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:: Window to South Asia |
South Asia escaped the worst of global recession: World Bank
Washington, Feb 24 (IANS) With sound economic policies, India,Bangladesh and Bhutan are expected to emerge from the global economic crisis with stronger growth performances in South Asia, according to a World Bank report.
Removing trade barriers can boost South Asia trade: World Bank
Washington, Feb 18 (IANS) Intra-regional trade in South Asia could increase from $5 billion to $20 billion and trade between India and Pakistan could jump from $1 billion to $9 billion if trade restrictions are removed, according to a new World Bank report.
Bangladesh to amend law for restoring property seized from Hindu minorities
Dhaka, Feb 16 (IANS) Bangladesh's parliament will amend the law for restoring property seized from minority groups, mainly Hindus, a minister said here Tuesday.
India may sign contract to buy 29 MiG-29K naval fighter jets during Putin's visit
New Delhi, Feb 13 (IANS) India is likely to ink a deal to purchase an additional 29 MiG-29K fighter jets, valued close to $1.12 billion, from Russia during the visit of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in March.
Australia still seeks Indian tourists
New Delhi, Feb 12 (IANS) Despite the negative image of Australia in Indian minds at the moment, the country is seeking more tourists from India, building on the 11.9 percent jump in tourist inflow last year.
Bangladesh to benefit from India’s rise, US envoy
DHAKA, Feb. 12 (IANS): Bangladesh should not have any fears over India’s rise as a superpower as Delhi’s emergence would fetch benefits for Dhaka, US ambassador to Bangladesh James F Moriarty has said.
Global rush to sell arms to India
NEW DELHI: The great Indian arms bazaar is thriving. From fighters and helicopters to submarines and howitzers, India’s never-ending hunger for military hardware and software continues to attract global armament companies in hordes.
Indian firms looking for business in Latin America: WSJ
New York, Feb 11 (IANS) More and more Indian companies are looking to do business in Latin America as they seek exposure to growing markets and a more secure investment destination, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Young Delhi women donating their eggs for quick bucks
New Delhi, Feb 10 (IANS) In a trend that seems to be catching on, many Delhi college girls and single-working women are coming forward to donate their eggs at fertility clinics in order to make a quick buck even as they help childless couples in the process.
Outcry against campus violence in Bangladesh
Dhaka, Feb 11 (IANS) The killing of a student and the severing of tendons of four students making them unfit to stand or walk at a university in western Bangladesh have sparked an outcry against campus violence.
Up, up and away go food prices
It wasn't until the Government's data revealed that food prices were up nearly 20 per cent over last year's figures, pushing overall inflation in India up, that the political outrage began. Now, the political din on food prices is set to get louder. On 15 December, opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) stalled proceedings in the House to protest the steep rise in people's grocery bills.
Digital democracy and its problems
Over the last two months, we Indians are very much involved in a debate on the technological vulnerability of the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) for possible manipulation.
Islam at crossroads: Who's to blame?
It has become almost fashionable for a Muslim to say 'Islam is in danger'. The religion whose literal meaning is peace is today seen as the root cause of terror and violence.
Ambani battle over gas cries for consistent government policy
The feud between the two Ambani brothers - Mukesh and Anil - seems to be an unending saga on the lines of television soap operas, with the story becoming increasingly complex by the day and the number of characters involved in each episode rising rapidly.
India and US Strategic Convergence in Central Asia
India and the US share common interests and concerns in the Central Asian Republics (CARs). Following the intervention in Afghanistan by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), the focus has particularly been on transnational threats and challenges, and geo-political and geo-economic adjustments in this region.
Jaswant Singh is not wrong on Jinnah
The ghost of partition is haunting us even today. I am no admirer of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, but Jaswant Singh is right in trying to peel off years and years of falsification of the truth behind India's partition. His "Jinnah - India, Partition, Independence" is a path-breaking book.
Hiroshima Day: Bleak prospects for disarmament
Yet another Hiroshima Day will be observed on August 6 with grave solemnity in Japan but few other parts of the world will mark the mushroom day of August 6, 1945 with the deep concern it ought to receive.
