It is obvious that the US is feeling a threat from the rapid rise of China. That is why the US is taking all necessary measures to resist Chinese quick development and practicing its policy of “Contain China” or “Curtail China”. Under this policy, the US is opposing BRI, a […]
Central Asia
Bereft Of Soft Power, India Stands Diminished In Hindu Kush And Central Asia
The dichotomy between the regime policy and public opinion is nowhere near as sharp as in the world of diplomacy. And nowhere in the contemporary situation is this maxim so sharply visible as in the dalliance of the West Asian oligarchies with Israel. The romance began at least a decade […]
Who Stands To Gain From Unrest In Iran?
I once had an animated conversation with the Middle East correspondent of a leading Indian newspaper regarding the resilience of the Iranian political system. The year was 2001. The conversation took place in the backdrop of mass protests and clashes between hard-liners and reformists on the the 22nd anniversary of […]
With Eye On India, Pakistan Strengthens Military Ties With Iran
The low-key coverage by the Pakistani media on the 2-day visit of the army chief General Qamar Bajwa to Iran notwithstanding, the event signifies a surge in the tempo of ‘mil-to-mil’ exchanges between the two countries. The Iranian side gave the event a distinct political colouring with the Pakistani COAS […]
Tehran Loses Patience With Modi Government’s Hide And Seek
Historically speaking, India-Iran relationship had its ups and downs during the decades under Shah’s rule. The Lowest point was reached when during the 1965 and 1971 wars with India, Pakistani Air Force jets were stationed in Iran to gain ‘strategic depth’ vis-a-vis the IAF. However, after the 1979 Islamic revolution, […]
Kartarpur Corridor: A Message Of Peace And Prosperity
Kartarpur corridor was opened on 9 November 2019. It paved the way for the Sikh community to visit one of the most important religious shrines without a visa. There are approximately 150 million Sikhs around the world, out of which around 120 million are living in India. The other countries […]
The Question Of A Kurdish State
The creation of an independent and sovereign state of Kurdistan is a topic with a long history and differing visions for how to realise it. The territory currently occupied by the compact Kurdish population is around 500,000 kilometres. They live at the crossroads of Iraq, Turkey, Syria and Iran, and […]
The Endgame Begins In Yemen’s War
The power-sharing agreement signed in Riyadh on November 5 between the Saudi-backed Yemeni government headed by Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and UAE-backed southern separatist group known as the Southern Transitional Council (STC) gives reason to hope that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is veering round to the political track to […]
The 18th Meeting Of The Council Of Heads Of Government Of Member States Of The SCO
The SCO member states agreed to further increase inter-connectivity in such areas as facilities, trade, culture and energy, and build a broad, open, mutually beneficial, win-win and equal space for cooperation in the Eurasian region to ensure reliable, safe and sustainable development, said the communique.
Kashmir: Bipartisan Consensus In US Is In Meltdown
For an Indian who ever had anything to do with the making or implementation of India’s Kashmir policy, listening to the 2-hour long Congressional hearing in Washington, DC, on October 22 would have been a scandalous experience. There has never been such scathing criticism of our Kashmir policies in the […]
Russia And The European Union (II)
Part I The energy relationship The pragmatic dimension of the relationship between the EU and the Russian Federation is within the framework of the energy relations which includes three focal issues. Nevertheless, both partners lack legally binding instruments to direct their pragmatic energy relationship. Negotiations between these partners appeared to […]
It’s Curtains For US In Syria. Russia, Iran Owe Big Thanks To Erdogan
The scenario agreed on behind the curtains through months of confidential exchanges, often one-on-one, between the Russian and Turkish leaders regarding north-eastern Syria is entering a critical phase of implementation on the ground with the agreement between the Kurds and the Assad regime. We have a complex scenario where on […]
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