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Enhancing the tourism infrastructure would help create employment opportunities and aid the economic reconstruction of the Valley.

On October 8, seismic fault-lines made a mockery of the ceasefire line that was drawn 56 years ago between the Indian and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). This map delineation, which was renamed as the Line of Control after the 1971 Indo-Pak war, appears to have gone out of control, at least temporarily, by the fury of the massive earthquake that struck J and Northern Areas on that Black Saturday. Thousands have perished on either side, including

repeated calls for weakening industry encryption standards raise the question of whether the means employed by governments to protect national and per

The emphasis ever since Dr Manmohan Singh Govt came to power in 2004 has been on 'making borders irrelevant without redrawing them'. To ensure this, there has been a continuing stress on connecting India's border provinces with those of its neighbouring countries.

The decisive result of the presidential election — and referendum on 10 January — has provided a temporary relief to the people, businesses, and s

A new specter is haunting the world – the specter of unemployment.

India’s increasing economic and political clout has prompted a spurt in the volume and complexity of its overseas development assistance. Looking ahead, the largest incremental capital for global development and infrastructure beyond what exists today will also come from India as the value of its economy grows from $2 trillion to roughly $7 trillion by 2030. However, the DPA – India’s development cooperation agency – is yet to assume an a

Lebanon, the smallest nation in continental Asia, is also one of the most populous. A relatively stable, secure and democratic state, its geographical location and the growing regional crisis are leading to pressing internal and external threats that Beirut must face. This issue brief examines these contemporary threats to Lebanese security: the Syrian Civil War, the rise of the Islamic State, domestic terrorism and sectarianism, and the nation's

Three quick lessons can be drawn from the recent coup attempt in Bangladesh. These are growing unrest among political and military circles against the Awami League government for its policies towards India and fundamentalism;

It is apparent that local government bodies played a big role in controlling the pandemic, therefore they should be further empowered

India spends over Rs 400,000 crores every year on schemes, projects and programmes broadly falling within the category of social welfare. Embedding appropriate technology in social welfare programmes can give poor Indians a real chance of empowerment.

Even if the Centre's Rafale deal for the two squadrons comes through, it will only temporarily arrest the decline of squadrons for the IAF. The long-term answer may just lie in the home-grown Advanced Multi-role Combat Aircraft, being developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency , Bangalore.

India, with its culture and wisdom of well-being, nonviolence, and harmonious co-existence, can play a crucial role in conflict resolution and peacebu

एलजीबीटीक्यू+ समुदायाची आर्थिक क्षमता खुली केल्यास त्य�

Climate change experts at a roundtable at Observer Research Foundation emphasised the need for maintaining a pragmatic attitude at the 20th Conference of the Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change at Lima. According to them, the goal should be to set reasonable expectations that can be achieved in Paris.

With his nominee for Secretary of Defence, Biden is seeking to manage inter- and intra-party challenges on Capitol Hill, counter the Republican narrat

The lockdown is a tough examination that the nation must pass. Depending on how people behave and how the virus spreads, governments would decide thei

The Russia-India-China trilateral meet is New Delhi’s attempt to overcome challenges in ties with Moscow and Beijing

India must offer lucrative alternatives that focus on development and ensure early completion of its current projects to maintain its footprint in Mal

The Andhra Pradesh Smartcard Project was India’s first large scale attempt to implement a biometrics payment system.

With Maldive's Supreme Court serving 'contempt of court' notice on Election Commission members, a case is now getting increasingly made out for a review of the rights, powers and responsibilities of 'independent institutions'.

Putting at rest avoidable speculation about the Opposition being behind Monday's blast on the presidential speedboat, the Maldivian Government has ruled out the possibility of an assassination attempt, saying a mechanical issue was the probable cause.

After the cancellation or non-conduct of the court-ordered first-round re-poll on 19 October in Maldives, outgoing President Mohammed Waheed Hassan Manik and the Supreme Court seem to have expanded the scope and meaning of 'inclusive poll' in the even more contemporary context.

In a not-so-unexpected development, the Maldivian Supreme Court stripped Elections Commission President Fuwad Thowfeek and Vice-President Ahmed Fayaz Hassan of their membership, for the contempt of the court.

The recent presidential polls show the continuing stranglehold of 'coalition politics' in the contemporary Maldivian context. It became visible when Nasheed defeated incumbent Maumoon Abdul Gayoom in the second round of the 2008 polls, after securing only 25 percent vote-share in the first round.

Gayoom's decision means more things than one in contemporary Maldivian politics. His reference to his party having other worthy candidates for the presidency could imply that Gayoom may not back the candidacy of President Mohammed Waheed Hassan Manik.