Why Pakistan is obsessed with Kashmir
If Pakistan cannot envisage "long-lasting peace" with India unless the Kashmir problem is solved, as the country's Foreign Secretary Abdul Basit has said, the reason has less to do with its concern for the "wishes of the (Kashmiri) people" than with the question of Pakistan's own survival as a nation.
South Asian University: An ideal platform to build regional cooperation
In what is termed as South Asia's most ambitious educational project and manifestation of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), the South Asian University (SAU) is reaching its advanced implementation stage and is likely to become a reality by 2010. The founding stone of the first SAU was laid by India’s then External Affairs Minister, Shri Pranab Mukherjee at Maidan Garhi in Mehrauli, Delhi on May 26, 2008.
Europe and Southeast Asia, a shared vision for peace and security
Europe's long-standing relationship with Southeast Asia is shifting into a new gear this year. Our mutual engagement is growing still closer and deeper, particularly in the area of building peace, security and cooperation around the globe.
Selling off sick PSUs: Were they really family silver?
In the brouhaha over Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government reviving the public sector divestment - or partial privatisation - process, the old argument about selling the "family silver" has been revived once again.
India, Pakistan reach cautious win-win perch
The joint statement issued by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Yusuf Raza Gilani at Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt on the sidelines of the NAM Summit has generated considerable comment in both countries and is being interpreted across a wide bandwidth that ranges from outright condemnation to cautious cheer.
Pakistani refugees return to an uncertain future
Hundreds of refugees have started returning to their homes in Pakistan's scenic valley of Swat with deeply ambivalent emotions - following a two month-long army offensive against the Taliban which displaced millions.
Is Zardari more India-friendly than others in Pakistan?
Asif Ali Zardari's acknowledgement of the links between the terrorists and the Pakistani establishment is not exactly a state secret. Nor is this is the first time someone in authority has made such a confession.
Conflict over, but Tamil civilians languish in camps
Thirteen-year-old Sopika Surendranathan was injured in a December mortar attack in northern Sri Lanka and remains in a camp meant for tens of thousands of displaced people. A lawyer retained on behalf of her family argued successfully before the Supreme Court last week for a medical examination of the girl because she was not getting the required medical attention in the camp.
Anand Model should be replicated for inclusive growth
Traditional growth models are the legacy of the industrialization era that started a couple of centuries ago. The approach meant leveraging lowest cost resources with an aim of maximizing benefits to the owners of the enterprise. It is apparent now that pursuing a growth model that brings prosperity to a few while leaving the majority out of the ambit of its benefits is only furthering the gap between the haves and have not. There is a need to change that for inclusive growth, and the 'Anand experience' provides an excellent model.
Echoes of a budget 40 years ago - that almost died at birth
The budget to be presented by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Monday expectedly would reaffirm the Congress-led government's "inclusive growth" agenda. When it does, it will be an echo from a 40-year-old budget brewed in the Congress party's internal power struggle of 1969 - that almost failed to get passed.
Pakistan's elephant in the drawing room
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, widower of charismatic former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, has shown rare courage this week. This was evident on July 7 when he addressed retired bureaucrats and asserted: "Let us be truthful to ourselves and make a candid admission of the (domestic) realities."
India's budget places common man above fiscal responsibility
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has pleased the "aam aadmi" (common man) but made the "khaas aadmi" (the elite) unhappy in his 2009-10 budget proposals. Constrained by the global recession and domestic economic strains, he has provided a much awaited further stimulus to the economy by raising plan expenditure by as much as 25 per cent in real terms.
Hope - and disappointment - in Tehran
Just a few days ago, the same street in Central Tehran where my taxi had to slow down due to joyful opposition supporters, had now turned into an obstacle race as we walked and ran to escape the teargas and passed burning garbage bins. On Saturday, it was a harrowing experience while returning home from work.
Early signs of bipolar trend in India’s national politics
The story of how the electorate belied political prophesies and made smooth government formation possible after the Lok Sabha elections deserves close scrutiny because it contains early intimations of a new trend.
In once hostile India, Sonia Gandhi reigns supreme
Just over a decade after she entered Indian politics amid charges that she was a foreigner, Congress president Sonia Gandhi is today arguably the country's tallest politician, with her critics going silent on her once controversial Italian origin.
