thediplomat-asean-flags-553x360 Courtesy: The Diplomat
28 March 2019

An ASEAN trio in transition

Philippines, Cambodia and Lao PDR face a range of development challenges at home even as they respond dynamically to shifting priorities in external relations. With U.S.-China competition increasingly shaping this part of the world, will India provide some balance? An insider’s account of how three less noticed ASEAN countries are coping with geopolitical changes

UN_Yoga_Day Courtesy: MEA Flickr
18 June 2015

International yoga day

The growing popularity of yoga across the world—highlighted by the International Yoga Day on June 21—is a triumph for those seeking to promote holistic knowledge systems and therapies for human well-being, and the recognition by the UN could strengthen public spending in support of such therapies across the world

anti-US-protests-in-Tehran-1 (Marzieh Soleimani) Courtesy: Marzieh Soleimani, Islamic Republic News Agency
17 June 2015

Iran deal: hardliners in Tehran

Iran's nuclear deal deadline is looming large, and sparks are already flying. While there is opposition to the deal from Israel, within Iran there are powerful interest groups driven by ideology and business interests, who are doing as much as possible to prevent a deal from being reached

aiib Courtesy: file photo/Xinhua, Wikipedia
23 April 2015

An ASEAN lens on the AIIB

The AIIB is a step along a path that started with the Asian financial crisis, which defined ASEAN’s views about the U.S.’s commitment to the region. Although the bank may signal the rise of China, it is also a coming together of Chinese and ASEAN goals—ASEAN’s focus on infrastructure for growth requires another source of finance, and this forecasts its strong relationship with the AIIB

Iran oil Courtesy:
9 April 2015

How the Iran deal impacts India

If the sanctions against Iran are eased following the April 2 agreement with the P5+1 on the country’s nuclear programme, it will increase global oil and gas supplies, bringing stability to energy markets. It could also resolve the issue of the Farsi Block in Iran, where further exploration of gas by Indian companies has been held back

picstitch (5) Courtesy: Wikimedia commons
19 March 2015

Assessing India’s infrastructure aid diplomacy

With the Modi government’s focus on improving neighbourhood relations, India cannot afford delays in its aid projects in the region—especially because aid is an effective foreign policy instrument. Why are these projects getting delayed? Is the government taking remedial steps to improve India’s aid programme?

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

facebook-map Courtesy: Karen Bleier AFP/Getty
19 December 2014

Digital diplomacy

Social media has disrupted how diplomats communicate with each other and the general public. How are diplomats using these platforms? How will future digital tools change the meaning and capabilities of digital diplomacy? Gateway House presents an educational mini-series on digital diplomacy, profiling Indian digital diplomacy, and the future trajectory of digital diplomacy.

china army Courtesy: Steve Webel/Flickr
26 April 2013

The new, sharper sabre from Beijing

The Chinese army’s trespassing of the Sino-Indian Line of Actual Control near Ladakh has fuelled serious security concerns in India. This signals a sharper policy from Beijing towards India; it is also why its response must be firm, and the Chinese must be seen to back off.