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A collusive relationship between politicians and Naxalites or the People's War (PW) and Maoist Communist Centre of India (MCCI), which have merged on September 21, 2004, to form the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist), is clearly visible in Bihar, as in several other parts of the country.

In our topsy-turvy, anything-is-possible, adversarial, judicial system, the better argued case inevitably wins.

The visit of External Affairs Minister SM Krishna to Dhaka early July underlines the importance of Bangladesh in India's strategic thinking. The visit was also crucial as it laid out the agenda for the all-important visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Bangladesh later this year.

As India braces itself for an over-ambitious Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission, it also has to deliberate the prospects of developing other renewable energy resources. Of all the non-conventional renewable energy sources, small hydro represents the highest density resource.

Over four billion people do not have access to Internet; that makes a huge two-thirds of the global population. In India, around four of every five people lack this basic resource. Various access technologies are being developed in different parts of the world to bridge the digital divide. Amongst these technologies, the emergence of small satellites carries immense promise. These satellites are used for applications ranging from remote sensing t

In 2017, India launched a record 104 satellites into space. Barring one, the rest of the satellites that were launched were small satellites.

Building one hundred smart cities, towns or townships will not change India's urban landscape much. India needs an overall smart, well-discussed, thought-out, and lastly effective and efficiently implemented urban development strategy in a holistic urban policy framework. Now is the time to shape it.

The recent US decision to blackball People¿s War (PW) and the Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) may have revived interest in the naxalite movements, nearer home in India. While there can be no two ways about the State and the society fighting militancy, insurgency or terrorism, there is need to study the social causes and implications of such a trend. That way, we can reduce such incidents and instances, if not totally eliminate them.

Dr. V Krishna Ananth, political scientist and author, initiated an interaction on the 'Emerging scenario of coalition politics in India' at the ORF Chennai Chapter of the Observer Research Foundation, on 12 January 2008.

Politicians have always used the media to communicate with the electorate. What makes social media unique is the scale, speed, and minimal cost at which leaders can do this task. This paper analyses the relationship between political leaders and the microblogging site, Twitter. It provides a comprehensive and systematic analysis of the use of Twitter by two contemporary Indian political leaders—Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi. It describ

Irrespective of whether AAP delivers on all its promises or is somehow muscled out of office in a few months, it has proven something to all Indian media watchers. Social media buzz has helped in shaping the agenda for India's largest and most important city, making a newly formed political party into a serious player in just over a year.

Global debate on the loss of social protection benefits in a platform economy does not apply in the Indian context and need is for Uber to devise some plan

The tendency of nation States to attempt solving the problem of modern piracy exclusively through the employment of their naval and military might is a flawed effort and has, more often than not, proved unsuccessful. At best, it has resulted in a temporary suppression of the problem that has inevitably re-manifested itself at a later stage.

A strong European Union is in the interest of India, New Delhi can do its bit to support this process.

We should consider the effects of the Balakot strike

Aceh is a little known Northwest province of Indonesia that shot into world fame on December 26, 2004. It was the closest point of land to the epicenter of the massive 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake that triggered a tsunami. The western coastal areas of Aceh, including Banda Aceh, the capital, were among the areas hardest-hit by the tsunami. Approximately 230,000 people were killed and 400,000 left homeless out of its total population of 4.01 milli

India’s voter turnout increased from 56.9% in 1980 to 66% in 2014. However, gaps remain.

A consignment of over 100 tonnes of explosives, carried in six shipping containers. The ship was bound for Bander Abbas in Iran where the consignment was to be unlaoded and moved overland from Iran to Jaranz in Afghanistan since Pakistan does not permit such cargo to be sent from India over its territory. The consigment was of commercial grade explosives meant for use by Border Road Organization (BRO) for road construction.

India appears to have successfully climbed into the category of a nuclear "have," overcoming the divisions enshrined in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and enforced fervently by its adherents. However, as India prepares to argue its case for entering the export control regimes, it will find that the new "status" will bring contentious new issues, which will demand careful consideration.

Indian concerns over a 'rising China' is more about China's 'increasing influence' in the South Asian neighbourhood than over the possibility of a revived border episode or a return to war between the two Asian giants.