India's growth data has brightened revival hopes
A new Indian government under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has taken charge for the second successive term at a time when there appear to be glimmers of light on the horizon for a revival of the economy that had slowed last year after logging an impressive annual growth of nine percent in the preceding three years.
At Home in the World
Manmohan Singh's second term as prime minister has already been hailed as 'historic'. He is the first person outside the Nehru-Gandhi family to have been accorded such a distinction. However, there is a far more abiding achievement of the unassuming Singh that must be acknowledged: he has the rare distinction of being associated with two seminal events in India's complex and contested evolution as a nation.
'Bluestar' will remain etched in the Sikh psyche for generations
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recently asked the Sikhs to move on with the cataclysmic events of 1984. Though the comment of the country's first Sikh prime minister were in the context of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi and other places, the reference was also obliquely linked to the other, and bigger, happening of the same year - the June 6, 1984 military assault on the holiest of Sikh shrines, the Golden Temple.
Manmohan Singh's second shot to make India safe
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh hopes for an India safe from terrorist attacks, extremist insurgencies and communal violence. He wants to work very hard at it. At every important meeting after his party's strengthened return to power, he has repeatedly spoken of national security.
Media frenzy must end: Australia not an unsafe place for Indians
Most Indian homes in Australia have had this phone call from concerned family in India by now. "Are you alright? What are they doing to you guys over there?" It's almost as if Australian gangs are roaming the trains seeking out Indians to bash up, or roaming the streets seeking out Indian homes to throw petrol bombs into.
Northeast in the age of coalition politics:
The touchstone of Meghalaya
The new council of ministers, with a predominance of Congress representatives, shows a fascinating compromise that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi as well as their chief aides, not least Rahul Gandhi, have manoeuvred. And nowhere is the delicate, difficult and thankless task of coalition building seen best as in the case of little Meghalaya where both members of parliament have found a place.
Vote share of national parties actually slipping
A quick look at the vote shares of the many contenders in the 15th Lok Sabha elections tells us quite a different story from the one told about the United Progressive Alliance's landslide victory. Not only have the national parties not increased their vote shares nationally, it appears that very small local players in many states have played a determining role in the Congress' victory by splitting the opposition vote.
Women's bill, disinvestment to top government agenda
Having succeeded beyond its expectations in the recent elections, the Congress seems to have decided to play some of the cards which it couldn't do in the last five years.
Prabhakaran: From catapult killer to ruthless insurgent (Obituary)
His first victims were squirrels and birds, and his first weapon a humble catapult. From such beginnings, Velupillai Prabhakaran -- who died ignominiously Monday -- grew to be the world's most shadowy and ruthless insurgent who at one time lorded over vast areas in Sri Lanka's northeast.
National mandate for Congress, demise of divisive politics
Although it is yet too early to draw conclusions or formulate a detailed analysis from the results of India's 15th general elections, there is a series of significant aspects that will most probably reshape the understanding of Indian politics in the years to come.
Urgent security agenda ahead for Congress-led UPA
The Congress-led UPA has won a resounding victory in the just concluded general elections. The people of India have decided to repose their faith in Manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi, the Congress President, as the seat of real political power.
Tale of two retired IPS officers
Both retired from the elite Indian Police Service (IPS) - one on superannuation and the other prematurely on own volition. One to settle down in Gujarat and the other in Orissa - states that saw large-scale communal violence this decade. One is now engaged in crusading for human rights to bring justice to victims of carnage; the other allegedly spewing venom and hatred to arouse communal sentiment for political gain and more.
Prachanda's worst nightmare comes true
The very danger that Nepal's first Maoist Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda had feared one year ago has now come true to plague him and his party.
Pakistan Military Goes for the Kill
The Pakistani military as represented by the Frontier Corps, embarked upon Operation Toar Tander-I (Black Thunderstorm-I) on April 26 in Maidan, Lower Dir in the troubled Frontier province; the operation conducted so far has reportedly been successful.
Playing politics with Tamil lives in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka's beleaguered Tamil community deserved better from Tamil Nadu. As the West gets hyper to know what it can do to end the killings of innocent civilians in the conflict and assist their flight from the war zone, election-bound Tamil Nadu is obsessed with street protests.
