Bin_Salman__Reuters_ Courtesy:
9 November 2017

Saudi purge: Arab Spring 2.0?

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The removal of 11 top ministers in the Riyadh government last week by the young crown prince Mohammad bin Salman, is a geopolitical upheaval, the implications are serious. Domestically, the kingdom is seeking to liberalise its conservative society and move away from oil-dependency – evident from the expected listing of its crown jewel Aramco. For India, which imports oil largely from West Asia, instability could cause a spike in prices, leaving less for its ambitious reforms. Globally, there is now space for new alignments – in the Great Power plays, in the Shia-Sunni rivalry, and in the war on terrorism.

Djibouti - Title Card Courtesy:
3 October 2017

Djibouti’s ‘military base’ diplomacy

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Indian President Ram Nath Kovind leaves for Africa on his first foreign visit as president on October 3. His first port of call will be Djibouti, which occupies a strategic location in the Horn of Africa. The country has assumed significance for hosting multiple foreign military bases on its territory, the latest entrant being China. This infographic illustrates Djibouti’s ‘military base’ diplomacy.

1000x563_346129 Courtesy: Euro News
29 September 2017

Civil security lessons from Germany

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The German civil security industry is in the throes of change: it was once an avenue of employment for the less educated or the jobless. Today, companies are increasingly selling comprehensive security solutions. India will gain by being prepared for such trends and technological innovations

people-take-streets-banner-reading-independence-during-protest-greater-autonomy-catalonia Courtesy:
28 September 2017

Impact of tribalism in the democratic process

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A number of democratic processes are set to unfold in this week. A referendum in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, the AfD's surprising outcome in the German Parliamentary election and the upcoming referendum in Catalonia, Spain. Ambassador Neelam Deo, Director at Gateway House, discusses the geopolitical implications of these highly-controversial domestic democratic processes.

_96278695_6dce5a47-502a-4f67-95ff-17f4295e53c8 Courtesy: BBC
21 September 2017

India, Germany and Africa: the new priority

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Germany and India have revealed a dual priority for Africa: creating opportunities for prosperity and promoting stability. For both, these are uncharted waters and represents a shift in the locus of global dynamism, away from an Anglo-Saxon world order to a more diverse yet potentially fissiparous one

old photos bombay Courtesy: Live Mint
15 August 2017

Bombay, Karachi, linked by sea and refuge

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The 70th Independence Day for India and Pakistan – August 15 and 14 respectively – is a reminder of how Partition displaced 15 million people, causing untold hardship. What is less known is that the cities of Karachi and Bombay have had a shared colonial history and economy: the parting of ways left one bereft of a host of spirited citizens, who went on to rebuild their lives in the other