What our anthems say
South Asia’s national anthems are patriotic rather than nationalistic.
Courtesy: Indian Express
Courtesy: Indian Express
Courtesy: Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs/Wikipedia
Iran after the deal
A month after Iran’s milestone nuclear deal with the P5+1 countries, the fine print is being scrutinised by hardliners in Iran and the deal will eventually be prepared for implementation by President Rouhani’s government. India, poised to revitalise bilateral trade, will be among many countries that can now benefit from robust business ties with the Persian Gulf country.
Courtesy: Homen Biswas/Wikimedia
India: the East has Peace
As India celebrates its Independence Day, security situation on eastern borders is gradually moving towards stability with experiments in peace making focused on resolving insurgencies and border management. These experiments coupled with the sub-regional economic initiatives potentially put eastern region on the path of prosperity.
Courtesy: Sudath Silva/Flickr
Will Rajapaksa return?
After losing power in January, Mahinda Rajapaksa, former president of Sri Lanka, is trying to re-enter politics by contesting for the prime minister’s seat in the elections on August 17. If he wins, it could destabilise Sri Lanka’s politics and impact relations with India, which had been hit under Rajapaksa’s rule. The future scenario will become clearer by next week.
Courtesy: News Øresund - Johan Wessman
Europe’s growing Right resurgence
Elections in Denmark in June have brought a right-wing coalition to power. These poll results reflect a trend across Europe of the rise of right-wing parties that are tapping into anti-immigrant sentiment and Islamophobia, both portrayed as responsible for a declining economy. It is time for Europe to stop blaming the victims and introspect
Courtesy: MEA/Flickr
Modi: India’s salesman-in-chief
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign travels combine domestic and foreign policy to achieve India’s twin goals of national security and investment inflow. The leader-as-salesman is not new, and India is just catching up with the global norm
Courtesy: Xinhua
Co-designing the new Silk Road
China’s Silk Road Economic Belt initiative will feature prominently on the agenda when Prime Minister Modi visits Beijing and Shanghai on 14 May. India can make a strong move to co-design the framework and details of this initiative – making it truly collaborative and win-win for all of Asia
Courtesy: Getty images
UK elections: the Scottish conundrum
In the exceptionally divisive general election on May 7 in the UK, no party is expected to win a majority. Smaller parties like the SNP are fragmenting votes and another coalition may emerge, or the Conservatives-Liberal Democrats or Labour may seek outside support. With the Scotland issue adding to the divisiveness, the post-poll scenario is precarious
Courtesy: South Asia Media
Coalitions of opposites
Representative democracy has resulted in coalition governments, comprising parties with opposing agendas, gradually being formed across the world. The Afghan unity government and the BJP-PDP coalition in Jammu and Kashmir are two such coalitions that share numerous similarities, not least of which is the role of Pakistan.
Courtesy: Jennifer Le/Flickr
Lee Kuan Yew’s tryst with India
Lee Kuan Yew transformed a “pestilential and immoral cesspool” into a glittering global city with the world’s highest per capita income and the highest percentage of home ownership. Lee also had grand vision for the role that India could play in Asia.