Courtesy: wikimediacommons
Despite staking a claim to permanent UN Security Council membership 60 years ago, India is no closer to that goal. While conflict zones remain in Africa and Asia, economic might has shifted eastwards. The West-dominated UNSC is becoming irrelevant. If India becomes a permanent member, can it influence the council’s ethos?
Courtesy: flickr.com/presidentrajapaksa
India has tried to address the concerns of Sri Lankan Tamils through projects such as the recently-inaugurated railway between Jaffna and Colombo. But their aspirations for autonomy in the North and East remain unfulfilled, and New Delhi faces a dilemma—pushing Colombo on political issues can drive it closer to Beijing
Courtesy: aitonline.tv
The imposition of sanctions by Western countries on Russia has conflagrated the Ukrainian crisis with both sides indulging in an asymmetrical sanctions game. The hardening of positions has caused the Russian and the European economies to suffer, with no end in sight for the conflict
Courtesy: eurosouth-hub.net
China’s rise as an economic power has meant that Hong Kong has lost its edge as the East’s international centre for business. This decline combined with Beijing’s efforts to cement control over the city has led to protests that have an underlying theme of Hong Kong wanting to chart its own path under the “one country two-systems” policy
Courtesy: newshence.com
The reason behind a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) contingent intruding into eastern Ladakh around the time of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to India, still needs to be decoded. It is not unlikely that domestic rivals, including possible ‘rogue’ elements within the PLA, could have decided to embarrass Xi — angry with his historic crackdown on corruption among Chinese officials
Courtesy: Wikimedia.org
Bringing U.S. nuclear technology to India is a goal identified in the countries’ joint vision statement. Although public discourse on the India-U.S. nuclear deal has focussed on the liability clause, the pact’s success also depends on resolving other factors such as local sourcing, technology transfer and project delays
Courtesy: Ministry of External Affairs
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the U.S. is unlikely to reset bilateral relations. The relationship remains determined by bickering over trade and investment deals, such as the impasse at the WTO and the disputes over IPR. To become real strategic partners, both countries must move beyond these transactional exchanges
Courtesy: GoI
Although the Land Boundary Agreement between India and Bangladesh was discussed when Narendra Modi and Sheikh Hasina met on the sidelines of the UNGA, a timeline for ratification was not clarified. But both leaders have the numbers in their governments to move forward this critical agreement and must do so with urgency
Courtesy: Wikipedia
The trade deficit and border issues have usually overshadowed the public discourse between India and China. However, below this surface, bilateral business and financial engagement is growing. India will have to engage judiciously with China to ensure that the resulting geoeconomic benefits remain in our favour
Courtesy: daverugby83
The sold-out rally at Madison Square Garden shows that PM Narendra Modi’s trip to the U.S. has generated incredible excitement among the Indian-origin diaspora. Will the educated and well-placed Indian American community be able to come together as a power group that influences the U.S. Congress and the White House to adopt pro-India policies?