wagah border 2 rwoan flickr Courtesy: rwoan/Flickr
10 May 2013

Pakistan’s potential as trade and transit partner

Pakistan’s national elections will take place in the backdrop of a troubled economy, severe energy crisis, and frequent terrorist attacks. Can these problems be solved if the next leadership agrees to open its territories for trade and transit purposes between India and Afghanistan?

India-Pakistan Business first Courtesy: WikimediaCommons/Flickr
5 April 2013

India-Pakistan: Business first

The road to reconciliation between India and Pakistan is likely to be a long and treacherous one. But perhaps economic compulsions can overtake political ones. That is the hope in Karachi, whose business community has started to make its journey across the border to India.

Gateway House Courtesy: Gateway House
22 March 2013

“UNHRC resolution is uncalled for”

With India backing the United Nations resolution against Sri Lanka, New Delhi-Colombo relations appear to be in a tense phase. Gateway House interviews Prasad Kariyawasam, the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India, to discuss the implications of the UNHRC vote and the future of India-Sri Lanka relations.

WikimediaCommons Courtesy: WikimediaCommons
20 March 2013

Vote on Sri Lanka: Vote on UPA

New Delhi has taken some opportunistic actions, such as its vote against Sri Lanka in the UN Human Rights Council, to pacify internal political demands. But these extract a price in the international arena. Should we anticipate a further decline in India’s regional and international credibility?

Rajiv Ashrafi/Flickr Courtesy: Rajiv Ashrafi/Flickr
8 March 2013

Exorcising the ghosts of the subcontinent

The youth of Bangladesh, a generation born well after 1971, are now demanding long overdue accountability, secularism, and neighbourly friendship. If the movement is successful, Bangladesh will have shown all South Asian countries that to transcend the past it is necessary to be transparent and secular.

obama Courtesy: Pete Souza/The White House
22 February 2013

The pacific pivot: A decade late and five years too soon

The announcement of the Pacific pivot by the U.S. in 2001 has led to several nations making bold political moves. However, the U.S. isn’t yet ready to be a regional protector against China. What does Washington have to do to prepare itself for the Pivot?

tank Courtesy: Chanakyathegreat/WikimediaCommons
1 February 2013

Can a war be limited?

After each terror attack in india, there are strident demands for military action against Pakistan. ‘Surgical’ strikes and limited war in a bilateral nuclear age are not really options. What is needed is more decisive action on non-military fronts