davos Courtesy: remy steinegger / Flickr
6 February 2014

The new inequality debate

German President Joachim Gauck’s visit to India this week is a reminder of how Germany is addressing inequality, with better wages, benefits for the poorest, and other measures. When the gap between the rich and poor is growing globally, it is time for India’s prime ministerial aspirants to also focus on this issue

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

Eu iran Courtesy: European External Action Service
26 November 2013

Iran-P5+1 interim accord: An assessment

On November 24, the P5+1 and Iran reached a consensus on the interim agreement regarding Tehran’s long-disputed nuclear program. How comprehensive is this agreement, and what are its potential upshots for U.S., and West Asia – especially Israel and Saudi Arabia? More importantly, can India play a positive role?

neelam pirate party Courtesy: Delhiiterock/WikimediaCommons
13 November 2013

The rise of the anti-party party

The debut of the Aam Aadmi Party must not cloud the reality that even after a movement transitions into a party, it still has to play the game of hard politics. Anti-party parties such as the AAP make coalition-building more difficult, as was recently evident in Germany and Italy, and is now the scenario in Delhi

ind jap Courtesy: generalising/Flickr
6 November 2013

The new Indo-Pacific core

The India-Japan alliance needs to be viewed through a prism broader than that of "containing" China, and by treating the Indian and Pacific oceans as a single entity. Such an alliance has the potential to strengthen the geopolitical security of India and Japan, along with that of all their allies and associates

Karanarticle Courtesy: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development/Flickr
16 October 2013

India needs business activism

In the face of a severe economic slowdown and an impending balance-of-payment crisis, the Indian business community has a clear opportunity to pull the country out of the current crisis. However, this can only achieved if the apex chambers of commerce restructure themselves

merkel cdu www.GlynLowe.com flickr Courtesy: www.GlynLowe.com/Flickr
27 September 2013

Germany after elections: Similar but not the same

It may take Chancellor Angela Merkel weeks to negotiate a new coalition, but the vote for stability means that change will only be at the margins of current domestic and foreign policy. Still, the fallout of the election in the EU and beyond, including in India, should not be underestimated