Corruption in business journalism: a worrying malaise
The startling order of the markets watchdog recently on the Pyramid Saimira stock manipulation case over the alleged involvement of a business journalist from a leading financial daily should make the media sit up and think hard about the issue of corruption.
Another accidental PM after the elections?
Like the TV game show "Kaun Banega Crorepati?" the million dollar question in Indian politics today is who will be the next prime minister? Although the Congress has stood by the present incumbent, Manmohan Singh, there is speculation that he may be asked to stand aside in case the party needs the Left's support to form a government.
'Suicide nurseries' of Pakistan turn children into bombers
Haneef Mehsud was a normal teenager who spent most of his time hanging out with friends and playing cricket before he was recruited by the Taliban and turned into a suicide bomber.
In this election, choose long-term vision over short-term gains
As the world's biggest exercise in democracy gets underway, there is a sense of expectation and anticipation. With an electorate of 714 million people eligible to vote, there is a tremendous opportunity for the people of India to elect a government that will deliver results and improve the growth trajectory of the country.
After Kilinochchi, is Rajapaksa awaiting Kalinga?
Even the pictures could not have fully captured the immense joy President Mahinda Rajapaksa may have felt when he victoriously toured Kilinochchi, the once quaint Sri Lankan town the Tamil Tigers had made the hub of a de facto state they thought no one could vanquish. But dreams do sometimes turn into disasters.
Tora Bora group a major obstacle to peace in Swat
The much-criticised agreement with Taliban in Pakistan's restive Swat valley stands on increasingly shaky ground since last week, when its major broker Maulana Sufi Mohammad packed up his peace camp and left the region in protest.
The race for Delhi has begun, but winner is anyone's guess
Although marred by Maoist violence, the first phase of the Indian elections can be said to have got off to a reasonably satisfactory start.
India must have grand strategic design in its foreign policy
There is need for new thinking in India's foreign policy. In today's complicated and fast-changing geo-political situation, India has wisely diversified its foreign policy options, but must retain flexibility in order to be able to pursue an independent foreign policy, on which there is an overwhelming national consensus.
Greatest democratic show on earth to begin
If elections are the single most visible element of the democratic experience, the biggest show on earth is all set to unfold on Thursday when a large percentage of more than 700 million voters will participate in the first phase of the 15th Indian general elections to the Lok Sabha – the lower house of the Indian parliament.
Obama-Manmohan dialogue: emphasis on strengthening Indo-US counter-terror cooperation
The US President Barack Obama and the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held their first bilateral talks on 2nd April, on the sidelines of G20, and agreed to intensify strategic partnership in all areas. Apart from the global economic meltdown, their discussion covered the entire array of bilateral, regional and global issues, including terrorism, energy security, climate change and the situation in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Countering terror figured prominently in the priority areas as both leaders agreed to work together in countering the forces of terror.
A journalist must express himself through media, not by shoe throwing
Jarnail Singh, correspondent of the Hindi daily Dainik Jagran, was following the well-established Indian media tradition of imitation when he hurled a shoe at Home Minister P. Chidambaram at his press conference in New Delhi.
Policy reboot
"I am announcing a comprehensive, new strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan" was the opening line of the much awaited Barack Obama speech on Friday. A preliminary review of the six-page text suggests that while the speech is earnest and eloquent -- twin traits of Obama's articulation -- it is not as comprehensive or new as one had hoped for.
Yet, like the proverbial curate's egg, it is good in parts. While the more positive aspects (from the Indian perspective) are encouraging, the missing elements in the Obama formulation are equally important.
Elections as fiscal stimulus to pump-prime economy
In these times of financial gloom, the process of elections in the world's largest democracy is bringing with it some sort of silver lining for the economy as large sums of money are being spent by political parties and candidates to ensure victory at the hustings.
Tharoor as MP: An acid test for professional politicians
After the Mumbai terror attacks of November 2008, there was widespread contempt against politicians of all hues and cry, for misgovernance, ineptitude and for placing their self before the national interests. It became clear for Indians that politicians in and out of power care less for national security, but more of their own political security and avenues to satiate their political ambitions. The nation had reached a saturation point of conscience to realize that an average politicians basic aim is to be in power, loot the exchequer in as many innovative ways possible, and then live forever with the booty unscathed.
