In The News

Pakistan, Obsessed Over India, Risks Anarchy

Husain Haqqani August 21, 2014
Hope was brief for easing a long troubled relationship after Pakistan’s Nawaz Sharif traveled for the May inauguration of Narendra Modi as India’s prime minister. Sharif, who won in a 2013 landslide victory, now confronts protests from the opposition as the Pakistan military and agitators thrive on the notion of India as a permanent enemy, with many even condoning terrorist activities directed at...

PM's Pakistan Outreach Ends in Predictable Whimper

Siddharth Varadarajan August 19, 2014
Political extremists and opposition parties vilify Indian or Pakistani leaders who try for improved ties with between the two countries. India’s prime minister cancelled a meeting between the two foreign secretaries after a Pakistan High Commissioner met with the All Parties Hurriyat Conference on pursuing self-determination for Kashmir, an area of bitter dispute between India and Pakistan....

ASEAN Paralysis Gives China Free Hand in South China Sea

Bertil Lintner August 12, 2014
The United States would prefer that ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, unite in demanding an end to China’s assertiveness in the South China Sea. But two principles, consensus decision-making and non-interference in the internal affairs of member states, guide ASEAN. “In effect, ASEAN finds it impossible to take any unified stand in regional conflicts – or address bilateral issues...

An Opportunity That India Let Go

Nayan Chanda August 11, 2014
India may have missed a rare opportunity to reform an antiquated program of agriculture subsidies with the support of the World Trade Organization. The newly installed Modi administration also signaled to the global business community that the country may not be ready for serious reform. “By standing alone against all, including its partners in BRICS, the G-20 and G-33, and threatening to scuttle...

Hindi-Nippon Bhai Bhai?

Harsh V. Pant July 29, 2014
Boosted by the long-time camaraderie of prime ministers Shinzo Abe and newly elected Narendra Modi, Japan and India are forging ties in many areas, giving rise to new regional dynamics across Asia. “Both leaders are emblematic of a new, ambitious and nationalistic Asian landscape,” explains Harsh V. Pant of Kings College. “They have decisive mandates to reshape the economic and strategic future...

Delhi Gets Its First Internet De-Addiction

Durgesh Nandan Jha July 28, 2014
Addiction is when a substance or activity gets out of control, consuming so much time that it interferes with work, family relationships or health. Video games, online shopping, mobile-phone use and constant internet browsing join the list of addictions. “Worried over the complete lack of socialization arising out of an internet-driven lifestyle among children, an NGO has launched Delhi's...

A Herb for All Cures

Nayan Chanda July 24, 2014
India, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will proceed with a controversial universal identification card known as Aadhaar, an initiative launched by the previous administration. “To take full advantage of this simple but effective tool of governance, the government, though, needs to clean up the implementation of the programme that has been marred by inefficiency and misuse,” writes Nayan...