800px-thumbnail Courtesy: Wikipedia
12 May 2016

India: openly-allied with the U.S.

After nearly a decade of moving slowly towards the U.S. on critical matters including nuclear power, the recent bilateral agreement to share military facilities and have anti-submarine warfare talks, suggest that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have India sail the oceans with the American eagle.

US India Navy Courtesy: Ash Carter / Flickr
16 April 2016

India-U.S.: convergence and divergence

The success of the U.S. Defense Secretary's recent visit to India is indicative of the deepening India-U.S. defence relationship. It has become clear that Indo-U.S. maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean is steaming ahead; while other geopolitical differences, like the sale of aircraft to Pakistan, seem unlikely to disappear anytime soon.

Carter and Parikhar Courtesy: Department of Defense, U.S. Gov
14 April 2016

Carter in India: a foundational visit

The recent visit of the U.S. Defense Secretary to India has yielded significant outcomes on streamlining bilateral military interactions, deepening maritime security cooperation and defence technology collaboration. As India grows closer to the U.S., it should be clear about the objectives of this engagement

West_Texas_Pumpjack Courtesy: Wikipedia
13 April 2016

North America: petro state

The U.S. and Canada offer an opportunity for India to acquire large scale oil and gas fields in politically stable countries at a low price. A financial investment in energy companies will protect India against a rise in energy prices without raising concerns in host countries.

washington-2010 Courtesy: Whitehouse.gov
29 March 2016

Developing global nuclear security

Once the fourth and final global Nuclear Security Summit is held this week in Washington, D.C., the challenge will primarily be for bureaucrats to continue working and keep leaders engaged on nuclear security. Inertia on this issue, especially when there is growing intelligence on security breaches, could be deadly.

Azaz,_Syria Courtesy: Wikipedia
9 March 2016

India and the Syrian quagmire

With a cessation of hostilities been brokered by Russia and the United States, the conflict in Syria has entered a tense pause. India has had a bystander attitude to the conflict in Syria. However, with the truce expected to be short, does India have the incentive or the option to depart from its current position, and deepen its engagement in Syria?

2903370723_e804987949_o Courtesy: Wikipedia
3 March 2016

WTO solar ruling: victim to victor

The WTO judgment on the India-U.S. dispute on solar panels shows how rules across different international regimes – climate change, trade and nuclear power – favor the countries which set those rules. India must deepen its participation in such multilateral fora to protect its interests.

TPP Courtesy: ustr.gov
3 March 2016

A fine line: TPP and India

The Trans-Pacific Partnership has dropped strong Intellectual Property Rights regulations on India’s doorstep. The implications of these regulations could affect India’s own policies, as well as her global aspirations towards the potential Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

070822-A-6849A-667 -- Scouts from 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), pull overwatch during Operation Destined Strike while 2nd Platoon, Able Company searches a village below the Chowkay Valley in Kunar Province, Afghanistan Aug. 22. Courtesy: Wikipedia
5 February 2016

Obama needs to rethink, urgently

A resurgent Taliban has turned a hopeful declaration by the Obama administration into a premature one. The levels of U.S. troops stationed in Afghanistan, currently at 9,800, are expected to increase as a result. But with more than half a trillion dollars spent trying to stabilize the problem, perhaps it’s time to rethink the Af-Pak region.