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For an Indian journalist, meeting the jihadis in Pakistan always makes for a great story back home. But despite the omnipresence of the jihad factory in Pakistan, it has never been easy to get hold of important jihadi leaders. Post-9/11, and especially after the ban imposed on some jihadi organisations, setting up meetings with jihadis has become even more difficult. With Pakistan's famed ¿agencies¿ quite chary of the jihadis talking to journal

That there is massive change in the mindset of Pakistanis towards India is an impression that this writer got during a visit to Pakistan last August. This impression has got further strengthened during a recently concluded visit. The desire for peace with India is no longer limited to the usual suspects; rather it is to be found even in the quintessential establishment types who have traditionally thrived on India-baiting.

Amanullah Khan, chairman of the JKLF, is most unhappy with the peace process between India and Pakistan. For a man who knows what it means to be first used by a state and then unceremoniously disposed off after the state has achieved its purpose, Khan realizes that the peace process, if successful, is probably the end of the road for people like him. There was a time in the late 1980's and very early 1990's when Amanullah Khan was a really happen

China and India, sooner than later, must assume regional leadership, which must be inclusive, allowing for not just coopera-tion and collaboration but the accom-modation of all stakeholders in energy. Despite their burgeoning share in energy market, both countries remain price takers rather than price makers now.

India has had to deal with terrorism and conventional threats but our capacities to watch these threats are minuscule compared to US abilities. In a way, threats to India from terrorism and hostile neighbours are far more immediate. There is now the added problem of involvement of Indian youth in the terrorism of ISIS.

In a reforms-minded India, where subsidies have become a 'bad word' for some policy-planners, questions will be asked on making a massive project on inter-linking of rivers to pay for itself, post facto.

India's North-East remains a challenge for the policy makers. Keeping together this diverse region, which is home to more than 250 tribes, speaking more than 190 languages and dialects, and addressing the long drawn conflicts to preserve ethnic identities and over land and other resources is an arduous task. Recent months have witnessed a lot of debate on the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) introduced by the Central Government to counter

'New' India-'New' Iran must understand one another India and Iran must understand each other in the full range of their political, economic, social and cultural perspectives and put to use this understanding in the context of the changing contours of the international environment, according to Mr. Brajesh Mishra, National Security Advisor and Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of India.

India has been a major beneficiary of the decision of the Bush Administration to transfer the responsibility for the compilation and analysis of statistical data relating to significant international terrorist attacks from the Counter-Terrorism Division of the State Department to the newly-created National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC) presently headed by John Brennan as the acting Director.

The common prosperity of India and China is linked to the digital future, and even lifeline provisions such as social security schemes, health and education among others are likely to be delivered through virtual means. Therefore, it is important for the two countries to ensure that the world does not witness the birth of "digital sovereignty".

Our "strategic interest" will be served when we acknowledge where our current and future interests lie, in terms of economy and politics. Thereafter, we must negotiate India's role at institutions that govern the internet, be it ICANN, IANA or any other body. Our "self-respect" will be enhanced when we negotiate this role from a position of strength.

Now that the dust is settling down on post-poll government-formation at the Centre, revisiting Elections-2004 may be in order. If anything, it could hold a candle to the future of Indian polity, and the roles that the nation¿s political parties may have to be prepared for, if they need to keep the voter on their side.

Does India have any intention of assisting the US in invading and occupying Pakistan? And should India be part of such an adventure? What are the likely implications on India's security of such an action? These are questions that would normally fall in the realm of scenario building and war gaming.

Union Defence Minister Mr Pranab Mukherjee stressed the need for the corporate sector to adopt a greater role in India¿s defence sector. He was delivering the first annual lecture of the ORF Mumbai Chapter of Observer Research Foundation (ORF), on March 12, 2005.

In response to their experience of western colonialism, countries like China and India have sought to develop their own, indigenous and autonomous technology base. China, in the last 30 years, has succeeded in this endeavour, becoming a major manufacturing power and adopting policies to develop and market its own technologies. Such success, however, is not without critics. Developed countries, especially the US which is its principal trading part

Mainstream debates on European investment in India do not consider the full and diverse impact of investment on economic and social life, and therefore narrow the terrain for crafting richer, alternative investment policies and strategies. This paper examines three misguided—and recurring—ideas that arise in investment debates: (1) consumption growth as an inevitable effect of investment liberalisation; (2) efficiency in fresh food retail as

Noting that maritime disputes and strategic competition in the Indian Ocean are at the core of changing geo-politics in the IO, participants of the Indian Ocean Dialogue concluded that the members of the IORA should address the security concerns themselves rather than relying on international forces.

Iran is critical for stabilising India's northwestern marches, providing access to Central Asia and in meeting India's future energy needs. The pursuit of these separate but significant interests in the West Asia is bound to produce multiple contradictions. Managing them will be a great challenge for Indian diplomacy.

