COMMENTARIES
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Special Commentary: The Military and Nawaz Sharif in Pakistan
Rana Banerji · 05 Jun, 2013 · #3972 · Commentary
Much is being read between the lines about the inclinations of the new Nawaz Sharif regime to improve relations with India. However, several potential conflict areas remain, especially in civil military relations, which may hamper Nawaz Sharif&r...
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FMCT: Questioning Mass Destruction as the Basis for International Order
Vijay Shankar · 05 Jun, 2013 · #3971 · Commentary
Twenty eight years before Oppenheimer was stirred to note the significance of Krishna’s words from the Gita, “I am become death, the destroyer of worlds,” upon watching the first nuclear test explosion; Tagore, in 1917, had exp...
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Naxal Violence: Are Political Parties the Maoists’ New Target?
Deepak Kumar Nayak · 31 May, 2013 · #3970 · Commentary
The CPI (Maoist) has claimed responsibility of the 25 May 2013 attack on the convoy of Congress leaders at Darbha Ghati in the Bastar district of Chhattisgarh that has left 29 people dead, including senior Congress leader Mahendra Karma, state C...
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Japan: India crosses the ‘Two Seas’
Rana Divyank Chaudhary · 31 May, 2013 · #3969 · Commentary
Japan’s prime minister Shinzo Abe's vision of a confluence of the ‘two seas’ vis-a-vis India might become a reality soon with New Delhi and Tokyo now entering into a new phase of bilateral strategic partnership this year. P...
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Singapore: Emerging in the Arctic?
Narayani Basu · 31 May, 2013 · #3968 · Commentary
Earlier this month, the Arctic Council agreed to expand to include six new nations, including Singapore, as observer states. The decision sees the entry of some of the world’s most important emerging powers, as well as countries like India...
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Naxal Violence: What should be Done to Counter?
N Manoharan · 31 May, 2013 · #3967 · Commentary
The Maoists’ ruthless attack on a convoy of Congress leaders and workers in Chhattisgarh in May 2013 has once again highlighted the nature and intensity of the problem. The convoy was an ideal target for the Indian Maoists, who have been l...
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India and the BCIM: Should the ‘I’ stand up?
Asma Masood · 31 May, 2013 · #3966 · Commentary
In his May 2013 visit to India, Li Keqiang highlighted the progress made in the BCIM Regional Forum. It was the first high level government endorsement for the organization. Manmohan Singh reiterated the possibility of setting up infrastructure ...
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Sri Lanka: Use and Abuse of History
Prof. V. Suryanarayan · 31 May, 2013 · #3965 · Commentary
Looking at the past through the prism of the present can lead to falsification of history. Despite the obvious diversities in Sri Lanka - language and religion - the Sinhalese and the Tamils share many common cultural attributes. Like their Indi...
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Securing the First Line of Defence
D Suba Chandran · 30 May, 2013 · #3964 · Commentary
The violent attack on the Congress leaders by the naxalites in Chattisgarh is almost a reality check for those who would like to negotiate with the militants in South Asia. While the violence perpetrated by the militants against the State is wel...
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Bhutan and China: Two Friendly Dragons?
Kunkhen Dorji · 30 May, 2013 · #3963 · Commentary
Bhutan has had many rounds of talks regarding border dispute, but never a high level interaction with the Chinese government. The recent meetings between Prime Minister Jigme Thinley of Bhutan and Premier Wen Jiabao of China in Rio de Janeiro in...