Indira Lyndon Jerchel wikimediacommons Courtesy: Jerchel/WikimediaCommons
24 September 2013

The case for India-Alignment

India often finds itself in the right place at the wrong time or vice versa, as our dogma of non-alignment trumps honest calculations of self-interest in policy-making – rendering it unfavourable. The national interest, hence, calls for selective alignment on some issues with Washington and on others with Beijing

obama putin pete souza Courtesy: Pete Souza/WikimediaCommons
16 September 2013

Badi Soch: Putin’s Weapon of Mass Diplomacy

This daily column includes Gateway House’s Badi Soch – big thought – of the day’s foreign policy events. This Badi Soch analyses the open letter in The New York Times from Russian President Vladimir Putin to American citizens, arguing against a military strike in Syria.

manmohan obama seema Courtesy: U.S. Embassy New Delhi
11 September 2013

India-U.S: Last chance to salvage ties

Since 2009, distraction and dysfunction in both India and the U.S. have dissipated the enthusiasm for greater bilateral ties. However, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has one last chance to salvage India-U.S. ties during his visit to the country this month, and he must utilise it appropriately

pashtuns Courtesy: isafmedia/Flickr
6 September 2013

“The Pashtuns want peace and plurality”

Gateway House speaks to Farhat Taj, author of ‘Taliban and Anti-Taliban,’ about the general sentiment among the locals regarding the Taliban insurgents and how the Pakistani military establishment’s support for the insurgency will play out in the coming months

assadobama Courtesy: Freedom House/Flickr
6 September 2013

Syria: An unwarranted intervention

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

Mossadegh by Harry S. Truman Library and Museum - WikimediaCommons Courtesy: Harry S. Truman Library and Museum/ Wikimedia Commons
19 August 2013

Badi Soch: Behind the CIA-Iran revelations

This daily column includes Gateway House’s Badi Soch – big thought – of the day’s foreign policy events. This Badi Soch deliberates on the timing of the CIA’s admission of involvement in overthrowing Iran’s Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh in 1953 and the implications of this disclosure

Asitimes - Flickr Courtesy: Asitimes/ Flickr
31 July 2013

A new blueprint for China

Indian and Chinese companies routinely bid against each other in their quest to secure oilfields and other resource pools resulting in rising prices. However, a preferable recourse would be for the nations, along with ASEAN, to collaborate as there is enough for all

biden MEA 2 Courtesy: Ministry of External Affairs, India
31 July 2013

The importance of Biden’s visit

Although the office of the U.S. vice president seldom plays a role in defining the country’s foreign policy, the recently concluded visit of Vice President Joe Biden to India – the first such visit in nearly three decades – has thrown open several questions, answers to which hold upshots for India and her neighbours. Chintamani Mahapatra blogs