Yameen Courtesy: Ministry of External Affairs, India
3 January 2014

The Maldives: small gains

Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen’s visit to India this week aims to repair ties, strained after the Maldives terminated a $500 million contract to the Bangalore-based infrastructure company, GMR. Yameen’s conciliatory stand stems from the need for international help, including India’s, to fix an economy in decline

afflag Courtesy: isafmedia/Flickr
26 December 2013

Non-violence in Afghanistan

Gateway House recently co-hosted the premiere show of the documentary ‘Frontier Gandhi’ in Mumbai. But do the ideals of non-violence have any active adherents in Afghanistan today? A search reveals a remarkable variety of passionate action in the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr. and Badshah Khan

abdulla yameen The President's Office Republic of Maldives Courtesy: The President's Office, Republic of Maldives
13 December 2013

Maldives: Stability after a storm?

The November 16 election of Abdulla Yameen as president of the Maldives may have ended the two-year long political turmoil, but for the country’s economy to recover Yameen must ensure the stability of his government. He also has to consolidate ties with India, and his visit here on December 23 will be a start

Bangladesh flag Mostaque Chowdhury flickr Courtesy: Mostaque Chowdhury/Flickr
12 December 2013

India, U.S: Divided over Dhaka

Come January, Bangladesh will elect its next prime minister. Although it has emerged as a significant player in the region, India and the U.S. are yet to develop a synergy in their policies towards this important nation – even as the deeper struggle for influence and resources in Asia continues

mehsud Courtesy: WikimediaCommons
11 November 2013

What Mehsud’s death means

Earlier in November, U.S. drone strikes killed Hakeemullah Mehsud, the leader of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, a militant outfit in Pakistan. What does this mean for the U.S.-Pakistan bilateral relationship, and more importantly, what are its implications for Pakistan’s domestic security situation?

food sedurity Courtesy: Rigues/Flickr
8 November 2013

Food security and WTO

A recent UN report praises governments for promoting the right to food. At the same time, India’s Food Security Act will encounter resistance at the WTO meeting in Bali in December. Can India play an exemplary role in the global power struggle over food security?

maldives flag Paolo Rosa flickr Courtesy: Paolo Rosa/Flickr
4 October 2013

The Maldives: Awaiting another election

The September 28 run-off presidential election in the Maldives was postponed indefinitely by the country’s Supreme Court after allegations of ballot-rigging. However, national and international observers have said the elections were fair. Settling the political crisis in the Maldives may now require more than an election

obama manmohan pete souza Courtesy: Pete Souza/Wikimedia Commons
29 September 2013

India-U.S: Consolidating relations

Since 2009, distraction and dysfunction in India and the U.S. resulted in low enthusiasm vis-à-vis bilateral ties. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who met U.S. President Barack Obama, prior to the UNGA, had one last chance to salvage India-U.S. ties before the country goes to elections in 2014. Did he succeed?