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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, within eight months of coming to power, has gone about strengthening India's relations with Japan, Australia and the US, in what seems to be a well laid out plan with a clear agenda.

India will never lose its allure in some ways because of its unique culture and warmth. But on other fronts, India is slipping especially if it does not care about giving an equal opportunity to all its citizens for a better life -- like good rural roads, affordable housing, clean drinking water, food, sanitation, education and health services.

Manmohan Singh is sometimes accused of focusing too much on Pakistan. Perhaps he could try paying a visit. Also consider visiting towns outside Islamabad and Lahore, such as his own ancestral village, which is waiting with open arms to welcome its prodigal son.

India will have to decide what the TPP means for its domestic reforms agenda. India need foreign markets to grow and it cannot presume that the size of its domestic market will force others to come to its terms.

With the ongoing multi-polarisation of global politics, new powers would emerge which would in turn increase global insecurity and lead to a greater demand for nuclear weapons even by the countries that as of now do not possess them, cautioned Prof. Rajesh Rajagopalan during an ORF roundtable on nuclear non proliferation.

Promising a more inclusive and transparent development model, New Delhi is looking to become the region’s biggest partner.

The National Electronics Policy of 2012 has the potential to change the way India produces and procures chips and gadgets. However, the key, as always, lies in implementing it.

If one thought that the fall of Hosni Mubarak had actually ushered in an era of great freedom to all shades of political and religious ideologies and organisations to emerge in the 'Egyptian Spring of 2011', then their hopes are already in mud, and mixed with a lot of blood too.

Though the Constitution framers were themselves divided on the issue of federalism, yet a healthy compromise was arrived at which ensured a balance of power between the Centre and states.

The only way Japan can cope with the current nuclear crisis and emerge strong is by believing in, what critics called as, "idealistic" reforms and plans that may look "impractical" in the short run.

The key problem with offering NSG membership to Pakistan is its obstructionist approach. Pakistan will try to block any decision which it might think will be advantageous to India. Since the NSG functions on the principle of consensus, Pakistan's pursuit of parity with India will lead to a stalemate within the NSG.

As 2012 draws to a close, the question uppermost in the minds of Maldives watchers is if the country was moving away from the strategic sphere of Indian influence, and has begun tilting towards China.

Islamic State (IS), metaphorically a "baby" of al-Qaeda, may not survive for a long time when public fascination with it wanes, says Dr. Bernard Haykel, professor of Near Eastern Studies and director of the Institute for Transregional Study, Princeton University, USA.

Is India confident to connect its North-East with the neighbouring countries like China, Myanmar and Bangladesh. This is one of the questions that came up during a workshop on "Increasing Connectivity of the North East with Peripheral Countries like Bangladesh, Myanmar and China" at the Kolkata chapter of Observer Research Foundation.

Though it is too early to interpret possible impact of the new activism of India's burgeoning urban middle class on nature and character of politics and system of governance, if we take recent global events as a sort of barometer, the change has already begun.

The Organisation of Islamic Conference, often called (inappropriately though) the Islamic UNO, had, ironically, never visualized its purported role as the defender of the faith. Over the years, so diffused had its role become that several disillusioned leaders, like Libya¿s Colonel Gaddafi, termed it a Dead Horse, a nomenclature that describes the conference aptly even today.

On November 3, the White House turned red once more.When the men, and women, in blue were finally convinced that George W Bush was going to reoccupy the most powerful chair in the world, a chunk of the deeply divided America groaned loudly. Joining them in their crib was, apparently, the rest of the world.

'Post-Islamism' has become the new face of political Islam which incorporates the positive and accommodating attitudes of the West towards Islam and the pluralistic attitudes of Islam towards the West, according to Mr Talmiz Ahmad, former Indian ambassador to Saudi Arabia, UAE and Oman.

The people of Bangladesh are slowly becoming sceptical that they might soon be trapped into an era of unending street protests and violent political clashes. The root to this fear has been the long absence of the Opposition from Parliament and its efforts to settle political issues on the streets.

Who used chemical weapons against whom? Is Assad regime guilty? We may never know. What is certain is that one more country in the Middle East will be reduced to an ungovernable territory. Welcome home Al-Qaeda!

The killing of Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad, Pakistan, was a crippling blow to the global terrorist group and its violent agenda. The manner in which US special forces took him out in his protected lair will seriously undermine the morale of terrorist groups and their sympathisers across the world.

