rouhani opbama wikimediacommons Courtesy: WikimediaCommons
26 September 2013

U.S.-Iran thaw is good news for India

The positive advances made by newly-elected Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and U.S. President Barack Obama at the 68th UN General Assembly indicates a strong potential for a thaw in Tehran-Washington relations. However, it will take sincere efforts from both sides to turn this into concrete reality. Can India help?

Indira Lyndon Jerchel wikimediacommons Courtesy: Jerchel/WikimediaCommons
24 September 2013

The case for India-Alignment

India often finds itself in the right place at the wrong time or vice versa, as our dogma of non-alignment trumps honest calculations of self-interest in policy-making – rendering it unfavourable. The national interest, hence, calls for selective alignment on some issues with Washington and on others with Beijing

maliki manmohan MEA Courtesy: Ministry of External Affairs, India
29 August 2013

Maliki’s visit lays ambitious goals

After Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s recent visit to India, cooperation in the energy sector could become the cornerstone of the bilateral relationship. A lot depends on India’s response to the opportunities offered by Iraq, and on how India triangulates its foreign policy with Iraq, Iran and Saudi Arabia

egypt Courtesy: oxfamnovib/Flickr
18 July 2013

Protests in democracies – patterns and problems

Elections are meant to be a suitable recourse in democracies if citizens feel that the government does not represent them. However, the recent protests in Brazil, Turkey and India show that people feel political classes are too far removed from their every day realities to address their grievances

corridorsmap2 Courtesy: Gateway House
11 July 2013

Asia’s Strategic Corridors to India

The map – Asia’s Strategic Corridors to India – has emerged from Gateway House’s study of India’s strategic links with other parts of Asia. It highlights the progress India has made in forging multiple links with six strategic regions – Central Asia, West Asia, East Africa, South-East Asia, East Asia, and our immediate neighbourhood

Brazil Protest by Semilla Luz Courtesy: Semilla Luz/ Flickr
2 July 2013

Brazil, Turkey, Occupy and India: What’s up folks?

The protests in Brazil, Turkey, Egypt and India are bound by a common thread of grievances against misuse of government power and corruption. These modern protests show a marked decline in government trust, even though may not always have clear objectives

Khurshid in Iraq Courtesy: MEAphotogallery/ Flickr
28 June 2013

India finally reconnects with Iraq

In 2012, Iraq emerged as India’s second largest crude oil supplier thereby shifting focus back on bilateral relations. However, India’s historical and cultural connection with Iraq, as well as common geopolitical concerns, reveal that relations have the potential to go beyond oil