mayawati Courtesy:
2 March 2012

The Makeover of Mayawati

Uttar Pradesh (UP) is going to the polls this month and the results will have implications even beyond India. However, Mayawati, the Chief Minister of UP, will encounter big challenges for re-election as the state faces major problems such as poverty and an inefficient education structure.

5564587370_fb077e785f Courtesy: freeedomania/Flickr
29 February 2012

Where is Syria headed?

As the al-Assad regime faces increasing international pressure to step down from power, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad attempted to make political reforms recently. However, Syria has strong relations within West Asia and the denouement will profoundly impact developments in this region.

5455843055_b765d48e40 Courtesy: Al Jazeera English/Flickr
24 February 2012

West and Wahabi vs. Shia

The author outlines the partnership between NATO and Wahhabi extremists, and how the West assisted in an armed Sunni movement, which has spread to many countries in West Asia. Consequently, the Shia population suffers from serious discrimination at the hands of Wahabbi.

China, What Nixon wrought Courtesy: White House Photographer/Wikimedia Commons
23 February 2012

China: What Nixon wrought

Forty years ago, former President of the United States Richard Nixon made a visit to China that has perhaps changed the whole gamut of U.S.-China relations. In the following years, China witnessed the rise of a significant middle class and became the world's second largest economy.

Maldives: Nasheed outpaced his people Courtesy: notsogoodphotography/Flickr
16 February 2012

Maldives: Nasheed outpaced his people

Despite recent regime changes and agitation in the Middle East, the international community's attention has been diverted from the Indian Ocean - via Maldives. After President Nasheed's forced resignation, the country is now in political turmoil.

eu india Courtesy: PIB
13 February 2012

New template for India-EU FTA

As India and the European Union negotiate on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in New Delhi, we analyse the relevance and impact an FTA would have on both parties. Can creative methods be implemented to break the current deadlock in negotiations?

russia protests one Courtesy: VOA - Yuli Weeks/WikimediaCommons
7 February 2012

Russia’s growing nationalism

The India-Russia summit in 2011 was sandwiched chronologically between two events that received much greater exposure: the Gita scandal and the Russian protests. Is this a warning sign that Russia’s state-anointed xenophobia and nationalism could act as a dampener for the formerly solid Indo-Russian relationship?