COMMENTARIES
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Special Commentary
Unpacking the Unprecedented Churning in Saudi Arabia
Ranjit Gupta · 15 Nov, 2017 · #5393 · Commentary
Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (King Salman) has presided over unprecedented churning on both the domestic political and foreign policy fronts during his short reign of less than three years. Norms that have been the foun...
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EU: Prospects of Reform Post the 2017 German Election
John Schabedoth · 15 Nov, 2017 · #5392 · Commentary
The European Union (EU) and its institutions are at a crossroads. The Euro and refugee crises have revealed that its countries have different views on intra-community solidarity and the future of the EU as a whole. With Brexit, for the first tim...
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Dateline Colombo
The Geopolitics of Floating Bases and the New World Order
Asanga Abeyagoonasekera · 14 Nov, 2017 · #5391 · Commentary · Column
US naval officer and strategist Alfred Thayer Mahan’s advice in 1890 for the US to push outwards to rule the oceans is still heeded by US maritime forces in the present day. The USS Nimitz aircraft carrier, standing 23 stories high and 333...
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Strategic Space
‘Gas Chamber’ Cities and Dangers Nuclear
Manpreet Sethi · 14 Nov, 2017 · #5390 · Commentary · Column
Come November and the entire Indo-Gangetic plain running across the northern regions of Pakistan and India comes under a dirty grey haze. Major cities in these areas begin gasping for breath. A mix of a natural phenomenon and mindless human acti...
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East Asia Compass
Trump's Visit to East Asia
Dr Sandip Kumar Mishra · 07 Nov, 2017 · #5389 · Commentary · Column
US President Donald Trump’s 12-day visit to five of the East Asian countries is quite ‘unprecedented’. But so are his style, posturing, statements and policies. Trump will meet not only the leaders of Japan, South Korea, China,...
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China's Signaling Under President Xi Jinping
Prashant Dikshit · 06 Nov, 2017 · #5388 · Commentary
China's President Xi Jinping has now emerged supreme. The 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China consolidated his authority not just for five years but in, a certain view, for life. Normally, a reappointment of a head of stat...
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India-China Border Agreements: Political Negotiation Needed
Amit Ranjan · 06 Nov, 2017 · #5387 · Commentary
The border disputes between India and China have their roots in the colonial history of the geographical area. Whenever there is a stand-off on the border, historical records are (re) interpreted to express or refute claims territorial claims of...
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Maritime Matters
Short Sea Shipping in Bay of Bengal Takes Baby Steps
Vijay Sakhuja · 03 Nov, 2017 · #5386 · Commentary · Column
Last week, a consignment of motor vehicles was shipped from Chennai Port in India to Mongla port in Bangladesh onboard a roll-on roll-off (RoRo) cum general cargo vessel. Ashok Leyland Limited chose to use the sea route which takes five days in...
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Regional Economy
19th Party Congress: Understanding the Economics in Xi’s Speech
Amita Batra · 30 Oct, 2017 · #5385 · Commentary · Column
A big event this October was President Xi’s address to the 19th Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC). While marking his attainment of cult status, Xi’s speech, as widely reported, is also a definitive statement of China&rsq...
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J&K Focus
J&K: Operation 'All Out' and Prospects for Winter
Lt Gen (Retd) Syed Ata Hasnain · 26 Oct, 2017 · #5384 · Commentary · Column
The third quarter of 2017 in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) has been characterised by the marked success of Operation All Out; a reduction in the quantum of violent incidents; and an overall stabilisation of the situation, which has permitted the g...
