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:: Window to South Asia |
Can India afford to remain frozen in inaction?
Finally it is out in the open. The Indian defence minister, A.K. Antony, has said that war with Pakistan in the wake of the Mumbai terror attack is not an option. And once again we find ourselves trapped in a dead end.
2008 a year of turbulence, strife for Pakistan
The year set to end was one of turbulence for Pakistan, with a virtual war between Islamist militants and the government taking a huge toll and inviting comparisons with failed states.
Bangladesh decides, but will anything change?
Bangladesh's much-delayed ninth general election has evoked keen interest in the country as well as among the world community. The polls Monday (Dec 29) are being monitored by 200,000 observers, scores of them from international bodies, the US, the European Union and neighbouring India, as well as by local NGOs.
Nepal king gone but republic remains restless
Despite its crop of failures, 2008 will remain a landmark in the history of Nepal, Asia and indeed the world communist movement, providing inspiration to communists across the globe.
Sri Lanka bleeds - with no peace in sight
Sri Lanka's dragging ethnic conflict is at a decisive phase, with the military determined to crush the Tamil Tigers and the guerrillas adamantly refusing to give up. The Indian Ocean island nation is spending millions of dollars to give an annihilating blow to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as troops try to seize the last of two rebel bastions: Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu.
India should pursue 'no war, no peace' policy with Pakistan
The Mumbai massacre has falsified the long-held belief in India that it is the rogue elements in the army and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) which are behind the terrorist attacks. Since Pakistan itself has been a victim of terrorism, the theory of loose cannons had gained credibility.
We need one common central body to recruit police personnel
The manner in which the new home minister (P. Chidambaram) went about his Mumbai visit on Dec 5 convinces one that things are in for a big change. His honesty of purpose, resolute desire for action and empathy for families of those who lost their lives in the tragedy is visible to me as an ordinary citizen. A week later, on Dec 11, he made a passionate plea to the country's lawmakers to respect policemen.
'Sir, why are all terrorists Muslims?'
"Sir, why is it that all terrorists are Muslims?" Prajvi Bagga Malhotra, a Class 11 student of Modern School, asked me this question during a discussion about current events. This was a very timely, bold but sensible question and being a Muslim, I was accountable to address the curiosity in the minds of a class of 52 students.
Exercising the military option: possible, but not feasible
Ever since the Pakistan link in the Mumbai attacks was traced, many strategic analysts have been rooting for punitive action against Pakistan - also referred to as pre-emptive strikes and hot pursuit. This is not the first time such suggestions have been mooted.
Economic gloom and the silver lining for India
The gloom seems to be overwhelming. After the horror of the Mumbai terror attacks, the news on the economic front has been increasingly dismal. Fortunately, India appears to be better off than many other countries facing the repercussions of the global financial meltdown.
Election results bode well for Congress
With election results in five states in, it appears that the Congress party will be quite unaffected by the recent economic slowdown and the terrorist attacks in Mumbai. This could bode well for the party for the next general elections which are due in April/May next year.
What will be US military policy under Obama?
The new US administration is assuming office against the background of a growing global economic crisis and continued conflicts in different countries. What will US military policy be like? Much depends on who will implement this policy.
Zardari must prove he is president, not an army puppet
India-Pakistan relations have reached not only their lowest point after the Mumbai massacres but also perhaps their most dangerous phase ever. Throughout the earlier periods, even during the 1965 and 1971 wars and the 1999 Kargil incursion, Pakistan had a credible government in place, even under Yahya Khan, the military dictator known for his fondness for the bottle.
Post mortem of a carnage: some thoughts on the Mumbai attack
In multiple terrorist attacks at several places in Mumbai, 171 people including 26 foreigners (six of them Americans), 14 Maharashtra police officers, two National Security Guards (NSG) and two home guards were killed and 294 wounded. Nine terrorists who came for the operation were also killed and one was held injured. It was the longest terror operation of its kind in India that spread over 60 hours from November 26 late night to 29th afternoon.
Anatomy of the Mumbai terror attack
The 11 coordinated terrorist attacks on Mumbai, which killed over 120 persons and drew more than a 1000 men from the Indian Army, Marine Commandos, the National Security Guard (NSG) commandos besides the local police to neutralise about two dozen young, well-armed terrorists, is one of the most audacious attacks on India and reveal the maturing of a strongly networked terror coalition with links to terrorist groups based in Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Let us not lose the battle of the mind to Pakistan
The terror in Mumbai is our national shame. There can be no doubt about it. How could a group of 10 brazen men hold an entire nation to ransom for almost four days, making Mumbai their killing fields? They stepped out of the sea and walked about the city with the sort of contempt that a marauding horde reserves for the weakling.
Cry, my beloved Mumbai! It won't be the same anymore
Reminiscing of the Bombay of the good old fashioned gangsters of the 1980s with any nostalgia may sound gratuitously insulting today. The worst that the mob bosses then did apart from smuggling gold, VCRs and some drugs was to occasionally engage in internecine gangland murders. Crime happened every day but it largely stayed confined to the underworld. Rarely did it spill over to the streets and fatally co-opt innocent citizens.
The fidayeens are back, but we aren't ready
A frontal attack on Mumbai's commercial district prompts a glance over threats to similar landmarks across the country, especially in the National Capital Region (NCR). The one destination that comes to mind immediately is the corporate street in Gurgaon's DLF Phase-II, which has emerged as NCR's main business hub. In this two kilometre stretch on the Delhi-Jaipur expressway stand offices of major multinational corporations, ranging from Microsoft to Nokia to IBM.
Obama's election demonstrates maturity of American democracy
The victory of Barack Obama in the US presidential elections signifies once again the depth and maturity of American democracy. For a country which until the early 1920s didn't allow women to vote and had seen multiple suffrage movements to disband all restrictions on race, religion and property to exercise the right to vote, having an African American president is indeed revolutionary.
Jehadis could target Obama with psychological warfare
President-elect Barack Obama's reputedly conciliatory approach towards international flashpoints can potentially open the door for psychological warfare against the United States by Islamic jehadi groups.
India has to worry over New Zealand election result
Both the Indian government and New Zealand's Indian community will be concerned that a conservative rightwing government has come to power in Auckland after general elections this month. The elections heralded the National Party's John Key as the new prime minister, ending the left-of-centre Labour Party's nine-year government of Helen Clark.
What India should expect from Barack Obama, what it shouldn't
As president-elect Barack Obama waits to take over the administration of the US, he faces daunting challenges on both the domestic and foreign fronts. The expectations both within and outside the country are very high. In his post-victory speech, Obama cautioned that change will take time. Some of his efforts may prove anti-climactic. People all over the world are expecting big things from Obama as he ran a campaign as an agent for change.
Why pirates stay undeterred
The pirates who hijacked the Danish vessel CEC Future in the Gulf of Aden last week were not deterred by a large group of warships from different countries, including Russia's Neustrashimy frigate, sent to the gulf to protect merchant vessels.
