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In India, the office of the foreign minister doesn't command nearly the sort of authority it should, or it did in the past. While foreign policy in other countries is influenced by domestic politics, in India it's being completely overshadowed by intra-party and intra-government feuds.

The issues in Afghanistan do not exhaust potential areas for India-US cooperation. For example, combating the drug trade, engaging China, Central Asian nations, Iran, and Russia. Successful coordination and collaboration will go a long way towards creating a post-2014 Afghan scenario amenable to both India and the US.

Prof Eiichi Katahara and Prof Marie Izuyama, two distinguished scholars from the National Institute for Defence Studies, Tokyo visited ORF on 11 March 2008 to initiate a seminar which was largely attended by scholars, journalists, diplomats, etc.

Though Pakistani PM Yousuf Raza Gilani described his Mohali discussions with Dr. Manmohan Singh as a win-win situation, the Pakistan foreign office spokesperson, Tehmina Janjua, described the situation as one of guarded optimism. So what are the ground realities in this exchange? asks Mr. T.V. Rajeswar.

Eminent Nepalese journalist Mr. Yubaraj Ghimire visited ORF and shared his insights on the situation in Nepal.

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?

The MH370 incident has occurred very close to our Tri-service Command at the Andaman and Nicobar Islands which has three radar stations. Regardless of whether or not MH370 actually flew over or close to the Command, it would doubtless be useful to learn lessons from this and that switching off radars at night is a dangerous way to economise.

The state’s monopoly of violence is accepted only if it follows the rule of law; if it doesn’t, it justifies the breaking of its monopoly by individuals, mobs and insurgents.

The debate on privacy got a fillip by the recent arraignment of WhatsApp for being the conduit of fake news, which incited vigilante violence.

For now, India’s role in the Western Pacific region remains symbolic, and in the Indo-Pacific context, confined to the Indian Ocean Region.

While the impetus for closer alignment is clear, much work remains to be done on the security side and within the wider bilateral relationship.

In the urban-rural stereotyping, the phrase 'city girls' epitomises the impact of urban excesses on the apparent modesty and traditional aspect of femininity. City girls are assumed to be loud, to say the least, and of 'morally inappropriate character' on the extreme. Even within cities, this dilemma of how girls in cities ought to behave persists.

The poem, one of numerous written in that period, expresses admiration for the spell Nehru had cast by his deft navigation of foreign policy between the two blocs not for India alone but a whole group.

In the earthquake tragedy, India and Pakistan have a rare opportunity to forget past differences and bitterness, at least some of it to begin with, and forge a partnership of peace and development. Both the countries should shed past inhibitions and acrimony, and look for fresh opportunities to work together for a common cause: to rebuild Kashmir.

If we do not stand up and reclaim the space we have conceded to criminals and other low-life who now sit in judgment over us, it will be our children who will pay the price in the coming years

Telecom companies are stuck with falling ARPUs. Indian researchers from two unlikely companies show them new tricks of the trade

A final draft resolution at the United Nations, passed in July 2014, has focused on the UN General Assembly's review process of World Summit on the Information Society outcomes implementation.

Given Japanese apprehensions, it is not certain whether India and Japan will sign the nuclear deal during Modi’s forthcoming visit to Tokyo.

There was more to Narendra Modi's visit to the US than the razzmatazz of Madison Square Garden and Central Park. He had gone to the US after three basic foreign policy initiatives, and was making a statement on the world stage beyond the confines of the UNGA.

India's relations with China and Pakistan are unlikely to see any major strategic change in the years ahead. It is imperative for India to think afresh without losing old friends especially at a time of international flux. A US-Japan-India partnership in the 21st century would need to be worked out.

The Government of Myanmar, in the past few weeks, has played host to a number of high-ranking foreign officials. These include the likes of the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

The construction of the India-US strategic partnership in the 2000s was an entirely unexpected political bonus. Making it work now is an absolute necessity for both Delhi and Washington as they struggle to cope with a challenging environment at home and abroad.

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

The Democratic election nomination tussle between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders is going through an exciting time as Sanders' far-left economic agenda is increasingly becoming more appealing to the party's base.

Will the globalization of the economic relationship trump the geo-politics that is being played out in East and South East Asia? For the US, the dilemma is acute, for it cannot ignore the pleas of its allies in the region nor allow an incremental drift to take place in the relationship.

Now that the mood and methods have set in for three Provincial Council polls, the results would determine if the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa would want to go ahead with the process in five others before holding the first-ever elections.

The civil society outfits need to remind themselves that the discredited polity that they have sought to replace have their own uses, roles and responsibilities - which the former cannot shoulder unless they themselves convert to being one.

The gentle Arab spring is a long way behind the region which has entered a phase of unprecedented turbulence, conflict and worse. In Libya, some European leaders are about to eat crow, not the best dish in Ramadan.

One of the great tragedies of our time is the near total decline in the credibility of the Western media. There are some exceptions but only some.

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

The Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) on "Allocation of Captive Coal Blocks and Augmentation of Coal Production" for the year ending March 2012 has, among other things,

Hillary Clinton's altered agenda reflected the reshuffled priorities of the US in its dealings with China. Unlike in the past, Human Rights and Tibet did not figure prominently during the talks this time.

Kerala is trying in a civilian court two Italian military men for actions they took in defence of their territories. Imagine trying a serving Indian soldier in a civil court for an incident resulting from discharge of duty in naxal-infested areas, the northeast or Kashmir.

Royal succession is considered to be the 'prickliest' problem facing the Saudi kingdom. It can bring about a fundamental change in Saudi politics and can have an overarching impact on Saudi society and its national and foreign policies.

Is former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and Congress General Secretary, Mr. Digvijay Singh, living dangerously? Or is he on high wire act secure of a safety net below?

The Delhi government is in no mood for sparing the discoms and discoms on the other hand do not want to give up their inertia. The AAP promised tariff reduction and slashed the same by 50% after coming to power.

This paper explores how an individual's participation in higher education is dependent on her religious affiliations, socio-economic status and demographic characteristics.

Privacy and democracy have always had an uneasy relationship in India. However, now India has a unique opportunity to evolve a progressive and expansive legislation on privacy and protection of personal data. The report of the experts group chaired by Justice Ajit Prakash Shah is a good starting point.

Drumbeats on Pakistan¿s nuclear black-marketing are getting louder. The international community (read Washington) is alarmed and worried at the rapidly accumulating pile of evidence against Pakistan¿s top nuclear scientist, Dr AQ Khan, and a few of his associates for selling nuclear technology and materials to nations that are considered "rogue". (China is not the target yet and hence do not qualify to be a rogue despite overwhelming evidence).

Although the successful passing of the Budget deal by the US Senate and the signing of it by President Obama has lead to widespread relief in the country, the looming question of how the close to 15 trillion dollars in accumulated debt is ever going to be repaid still remains unanswered.