The rapid uptake of artificial intelligence (AI) in the military in the past couple decades has been accompanied by a slow but gradual build-up in attempts to understand how these AI systems work to achieve better results in military operations. The idea behind what is called ‘eXplainable AI’ (XAI), and the technologies driving it, are a manifestation of this trend. The question, however, is if XAI in its current form is the solution

Attempting to map out key trends emerging from the state intervention to contain the rise of left-wing extremism in India, Observer Research Foundation organised a panel discussion on "State Response to Left-Wing Extremism: A Report Card".

India’s geography lends itself favourably to the cultivation and expansion of maritime ties. Yet, for much of the country’s contemporary history, the country has overlooked these opportunities. As the world reengages with its vast ocean spaces, India too, has become more willing and capable of participating in the maritime domain. This paper outlines the evolution of the country’s maritime outlook as it shifts its largely continental-orient

The exodus of youth from Nepal to foreign countries in search of better opportunities is impacting regional and international security as many are rep

Delhi is expected to record a population in the range of 28-30 million by the year 2041. To meet their requirements and to resolve numerous problems p

There have been clear attempts from both the public and private sectors to change the use of their media outlets from entity-based benefits to public-

From initiating schemes to aid migrant workers to deciding on budget allocations, information is integral to the development of effective state respon

PM Modi and Manohar Parrikar have lately been attempting to set the record straight about the issue of disability pension of the military.

Given the current trends of climate action, millets provide an efficient solution for circumventing the food and water trade-off

Governments need to use expansionary fiscal policies to diminish the huge loss in consumption demand due to the sharp rise in global unemployment.

Mission LiFE has the potential to empower women in the informal e-waste management sector as it aims to adopt sustainable waste reduction measures

Analysts attribute the fall of Kabul to the Taliban in August 2021 to various factors. These include geopolitical shifts, and the Taliban’s tactics of warfare. However, fewer attempts have been made to understand the Taliban’s victory through internal mobilisation. This brief attempts to fill the gap, and examines the role of identity, grievance, and greed in the Taliban’s mobilisation and its contribution to a successful insurgency. It out

Emphasising that majority of Taliban cadre can be won over for establishing peace in their war-torn country, Afghan government spokespersons said the peace initiative would become successful once ordinary Afghans realise that international forces are not going to remain in the country indefinitely.

India’s Intended Nationally Determined Contributions for climate action emphasises the creation of an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to three billion tonnes by 2030 by increasing the country’s green cover. At the same time, however, harmful human activities such as legal and illegal logging, as well as deforestation for development purposes seem poised to negate the impact of these climate-action plans. While steps are being taken to prevent t

By using modern tools, PM Modi has been able to revitalise traditional practices to address contemporary challenges

India has always been shy of adding a religious tint to its foreign policy. In the last decade, however, the aspiring global power began engaging in what has come to be called 'Buddhist diplomacy' in its outreach to countries in the South, East and Southeast Asia. 􀀫e prime minister is diligently pursuing India's 'Buddhist agenda' and taking it beyond its borders, emphasising the Indian and Hindu links with Buddhism. Concurrently, another Asian

The Government's honeymoon is perhaps already over and realistically it has another 6 to 12 months to start putting flesh on the bare-bone schemes and ideas announced this past year. If these do not eventuate, one may well witness emptier stadiums abroad and hear shriller voices at home.

Continuity, rather than change, is the true hallmark of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign policy. True, he has been far more vigorous and muscular than his predecessor Manmohan Singh, but the difference is in tone and emphases, rather than substance.

New Indian Prime Minister and Sri Lankan President should attempt to take forward the fishers' talks, promised to be continued/revived by their respective Heads of Government at their Delhi meeting, and then have their officials create the structures and super-structures aimed at implementing those decisions.

It is time that India lays emphasis on changing its approach to urban governance and makes pragmatic changes in its policy books to make its cities fi

The two assassination attempts in quick succession on Gen.Pervez Musharraf, the President of an Islamic state, who is a key ally of the United States in the war in Afghanistan, came at a time when the US-led coalition forces in Iraq were rejoicing over the capture of Saddam Hussein, the enemy number two only after Osama bin Laden.

The opening up of Myanmar has added a new strategic value to the Bay of Bengal. Isolated for decades, Myanmar is actively engaging the world's major players in redefining its geopolitical identity today. This has further encouraged naval exchanges, exploration of energy resources and development of connectivity infrastructure in a vital littoral of the Bay. Within this evolving context, this paper attempts to examine the implications of these cha

Participants of an interaction on Myanmar felt that Myanmar should be allowed to exercise its will regarding its internal political and economic decisions, but there should be an attempt to check the irregularities in these areas so that her neighbours such as India and Bangladesh do not bear the brunt.

As Myanmar attempts to build a new identity for itself, this will not only redefine its domestic future but will also allow realignment of its ties with external powers. The international community's support is important to further encourage the changes.