Economy not so bleak, but needs balancing act
The economy seems to be looking up since last week with some positive gains for stock markets and moderation in inflation, giving the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) sufficient confidence to take more steps to infuse liquidity into the system.
Let's delink terrorism from religion
Is there an intrinsic link between religion and terrorism? Does religion implore its followers to resort to pre-meditated and wanton killing of innocent civilians?
Has China finally shut the door on Dalai Lama?
The door has been peremptorily shut on the Dalai Lama's quest for a "middle path" peaceful solution to the over five-decade-old Tibet dispute with China accusing him of seeking "ethnic cleansing" across the region.
Will China come out to rescue the world?
China is a true island of stability amid the raging financial crisis. There are no chances of a large-scale crisis in the Chinese economy. An economic shock, let alone a recession, is unlikely in China because of its solid economic health and reliable protection from external risks.
Assam's steady descent into darkness
The horror in Assam is not just tragic, it is a malignant devastation that has visited a place and a people who were known until comparatively recently for their hospitality, calm and kindness.
Tamil Nadu ferment stuns Rajapaksa but war will go on
The sudden tumult in Tamil Nadu seeking an immediate truce in Sri Lanka has hit President Mahinda Rajapaksa where it hurts him most. But he is most unlikely to go for a ceasefire with the Tamil Tigers, regardless of what India may desire.
Why the global recession is also an opportunity for India
The near recession in the US and the global meltdown will, of course, have its impact on India's high-tech industry, as it is one of the greatest financial crises of our globalised times. But it also presents an opportunity for Indian services vendors to improve their market share, while forcing them to diversify and de-risk across sectors and geography.
President Zardari's High Five
Every time Pakistan assumes to have found the key to political stability, the locks are changed! The most recent development in this series of painful ironies was the hope generated by the return of exiled political leadership to Pakistan and promise of Parliamentary elections in late 2007, to be quashed by the assassination of PPP leader Benazir Bhutto and emergence of her widower Asif Ali Zardari as the new President of Pakistan. President Zardari has launched a campaign for unlocking the fortunes of a stable and prosperous Pakistan.
India weighing political impact of tough economic decisions
The tsunami like financial crisis engulfing the globe has flooded India as well, virtually drowning the stock and currency markets. The response of the Indian government has so far been somewhat slow. It has set up a committee to study the problem of liquidity as late as Friday, while the central bank has yet to announce a cut in interest rates.
Terroism, political incorrectness
Victims of terrorism also have rights. Even if it is politically incorrect, time has come to say the obvious. The manner in which terrorism is debated in this country, one gets an unmistakable feeling that only those accused of terrorism have all the rights and privileges and while the victims have none.
Pakistan and a civilian nuclear deal
The passage of the Indo-US civil nuclear deal has finally validated the worst fears of the non-proliferation community. Prime Minister Yousaf Gilani has announced that Pakistan has the right to demand civil nuclear agreement with the United States in the wake of the Indo-US nuclear deal. The Pakistani premier has justified Pakistan's case for civil nuclear cooperation on the grounds that there should be no discrimination made between India and Pakistan. In fact, Gilani believes that the US will have to accommodate Pakistan at some stage. The US has however indicated its reluctance towards facilitating a similar deal with Pakistan.
Why India stands largely insulated from global financial crisis
The collapse of the mighty global financial system has triggered a series of chain reactions in India, but the impact is not going to be as widespread as earlier imagined. The reasons are numerous.
Countering Terrorism: Managing the Perception
Post-modern plebian are used to urban terrorism on weekdays. It is already accepted that while commuting from home to workplaces, terrorist incidents may occur either in packed underground metro services or office buildings as it has been experienced on September 11, 2001 in the US, March 11, 2004 in Madrid, July 7, 2005 in London, July 11, 2006 in Mumbai and the list is endless.
Fill up police vacancies, secure hinterland to fight terrorism
This time there appears to have been something of a break with past patterns of response to major terrorist attacks in India, which have tended to be much sound and fury, followed by nothing.
Sex, sleaze and sheikhs
What does a modern-day sheikh with oodles of money, lots of connections in high places and political immunity do when his mistress flees his harem after sharing his bed for three years? In times gone by, the jilted sheikh would have had the anatomically deficient keeper of the harem decapitated, summoned his chief spy and ordered him to track down the woman, drag her to his court and have her flogged before doing other unspeakable things to her, for instance, burying her neck-deep in the desert and letting loose scorpions to feed on her pretty face.
Zardari and Pakistan: The Godfather as President
Asif Ali Zardari -- singled out by fate to become Benazir Bhutto's husband and who, subsequently, did everything he could to prevent himself from being returned to obscurity -- will soon become the new President of Pakistan. Oily-mouthed hangers-on, never in short supply in Pakistan, will orchestrate a few celebratory shows and the ready tongues of old cronies (some now appointed ambassadors to Western capitals) will speak of how democracy has been enhanced. Zardari's close circle of friends, with whom he shared the spoils of power the last time around and who have remained loyal, refusing all inducements to turn state's evidence in the corruption cases against him, will also be delighted. Small wonder then that definitions of democracy in Pakistan differ from person to person.
NSG Waiver: A Boon for Indo-Japan Strategic Cooperation
The decision by the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) to give India access to international nuclear commerce has opened up a new vista for enhancing India-Japan cooperation, especially in an area which was hitherto alienated due to political sensitivities. Prior to the NSG meeting as well as International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governor's meeting in Vienna held in early August, Japan has propounded its willingness to support to efforts allowing India's greater access to global nuclear commerce and also highlighted Japan's interest in promoting nuclear cooperation with India, which was stated by Kazuo Kodama, press secretary of Japanese Foreign Ministry on August 11, in spite of stiff opposition from pro-NPT lobby in Japan.
Terror in the name of Islam: what purpose does it serve?
Perpetrators behind the recent terror attacks in major Indian cities - including Saturday's Delhi bombings that left at least 20 dead and scores injured - are still shrouded in mystery. But the needle of suspicion is pointing towards groups with Muslim names. And if they are indeed to blame, we need to ask what purpose do such acts serve other than damaging the standing of the community in whose name it's all being done.
Is 'timely election' in Kashmir a gamble worth taking?
As the Election Commission readies to hold the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections "on time", the question whether or not such a gamble is worth taking brooks a logical answer.
Government must put in place a strict anti-terror law
Terrorists struck in the Indian capital again in a big way Saturday. All blasts were of low intensity. The defused bombs used a cocktail of ammonium nitrate, gun powder, ball bearings and nails, with timer devices. It is the same kind of bombs used in Jaipur, Bangalore and Ahmedabad. They were set off using electronic timers.
India, Iran and the US Sanctions: Time for stock taking
First ignore. Then pretend it is harmless. And finally be prepared to pay price for the first two mistakes. This is perhaps India's strategy regarding American sanctions regime against Iran.
Migrants, politics and the need for action in northeast
A high court judgement on illegal migrants from Bangladesh has again raised the tortuous and tortured issue of influx into the northeast and especially to Assam, where the issue has always been explosive. Underscoring the scale and depth of the problem, which has troubled Assam and other northeastern states for decades - and now has created challenges in places as distant as Mumbai, Jaipur and New Delhi - the Guwahati High Court has declared that illegal Bangladeshis "have a major role in electing the representatives. They have become the kingmakers."
