Courtesy: Chuck Hagel/Wikimedia Commons
Currently, it appears that the Wahabbis have the upper hand over the "Sabahis" in the middle east. But the war for the hearts and minds of a people as gifted as the Arabs, is far from over.
Courtesy: sodere.com
The last ten years had signalled the Saudi intention of building closer relations with India based on their immense crude oil resources and India’s growing market and skill sets. With a new king on the throne and the on-going turmoil in West Asia it is in New Delhi’s interest to initiate high-level visits with Riyadh as soon as possible
Courtesy: U.S. Staff Sergeant Aaron Allmon
Obama’s strategy to target the IS in Syria within the framework of a U.S.-led international coalition has met with a tepid response. There are reports that the U.S may offer India a non-NATO ally status during Modi’s upcoming visit in a bid to seek greater support – a gesture that India will do well to disregard.
Courtesy: Synthesio.com
Many Arab Republics are mired in political discord after the departure of the old tyrannical regimes opened up spaces for new struggles. In Iraq, Yemen, Libya, and Sudan, attempts to address the turmoil through constitutional reform are facing challenges. Will a democratic federalism be attained when the battles are done?
Courtesy: Wikipedia.org
The rise of the militant ISIS will alter the stability and future of all West Asian countries, and can impact India in multiple ways. India must re-evaluate its West Asia policy, and address the safety of its nationals in Iraq, the security of its oil supplies, and the fallout on South Asia of this resurgence of strife
Professor Madhav Nalapat, the director of the School of Geopolitics at Manipal University talks of the Wahhabi winter sweeping West Asia. In an interview to Manjeet Kripalani, Co-founder, Gateway House, he speaks of the need to include regional experts and religious leaders to deal with its impact on India
Courtesy: generalising/Flickr
The India-Japan alliance needs to be viewed through a prism broader than that of "containing" China, and by treating the Indian and Pacific oceans as a single entity. Such an alliance has the potential to strengthen the geopolitical security of India and Japan, along with that of all their allies and associates
Courtesy: United Nations
The recent UNSC Resolution, which mandates the complete destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons, demonstrates that after more than a year, a degree of international agreement on the Syrian issue has been possible. In the evolving situation, Russia will now emerge as a major player
Courtesy: Freedom House/Flickr
Despite rising international opposition, U.S. President Barack Obama is ready to penalise the Syrian regime for an alleged chemical attack in Ghouta, Syria, last month. The justifications given by the U.S. for an armed attack are questionable, and such retaliatory action will destabilise the entire region
Courtesy: Al Jazeera English/Flickr
Two years ago, during the Arab Spring uprisings in several West Asian nations, youth and pro-democracy movements flared up on the Persian Gulf island of Bahrain. In light of these events, this paper assesses how Bahrain’s policies toward its Shia constituency have affected relations between Sunni and Shia groups.
