Myanmar Sanctions Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons/Htoo Tay Zar
1 May 2012

Sanctions on Myanmar: Have they worked?

The West is quick to claim that their sanctions against Myanmar have forced the government to implement political and economic reforms in the country. However, such bans do not usually achieve their stated purpose of forcing regimes to change their behavior.

5825395379_5d725a53f4_z Courtesy: Flickr/freeedomania
21 April 2012

UN: a return to ‘mandated colonialism’

By forcing regime change in Libya, and attempting the same in Syria, and by promiscuously arming disparate groups of Wahabbis and Salafists to achieve this aim, NATO is creating more room for instability in the region. What Syria needs is engagement, not isolation; it needs dialogue and not the arming of rebels.

anna hazare 2 Courtesy: nazeah/Wikimediacommons - Ramesh Lalwani/Flickr
30 December 2011

2011’s Top Foreign Policy Cheers and Jeers

The year 2011 saw various events - the Arab Spring, anti- corruption protests, Europe's sovereign debt crisis - transform countries and reshape the world order. Gateway House takes a look at what these events mean for India, and presents India's top foreign policy cheers and jeers for the year.

r2p Courtesy: UN Photo/Paul Banks
6 December 2011

Reconsidering R2P, post-Libya

After the crass misuse of Responsibility to Protect (R2P) in Libya, the broader question is: where is R2P headed? Do the events in Libya herald a more explicit assertion of this doctrine in other parts of the world? And should India rethink its viewpoint towards this ambiguous doctrine?

rsz_4535640306_5e8875d785_z Courtesy: Broddi SigurðarsonFlickr
25 November 2011

Why the UN didn’t respond to 26/11

Today, at the national and regional level, large loopholes still exist in the security system. On the international front, however, there have been a lot more initiatives, yet the apex body of the UN remained silent post-26/11. Were they justified in holding back?

rsz_5726737993_5c0c7d3d9f_z_1 Courtesy: US Mission Geneva
9 November 2011

How private companies are transforming the global public health agenda

Over the last three decades, public funding for global health organizations has dried up. Private companies are writing checks to fill the gap and are bending the agenda toward their interests. Realigning priorities will mean getting more private firms involved - not less.

reasserting Courtesy: PMO
26 September 2011

Reasserting India’s independence

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s speech at the UN General Assembly has put Indian perceptions on the record and clearly outlined India’s independent foreign policy. India came out unequivocally in support of the Palestinian struggle & reiterated its traditional stance of respecting countries’ sovereignty.

mahmoud abbas and obama Courtesy: www.whitehouse.gov/WikimediaCommons
26 September 2011

Obama loses high ground on Middle East

Repeated applause greeted Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' speech to the UN General Assembly, asking for support for the “establishment of Palestine.” But with the U.S. backing Israel, under almost all circumstances, will Abbas' proposal be able to bring about any change?