Russia-NATO: Return of the great game
After the breakup of the Soviet Union, many intellectuals in Russia and the West announced "the end of history". It seemed that the United States' complete domination of the world was not disputed by anyone.
From the Bird's Nest to the Himalayan Quest:
Prachanda's Great Game
On 24th August, the day when a star studded 'Bird's Nest' in Beijing was the focus of the five continents, India was downhearted being apprehensive of the prospects of the Himalayan nest slipping from her hand while Prachanda was in a meeting with the Chinese President Hu Jintao in Beijing that day.
Kashmir: Problem of Integration
The return of insurgency in the Kashmir valley after a relative calm of few years has once again highlighted that this region is far from integrated with the Indian mainstream. Though the state of Jammu and Kashmir had agreed for accession with India, nearly half of its territory is being controlled by Pakistan and some part of it is held by China and on the remaining part barring the areas of Jammu and Laddakh, Indian control is tenuous.
India-US nuclear deal - time for a pause
The India-US nuclear deal is in trouble - serious trouble. Contrary to Indian expectations, the NSG did not give it clearance at last week's meeting in Vienna. A large number of NSG members, many of them close allies of the United States, tabled amendments that would have the effect of bringing India into the NPT and the CTBT regimes through the back door.
Indian Muslims: Spiritualise the radicals
The toll in the serial blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad needs to be counted beyond the numbers of deaths and injured. If the bombings are the handiwork of the Indian Mujaheeden as claimed by the outfit, then the biggest casualty of the latest episodes of fanatical madness is India's ability to tackle terrorism.
The curious case of India's oil policy
India's petroleum policies are getting curiouser and curiouser. The latest report on the oil sector by former petroleum secretary B.K. Chaturvedi has proposed a phased raise in oil product prices so that eventually, domestic retail prices are brought on a par with international levels. This is surely an Alice in Wonderland proposal.
Kashmir's independence cannot be an option
After many years of relative peace, stability and economic progress, the situation in Jammu and Kashmir has been allowed to reach a dangerous point over the last two months. There have been mistakes, even serious ones, in the way the Amarnath land transfer issue has been handled. Despite these lapses, the answer to the problem cannot be to suggest that the Kashmir Valley be allowed to secede from India.
Musharraf's exit: another blow to Bush foreign policy
Had George Bush's presidency not already entered its lame duck months, the less than flattering departure of Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf so close to the time when Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin took off his gloves would have dealt a staggering personal blow to the US president.
The Arab factor in Indo-Iranian relations
American diktats. This is how many depict the vagaries of India's Iran policy. Its rhetoric of civilizational links with Tehran and overnight abandonment at the International Atomic Energy Commission (IAEA) raised heckles both inside and outside the country. It strongly rejected allegations of Iranian non-compliance of its obligations to the nuclear watchdog and yet sided with the US and voted against Iran. Some saw this as the worst moment in Indian diplomacy. Favorable sound bites on Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) pipeline are not matched by progress on the ground. New Delhi talks of strategic energy partnership with Iran when price row continues to haunt negotiations over LNG supplies.
Musharraf: Nemesis finally catches up with the tightrope veteran
Pervez Musharraf, who resigned Monday after nine years as president of Pakistan, was finally trapped by the momentum of forces he unleashed following a series of questionable actions primarily aimed at ensuring a long-term stranglehold on power.
Post-Musharraf scenario: growing instability in Pakistan
Pakistan is again in the news due to the decision of the ruling coalition to impeach President Pervez Musharraf. India's National Security Adviser (NSA) M.K. Narayanan said that the impeachment may give rise to a big vacuum that will provide freedom to radical extremist elements.
The many roads to nuclear disarmament
As another anniversary of the holocaust in Hiroshima and Nagasaki passes by, this year's commemorations have rekindled the focus on the prospects of nuclear disarmament and achieving the goal of abolition of nuclear weapons. This sudden interest was generated by op-ed articles co-authored early this year by four U.S. statesmen - Henry Kissinger, George Shultz, William Perry and Sam Nunn. By now, their critics have abundantly highlighted the paradox in having to see realist strategic thinkers like Kissinger advocating abolition of nuclear weapons after spending their decades of active service in U.S. government propagating doctrines of nuclear deterrence and massive retaliation.
SAARC talks terrorism: Would this be a new beginning?
The issue of terrorism significantly became the main focal point along with issues related to growth and development during the recently concluded Fifteenth South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) held in Colombo. The Summit, taking place soon after the tragic terrorist attack on the Indian embassy at Kabul and the subsequent serial blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad in India, was bound to witness a debate on rise of terrorism in South Asia.
Rushdie, India and Britain: 20 years on from a satanic storm
It was Jan 14, 1989 and a book had just been burnt in a city called Bradford. The book was "The Satanic Verses", its author was Salman Rushdie and those who did the burning were Muslims convinced that it blasphemed Islam.
Terrorism: Need for a non-partisan discourse
Spate of bomb blasts in Bangalore, Ahmadabad and other parts of the country has rekindled the debate over terrorism. If political parties are busy in blame game and finger pointing, the establishment has its quote of rituals; condemnation and reiterating its resolve to fight terrorism. All would be forgotten until the next round.
Muslim voices of sanity must get louder
Ahmedabad and Bangalore, like many others, are global cities and the terror that struck these on consecutive days too is a global phenomenon. As a human being and an Indian Muslim, I literally wept over the needless deaths of those who died or were maimed.
Naxalites graduating from guerilla to mobile warfare
Less than three weeks after the Chitrakonda attack, armed cadres of the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-M) attacked the Special Operation Group (SOG), Orissa's elite anti-Naxalite force on July 16. Seventeen personnel were killed in the landmine explosion triggered by the Maoists in Malkangiri district of southern Orissa. This was the second major incident after the Nayagarh police station attack on February 15. Earlier, in the Chitrakonda incident 38 Greyhound commandos of Andhra Pradesh were killed in the Balimela dam on 29 June when their boat was pounded by the Maoists with LMG and automatic weapons fire from a hillock.
Trust! Manmohan Singh will now bat for reforms
By using the term "bonded slave" in his speech at the conclusion of the trust vote, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh eloquently expressed his feelings during the four years of ties between the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and the Left parties. The pioneer of economic reforms in the 1990s, Manmohan Singh was expected to push forward the reform agenda during his tenure as prime minister but was hamstrung at every step by the Left partners.
Post-Kabul attack, India needs to be more assertive in Afghanistan
The vehicle-borne suicide bomb attack at the entrance of the Indian embassy in Kabul and the resultant casualties have created a furore in the Indian national security establishment and the diplomatic community.
India takes the lead once again in global nuclear disarmament
Twenty years after then Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi presented his Action Plan to the United Nations with a fervent appeal for a nuclear free world, disarmament is back on the global agenda - in a large measure due to India. "Nuclear war will not mean the death of a hundred million people. Or even a thousand million. It will mean the extinction of four thousand million, the end of life as we know it on our planet, earth. We come to the United States to seek your support. We seek your support to put a stop to this madness."
