COMMENTARIES
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US in Asia Pacific
Rebalancing: Philippines, Vietnam & Mutual Convergences
Vivek Mishra · 22 Apr, 2014 · #4398 · Commentary
The Philippines and Vietnam witnessed a prolonged US military presence during the Cold War and today have become the lynchpin of American rebalance aiming to counter China.
What makes them the primary cogs in the American rebalance wheel?
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IPCS Discussion
The Indo-Pacific Region: Political and Strategic Prospects
· 21 Apr, 2014 · #4397 · Commentary
A review of the ICWA volume, ‘Indo-Pacific Region: Political and Strategic Prospects’, edited by Ambassador Rajiv K Bhatia and Dr Vijay Sakhuja, organised by the IPCS in collaboration with the Centre for Canadian, US & Latin...
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Dateline Kabul
Presidential Elections 2014: Afghan-Owned, Afghan-Led
Mariam Safi · 21 Apr, 2014 · #4396 · Commentary
The third Presidential elections in Afghanistan marked a historical and triumphant day for all Afghans. Defying Taliban death threats and sporadic firefights, approximately 7.5 million voters were estimated to have turned out at polling stations...
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Red Affairs
Naxal Violence: Old Challenges for the New Government
Bibhu Prasad Routray · 21 Apr, 2014 · #4395 · Commentary · Column
That the Communist Party of India-Maoist (Maoist) does not believe in democratic principles and electoral processes is too well known. The 2014 Lok Sabha elections provided the extremist outfit with yet another opportunity to reassert its vision...
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Dhaka Discourse
India-Bangladesh: Enhancing Ties through a ‘Power Corridor’
Delwar Hossain · 21 Apr, 2014 · #4394 · Commentary · Column
The issue of a ‘power corridor’ has sparked a new debate in Bangladesh-India bilateral relations. Bangladesh has agreed in principle to provide India a ‘power corridor’ to help its neighbour link its north eastern and nor...
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Strategic Space
India and No First Use: Preventing Deterrence Breakdown
Manpreet Sethi · 21 Apr, 2014 · #4393 · Commentary · Column
Several recent writings, including in the context of a possible revision of the Indian nuclear doctrine as mentioned in the BJP manifesto, have mentioned the need for a reconsideration of the no first use (NFU) principle. Many argue that India&r...
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South Asian Dialectic
India and No First Use: The Doctrinal Conundrum
PR Chari · 21 Apr, 2014 · #4392 · Commentary · Column
One can only be bemused by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s exhortation while inaugurating a recent conference on nuclear disarmament that the need was to establish a global no-first-use convention relating to nuclear weapons. His relevant ...
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Iran-Pakistan: Time for Realpolitik over Riyal Politics
Rajeshwari Krishnamurthy · 16 Apr, 2014 · #4391 · Commentary
Although the Jaish al-Adl (JA), a terrorist group that primarily operates from Pakistan’s Balochistan and Iran’s Sistan Baluchestan provinces, released four of the five Iranian border guards it had abducted and held captive in Pa...
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Is Bangladesh’s foreign policy becoming India and Russia-centric?
Harun ur Rashid · 15 Apr, 2014 · #4390 · Commentary
On 27 March, Bangladesh abstained from voting at the UN General Assembly resolution on Russia’s annexation of Crimea. While 100 countries voted in favour of the resolution, 11 opposed it. Bangladesh, alongside 57 others abstained, and even...
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Oman's Duqm Port and US Exit from Afghanistan
Vijay Sakhuja · 14 Apr, 2014 · #4389 · Commentary
The US is keenly following developments in Duqm, an Omani port overlooking the Indian Ocean, and a number of US defense, military and civilian personnel have visited Oman in this connection. British Royal Navy ships have called at Duqm, and in 2...
