U.S.-Taliban deal: India in strategic role
India should stop looking at Afghanistan through the Pakistan prism and be a major contributor in the development of peace and prosperity in the country
India should stop looking at Afghanistan through the Pakistan prism and be a major contributor in the development of peace and prosperity in the country
South Asia’s speedy economic development depends on the level of integration between countries in the region. The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) have lost their momentum. But both platforms have their uses and can be revived creatively
Britain left the European Union on 31 January 2020. There will be no immediate outcome, but the intention of all the European leaders is to make it an amicable departure over the course of the year. Ambassador Neelam Deo, Director and Co-founder of Gateway House, discusses Brexit’s geopolitical implications and its impact on India’s relations with the EU and UK
Chinese president Xi Jinping’s visit to Myanmar on January 17 highlighted the economic aspect of the two countries’ bilateral relationship. China has been Myanmar’s top partner for years. But more than the 33 agreements signed, the visit threw light on the region’s changing geopolitics and Myanmar’s own compulsions in growing closer to China
India-Iran ties span culture, economics and geopolitics. Iran is one of India’s most important neighbours and must be viewed on its own standing, not through a Western prism. Gateway House has an extensive repository of research and reporting on Iran, ranging from India-Iran historical ties, Iran’s role in India’s energy security and the impact of U.S. sanctions on Iran and on India, which helps to better understand this crucial nation.
Iran’s foreign minister Javad Zarif was in Mumbai on 16-17 January 2020, just days after the Iran-U.S. showdown in Iraq and the assassination of Iran’s top general. Zarif explained Iran’s dilemma to audiences in India and was hoping for public support. But the fact is that the January tensions are not Iran’s problem alone; it’s a global game-changer that has propelled the formation of new alliances
The rise in Saudi Aramco’s stock price within two days of its IPO in November 2019, has taken the company’s market value past the $2-trillion mark. This valuation should not be taken at face value for the offering is miniscule, and closely linked to the ruler's prestige rather than stock market fundamentals
Relations between India and Sri Lanka are set to change. The expeditious manner in which the Indian external affairs minister met the newly elected Sri Lankan president, who reciprocated by making India the first foreign country he visited, raises hopes. An analysis of the factors that impede and facilitate such a shift
Kartarpur is an exemplary achievement of bilateral discussion over two decades. For the faithful, it is an emotional reconnection with the life of Guru Nanak, now made into a grand memorial. For others, on both sides of the border, it is a neutral place where they can renew contact with long-lost relatives. The author, who visited Kartarpur a month after its inauguration, was witness to the joy and aura of collective worship
India and France have converging interests in the Indo-Pacific – diplomatic, strategic and economic. The 4th Indo-French Maritime Security Dialogue held in New Delhi in December 2019 was an example of major bilateral cooperation. By working together, the two countries became the model for fostering a rules-based, free, open and inclusive region.