Nuclear deal standoff exposes myopia of Indian political class
The stalemate over the India-US nuclear deal is the result of a standoff between an ideologically driven Left and an ideologically confused Congress party, whose uncertainties have been boosted by its minority status. The Congress' dependence on the Left's support in parliament has prevented it from moving ahead on the deal although Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has set his heart on it.
What statistics won't tell - all that is wrong with India's police
It looks like India's policing is in pretty good shape. The annual report of the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) 2006 is just out. It lists just 29 human rights violations for the year. Looks like it is time to shut down the human rights commission. Its work is done.
Private security firms for internal security:
An idea whose time has come
The recent violent Gujjar agitation in Rajasthan and its spreading out to the neighbouring states; frequent bandhs being called by the Gorkha Jana Mukti Morcha (GJMM) cutting of Darjeeling as well as the vital strategically important road route to Sikkim; or the latest round of fighting between the factions of the Khalsa Sikhs with the followers of the Dera Sacha Sauda which severely affected parts of Mulund and other areas in North west Mumbai - apparently unconnected and sporadic incidents all, however, do highlight an already existing alarming fact - the increasing incapability of the Indian state's official security agencies to provide security for its citizens.
Civilian nuclear deal: A victim of oversell
With scant light at the end of the tunnel for the India-US civilian nuclear deal, it is evident that the agreement is a victim of oversell as a "historic" accord to emancipate India's economy and international status. The Manmohan Singh government's claims in favour of the 123 Agreement were so bombastic as to project it as an elixir that could transform India's destiny. After inflating the benefits of the deal, the prime minister is now facing the music from both the right and left flanks of the political spectrum.
The politics of global food and energy crisis
The soaring food prices and the global energy crisis that are glaring at us today have proved many optimists of the past wrong. Some of these optimists had said three decades ago that the world will never have to face the current scenario as had been predicted by some Malthusian thinkers then.
As oil prices rise, battle over strategic oil reserves would intensify
Why is Iraqi oil so important and coveted so much? Three reasons are usually given. First, Iraq's oil is of very high quality and has attractive chemical properties such as high carbon content, lightness and low sulphur content that make it specially suitable for refining for high value products. For this reason, Iraqi oil commands a high premium in the oil market.
Oil pool account can redress petrol price burden
Just before inflicting a burdening oil price hike on his countrymen, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had hinted that no solution exists for this tangle, supposedly created by a global surge in oil prices. The situation was worsened by the precarious financial health of oil marketing companies (OMCs), which had to bear the brunt of escalating global prices by subsidising the final product to the consumer.
India's counter-terrorism centre should be a unique model
Jaipur, as usual, is fading away from the headlines of the national media, as it always does till another terror strike jerks our collective psyche with gory images, wrecked vehicles and charred human limbs. Like in earlier instances, in the case of Jaipur also, claims and denials about the failures of the state and central agencies, issues like lack of information gathering at the base, unhindered exchange of information amongst agencies and, most crucial, the analyses of data collected came to fore in the aftermath.
'Moderate' Advani vs 'hardliner' Rajnath Singh
Since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has convinced itself of its excellent prospects in the next general election, it is not surprising that its two top leaders have spelt out their visions for the future. The enterprise would have been enlightening but for the fact that their prescriptions cancel out each other.
Bangladesh government's clean up act might backfire
The Bangladesh caretaker government is not giving up. This time it's a month-long nationwide drive against crime that has been launched. Beginning from May 30, over 12,000 have been arrested in the first week. The numbers will only multiply over the next few weeks.
Nepal’s monarchy gone, but not out
To survive and sustain for 5 decades is no mean feat, a reason why people celebrate the golden jubilees with fervor. Such celebrations perhaps were never destined for the royals in Nepal. What would have been the golden jubilee year of the royal ascendancy to power in Nepal following the Royal Decree of April 1958 which consolidated the supremacy of monarchy has turned out to be the year of annihilation.
India paying price for global oil speculation
The government has bit the bullet and the cost of living has just shot up for people all over India. But there were few options before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. With world oil prices having reached astronomical levels, the state-run oil companies could not have continued subsidizing supplies of petroleum products to the nation. If left unchecked, the present situation would have led to oil companies going deep into the red - and that would have been an even worse disaster for the country.
Lanka's Israel Dilemma
The high profiled visit of Prime Minister Rathnasiri Wickramanayaka to Israel in late March underscores the long-standing Sri Lankan dilemma towards the Jewish State. At one level, it wants to benefit from Israel's military and security expertise but strong domestic and regional compulsions drive Colombo in the opposite direction. The need to balance the two became apparent in Wickramanayaka's recent visit to the Middle East, which also took him to the Palestinian areas and Jordan.
Indian automobile industry cruises in top gear
The Indian automobile market has undergone a transformation in the past decade. Unlike the early 1990s when only a handful of models were available, the customer today has the choice of riding home in a wide array of models with virtually every global car manufacturer setting up base in the country.
Communist obstinacy could derail India's nuclear energy plans
Ever since the 123 agreement was announced, the Communist parties have been raising various issues pertaining to it that have wider consequences on India's foreign policy. Foremost among their concerns are their references to the Hyde Act that leftist leaders argue would impinge on the autonomy of India's foreign policy and make India a junior partner of the US.
An empowered agency can control terrorism
How does one characterise the predicament of the country today with terrorist attacks continuing unremittingly? There has been no proper response that is capable of instilling some sense of fear in terrorists and a degree of security for the people.
UN Security Council seat: China outsmarts India
The symphony of South-South cooperation at the recent conclave of foreign ministers of BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) at Yekaterinburg was jarred by China's refusal to endorse India's bid for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council (UNSC). In the joint communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, Chinese delegates scotched Russian proposals of supporting India's cause of entering the elite league at the UNSC.
Role of the Governor: pro-active versus figure head
Ever since the creation of the high office of the Governor as 'the fulcrum of Indian federal system' it has remained an ever controversial one. After the call by West Bengal's CPM for 'redefining the role of governors in the states', the old debate thus has been brought back to life again. This has come in the wake Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi's voluntary imposition of a two-hour power cut in his official residence - the Raj Bhavan.
Is the IAS fortress showing cracks?
Is the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) feeling the heat? Has the decision of Adapa Karthik - this year's civil services exam topper for appointment to the IAS - to continue serving in the IPS shaken the citadel of power?
Transforming police is crucial to counter-terrorism
The tragedy of the Jaipur bombings - as with virtually every major terrorist outrage in India - is infinitely compounded by the utter obtuseness, the manifest incomprehension and the pervasive disorder and confusion that attend official responses.
Kashmir 'packages': when will they ever learn?
Nothing epitomises the quiescence of the powers that be in New Delhi towards the sensibilities of people of Jammu and Kashmir better than the cynical 'packages' handed out during every prime ministerial visit.
