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If the 20th CCP meet, which began on Sunday, enhances Xi Jinping’s power, it would reinforce trends associated with his tenure: Assertiveness abroad, no compromises on boundary issues, and a willingness to use the military as an instrument of policy

There is hardly any doubt that failing health systems result in poor health outcomes and hamper progress towards the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Universal Health Coverage (UHC). In Africa, health systems are hobbled by leadership and governance challenges, extreme shortages of health workers, corruption in procurement systems for medical products and technologies, poor information systems, and health financing const

In January 2019 employees of the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) in Mumbai held an eight-day strike to demand, among others, higher wages. The strike affected nearly three million daily commuters in India’s financial capital. It also highlighted the crises that have crippled Mumbai’s municipal public transport service for years: after the cross-subsidies from the electric supply division of BEST to its public transport ar

China's ruling Communist Party, at its plenum, will deliberate on the economic and social agenda for China over the next five years focusing on financial reforms and how to maintain growth of around seven per cent. Contrast this with India where the new administration appears somnolent.

India has a role no less important than America’s in exposing the falsehood of Chinese claims on representative governance

Nothing of substance came out from the recent low profile visit of the US Secretary of Defence Robert Gates

The Observer Research Foundation, CRM held a focus group meeting on the topic 'What do falling Crude Prices mean for India's Fiscal Deficit?' on February 9, 2007. Shri S C Tripathi, former Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, Government of India, chaired the discussions.

This new mini-lateral grouping of the US and three of its allies could coordinate actions with the Quad for regional stability

The current crisis in Pakistan-US relations over the detention of Raymond Davis, the American security contractor charged with the murder of two Pakistanis, confirms many well-known trends, such as increasing anti-Americanism among Pakistanis and the growing importance of 'strategic corporals'.

West Bengal has a long history of political violence which is not restricted to pre-and post-election periods alone. This culture of violence has persisted for a number of reasons.

The agenda for change is a large one. This list or any other can be multiplied several times and still come up short. But the compulsions of reform are urgent. With a bulging profile of young people, India is said to be on the cusp of a demographic dividend. But that dividend could well become a nightmare unless we are able to fix our politics, our governance system, economy, national security machinery.

Compared to the increasing suicide attacks the world over, India has, by and large, remained safe from these assaults. The reason is that Indian Muslims have a strong sense of Indian identity. In both their grievances and aspirations they think like their fellow Indian citizens, rather through any religious or sectarian prism.

Where is the national leader of sufficient stature who can distil the message from the treaty of Hudaibiya and from Iqbal, and give it contemporary relevance? Or, in a more narrow focus: where is the Muslim leader to manage the post verdict mood? I believe the Congress has two or three but the nation has not seen them in the past week.

A common thread across the turbulences is uneven support from the government for beleaguered institutions and the absence of informed participation.

Against the contemporary background of strong systemic shocks to the global economy, the Group of Twenty (G20) must address the stagnation in developmental priorities and spur economic growth. As the current steward of the rotating presidency within the G20, India has acquired a unique podium to spearhead discussions on pivotal global challenges.

The CPEC may be a bilateral endeavour, but New Delhi cannot ignore its spillover effects on regional governance and regime creation in South Asia

Hasina’s victory will likely put Delhi-Dhaka relations under more scrutiny -with the West expecting India to be vocal about the state of democracy in Bangladesh

While the supreme leader is there for life (or till he chooses to retire), the president is limited to two four-year terms, defining where the balance of power rests between them

A Budget is an imperative or otherwise a government will drift aimlessly, though that often seems to be the case even with the most minutely specific Budget. Having said that, one must wonder why there is such a fuss each year when the Finance Minister of India is about to present the Budget?

Antony figured the French were more likely to part with critical technologies needed to enhance India's defence aviation sector than any other country

Using disinvestment proceeds to inject public finance into private companies is a great idea.

One of the key reasons for TTP's survival has been Pakistan's policy of using terrorist groups as instruments of state policy. Pakistan Army's protection of the Haqqani Network and the Afghan Taliban as ' strategic assets' helped TTP to retain its sanctuary and its attack capabilities.

