Manifestos of political parties in India are dominated by policy statements on domestic issues, with foreign policy receiving only marginal mention. A long-established view that issues like roti, kapada aur makan (food, clothing and housing) and now roads, bridges, inflation, and jobs are the issues of primary concern to voters. But this has been changing, particularly in the past decade. The Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), at the helm since 2014, has focused on five themes: assertive nationalism, civilizational legacy, India's read more

The confrontation between Israel and Iran has been driven through shadows and non-direct operations since the Islamic Revolution, moving through periods of high tension and deceleration Covert actions to impair Iran's nuclear program, military facilities, and energy infrastructure and tit-for-tat attacks on the high seas and in cyberspace have been the preferred means to express mutual hostility. The Israeli airstrike on 1 April against read more

One of Britain’s main preoccupations in the 19th century was the exchange value of the Indian rupee vis á vis the British sterling pound – this was important in order to maintain a favourable balance of trade for England. The currency ratios between the British pound and the Indian rupee were often a matter of fierce debate between the Indian mercantile community and the various currency commissions that were sent to India between the years 1866–1925. During these currency debates read more

On April 17, a spokesperson of the Myanmar military government stated that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s most popular leader, and former president U Win Myint were moved from prison to house arrest. As part of the Thingyan festival celebrations, over 30,000 political prisoners have also been granted amnesty and were being released. But these developments, though welcome, do not conceal the fact that, three years after the coup, the political and security situation in Myanmar has markedly deteriorated. read more