Jaishnkar Courtesy: Saddahaq.com
26 February 2015

SAARC sojourn: surmounting the entropy

The SAARC Yatra to be undertaken by foreign secretary S. Jaishankar from March 1 is an opportunity for India to improve relations, resurrect stalled projects and create new synergies with its neighbourhood. An initiative like this could hold the key to India shedding the ‘hegemon’ tag and pursuing mutually beneficial policies with its neighbours

Copenhagen memorial Courtesy: Getty Images
24 February 2015

The fault-lines in Denmark

The killings earlier this month in Copenhagen—manifestations of anti-free speech and anti-Jewish sentiments—were tragic and condemnable. Events such as these can only begin to be understood—not justified—within the growing contradictions of Scandinavian society

India voting finger Courtesy: electiontrends.in
24 February 2015

The quiet decline of anti-incumbency

The last 25 years of Indian democracy have shown that anti-incumbency in state elections is on the decline. This is a positive trend because continuous terms will allow political parties to look beyond single-term policies and focus on long-term development

Gilead drugs Courtesy: media.licdn.com
19 February 2015

Examining the Gilead deal

Widely heralded as a success that brought together U.S. and Indian pharma producers over a high-cost drug at affordable prices, the Gilead deal looked ideal. A closer examination shows there’s more to consider than just low costs before the deal can become a template

Latin America AAP Courtesy:
16 February 2015

Latin American lessons for AAP

The nature of the sweeping victory of AAP and Kejriwal may be unprecedented in India but not in Latin America. In Brazil, Mexico and Colombia, there are lessons for AAP and Arvind Kejriwal as they assume power in New Delhi – and also for the Congress Party as well as the BJP

AAP victory_2 Courtesy: rediff.com
13 February 2015

AAP, Occupy and the Arab Spring

There is an emerging consensus among scholars and political analysts across the world that the 20th century advances in building democratic systems have run their course. It is in this context that AAP’s rapid rise to power might serve as a light-house of global significance—a beacon that guides others seeking to take democracy to a higher level and warns of treacherous rocks