With Donald Trump poised to expand tech sanctions in the name of national security, Beijing has signalled it won’t shy away from retaliation

OIC countries have repeatedly conveyed that bilateral ties with India are independent of their stance on J&K.

New Delhi just commissioned its first indigenously built major warship. It will need more to challenge Beijing on the high seas.

Kathmandu has repeatedly indicated that it wants to maintain a balance between India and China.

Laying down the rules of the road is a task that should not be left until Space is highly weaponised. Aside from the political and strategic value, India has a huge financial stake given its investments and reliance in this regard.

The new budget does little to advance the very objectives the country has outlined for itself.

Two of the six spots renamed could be of significance, but the other four are simply points on a map. Is there a method behind this that we cannot discern at the moment?

Depletion of natural capital is an irreversible process and steps to assess and combat this are needed urgently.

Indian decision-makers appear to live in splendid isolation and do not recognise the importance of meetings like the Pacific Army Chiefs Conference. These meetings have become more institutionalised and are likely to gain greater momentum.

The Indian tendency to muddle through is likely to continue when it comes to counter-insurgency. The distance between the Army and its civilian masters is so gaping that advice, however enriched by experience and reflection, is likely to fall on deaf ears.

The US, as always, learned the hard way that it was not or need not be all that dependent on Pakistani cooperation and generosity and Pakistan was probably beginning to realise that it had exaggerated its own importance.

Since Putin and Modi last took stock of ties, a new energy and economic relationship has emerged, driven by Russia’s war

Economic distress, India’s influence and signalling, and underwhelming support from partners like China compelled Muizzu to recalibrate relations with India

In the strategic sectors much has been achieved in the last decade. Russia has given us its most advanced aircraft, tanks, rocket launchers, cruise missiles, frigates

The ‘Cope India’ military exercise holds broader significance for the bilateral relationship.

Calling for a pause only shows the political duplicity that fuels J&K's militancy fire.

The best way to understand what the Tipu Sultan controversy is all about is to see who is at the forefront of the protests against the observance of his birth anniversary ? the Bajrang Dal, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Unless you are a terrorist, you can rest assured that the agencies have no time or use for snooping into your computers or mobile phones.

The United States presence in Iraq is going to continue in one way or another, with or without assistance from allies. The reason this assumption can be made forcefully is because of the arguments made before the war and the expectations that arose after victory was declared.

With trade sanctions lifted, New Delhi can engage in substantive economic ties with Pyongyang.

Rivers are the world’s most important ecosystems, not simply a source of water and energy

In an announcement that caught the nation by surprise, Prime Minister Narendra Modi ordered the demonetisation of ₹500 and ₹1,000 notes of the Indian currency in November to arrest ‘black money’, end corruption, and choke terrorist finances. This move represents a policy departure and it has far-reaching implications. As national debate has been hijacked by the possible fallouts of demonetisation, other critical issues have been pushed to

Ajit Doval’s approach — now famously referred to as the Doval Doctrine — places limited reliance on diplomacy only to the extent that India’s territorial interests are not compromised.

Former The Hindu correspondent in Pakistan, Nirupama Subramanian, thinks that PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif has a better chance to head the next government in Pakistan. The thing to be watched is whether he will be able to do so on his own or in coalition with other parties, especially Imran Khan's PTI.

The Interlinking of Rivers (ILR) programme in India — an ambitious project, envisioned on a massive scale — will attempt to link 37 rivers, through 30 links, covering a distance of 15,000 km that will transfer 174 trillion litres of water a year.

With the resignation of the Sindh CM, it is widely speculated that the next to follow suit would be Jamali. His repeated assurances that his government was under no threat, only betrayed his insecurity. General Musharraf, who could have reiterated Jamali¿s confidence,

On Monday night, a television anchor asked Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit about her views on India's decision to run the Lahore bus again. She said: "I hope it doesn't fall by the wayside as the previous one.'' If she clearly sounded sceptical, there are reasons. The last time buses began to cross the Wagah border