Ahmadinejad's visit - India intensifies global energy game
Iranian President Mohammad Ahmadinejad's brief but significant visit to India and his cautious criticism against the "bullying" policies of the "rulers of the world" (read the US and its European allies) make one point clear - New Delhi has finally come out of its strategic confusion.
Pokhran-III prospects dead on Pokhran-II anniversary?
What difference does it make who signed the Pokhran files? Brajesh Mishra, the powerful former security advisor to then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, revealed a bit too late. There was a time when the Congress must have felt elated to claim making India nuclear. The first Pokhran test (in 1974) was their contribution and Indira Gandhi dared the Americans bravely. Should we be ashamed of it or try to delete that chapter from Indian history just because she happened to be another party's leader?
Half-baked rehabilitation packages would have few takers
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's rehabilitation package for the conflict-affected Kashmiri migrants announced on April 25th has brought back the limelight on the status of Kashmir Pandits and possibilities of their return to the Kashmir valley. The relief measures declared by Manmohan Singh underscored the continuous efforts by the government to ensure early return of displaced Kashmiri Pandits to their habitat.
Separatism gets competitive in Kashmir valley
It's election time in Jammu and Kashmir and once again the politicians are divided between issues of national integration and separatism to gather votes. It's not electricity or water supply, but security of the people and declarations of equidistance from India and Pakistan that hog the electioneering, speeding up a strange competition in raising secessionist voices.
Karzai's Afghanistan steps deeper into security quagmire
The attempt on President Hamid Karzai's life in the heart of the capital city of Kabul by suspected Taliban militants underscores the growing pessimism about security in the country. If the April 27 attack is anything to go by, Taliban militants are increasing their influence all across the country. Soon after the attack, the Taliban claimed responsibility saying its aim was to show that it could strike from the capital. The message is clear - the Taliban has reached the capital.
Are Nepal Maoists more mature than Indian communists?
The pragmatic good sense shown by the Nepal Maoists stands in sharp contrast to the ideological rigidity of the Indian communists. Whether it is a mainline outfit like the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and its allies in the Left Front or the insurrectionary "underground" organisations of the Indian Maoists, their guiding principle is the standard Marxist ideal of a one-party state.
China's 'peaceful' rise gets a beating
Ever since Dalai Lama's crossing over to India five decades ago, he has consistently received international backing in his struggle against China. However, the recent unrest in Tibet and its outward reverberations has generated an unprecedented and frenzied international support to the Tibetan cause, as exemplified by the protests across the globe against the Olympic torch relay. Protesters thronged the streets of London, Paris and San Francisco to express their solidarity with the Tibetan people, who have for long been suffering under the iron rule of the Chinese Communists.
Wooing the Maoists will only Bring Short Term Relief
The unprecedented electoral performance of the Maoists in Nepal has created a completely unforeseen situation in the Himalayan country. It might lead to the removal of the last vestiges of monarchy from Nepal and its transition to a republic where the king will not even be figurehead. This development, however, has created a difficult situation for countries like India and other western powers who considered these Maoists as outlaws. The likely Maoist ascendancy to power will test the resiliency of foreign policy of these countries. At the same time, it will also test the ability of Maoists to improve the situation in this under-developed country and their commitment to democracy.
Creeping Talibanisation to jeopardize peace in Pakistan
The Tehrik-e-Taliban-Pakistan (TTP), a Taliban umbrella organization in Pakistan, has warned the Pakistani government to change course or face the consequences. It listed several demands including cessation of all actions against the organization by the Pakistani Army, withdrawal of support to the US-led coalition forces, removal of Musharraf from the Presidency, and implementation of the Shariah throughout Pakistan. It also asserted its right to use the Pakistani soil to attack the ISAF. Maulana Faqir, the deputy Naib Amir of the Tehrik, later claimed that Islam came first for them, rather than Pakistan. He also issued a direct warning that the reduction in the spate of suicide bombings across Pakistan was only because the Tehrik was observing a ceasefire.
Sarabjit's execution can cast shadow on India-Pakistan ties
The possibility of an Indian prisoner being put to death in Pakistan could hardly be the ideal way to restart peace talks. But that is exactly how things may stand, unless the Pakistan government rethinks its decision and alters the death sentence on Sarabjit Singh, who is to be hanged in Lahore May 1.
India, China go their own way in Africa
China was a looming shadow at India's first summit with 14 African countries held in New Delhi recently that not only revealed the depth and diversity of their relationship but also provided clues to what could give New Delhi a competitive edge in the resource-rich continent.
Will the Nepali Maoists go the Hamas way?
The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) pulled off an upset over the traditional ruling parties such as the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist-Leninist (CPN-UML) in the elections to the Constituent Assembly (CA).
It's time NRI business leaders discovered Africa
Why haven't NRIs in the West invested in Africa? Perhaps due to the lack of information about high returns on investment. Perhaps due to the outdated perceptions and prejudices about Africa. Perhaps due to apathy about Africa as a growing market. Or perhaps due to violence that constantly bursts into headlines.
Political Assassination in Sri Lanka and its Aftermath
On April 6, another name was added to the list of political martyrs in Sri Lanka, Mr. Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, the chief government whip and Central Highways and Road Development Minister. He was killed presumably by an LTTE suicide bomber while flagging off a marathon race to mark the celebrations of Hindu/Sinhala New Year in Weliweriya, Gampaha which was his constituency.
Let democratic debate prevail over ideological loyalties
Almost one month has gone since the protests have erupted in Lhasa and other adjoining Chinese provinces. Irrespective of the Chinese insistence that these uprisings are its internal affairs, reverberations are global. The Chinese embarrassment has only quantified, as Beijing is the host of 2008 Olympics. The Olympic torch traversing various parts of the globe is facing demonstrations not only from the Tibetan diaspora settled abroad but from the supporters of the Tibetan cause as well.
India needs to shake hands with Maoists in Nepal
India's inability to correctly predict the outcome of the Nepal elections indicates its mindset as well as its failure to keep pace with the changing ground reality in the neighbouring country. It is hardly a consolation that like New Delhi, many key international players were also wrong in their assessment of identifying the Maoists as the winner of the Nepalese polls.
The Future of the Coalition Government in Pakistan
It was remarkable that Pakistan could conduct, a largely, fair general elections amidst all the violence, and achieve the formation of a new coalition government. There has been general rejoice that democracy has at last dawned on Pakistan. While a single sparrow does not a summer make, is the coalition government even a sparrow heralding a new summer?
High oil prices could hit India's growth
India's hopes of reaching a 10 percent growth rate on a sustained basis may be dashed if oil prices continue to rule at over $100 per barrel. Even the Planning Commission in its approach to the Eleventh Five Year Plan has estimated that high oil prices could affect the growth rate by up to 0.5 percent.
Pak Based Jihadi Terror: Is it Amenable to Political Solution?
