devyani Courtesy: Asia Society/Flickr
20 December 2013

Nanny-gate dogs strategic partnership

The recent arrest and alleged mistreatment of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade by the U.S officials has cast a cloud over decades of Indo-U.S. partnership. With the furore showing little sign of dying down soon, could this impact bilateral ties at a time when the two nations need to work together in South Asia?

michelle Courtesy: WikimediaCommons
18 December 2013

The return of the Left in Chile

The return of the Left after four years, with the election this week of Michelle Bachelet as the president of Chile, will not mean any drastic change of direction. Chile has the most stable democracy and dynamic market in Latin America, and its Left can become a model for other countries, including India

honduras Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons, Flickr
18 December 2013

A long road ahead for Honduras

The elections in Honduras returned to power the right-wing National Party. In contrast to the policies of other Latin American governments, in Honduras, one of the poorest countries in the region, poverty alleviation is not a priority for the conservatives. Will president-elect Juan Hernandez address this problem?

brent2 Courtesy: FadderUri/Flickr
17 December 2013

Reassessing Brent benchmark for crude oil

The allegations against several oil companies and price reporting agencies like Platts have raised concerns about the credibility of the global oil benchmarking architecture. While there is a need for corrections to the existing structure, the time is right for BRICS to develop alternate options

rr2 Courtesy: World Economic Forum/Flickr
16 December 2013

Decoding RBI’s invite to foreign banks

The recent statement by the governor of the RBI that foreign banks might be allowed to take over Indian banks, has rekindled the debate on the status of foreign banks. What has prompted the RBI’s new position and how does it weigh against the existing policy landscape? Why are foreign banks waiting and watching?

abdulla yameen The President's Office Republic of Maldives Courtesy: The President's Office, Republic of Maldives
13 December 2013

Maldives: Stability after a storm?

The November 16 election of Abdulla Yameen as president of the Maldives may have ended the two-year long political turmoil, but for the country’s economy to recover Yameen must ensure the stability of his government. He also has to consolidate ties with India, and his visit here on December 23 will be a start

Bangladesh flag Mostaque Chowdhury flickr Courtesy: Mostaque Chowdhury/Flickr
12 December 2013

India, U.S: Divided over Dhaka

Come January, Bangladesh will elect its next prime minister. Although it has emerged as a significant player in the region, India and the U.S. are yet to develop a synergy in their policies towards this important nation – even as the deeper struggle for influence and resources in Asia continues