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Adequate access to water is not only a human right but it also forms the cornerstone of economic development. It is growing in importance in Asia where the population is rising at an exponential rate making it home to more than half of the world's population.

The world often sees China as a monolithic, monochromatic nation, relentlessly marching towards a future which it has clearly defined for itself. The reality, however, is a nation led by a Communist Party elite, which is very good at doing what it does, and which works hard at remaining where it is ? at the top of the country's political pyramid.

For him, Turkey is the Islamic power awaiting its due, and while it does not have the oil dollars backing its fragile economy, it is still working hard to create its own narratives and influence zones across the region.

The tensions between India and Pakistan have to be seriously examined and ways and means to bring back normalcy should be worked out and implemented. India stands to lose much more if terrorist organisations are deployed in various cities in the country at a time of Pakistan's choice.

Space is once again becoming the sphere of rivalry and potential conflicts. But the EU Code of Conduct does not move towards a legally binding mechanism that has been the demand from the Asian countries at various multilateral forums.

This paper presents an approach towards promoting nutritional security on one hand, and water security on the other, in an integrated framework. Using econometric models, it delineates water use efficiency on the basis of calorific estimates of the productivity of agricultural water use in the context of various crops. Based on the estimated marginal product of water across the various crops, the paper finds that alternative crops such as maize a

Why does a diplomat who has been in this profession for 40 years turn to a theme such as ethics and international relations? The real reason is that I think that any field of human activity has an ethical dimension.

In recent years, different research institutions, government bodies, and private entities across countries have issued principles and guidelines for the ethical use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). There is little consensus, however, over universal ethical principles and how to implement them. What are the similarities and differences in AI ethics discussions across geographies, and what are the existing gaps? Crucially, if the larger goa

South Sudan does not possess the political leadership to resolve the current crisis of citizenship and governance. But it is time for an unbiased state to step in and address vital issues and questions that it did not address immediately after independence for the collective sake of all South Sudanese.

The immediate concerted European response in the aftermath of Madrid blasts on March 11, 2004 was the creation of the post of a Counter-Terrorism Coordinator, who would directly work under the European Union (EU) High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana. In fact, the idea of effective counter-terror coordination and intelligence sharing

The immediate concerted European response in the aftermath of Madrid blasts on March 11, 2004 was the creation of the post of a Counter-Terrorism Coordinator, who would directly work under the European Union (EU) High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana. In fact, the idea of effective counter-terror coordination and intelligence sharing

While there has been progress over the last few years in terms of garnering greater support for the EU Space code, there appear to be a few outstanding issues that need further elaboration and alteration to make the code more appealing. The way forward might be to shift from a consultative to a negotiating phase, before moving to hold a diplomatic conference.

The euro zone's recovery is obstructed by its own structural weaknesses. And the idea of a crisis relapse cannot be discounted as yet and the consequences of it are hard to fathom. The euro zone may also need to abandon its optimistic view.

The new draft of the EU-initiated International Code of Conduct for Outer Space is a significant step forward. The language has been tightened to make it more precise. The document is particularly mindful of the interests of emerging Space actors and instituting measures for greater international cooperation. There have also been several practical measures suggested for more transparency.

Accompanying these country-level strategies is a range of defensive measures that the EU has put in place. These include two-way screenings of investments and anti-coercion mechanisms under the umbrella of its 'derisking' approach. At the same time, Europe is attempting to diversify its trade partners and supply chains in favour of more 'like-minded' nations in Asia, Latin America and elsewhere.

A successful conclusion of the FTA with EU would go a long way in building international market confidence, giving much needed stimulus to the international economy. The loss of revenue from reduction in tariffs should be viewed in gains of transfer of technology, productivity increases and greater competition.

It is quite likely that whoever ascends to power in New Delhi will primarily be focused on domestic politics, and the question of an FTA with Europe will receive less attention than in the past. Additionally, unless the remaining key issues are resolved through some give and take by both sides, the BTIA negotiations may remain stalled in the foreseeable future.

With one seventh of the world's population and one of the fastest growing economies India has the potential to be a major player in global trade negotiations. It should bear this position in mind while moving ahead with the EU-India FTA.

The Libyan revolt was led by a group called the National Conference of the Libyan opposition, founded in London in 2005. Can overseas Libyans make a revolution? If Qaddafi survives, will not opposition to his soft Islam be the harder version of the faith?

This report of a conference, hosted by the NFG Research Group "Asian Perceptions of the European Union" at ORF and JNU on September 26-27, 2013, provides a summary of the key themes which emerged from the conference.

The return of a socialist President in France since Mitterand's victory in 1981 confirms a trend in Europe which, instead of lifting the mist, is adding to the fog. The other day, David Cameron, who has never quite found his feet, had egg all over his face.

Whether France can be a trusted partner in managing China is a question that many have asked after the fiasco of Macron’s visit.

Even if Donald Trump does not win the presidency, it is unlikely that enthusiasm for supporting Ukraine would be high in the US’s political ranks

Greece's problems were inevitable because the concept of Eurozone is based on flawed solidarity. While the monetary policy is controlled by the ECB, the fiscal policy is under the member states. They have to obey the diktat of the ECB regarding interest rates and this has made Greece uncompetitive with rising costs.

