COMMENTARIES
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India-Bangladesh
Modi in Bangladesh: Developments and Disappointments
Harun ur Rashid · 23 Jun, 2015 · #4893 · Commentary
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Bangladesh has ushered in a new era not only for New Delhi-Dhaka relations but for the sub-region (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal) in a significant way. This was made possible via ...
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US-China
China’s Wu-14: Racking Tensions in the South China Sea
Hugo Chene · 22 Jun, 2015 · #4892 · Commentary
On 7 June 2015, China tested its supersonic nuclear delivery vehicle, the Wu-14, for the fourth time in less than 18 months. Beijing appears to be willing to expand its military capacity by quickly developing new military devices. The Wu-14 has ...
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Russia-Iran: Why is the S-300 Sale Significant?
Debalina Ghoshal · 19 Jun, 2015 · #4891 · Commentary
In April 2015, soon after the negotiations in Lausanne, Russia decided to supply Iran with the sophisticated defence system, the S-300, a deal due since 2010. The deal had been struck in 2007 but owing to pressure from the West and thereafter, t...
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India, China and the Indo-Pacific
Rini Babu · 19 Jun, 2015 · #4890 · Commentary
The phrase ‘Indo-Pacific’, which has been drawing significant attention of late, was first officially articulated in Australia’s Defence White Paper in 2013. In addition to being a geographical construct, the Indo-Pacific can als...
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Looking East
Modi-fying India-Bangladesh Ties
Wasbir Hussain · 15 Jun, 2015 · #4889 · Commentary · Column
His oratory might have wowed the Bangladeshis, but rhetoric aside, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also demonstrated his intent to consolidate New Delhi-Dhaka ties and take it to a high point from where there would be no looking back. During hi...
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Radicalism in the Maldives: Should India be worried?
Roshni Thomas · 15 Jun, 2015 · #4888 · Commentary
In March 2015, Mohamed Nasheed the man who led the fight for democracy in the Maldives was sentenced to 13 years in prison. There has been a pattern of regular accusations of corruption against the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) since the now ...
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Dateline Colombo
Sri Lanka: Brain Drain, 'Connection Culture' and National Development
Asanga Abeyagoonasekera · 09 Jun, 2015 · #4887 · Commentary · Column
“Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.”
John Quincy Adams
Realising the extent of inequality in the present world is an aspect ...
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The Strategist
Falun Gong: The Fear Within
Vijay Shankar · 09 Jun, 2015 · #4886 · Commentary · Column
In April 1999, a decade after the Tiananmen Square massacre in China, an encore of the 1989 tragedy unfolded at the same venue. The scale of proportions was the same and so were State anxieties that unleashed mass persecution. In the event, the ...
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What�s Brewing between Afghanistan and Pakistan?
Rajeshwari Krishnamurthy · 08 Jun, 2015 · #4885 · Commentary
On 29 May, media reports stated that Afghan President Ashraf Ghani issued a strongly-worded letter to the Pakistani government. The letter demands tougher Pakistani action against terrorism, increased counter-terrorism cooperation between Afghan...
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Af-Pak: Why China is Playing Mediator
Fanny Ragot · 03 Jun, 2015 · #4884 · Commentary
In February 2015, a new strategic dialogue was held between Pakistan and Afghanistan under Chinese coordination, illustrating Beijing’s recent commitment to support Kabul in pacifying its country.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, elected...
