mia-main Courtesy: wikimediacommons
31 October 2014

State-to-state diplomacy

After a brief a spell of bonhomie marked by Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif attending Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony, the hostilities between the two countries have resumed. Amidst the backdrop of increased tensions on the LoC, Gateway House recommends some small, realistic steps forward through state-to-state diplomacy, to mend the bilateral

mia-main Courtesy: wikimediacommons
31 October 2014

India needs an anti-tapering strategy

India faces heightened geoeconomic risks as the U.S. exits its unconventional monetary policy and the value of the dollar appreciates against major currencies. We can mitigate the risks with a multilateral safety net to provide liquidity, and by attracting FDI through the ‘Make in India’ programme

UN Courtesy: wikimediacommons
31 October 2014

Should India give up on the UNSC?

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?

lng Courtesy: wikimedia
24 October 2014

Can cheap oil give peace a chance?

The fall in oil prices is creating new complexities for the energy exporting economies of West Asia. With smaller profits, these countries may not be able to buy off political dissent at home and fund client governments and rebels abroad. Lower energy prices could also mean a renewed chance for peace

rajni 4 Courtesy: RajniBakshi
22 October 2014

Latin longing for non-violence

Rajni Bakshi, Senior Gandhi Peace Fellow at Gateway House, was recently invited to Brazil and Colombia to speak about Gandhi, her book ‘Bazaars, Conversations and Freedom’ and her forthcoming paper on Trusteeship. She reports on the longing for non-violence in these societies and the groups working to make it real

Yal Railway Line Courtesy: flickr.com/presidentrajapaksa
17 October 2014

India’s imperatives in Sri Lanka

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

HK symbols Courtesy: Springtimeofnations.blogspot
17 October 2014

Umbrella movement’s symbolic dilemma

The protests in Hong Kong portray a grim future for Beijing's 'one country, two systems' policy. But do the constructively-inclined, young campaigners need a new set of symbols, signs and ideologies to differentiate themselves from the feeble-minded followers of the merely hostile?

Policy Perspectives
WTO Courtesy: wikimedia
15 October 2014

India’s curious stand at WTO

India’s decision to block the Trade Facilitation Agreement at the World Trade Organisation in July was perplexing; the confusion was compounded because India was almost alone in its position. This policy perspective explains the reasons for India’s curious stand

Online debate: From Tahrir Square to Hong Kong
14 October 2014

Online debate: From Tahrir Square to Hong Kong

The Hong Kong student protests have brought back memories of the youth uprisings in West Asia. Gateway House debates the differences and similarities of these movements that have so dramatically changed our world – and more is yet to come. From Tahrir Square in Egypt to Hong Kong, social media has been the driver for change

DD cover 2 Courtesy: Spenta Multimedia
10 October 2014

Doordarshan Diplomacy

This report examines the current state of Doordarshan and formulates an agenda for transforming the channel into an effective foreign policy tool for India