The restoration of democracy in Pakistan has failed to reduce the worries of the US and its allies. Though the country has also managed to throw up a prime minister in the form of Yousuf Raza Gilani who belongs to Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the question has started to be asked about his longevity. His survival to a large extent will depend on his ability to manage the most important constituent of his coalition the Pakistan Muslim League (N). Besides, his longevity would also depend on his approach to war on terror. The ability of Pakistan army to create mischief should also not be discounted. The Pakistan army, though discredited for the moment would be looking for an opportunity to regain the lost ground in the country's politics.
Is the Left's third front hope a pipedream?
The Left's hope of floating a third front doesn't seem to be making much headway. One reason is that the ever changing permutations and combinations of the Indian political scene have ensured that one of the key components of the proposed group, the Samajwadi Party, is moving closer to the Congress. Since the latter is one of the political adversaries of the third "alternative", as the general secretary Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), Prakash Karat, likes to describe the alliance, the Samajwadi Party's tactics have put a spanner in the Left's expectations.
Admiral Gorshkov: the ship that launched a thousand rumours
For months now, a Soviet-era warship has been making waves - and filling countless column inches - in both Russia and India.
Has India let down its spies?
The media has often accused the Indian government of neglecting spies once their cover is blown. The reality is that intelligence agencies take full responsibility of locating, cultivating and, if possible, retrieving highly prized agents as opposed to others who pass off as spies.
Terror remains beyond control of Pakistani state
The disclosure by Chinese authorities that the hijackers of a domestic airplane who were thwarted in March came from Pakistan confirms terrorism to be the prime export item of the volatile country. It is the latest shred of evidence in an unsavoury track record for which Pakistan has gained international notoriety as the cradle of extremist jehad.
India projects its 'soft power' through Bollywood
Almost a century after film pioneer Dadasaheb Phalke made "Raja Harishchandra" in 1913, the Indian cinema and entertainment industry has spread its wings worldwide - not just winning accolades from its widely dispersed diaspora and international audiences and earning huge profits abroad but also luring foreign investment.
Unrest in Tibet: A Peripheral Issue
The unrest in Tibet particularly the spontaneity and the scale of rioting have made the worst Chinese fears come true. The scale and violence of protests in Lhasa and other predominant Tibetan settlements have unnerved the central Chinese leadership. This is discernable by the stridency in the remarks of Premier Wen Jia Bao, who heaped fulsome abuse on the "Dalai Lama clique" for being responsible for what he called orchestrated events. He did so while holding an olive branch of talks with Dalai Lama provided he accepts unconditionally Chinese sovereignty over Tibet and calls for a halt to the ongoing protests.
Sri Lankan Lions in Dragon's Arms
China is making a sagacious move in India's backyard in order to enhance its influence in the Indian Ocean region. By exploring ways and means to bring Sri Lanka into its strategic ambit, Beijing is also making all out efforts to enhance its level of engagement with this strategically located island republic. China's recent entry into oil exploration in Sri Lanka, participation in development of port and bunker facilities at Hambantota, involvement in infrastructure development, strengthening military cooperation and boosting bilateral trade with Colombo should be cause of concern for New Delhi. Interestingly, in recent years, China has emerged as the biggest donor to Sri Lanka. The New York Times reported last week that Chinese assistance to the island republic has grown fivefold in the last year to nearly $1 billion, thus overtaking Sri Lanka's long-time and hitherto largest donor, Japan.
Tibet protests underscore problems with integration
The explosion of protests in Tibet in the run-up to the Olympics shows how tenuous the region's integration into China is despite Beijing's frequent assertions to the contrary. It is significant that protests have erupted worldwide notwithstanding the Dalai Lama's appeal in support of a peaceful conduct of the games.
Does the Left have a hidden agenda?
Prakash Karat and Co must be smirking with satisfaction over the damage that they have been inflicting on India's reputation and growth prospects in recent times. First, by holding the Manmohan Singh government hostage to the Left's anti-American paranoia over the nuclear deal, the Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary and his fellow comrades have demonstrated their capacity to stifle any enterprise at odds with their doctrine.
Pakistan and India elections in Jammu and Kashmir
Even as the fascinating play of government formation unfolds in Pakistan after the historic elections last month, political analysts on this side of the border have begun to spin their theories on what the future holds for India-Pakistan relations.
Madhesi parties gear up for Nepal polls
One week after the Seven Party Alliance government and the Madhesi leaders signed an agreement ending the agitation in Nepal's Terai region, an election mood is slowly settling over the area. The candidates of Madhesi parties filed their papers as the new nominations deadline for Nepal's elections to the Constituent Assembly drew to a close.
Should India also develop satellite-killing capability?
Former Indian president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam's contention that India has the capability to intercept objects in space and destroy them within a radius of 200 km has ignited a strategic dilemma. The issue has gained significance after the US successfully shot down one of its own collapsing satellites at a height of 233 km. The fear that India will be left lagging in one more global arms race and pay a heavy ex-post price looms on the minds of the country's strategic elites.
Successful Satellite Interception Ushers in the Missile Defence Age
26 February 2008: It is a rare moment in the life of a military system to get an actual operational scenario even before attaining total technological maturity.
Madhesi agitation threatens to derail Nepal elections
The Madhesi agitation in the Terai region of Nepal has intensified with the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) displaying their intention of keeping out of the elections to the Constituent Assembly by not submitting their list of candidates for proportional representation, the deadline for which ended February 20.
Israel and India: Iran's needless hullabaloo
Following the launch of Israeli spy satellite TECSAR from Indian facilities, the publicly-aired criticism of India's ties with "the Zionist state" by Iranian government officials should have produced outcries of gratuitous interference. However, no one has asked why Iran chose to go to the media with its unhappiness instead of resorting to the standard diplomatic practice of issuing a demarche to the Indian ambassador in Tehran. Nobody has challenged Iran's presumed right to dish out veiled warnings to India over its foreign policy preferences.
Bringing peace to Nepal's Terai region won't be easy
The formation of an alliance of the three main Madhesi groups in the Terai region of Nepal - the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) - has provided a focal point for the government's efforts towards a dialogue on the Madhesi issue. The need for a government initiative became more than obvious when a series of bomb explosions marred the election meetings organised by the seven-party alliance in the Terai. Life in the region bordering India remains affected by localised strikes called by different groups as well as killings, abductions-for-ransom and inter-gang violence.
Will the Madhesi Problem spoil Nepal's Peace Process?
Despite the 23 point agreement between the SPA and the Maoists and their subsequent rejoining with the interim government in December 2007, uncertainty continues to prevail on the ongoing peace process in Nepal. In fact, the much expected Constituent Assembly (CA) elections remain doubtful and violence during election period due to resentment and rejection of the agreement by Madhesi armed groups. The Madhesi problem could be a spoiler to the forthcoming CA elections as well as the peace process. The problem has become serious because of the failure of the interim government to address the demands placed by the Madhesis.
The relevance of Mahatma Gandhi today
Sixty years after his death a portion of Gandhiji's ashes, stashed away by Madalsa and Shriman Narayan, the daughter and son-in-law of Jamnalal Bajaj, will be immersed at Chowpati Beach in Mumbai. Although I will be thousands of miles away in the United States the memories of 60 years ago will be refreshed and the day will be as poignant as Jan 30, 1948.
