Israel-Saudi Courtesy: Wikipedia
13 July 2015

Reassessing our Israel, Arab engagement

The announcement in June of a Saudi-Israeli alliance against Iran has to be seen in the context of the strategic dimensions of India’s relations with Saudi Arabia, Israel, Iran, and the U.S. And it has far-reaching implications for India’s policy towards West Asia

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

IS Courtesy: U.S. Staff Sergeant Aaron Allmon
16 September 2014

Modi, Obama and the Islamic State

Obama’s strategy to target the IS in Syria within the framework of a U.S.-led international coalition has met with a tepid response. There are reports that the U.S may offer India a non-NATO ally status during Modi’s upcoming visit in a bid to seek greater support – a gesture that India will do well to disregard.

Kurdish struggle Courtesy: dimoqrati.info
27 June 2014

The Kurds: a historic opportunity?

Recent geopolitical shifts has given birth to the very real possibility of a fractured Iraq. The on-going civil war in Syria and an unstable Iraq has renewed the call for a Kurdish nationhood. Although presented with a historic opportunity, rebel factions and authoritarian governments still present a hurdle to the quest for an autonomous Kurdish region

west asia W123 Wikimedia Courtesy: W123/WikimediaCommons
6 December 2013

Orienting to the new West Asia

Whether backdoor geopolitics rather than careful negotiations brought about the interim agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme, the next six months will determine its fate. Reactions have ranged from a furious and mistrustful Israel to collective relief by many countries, and a worried India welcoming the agreement

UNSC Syria UNSC Courtesy: United Nations
4 October 2013

Decoding the UNSC Resolution on Syria

The recent UNSC Resolution, which mandates the complete destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons, demonstrates that after more than a year, a degree of international agreement on the Syrian issue has been possible. In the evolving situation, Russia will now emerge as a major player

rouhani opbama wikimediacommons Courtesy: WikimediaCommons
26 September 2013

U.S.-Iran thaw is good news for India

The positive advances made by newly-elected Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and U.S. President Barack Obama at the 68th UN General Assembly indicates a strong potential for a thaw in Tehran-Washington relations. However, it will take sincere efforts from both sides to turn this into concrete reality. Can India help?