afghanistan route 606 Courtesy: Isafmedia/Flickr
25 October 2012

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.

siachen pic Courtesy: Guilhem Vellut/WikimediaCommons
16 October 2012

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?

Mending India-Sri Lanka relations Courtesy: PMO
24 September 2012

Mending India-Sri Lanka relations

It is evident that Tamil Nadu plays a large role in shaping India’s policy towards Sri Lanka. The recent visit to India by Sri Lanka’s President, coming promptly after aggressive rhetoric from Tamil Nadu, is yet another sign that foreign affairs cannot be outsourced to regional or state governments.

manmohan zardari_0 Courtesy: Cropbot, Russavia/WikimediaCommons
17 September 2012

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.

democracy in motion neelam Courtesy: Mission Against Corruption/Wikimedia Commons
10 August 2012

Regenerating our democracy

The promise of an egalitarian democratic system in India and abroad, has been tarnished by the entrenchment of dynastic leadership and by an inordinate concentration of power and wealth in the hands of a few. It is imperative to find ways to confront the shortcomings that have crept into our cherished democracies.

Global Stability Map Courtesy: Gateway House
1 August 2012

Global Stability Map 2012

Gateway House prepared a Global Stability Map, using 20 differing indicators, to analyze the stability of 60 countries around the world. Using criteria that are important to the emerging economies of the world, the map provides an Indian perspective of the world today.

kp fabian 2 Courtesy: Gateway House
25 July 2012

“India’s diplomacy is textual, not contextual”

Understanding the rationale behind India’s diplomatic decisions is essential for policymakers and citizens alike, so as to take better decisions in the future. Gateway House interviews former Ambassador to Italy, K. P. Fabian, to discuss how India's assessment of policy values the spoken word over context.

debnath shaw Courtesy: Gateway House
5 July 2012

“Russia still dominates Central Asia”

Though some countries like Russia gained a strong foothold in Central Asia and the Caucasus post-1991, India has been a late-comer. Gateway House interviews former Ambassador to Azerbaijan Debnath Shaw to discuss India’s energy interests in the region, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the TAPI pipeline.

strategic dialogue seema Courtesy: Embassy of India, Washinton D.C.
18 June 2012

India-U.S.: Another big bilateral shift

The third India-U.S. Strategic Dialogue saw more talk of ‘mutual capabilities’ than of a mere alliance. The larger endeavour in the bilateral is to find the right fit as partners, where both countries can preserve their strategic autonomy and benefit from their unique positions in the international community.