Like Europe interlinked themselves and how it has benefitted their economy as a whole, Dr. Muhammad Hasan Mahmud, a former Minister in Sheikh Hasina Cabinet, thinks the same kind of integration could be done between India and Bangladesh and the whole of South Asia.

India and Pakistan have much to learn from their once-poorer neighbor Bangladesh.

LTTE political chief P. Nadesan in an interview to a Tamil Weekly magazine urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Karunanidhi to assist them in their struggle for a separate Tamil Eelam. Expressing regret that India was supporting the war efforts of the Rajapaksa administration,

Tamil Nadu has always played an important role in the ongoing ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. Tamils fighting for their homeland in the island nation has always desired and appreciated the assistance rendered by their Tamil brethren from the neighbouring India,

After lying low for decades, the Sri Lankan Tamil issue made an entry into the native Indian Tamil psyche in a big way. The twin reasons responsible for such awareness among the Tamil population are--- first, the escalation of fighting in Sri Lanka where government forces seem to be getting an upper hand and second,

In response to India's (more particularly Tamil Nadu's) overtures to stop the Sri Lankan offensive against LTTE in their northern stronghold, President Mahinda Rajapaksa made it clear that his government was not going to stop its war against the Tamil Tigers midway, especially when its forces were just two kms short of Kilinochchi.

In a bid to pacify internal as well as external concerns, India decided to send relief supplies to the trapped Tamil civilians in the Wanni war zone through international relief committees like the Red Cross. The intervention is different in two ways from the earlier Indian interventions in Sri Lanka.

The week saw India, specifically Tamil Nadu, adopting a rigid stand against the remarks made by the Sri Lankan Army Chief Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka during his interview with Sunday Leader. In his interview, Fonseka described Tamil Nadu politicians like Nedumaran and Vaiko as "jokers".

It appears that the LTTE debacle and the protest voices emerging from Tamil Nadu as an aftermath has no effect on the bilateral relationship of India and Sri Lanka if a recent visit of the Indian Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon to Sri Lanka is any indication.

Former prime minister and chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Begum Khaleda Zia has threatened to launch an agitation if any deal is signed between India and Bangladesh which will be "detrimental" to the country's national interest.

The United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee report on Sri Lanka released this week recommends that the US needs to adopt a fresh approach to this South Asian nation owing to its strategic importance in the Indian Ocean region.

Bangladesh is contemplating allowing the entry of Indian container trains up to Ghazipur, close to the capital Dhaka. This will benefit the traders of both the countries as there will be reduction in the transportation cost.

Sri Lankan Navy and Indian Navy successfully conclude their joint naval exercises, which started on October 6 and continued till October 8, 2009. The naval training exercise, code-named CADEX 2009, took place on the western seas off Sri Lanka.

This week we focus on India and Bhutan relations, healthcare in Myanmar — and other roundups from the subcontinent.

Exploring the India-Pakistan 'de-escalation' dilemma, expansion of Bhutan's soft-power and other recent developments from South Asia.

Exploring India's approach towards countering terrorism, Afghanistan's ongoing peace process and other recent developments from South Asia.

Exploring Pakistan's human trafficking problem , India's declining political rhetoric and other recent developments from South Asia.

Exploring India's successful management of Cyclone Fani, Nepal's Buddhist diplomacy and other recent developments from South Asia.

Exploring the problem of human trafficking within the Rohingya community, India-Sri Lanka cooperation against terrorism and other recent developments from South Asia.

Exploring much needed political reforms in the Congress party, the judicial reforms in Maldives and other recent developments from South Asia.

Exploring the flood situation in Bhutan, the India ferry system in Maldives and other news in South Asia.

Examining ‘Dollar Bonds’ in the Indian budget, drug trafficking in Myanmar — and other news from South Asia.

Assembly elections and the challenges before the Indian National Congress, developments in Maldives — and other news from South Asia.

India-Bangladesh waterways connectivity got a major boost during Bangladesh Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina’s recent visit to India (3-6 October).

Exploring Myanmar's Rakhine state, India's role in the Afghan peace process and other recent developments from South Asia.

Weekly South Asia round-up: India's need for a more robust counter-terror strategy, Bhutan's failing Earn and Learn Scheme and more.