COMMENTARIES
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South China Sea
China's 'Salami Slicing': What's Next?
Teshu Singh · 16 Jun, 2014 · #4518 · Commentary
It has been over a month since China installed an oil rig in the disputed South China Sea (SCS). Ever since, China has shifted the location of the rig thrice. The installation of the rig appears to be a well calibrated move. Evidently, China has...
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Turmoil in West Asia
ISIL, Iraq and Securing India’s Interests
Adil Rasheed · 16 Jun, 2014 · #4517 · Commentary
The rabbit hole of Iraq springs up bizarre and devastatingly new challenges for the US even a decade after its invasion of the country. The embarrassment does not end there. The US is now forced to re-enter the quagmire and may fight alongside i...
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Afghanistan: Political Crises After the Presidential Run-off
Mariam Safi · 16 Jun, 2014 · #4516 · Commentary
The second round of the Afghan presidential elections held on 4 June saw Afghans returning to the polling stations in large numbers with no regard for Taliban threats.
Unfortunately, instead of resulting in a successful end to a long and unc...
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Indus-tan
India-Pakistan: The MFN-NDMARB Debacle
Sushant Sareen · 16 Jun, 2014 · #4515 · Commentary · Column
In the irrational exuberance that is invariably on display in the media every time leaders of India and Pakistan meet, the subtlety of some of the signals that are sent out is often lost. Something similar happened after the Indian Foreign Secre...
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Red Affairs
Tackling Naxal Violence: An Agenda for the New Indian Government
Bibhu Prasad Routray · 16 Jun, 2014 · #4514 · Commentary · Column
In a way the challenge of left-wing extremism the new National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in New Delhi faces bears close resemblance to the situation that confronted the United Progressive Alliance regime in its second tenure in 2009. ...
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Strategic Space
Time for India-China Nuclear-speak
Manpreet Sethi · 16 Jun, 2014 · #4513 · Commentary · Column
It is significant that the first international call that Narendra Modi received soon after taking oath as Prime Minister was from Premier Li Keqiang of China. This has been quickly followed up with the visit of the Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Y...
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Dhaka Discourse
Bangladesh: A New Thrust Towards East Asia
Delwar Hossain · 16 Jun, 2014 · #4512 · Commentary · Column
The Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina’s back-to-back visits to Japan and China provide a diplomatic bonanza to the government bedeviled by legitimacy crisis at home and abroad following the 5 January general elections this year. ...
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South Asian Dialectic
The Enigmatic Case of Bowe Bergdahl
PR Chari · 16 Jun, 2014 · #4511 · Commentary · Column
Sgt Bowe Bergdahl was serving with the US Army in Afghanistan’s Paktika province when he was captured on 30 June 2009 by the Taliban’s Haqqani faction. After protracted negotiations, Bergdahl was released on 31 May 2014 in a deal bro...
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Book Review
Pakistan: A Hyper-national Security State
Rana Banerji · 13 Jun, 2014 · #4510 · Commentary
'The Warrior State: Pakistan in the Contemporary World' by TV Paul; 272 pages; Random House India, 2014
For over six decades, the Pakistani elite have pursued a `hyper-national security state’ geopolitical approach, s...
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City of Flames
TTP and the Karachi Airport Attack
D Suba Chandran · 11 Jun, 2014 · #4507 · Commentary
Karachi has been generally referred as the City of Lights. But this Sunday, unfortunately it became the City of Flames – literally and figuratively, with its airport being attacked by the Pakistani Taliban and smoke spiralling out.
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