Radicalisation at home urges U.K to forge closer ties with India
The first visit of Gordon Brown to India as the new British Prime Minister has essentially underscored a serious urge from the British side to strengthen closer ties with India, especially in the arena of counter-terrorism. London's growing uneasiness over the increasing threat of terror at home and permeation of extremist trends amongst British youth have been continuously articulated in the British media as well as by senior cabinet ministers. A post-facto analysis of the British premier's visit may bring out the British concerns distinctly.
Intensive trade promises to broaden India-China interaction
By all accounts, the recent visit of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Beijing is considered successful in the matter of expanding bilateral trade. With an impressive Rs.1.5 trillion ($38.6 billion) in bilateral trade, investments contemplated in each other's markets and physical connectivity explored between the two countries, bilateral engagement in these fields is poised to expand in the short-to-medium terms.
Sri Lanka: Peace through War?
Sri Lanka is in turmoil and there has been an immense escalation in armed encounters between Sri Lankan security forces and the LTTE. In an incredible turn of events since mid 2006, there is a sharp increase in hostility and uncertainty.
Fresh Impetus for India-Vietnam Strategic Ties:
China as the driving force
Amidst a new strategic realignment in Asia, New Delhi is looking forward to develop a strong bond of strategic and defence cooperation with Hanoi. India understands the importance of Vietnam in the emerging strategic architecture in Asia. New Delhi is now willing to embrace not just the major powers but also regional players like Vietnam, which can play an assertive role in the balance of power game in South East Asia.
The unspoken truth in Iran's nuclear report
The publication of the National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on the Iranian nuclear weapons programme by the US intelligence community has taken the world by storm since that estimate contradicts the views of President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney and concludes that Iran stopped its nuclear weapons programme in the fall of 2003 and has not resumed it.
Pakistan's third transition: Will it succeed?
In the 60 years of its existence, Pakistan has been under military rule for 32 years in three spells under four generals - Gen. Ayub Khan, who made himself a Field Marshal, Gen. Yahya Khan, Gen. Zia-ul Haq and Gen. Pervez Musharraf. Each spell of military rule had its distinct flavour and characteristics.
BMD is fine, but where is the Akash?
In the winter of December, when DRDO showcases to the world a new range of 'indigenously' developed ballistic missile defence (BMD) systems and announces plans for an ICBM interceptor to be developed in 5-7 years, it could certainly sent shivers to people like Henry Obering, chief of the U.S. Missile Defence Agency. For, Obering's team have been struggling in the past two decades to achieve mid-course interception outside Earth's atmosphere to destroy prospective ICBMs fired by Russia or long-rangers from North Korea and Iran.
Intelligence report on Iranian nukes: Vindication of India's Stand?
The mandarins at South Block have every reason to be pleased with the latest US National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on the Iranian nuclear programme. In many ways, the NIE has vindicated the Indian stand on the Iranian nuclear issue. The Indian policy on the issue was centred on three pillars. The first was the support of Iran's right to pursue civilian nuclear technology. The second was the realisation that a nuclear-armed Iran would shift the regional threat calculus which would be detrimental to India's interests. The third was the Indian desire to de-hyphenate the Indo-US nuclear agreement from the Iranian issue. The NIE has vindicated the Indian policy on each of these parameters.
Malaysian Indians: Caught Between National Identities
The hard snub that has come from Malaysia on the issue of ethnic Indians holding demonstrations in Kuala Lumpur demanding greater rights in Malaysia's discriminatory ethnic policy adopted since 1970s shows the boiling point to which issue has reached among Malaysian Indians.
India's indigenous missile defence: are we really there?
Very few knew about an indigenous ballistic missile defence (BMD) programme being pursued by Indian scientists until DRDO announced in November 2006 that it had undertaken a successful 'exo-atmospheric' interception with the Prithvi Air Defence Experiment (PADE). Hence, it came as a surprise when the agency decided to announce in advance details of its December 2007 test for an 'endo-atmospheric' interception capability, which reveals a predetermined confidence of achieving a successful interception.
Managing Musharraf and his Loose Nukes
The last time Musharraf flexed muscles with a nuclear rhetoric was during the Kargil war, when he threatened an escalation of the conflict to a nuclear threshold if India crosses the LoC. India took his threat seriously and stayed within its territorial confines while flushing the intruders out.
Pakistan's political crisis and the US
Open season has been declared on Pakistan and President Musharraf by the media, think tanks and political leadership in the West including the US. The 'indispensable' ally has become a liability. Denunciation of his policies and actions against the media and judiciary are becoming shrill and vociferous. Doomsday scenarios are being painted of the future of Pakistan - a nuclear state.
Asia's Big Two still trade pinpricks
It is a year since the Chinese president Hu Jintao visited India, and attention to China in this country seems to have slipped into a just-below-the-radar zone. A blip occurred in May this year, when the Chinese denied an IAS officer from Arunachal Pradesh a visa to visit China, putting out the old line that Arunachalis, being Chinese citizens, did not require visas. More serious was Chinese foreign minister Yang Jiechi's statement to the Indian foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee in late May that the "mere" fact of populated areas was insufficient reason for China to give up its territorial claims on Arunachal Pradesh, directly contradicting the terms of the 2005 Indo-Sino agreement.
US dilemma in Pakistan
General Musharraf wishes to stay on in power, for he views himself as indispensable to the country's survival and well-being.
Rule of force vs rule of law
Faced with the choice of being a president bound by the constitution and being a chief of the army ruling by diktat, Musharraf chose khaki and force. His coup announcement is titled "Proclamation of Emergency declared by Chief of the Army Staff General Pervez Musharraf" and ends "I hereby order and proclaim that the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan shall remain in abeyance".
Gandhi's image in Pakistan
SONIA Gandhi was in New York in October to take part in events organised to mark the International Day of Non-Violence.
Time To Go, General
General Pervez Musharraf has entered history books as the only military ruler to have declared martial law against his own regime after eight years of autocratic rule. He has forfeited his credibility and to a significant extent that of the Pakistani army. Surrender of hundreds of Pakistani soldiers to the Taliban and tribal militias have tarnished the reputation of a proud army and brought it down in the estimation of the Pakistani people.
Getting away with farce?
THIS is unsustainable and cannot last. You can't mock the heavens and think there will be nothing to pay for it.
These are the acts of desperate men who know that their moment in the sun is up, from whose fingers power is slipping but who want to stave off the inevitable.
Emergency plus = martial law minus
Its classic! We've been there so many times. Once again Pakistan's ruling elite has temporarily suspended its war against its people and is at war with itself over the sharing of booty - the spoils of office and the right to pelf. Once again those in power have done something drastic to take all the cake for themselves and leave none for their opponents.
Whither justice for Akhtar Mengal?
Akhtar Mengal, the son of a prominent Baloch politician, a former chief minister and the head of a moderate Baloch nationalist party, has been detained for the last eight months and is being denied justice through several delaying tactics. Illegal detention and unnecessary delays in his case have exposed the inequality and courts' inability to act without being influenced by the executive. Mengal has been arrested on charges of neither corruption, nor misuse of power. He is not an industrialist, bank defaulter and isn't involved in any land scam, like many pro-establishment politicians of the country.
