In The News

Ukraine Signs Landmark Agreement With EU

Michael Birnbaum June 30, 2014
Ukraine has signed an association agreement for trade with the European Union – despite threats from Russia, its neighbor to the east, including more intervention by militants, encouragement of separatists, higher tariffs and refusal to sell gas. A ceasefire remains in effect. “The document signed Friday was the same one that was rejected in November by Ukraine’s then-president, Viktor Yanukovych...

Ukraine's Empty Seat at Table Darkens Party for Putin's Ex-Soviet Bloc

Raushan Nurshayeva and Alexei Anishchuk June 26, 2014
The Eurasian Economic Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan will begin in 2015, lifting trade restrictions among the three countries. Russian President Vladimir Putin states, “This document brings our countries to a new stage of integration while fully preserving the states’ sovereignty.” Putin makes no claims of attempting to recreate the USSR, though “he makes no secret that his dream is to...

Implications of Modi’s Victory for Indo-Sri Lanka Relations

Rajiv Kumar June 25, 2014
The decisive win of Narendra Modi as prime minister of India and a hands-on approach to foreign policy may prove a boon to India’s neighbors, suggests economist Rajiv Kumar in Sri Lanka’s Daily Mirror. India showed little interest in the affairs of the surrounding nations in the past, Kumar contends. Strong factions within the country and conflicting interests prevented a solid, unified approach...

US Companies Head to Mexico

Damien Cave June 24, 2014
Manufactured goods from Mexico have comprised a larger share of the US imports, reaching 14 percent, according to the International Monetary Fund, while China’s share in it has declined. With labor costs rapidly increasing in China, and wages doubling every few years, US investors have looked to Mexico as a more competitive place for manufacturing their products. Damien Cave, writing for the New...

Modi Doubles Down on the Neighborhood

Alyssa Ayres June 10, 2014
In anticipating India's foreign policy under newly elected Prime Minister Narendra Modi, many have focused on his pragmatic growth policy based on international trade and investment while wondering if he would first turn to East Asia. Early signals suggest that Modi will focus on building closer ties in the immediate region – with other member states of the South Asian Association of...

The Way Forward

Nayan Chanda June 2, 2014
India’s citizens are greeting new Prime Minister Narendra Modi with great expectations to revive a lagging economy. Modi’s decisive win was based on a pro-business, pro-development, pro-growth agenda. “Ironically, one policy measure that is all ready to be implemented and could prove a game changer for the country is also the one that the BJP election manifesto is dead set against — FDI in multi-...

The Global Pivot to China

Jean-Pierre Lehmann May 27, 2014
The United States is not alone in its pivot toward Asia. The Asia Pacific region is a center of bustling potential and security pitfalls. And China is the center of that region, notes Jean-Pierre Lehmann, international political economist. The United States claims its pivot is not intended to contain China, but other Asian nations seek such security. China is a lead trading partner for Japan and...