Dangerous defence dynamism and their commercial spin-offs:
Bad days ahead for disarmament
The world is heading towards a dangerous dynamism of defense budgeting and strategic policy making even at the height of global economic recession. The sophisticated "spy blimp" of the United States, Russia’s plan to modernise its space and nuclear programmes, the Chinese white paper revelation on its military modernisation plans, all highlights and legitimises such military dynamism. Emergent threats and the failure of long-standing arms control and non-proliferation agreements to tackle proliferation problems or endow security guarantees could be certain factors behind such military dynamism and strategic policy making.
A tempestuous election scene - and never a dull moment
It is turning out to be one of the most tempestuous polls in recent memory. Every party is being buffeted by gale force electoral winds. Perhaps the most battered is the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Not only did it lose a decade-old ally, the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Orissa, the nearly week-long spat between party president Rajnath Singh and chief election strategist Arun Jaitley also deeply embarrassed the BJP.
Economy becoming important in deciding electoral fortunes
The state of the economy is increasingly being considered a crucial element in elections as voters now tend to give greater priority to ground realities of price rise and job opportunities, though caste and regional considerations continue to remain important. The situation of course differs from state to state.
India will be big technology innovator in next decade
Economists have been predicting it, stargazers have been forecasting it, and now the technology trend watchers are saying it - the coming decade is surely going to belong to India.
Why General Kiyani did not mount the tiger
Pakistan's army chief, General Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani, may have missed a historic opportunity to act and this may see him end up as a mere footnote in the country's turbulent history. Had he decided to stage a coup in the wake of the just-concluded lawyers' agitation for reinstating the judges sacked in 2007, he would have become the first Pakistani general in this millennium to do so.
The cases of Varun Gandhi and Binayak Sen: one land, two laws
This is a country where the law clearly protects the rich and famous and comes down heavily, very often unfairly, on the poor and powerless.
Silver Lining To Pakistan’s Long March
The much feared confrontation between the Pakistani government led by President Asif Ali Zardari and his ally-cum-foe, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has been averted and the ‘victory’ of democratic forces is being justifiably celebrated.
Tibet turns 50, in India
Tibetans have come of age - 50 years to be precise - not in their homeland, the 'Roof of the World' Tibet, but in India, the home for thousands of them for the last five decades.
West's Shangri-la fantasy creates China's `Virtual Tibet'
When Herge's "Adventures of Tintin" spread from Belgium across Europe in the 1960s, Tintin's fictional travels in Tibet featured in one of the most popular strip-cartoon stories. So influential was "Tintin in Tibet" that in June 2006 it won the International Campaign for Tibet's Light of Truth award, presented by the Dalai Lama, for its "significant contribution to the public understanding of Tibet".
Price of terrorism: Mega sporting events at risk
There was a time when the separatist guerilla organization, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) operated in Sri Lanka with the full support of India in general and Tamil Nadu in particular. Things began to change with the humiliating withdrawal of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) from Sri Lanka following a directive issued by the then President Julius Jayewardene at the behest of the LTTE and the subsequent assassination of a promising young leader Rajiv Gandhi by them. As a result, after 1991, LTTE got a cold shoulder from India and Tamil Nadu though some fringe political groups in South India continue with their covert assistance to this proscribed organization.
Holi - a shared colourful heritage of Hindus, Muslims
Though I never see people as Hindus and Muslims, yet I would like to share that Tilak Raj Rustagi, a Hindu friend and colleague of mine, has since 1983 been coming to my place on Holi to smear the red gulal on my forehead as a mark of the festival's inter-faith harmonious spirit.
Price of terrorism: Mega sporting events at risk
Pakistan's most charismatic cricketer, Imran Khan, must be feeling let down by the gunmen who attacked the Sri Lankan team coach on its way to the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore's upmarket Gulburg area on the third day of the second and last Test.
