xerxes china Courtesy: Ministry of Defence, India
12 July 2012

The spectre of China

Though India may seem to be mirroring or competing with China’s military build-up, it doesn't seem to be doing so in consonance with a long-term plan. New Delhi would be better served by avoiding an arms race; staying away from the U.S.-China rivalry and fostering stronger relations with its immediate neighbours.

Neelam on Syria Courtesy: FreedomHouse2/Flickr
6 July 2012

The unique tragedy of Syria

Simultaneous efforts to resolve the problem in Syria remain stymied even as more and more high level meetings and consultations take place. The more countries treat the situation as a proxy for political differences, the more it creates the conditions for a wider conflagration with an unpredictable outcome.

celac2 Courtesy: Martinmartin/WikimediaCommons
29 June 2012

Regional integration in Latin America and the Caribbean

Latin America is witnessing an exponential rise in regional integration of business houses. The resource-rich nature of most Latin American economies has led to an inward concentration of investment, which makes it an extremely interesting prospect for Indian investors.

fernando lugo pic Courtesy: Juan Alberto Pérez/Flickr
25 June 2012

Paraguay: Back to Latin America’s bad old days?

While the ouster of Paraguay’s president is a setback to the young democracy of the country, it shouldn’t be viewed as a repeat of Latin America’s history of coup d’états. The painful process of democratic maturity will continue, albeit slowly.

Courtesy: Flickr/RamyRaoof
25 June 2012

Egypt remains the key

The presidency of Mohamed Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood's candidate, will have a defining influence both in Egypt and the region. Having won the battle through the ballot though, will Muslim Brotherhood also be willing to cede power through the ballot?

Courtesy: AAxanderr/WikimediaCommons
19 June 2012

Should India emulate China in space?

China has affirmed its status as one of the world’s leading space powers by sending three astronauts into space this week. Should India – which has one of the world’s six major space programs – take efforts to imitate its neighbour? Can it develop such capabilities? At what cost though, and for what benefit?

strategic dialogue seema Courtesy: Embassy of India, Washinton D.C.
18 June 2012

India-U.S.: Another big bilateral shift

The third India-U.S. Strategic Dialogue saw more talk of ‘mutual capabilities’ than of a mere alliance. The larger endeavour in the bilateral is to find the right fit as partners, where both countries can preserve their strategic autonomy and benefit from their unique positions in the international community.

NATO afghan Courtesy: Open Democracy
18 June 2012

The return of the Pashtun problem and NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2014

The NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2014 should be done tactically so that it doesn't destabilize Pakistan. Despite having accepted Pakistani help in the past, the Taliban might empathize with Pakistani Pashtuns and spread the very secessionist tendencies which Pakistan’s Afghan policy was designed to prevent.