Mere constitutional creation of new political space would not become the answer to the growing demands for inclusion and participation in the countryside. For substantive democracy to become a reality, Centre and States need to show willingness to share powers (3Fs).

The Af-Pak conflict's center of gravity has over the past five years shifted decisively to the very heart of Pakistan. Hence, the ultimate ace up Pakistan's sleeve is to search seriously for peace with India, step by step, but sincerely.

To improve India's role in Central Asia, its focus should recognize the diversity of relationships that are possible - economic, defence, and connectivity. Politically and historically, each of the five countries in the region is distinct.

The two Asian giants seem to have clearly reached an inflection point in their relationship

A four-day maritime conference on "Maritime Geo-Politics in the Indo-pacific" was organised in Chennai, Kochi and New Delhi recently. The conference saw speakers deliver perspectives from India, China, Japan, US, Australia and Indonesia.

The current debate on Delhi’s approach towards the Rohingya crisis focuses principally on the implications. While this aspect, without doubt, deserves careful examination, there is a need for a more holistic understanding. This brief fills the gap by shifting the focus on the role that India is playing in finding a solution to the crisis. It looks beyond what the approach means for India and explores ways for Delhi to further deepen and expand

As China pursues its expansionist ambitions in the greater South China Sea, Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is working to enhance his country’s ability to exercise its sovereignty and sovereign rights. Towards this end, Manila is expanding its strategic options through robust external partnerships and national policy recalibrations to secure its lawful waters in what it calls the West Philippine Sea. There are concerns, however, abou

Goals of universal financial inclusion have acquired new wings in India, with the mobile phone now seen as a catalyst in realising such aspirations. This brief analyses India’s performance in leveraging mobile phones for financial inclusion. It throws light not only on the various factors that have propelled the use of mobile banking, but also those that have served as obstacles for such use. The brief also proposes a strategy that has been dev

Pakistan Army recently declared adopting a new doctrine of war fighting, termed sub-conventional warfare, in its policy document, the Green Book. The book, published at regular intervals, is a manual of new doctrines and guidelines which the GHQ distributes among senior military officials.

In November 2014, India introduced a visa facility allowing foreign travellers wanting to come to India for recreational purposes, casual visits with friends or relatives, short-duration medical treatment or business visits, to apply for their visa online. Since then, the government has taken specific initiatives to improve the process, with the more recent ones including the introduction of three e-visa categories (e-medical, e-business, and e-t

Contemporary India–Australia relations can be best described as being loaded in intent but limited in action. Over the years, pledges of “common destiny” have repeatedly been made, only to remain unfulfilled. The 2018 release by the Australian government of its India Economic Strategy 2035 is an attempt to lay down a vision for capturing the opportunities offered by India’s market. Among these opportunities is mining. This brief discusses

As anticipated, the much-touted and ill-prepared protest by the Bhiku movement and Sarath Fonseka's Democratic National Alliance (DNA), seeking to replace the Executive Presidency, has Sri Lanka ended in a whimper.

For Japan, which deployed missile destroyer J S Fuyuzuki and SH 60K helicopters on India's invitation, the Malabar Exercise signals the growing importance of ties between the two nations as well as the personal importance that PM Modi has attached to India's strategic ties with Japan.

why should Delhi have a monopoly on good ideas? While Mumbai is the economic capital of India, its history has also forced it to be a center of strategic and policy thought from which Delhi remains divorced

In the next Budget Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee will have to strive hard to reduce fiscal deficit because a big fiscal deficit gives wrong signals to investors. The current year's Central and state combined fiscal deficit stands at 8.5 per cent.

The government will need a lot of explaining to do about the rising corruption in the Budget session and will have to cast its tax net wider to catch the tax dodgers. What it will do to make the tax base bigger could be an interesting feature of Budget 2013.

Outlining the need for a concerted effort to deal with water challenges in South Asia, experts at a roundtable suggested that there was a strong reason to create collaborative rather than competitive frameworks.

ORF, the Public Diplomacy Division of the Ministry of External Affairs of India and CERI - Sciences Po and Centre d'analyse Stratégique (CAPS) of France have begun an Experts Policy Dialogue to delve into key areas, opportunities and challenges that will shape, enrich and confront the India-France relationship in the coming years.

In recent years, both nations have displayed a renewed focus and prioritisation of establishing strong relationships with each other and the neighbouring ASEAN countries.

With India seeking to connect the next billion, and becoming a key player in the global Internet debate, it is important to have clearly formed domestic policies. The combination of regulatory interest, corporate opposition and constitutional rights suggest that the time is right for a nuanced debate on net neutrality in India.

The 70th anniversary of Russia-India relations is an opportune time to make a comprehensive assessment of the current state of their cooperation, keeping in mind the long history of friendship between the two countries. In the last few years, India and Russia have been struggling to retain the legacy of their long-term relationship while moving beyond the traditional spheres of cooperation to reach new heights. To expand their bilateral agenda,