Corporates can survive bad times without downsizing
News of downsizing is bad news for any employee. Though downsizing is a common strategy adopted by organisations to cut costs and keep performance standards high, during the current recession it appears to have become a survival imperative.
Pre-poll goodies in times of falling GDP growth
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government was looking forward to a "Jai Ho" moment with the electorate after the series of poll sops that have just been announced. But the GDP growth data released this week has put a dampener on its hopes as recessionary trends are much stronger than had been envisaged till now.
Homi Bhabha, a visionary scientist and a great human being
When technician Narasimha Murthy, a glass blower in the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), developed a major heart problem, its then chairman Homi Bhabha arranged to fly him to the United States to receive medical care - all at government expense. And when Bhabha saw a gardener in the DAE's Trombay campus walking with a limp, he stopped his car, gave him a lift, and instructed his staff that he was to be looked after.
Attacks on Al Qaeda concentrate its threat to Pakistan
American missile strikes and Pakistani military raids have reduced Al Qaeda's global reach but heightened the threat to Pakistan as the group disperses it cells here and fights to maintain its sanctuaries, Pakistani intelligence officials said.
Moderate Islam needs to condemn jihadism unequivocally
There has been an outpouring of sympathy for India from all over the world after the recent Mumbai carnage just like what the US received after 9/11. In recent years there have been such senseless killings in Bali, Indonesia (October 2002), Madrid train killings (March 2004), and the London bombings (July 2005).
India should take leadership role in India Ocean region
When the Indian Navy chief, Admiral Sureesh Mehta, warned about terrorists potentially using shipping containers for transporting nuclear weapons, he was in a way referring to the need for comprehensive security measures against proliferation by sea, which incidentally is deemed as the most frequented route of proliferators, especially in the Indian Ocean region.
Swat valley: transition from Buddha to Radio Mullah
Celebrated in the Hindu scriptures as 'udyan' (garden), it's a stunningly picturesque place where the Buddha once walked, cultures intersected, poets sang and mystics came in search of peace. But, sadly, Swat valley in northwest Pakistan has now become synonymous with unrest, bloodshed and Talibanisation.
Interim budget a tale of delayed policies
An interim budget by an interim finance minister, in the midst of a global financial meltdown, is surely an extraordinary event by itself. No wonder then that all of us who were waiting with bated breath for an immediate solution to the country's economic crisis were sadly let down.
Obama has his hands full on non-proliferation
President Obama entry into office coincided with two major events which would have serious implications for US policy on non-proliferation. The first significant event was the launch of an Iranian satellite into space, through which Tehran has implicitly proven its capability to develop long range delivery vehicles. In the same breath, Iran also demonstrated its capability to indigenously develop satellite systems. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad proudly declared "the official presence of the Islamic Republic in space." The US and other western nations fear that Iran will use this technology to develop long range ballistic missiles.
Two Cheers for the Sheikh Hasina Government instead of Three!
The results of the recent parliamentary elections held in Bangladesh nearly two years after a period of caretaker government rule backed by the army have evoked by and large positive response in India all across the spectrum. The landslide victory won by the coalition led by the Awami League is correctly being projected as the 'big moment' for the Awami League leader and former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who has become the new Prime Minister of Bangladesh. What are also being accorded great significance are the dismal electoral performances of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the other fundamental Islamist parties including the Jamaat.
Obama should not surrender to jehadi blackmail on Kashmir
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh may have overstated his case when he said that George W.Bush was loved in India. But there was a reason for the accolade. Bush was the only American president who understood India's special place as a multicultural society in the midst of dictatorships and hobbling democracies.Not surprisingly, there is a sense of unease in India as to whether Barack Obama will show the same appreciation of India's distinctiveness or whether he will return to the old American, and Western, policy of equating India with Pakistan and trying to bind India with routine restrictions of the nuclear order.
Must India follow the US blindly?
Sometimes, to save lives and to gain precious time, it is wise to benefit from the experience of others. But if the intention is to ape them blindly, then you run the risk of being taken for a ride. For the last one month India has been led blindfold on just such a merry-go-round.Ever since the Mumbai terror attacks we have looked to the US for support. At every turn we have sought their guidance. Was there any need for us to go half way across the world in search of advice on what our response to terror should be? If a lead was needed, there was the readily available example of a neighbour closer home.