If Barack Obama can match his oratorical skills with decisive action and emulate Roosevelt's bold economic measures and the Star Wars programme of Ronald Reagan, America can well embark on the path to economic recovery at home and overcome the strategic challenges that threaten its once pre-eminent global position.

Whatever be the truth about Tipu Sultan, the one fact on which there can be little debate is that he fought against British occupation till the very end. If we are to look at our history through the lens of religious bigotry, the first war of independence in 1857, for example, would be of little significance.

USA solar industry got a setback with almost three solar companies, including Solyandra Inc., declaring suspension of their operations and plans. Criticising China's role in the failure of the U.S solar companies may come as a natural defence mechanism, but then China can't be completely held responsible.

Recent developments have raised questions about the future of bipartisan support for U.S.-India relations.

The problem for the US in assuring an orderly withdrawal and to decide on how much force to leave behind is the utter lack of trust between Afghanistan, Pakistan and itself. It is difficult to accurately anticipate how the situation will evolve in 2015 after the Americans go home, but whatever it is, it will not be a simple uncomplicated situation and may not be all that warm and friendly for Pakistan.

Pakistan, with its innumerable terrorist organisations, some of them now working on their own, would provide enough fertile ground for organisations like ISIS to thrive within and spread outwards from here. It must be remembered that Al Qaeda leadership is still based in the FATA of Pakistan from where it continues to give directions.

Shakespeare wondered what was in a name, but then again, it was a time before Top Level Domains, global brands with billions of dollars riding on them, and internet governance bodies like ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) existed.

The Algerian protesters appear to have learnt the lessons of the Arab Spring

Even George Bush, who had much less qualms about bombing any country, thought it fit to show some proof of Saddam Hussain's WMD to the UNSC, however fake it was. May be, Obama, precisely due to that qualm, is reluctant to show the proof to the world.

While the world is hopeful of a firm foreign policy in the Modi era, the Chinese dilemma lurks in a big way. Modi should devise ways of taking China in its stride on a workable, if not friendly, basis to make the best of the Look East Policy and to put itself on a sound footing for the Asian century.

The terror-cadres who have returned home pose a serious threat to India, as they might serve as potential recruiters for the Syrian rebels and start sending young fighters to Syria, says media-veteran-turned-academic, Dr. Sridhar Krishnaswami.

Although Nouri al-Maliki's government might be able retake the towns overrun by the IS and the tribes with the help of Iran, United States and Russia, it might not be able to bring peace and stability to the country until an exclusive and effective policy is introduced.

The IS, despite its defeats on the battle field and losses suffered from air attacks, is far from neutralised and is probably gaining volunteers internationally. The problem with the international community's approach is that it has projected the group as a purely terrorist organisation.

Will Samuel P Huntington be proved wrong on The Clash of Civilizations if and when Islamic Turkey joins European Union (E U)? And will that enable the E U to put an end to the decades old ethno- territorial feud in Cyprus?

The explosion in the midst of a Shia congregation at a shrine in Islamabad on May 27,2005, which resulted in the death of 25 Shias and injuries to about 80 others has been attributed by the local police to an unidentified suicide bomber. No organisation has so far claimed responsibility for the blast,

After three years of being at a standstill, peace talks are to resume between Israel and Palestine, according to US Secretary of State John Kerry. He said in a statement, "I am pleased to announce that we've reached an agreement that establishes a basis for resuming final status negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis."

Israel's Defence Minister, Mr. Moshe Ya'alon, on Thursday ( February 19) delivered the 6th R.K. Mishra Memorial Lecture, organised by Observer Research Foundation in memory of its Founder-Chairman.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu created history, defying pre-poll predictions, by leading his right-wing Likud Party to victory in the recently concluded national elections in Israel. The stunning result gave Netanyahu's Likud party 30 seats in the 120 seat Israeli Parliament, the Knesset.

The presentation on Israel, US and Terrorism, by Mr.B.Raman, Convener, ORF Chennai at the weekly ORF Chennai interaction on November 29, 2003 had a first to its credit ¿ it was the first video conference carried out by the Chennai Chapter of the ORF. On this particular occasion

During the recent INSS-ORF dialogue, there was a consensus that, while perhaps the origin of the terror threat is different, this is an area where cooperation can and should be enhanced.