Peace initiatives without political solution cannot succeed
The Sri Lankan government media has given banner headlines to a peace initiative by religious leaders who are expected to travel to the LTTE-controlled Wanni in the near future 'to explore the possibility of putting back the derailed peace process back on track.' The emphasis would be on resuming the peace talks and preventing clashes between the security forces and the LTTE. This latest resolve for peace follows a meeting between Catholic religious leaders who met with President Mahinda Rajapaksa to discuss the prospect of the sacred Madhu shrine in Mannar being declared a zone of peace.
N-deal with US to open doors for India: Pranab Mukherjee
India looks at its civil nuclear deal with the US as a door opener that would lead to the lifting of technology restrictions and similar cooperation with several countries thereby helping it realise its economic potential, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said.
Wary of nuclear timelines, US pushes India to act fast
NEW DELHI: The US has said it is best to move ahead quickly on the Indo-US nuclear deal due to existing “political timelines” even as US ambassador to India David C Mulford on Wednesday met PM’s special envoy Shyam Saran.
123 is the India-US nuclear deal: Boucher
Washington, Sep 19 (IANS) The 123 agreement for civil nuclear cooperation "is the deal" between India and the United States, a senior US official has clarified, suggesting it overtakes the Hyde Act whose legal implications have led to a political crisis in India.
As difficult as 123
No recent situation has led to a deeper chasm among Indian Americans than the recently concluded bilateral agreement on the US-India nuclear deal initialed by the two countries on July 20, 2007. The situation is exacerbated by lingering spite in the Indian Parliament where unlikely allies are joining hands in supporting or denouncing the deal.
N-powering India
The adjournment of Parliament, precipitated by the Opposition’s unnecessary stone-walling, has prevented an informed debate in the House on the India-United States nuclear deal. This is a pity. for it has denied people an opportunity to understand what is at stake for the nation.
N-deal: Need for less fission and more fusion
The Indo-US 123 agreement is such an amalgam of law, politics, technical jargon, economic nuance and statistical analysis that it requires an open and inquiring, albeit critical, mind to understand and appreciate it. Such minds have to jettison preconceived notions and premeditated biases, rely on light rather than heat, on fusion instead of fission and on the power of reason and logic rather than rhetoric to arrive at objective conclusions.
The 123 Agreement: An analysis
Safeguards will in all likelihood be numerous and intrusive, in conformity to those offered to non-nuclear weapon states, and in perpetuity without any similar commitment on the part of the US in ensuring uninterrupted fuel supplies over the lifetime of the purchased reactors. A few palliative statements about joint research and development are included but continue to be restricted to the narrow scope of the Hyde Act and other existing US legislation and therefore do not substantially alter the situation concerning collaborative ventures possible even today.
Deal will push India into U.S. strategic orbit, say experts
NEW DELHI: Intellectuals and energy analysts from different countries have criticised the Indo-U.S. nuclear deal on the ground that it is bad for peace, will draw India into Washington’s strategic orbit and promote nuclear power, which is hazardous, accident-prone and costly.
The U.S., India and the Elusive 123 Deal
The United States and India are turning a new chapter in world history as they seek to close a deal on civil nuclear cooperation and nonproliferation. Referred to as the "123" agreement, negotiations have been in the works since 2005.
N-panel in limbo
The Manmohan Singh government appears to be having teething problems in firming up the proposed UPA-Left committee meant to look into the Left’s concerns and objections over the Indo-US nuclear deal, even as the CPI-M today unleashed a propaganda war blasting the government for pushing the deal as part of “pushing through the US agenda” on all fronts.
After 123 bump, China trying to mend fences
NEW DELHI: China has started to reach out to India countering mounting popular opinion against a perceived Beijing-inspired Communist opposition to the nuclear deal.
France backs Indo-US nuke deal
NEW DELHI: There’s some room for comfort for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is facing a barrage of criticism on the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal, as France came out openly in support of the pact.
US to react if India conducts nuclear test
WASHINGTON: The United States today said that it has the right to act in the event of India conducting a nuclear test under the agreement concluded to operationalise the civil nuclear deal between the two countries.
A new chapter for India, hopefully
The chances of an agreement between India and the US for peaceful use of nuclear energy have become brighter after the publication of the draft agreement. Many sceptics have admitted that both the governments, the Indian and the US, have taken great pains to address Indian concerns.
Nuclear deal an exception for a unique India: US
Washington, July 28 (IANS) The United States is not going to offer any other country a civil nuclear deal like the one with New Delhi as it looks at India as an "exception" with a "unique" history.
Some language of 123 accord left vague as face saver: US daily
Washington, July 28 (IANS) The Bush administration has assured Congress that its nuclear deal with India does not circumvent US law, but officials conceded that some language is deliberately vague to help both sides save face, says a US daily.
How they untangled the India-US nuclear deal
Washington, July 28 (IANS) India's proposal for a new fully safeguarded facility for reprocessing spent nuclear fuel helped resolve what for the US was the "principal major issue" holding up agreement on implementing their history-making civil nuclear deal.
123 'respectful' to leaders; 'consistent' with law: US
Washington, July 28 (IANS) The US says the India-US agreement to implement their civil nuclear deal is "respectful" to the July 2005 and March 2006 joint statements of their leaders as also "consistent" with its own law.
Indian offer for reprocessing facility proved 123 turning point: US
Washington, July 27 (IANS) India's proposal to build a new state-of-the-art fully safeguarded facility for reprocessing US supplied nuclear fuel was a key factor in reaching the 123 agreement to implement the India-US nuclear deal.
Manmohan Singh held his ground on nuclear deal
Considering that the Manmohan Singh government has generally been seen to be bullied by the Left into retreating on various issues such as the presidential and vice-presidential candidates, economic reforms and so on, it is worth noting that the prime minister has been able to consistently hold his ground on the India-US nuclear deal.
US won't offer India-type nuclear deal to Pakistan or anyone else
Washington, July 27 (IANS) The United States said Friday it would not offer Pakistan or any other country a deal similar to its civil nuclear agreement with India.
123 pact a very good deal, stands the test: India
New Delhi, July 27 (IANS) India Friday said the "historic" 123 agreement it concluded with the US last week was a "very good deal" that would enable full civilian nuclear cooperation between the two countries without impacting its strategic interests or its indigenous three-stage energy programme.
123 a step towards deepening strategic partnership with India: Bush
Washington, July 27 (IANS) President George Bush Friday described the just concluded 123 agreement to implement the civil nuclear deal with India as another step towards deepening US strategic partnership with a "vital world leader".
India happy with 123 pact, 'all concerns met'
New Delhi, July 27 (IANS) India Friday said it was happy at concluding the "historic" 123 agreement with the US and stressed that the pact addressed all its concerns regarding nuclear testing, reprocessing and uninterrupted fuel supplies without impacting on its strategic interests or its three-stage energy programme.
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