After the passing of Tonga's revered King, Tupou V, all eyes are on the new establishment for signs of change in Tonga's foreign policy. How will India, an old friend to the Pacific island-nation, fit into this increasingly important region? Can it build on traditional ties with Tonga?
As Myanmar’s economy opens up, neighbouring India is provided with an opportunity to enhance bilateral ties. Gateway House’s Hari Seshasayee interviews South Asia expert Sudeep Chakravarti to discuss the changes sweeping Myanmar and its significance for the region.
Courtesy: Ministry of External Affairs, India
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's recent visit to China, India, and Bangladesh is keeping with the U.S. pivot to Asia. The choice of countries has strategic significance for the U.S., where India is flagged as balancing the rise of China, and Bangladesh as a strategic base in the Bay of Bengal.
Courtesy: Flickr/freeedomania
By forcing regime change in Libya, and attempting the same in Syria, and by promiscuously arming disparate groups of Wahabbis and Salafists to achieve this aim, NATO is creating more room for instability in the region. What Syria needs is engagement, not isolation; it needs dialogue and not the arming of rebels.
What are the implications for India if Iran is attacked? How effective has the response been by gulf nations to their own protests? Ambassador Talmiz Ahmad, India’s former Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, discusses the dynamics of West Asia with Gateway House’s Alisha Pinto and Azadeh Pourzand.
Courtesy: U.S.ArmedForces/WikimediaCommons
Asif Ali Zardari, who previously made sound pronouncements on Indo-Pakistan ties, will soon be the first Pakistani President to visit India since 2005. Though he has a reputation and interest in business affairs, a modest, innocuous deal may work better this time than the lofty promises made in the past.
Courtesy: PMO
Although political discourse around Iranian sanctions is binary and stark in Washington, the reality of India's actions within its bilateral framework with Iran is complex. India is engaged in an excruciating tightrope walk, and has to defend its choices and compulsions with ardour.
Courtesy: freeedomania/Flickr
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.
Courtesy: Al Jazeera English/Flickr
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.
Courtesy: notsogoodphotography/Flickr
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.
