davos Courtesy: remy steinegger / Flickr
6 February 2014

The new inequality debate

German President Joachim Gauck’s visit to India this week is a reminder of how Germany is addressing inequality, with better wages, benefits for the poorest, and other measures. When the gap between the rich and poor is growing globally, it is time for India’s prime ministerial aspirants to also focus on this issue

obamarouhaniwikimediacommons Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
6 February 2014

P5+1-Iran: U.S. in search of a new game

The P5+1 negotiations with Iran, mostly a Washington-Tehran affair, may be a means to a complex and ambitious end: a new strategic and energy equation in Southwest Asia. U.S. President Barack Obama’s recent State of the Union address indicates that to reach this goal, the U.S. is steering away from war to diplomacy

indjap2 Courtesy: Ministry of External Affairs, India
24 January 2014

India-Japan: Alignment assured

Japan’s reaching out to India, as demonstrated by the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, reflects the urgency with which Japan sees the threat of a rising China. India too has experienced Chinese aggression and must work with other democracies towards creating a multi-polar Asia

obama-xi2 Courtesy: Secretary of Defense/Flickr
23 January 2014

China is America’s biggest challenge

U.S. President Barack Obama’s focus on domestic issues has sidelined his country’s foreign policy at a time when China is ascending as a superpower. With China’s economy set to surpass the U.S.'s by 2017, a recent report presents a ‘grand strategy’ for the U.S. to counter China’s economic and strategic expansion

hasinamanmohan Courtesy: The Prime Minister's Office/Flickr
16 January 2014

Bangladesh elections: was India right?

The return of the Awami League to power has generated protests and violence in Bangladesh. India’s support to the January 5 election was aimed at keeping at bay anti-India forces in Bangladesh, but anti-India sentiment in the country is high and fresh elections may throw up a result that does not suit New Delhi

securityrisks Courtesy: Press Information Bureau/Wikimedia Commons
16 January 2014

India’s top security risks in 2014

What are the implications for India of the scaling down of U.S. forces from Afghanistan, the continuing tension with China at the border, and the political turmoil in Bangladesh? How should India address these and other upheavals in its neighbourhood, which are potential challenges to the country’s security?

ambkatju2 Courtesy: Prachi Bidaye/Gateway House
16 January 2014

‘It is premature to make such attempts’

Vivek Katju, former Indian Ambassador to Afghanistan, says about India’s attempts to reintegrate the Afghan economy into the region. In an interview to Gateway House he also talks about why it will take time for Afghanistan to become a bridge for the flow of trade, and how the U.S.-Pakistan equation impacts India