, and they look to him to lead them into a middle class future.