Obama averts diplomatic disaster on Kashmir for now
Good sense seems to have prevailed in excluding India in general and Kashmir in particular from the mandate of Richard Holbrooke as the Obama administration's special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Yoga is a part of holistic Islam
Let me inform you that I am a staunch Muslim following all the Islamic tenets in the right interpretation and spirit and there is no such thing as yoga being 'haram' (disallowed) in Islam. In my case, I have found that Islamic yoga is a reality. It is possible to employ the skills of yoga to worship Allah better and be a better Muslim.
President Barak Obama's South Asia Challenge
Incumbent President Barak Obama has already taken a public position on Afghanistan and by implication the South Asia region in general. During his candidacy, Mr. Obama made it clear that as President he intends to shift the strategic focus of America's war on terrorism from Iraq to Afghanistan. This new direction, he declares, will mean virtually doubling America's military presence in the Afghan theater of operations, and urging the participating NATO powers to increase their contributions to the cause as well.
Mangalore pub attack: Lessons India's civil society must heed
The violent attack on a group of women in a Mangalore pub (Jan 24) by activists of the self-styled Sri Ram Sene who could not countenance such innocent revelry is to be condemned in the most unambiguous terms. Ostensibly carried out to protect the ''morals'' of society and the ''honour'' of the women involved, the invocation of Hindu religion to justify the mob violence that included beating up the women and sexually molesting them is an act that ironically sullied the 'very idea' of India on the eve of the Republic Day celebrations on Jan 26.
The Israeli model: Learn but observe the differences
In recent weeks, many have drawn parallels between the Israel's ongoing war against the Hamas and the Indian response to Pakistan over the Mumbai terror attacks. For some, India has more valid grounds for an aggressive response than Israel; and for others Israel is a far too controversial and unsavory model. There are those who wish and demand that the Indian government emulates Israel in dealing with Pakistan.
How Pockets of FATA have been lost to the Taliban
Pakistan is once again facing grave danger, a situation it has frequently encountered in the last six decades, but, this time the danger is in the North West and quite similar to the one that stared at the country in circa 1971, namely dismemberment. How has this happened?
India's federal investigation agency:
counter-terrorism or public diplomacy?
In an address to the Nation on December 27, 2008, a day after the Mumbai terror attacks, Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh emphasized the need for launching a federal investigation agency to manage similar terrorist activities in future. Following the declaration of intent by the Prime Minister, the Cabinet and Parliament have approved the formation of the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Pakistani jehadis didn't foresee global fallout of Mumbai massacre
The patrons of terrorism in Pakistan seem to have miscalculated the impact of their murderous attack on Mumbai. It is unlikely that they anticipated the immense diplomatic pressure which the US would put on Islamabad.
A vaccine against terrorism - inter-faith harmony
One thing for which the world would like to forget 2008 is the rise of fanaticism and religious terrorism. Though the world has lived with terror for years, it became more pronounced in 2008 with acts of terror linked to religion or belief system. The perpetrators of the Mumbai carnage targeted Jews for their faith.
India, Indians and all things Indian permeate everywhere
I am now convinced that India, Indians and all things Indian permeate almost every corner of the globe, influencing everyone and everything.
Ten issues India Inc has to contend with in 2009
What lies ahead for the Indian economy in 2009? This is the question looming large in corridors of the country's corporate world, as India Inc hopes the economy will transition from annus horribilis that 2008 was to annus mirabilis, which it hopes the New Year will be. A look at 10 major issues which the country's corporate sector has to contend with in 2009:
Can India tame the terror beast?
The sun has set on a year that exposed the utter unpreparedness of the security establishment to tackle the wave of terror bombings. And, as 2009 dawns with three powerful blasts rocking Guwahati and killing six people on New Year's Day, those responsible for securing the country have their task clearly cut out.
Kilinochchi's fall a major setback to LTTE
Ten years after they captured the northern Sri Lankan town of Kilinochchi in a blitzkrieg that stunned the world, the Tamil Tigers have finally lost it to a military determined to crush the rebels. The fall of Kilinochchi after months of fighting is a huge blow to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
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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