India must continue to remain politically engaged with Tehran despite its partnership plan with China

This year, India's and China's crude oil imports from Iran has risen sharply - up by 43% year-on-year basis and 36% year-on-year basis respectively, according to a Reuters report. World's oil giant companies have also shown interest to return to Iran. Do these indicate that Iran has turned the bend and worst phase of sanctions is over?

A decade ago this month, the United States and its British auxiliaries abused international law by invading Iraq. India looked on helplessly then, but is it in a position to affect another unjust invasion, this time directed at Iran?

Last week the curtains came down on the 21st century's first unjust war - the US involvement in Iraq. But worse may follow after the American pullout. The implications for India of further turmoil in the Persian Gulf, particularly Iraq are enormous.

The Mumbai blasts were an act of war against the Indian state; it would be naïve to term it as anything else. It was an act of terror to kill as many Indians as possible. It was an act enabled, to a large measure, by a growing perception among the terrorist groups, especially those operating from Pakistan, that the Indian state was soft and indolent.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's trip to America will show if there is any political energy left in the UPA government for purposeful international engagement. If the answer is in the negative, the rest of the world will simply wait for stronger leadership to re-emerge in Delhi. India might pay a price for the wasted moments, but the ruling party may not much care, having grown rather comfortable with a do-nothing foreign policy.

Polarisation over Kashmir and Jadhav, and the rise of rhetoric in India and Pakistan, only serves to feed into the narrative of aggressive nationalism that’s taken centre stage in India’s political discourse.

Going by the Sri Lanka-related events and developments on the global arena, it looks as if the international community has not learnt any lessons from the recent past in and of the country. Be it the Indian neighbour, or the distant Norway, or whoever had attempted to help resolve the ethnic issue, had to give up after a point.

There is at least a temporary decoupling of consumption and GDP, with investment picking up pace and acquiring a greater share of domestic output

The Taliban today undoubtedly has a stronger hold over how the US militarily plans to withdraw from the conflict in Afghanistan. This raises questions about the continuing challenges to security in South Asia—in particular, the influence of IS Khorasan (IS-K), the group’s Afghanistan avatar, and its rise both as an ISIS-aligned entity and a big-tent brand for various jihadist groups in the country. As the ‘Khorasan’ project of ISIS gets m

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.

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.

'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.

For the BJP's electoral constituents across India – most of whom only conceive of Kashmir through the constant consumption of propaganda – Modi has scored a huge political win.

गेल्या वर्षभरात, ISKP ने हिंसक हल्ल्यांद्वारे, अफगाणिस्तानमध्ये अस्थिरता निर्माण करण्याचा प्रयत्न केला आणि जिहादी उद्दिष्टांसाठी प्रचार सुरू करण्याचा प्रयत्न केला.

Inaugurates Raisina Dialogue 2018 in the presence of PM MODI, FM Sushma Swaraj 

Given the history of India-Israel ties, not much will change regardless of the government in power in New Delhi

Israeli president Reuven Rivlin has offered his country's expertise to India to make the world safe.

There is little doubt that the Lalit Modi controversy has hurt the image of the Narendra Modi Government. Mr Lalit Modi is an infamous and notorious character, who ran his businesses, including the Indian Premier League cricket, like a bucket shop.

Prime Minister Gentiloni underlined the need for economic inclusion for all-round growth, stability and peace.

Pakistan’s paying the price of involving both judiciary and military in politics. India must take heed.

भारत-ऑस्ट्रेलिया के बीच प्रगाढ़ द्विपक्षीय संबंध है. हाल के वर्षों में खासकर क्वॉड के गठन के बाद दोनों देशों के संबंधों में बड़ा बदलाव आया है. क्वॉड के गठन के बाद भारत और ऑस्

S Jaishankar visit to Moscow ऐसे में सवाल उठता है कि क्‍या वाकई भारतीय विदेश मंत्री की इस यात्रा में जंग खत्‍म करने की पहल हो सकती है. अमेरिका व पश्चिमी देश भारत से इस तरह की उम्‍मीद क्‍यों कर �

In an article of November 22, 2004, on India-Pakistan relations (http://www.saag.org/papers12/paper1169.html), I had written as follows:

The recent killings of minorities, migrant workers, and local police officers in the Kashmir Valley have led to an impression that the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir is once again becoming uncontrollable. On ground, however, the situation is said to be firmly under the control of the Indian State. This does not mean that terrorism has been eliminated; small terrorist groups continue to operate and attack soft targets, heightening the sen

The challenges that Japan and India face are largely complementary and thus hold promise for enhancing ties. A robust India-Japan partnership will support and promote India's increasingly assertive and strong role as well as Japan's leading position in the east Asian region.

To enjoy its demographic dividend, India must stop looking down upon low-skilled workers and treat them with dignity. Examples and experiences from other countries are there to learn from - Japan is one.

Despite the change of guards in Japan, the new government has reaffirmed its commitment to maintain "global and strategic partnership" with India

Japanese and Indian foreign ministers, Mr Fumio Kishida and Ms. Sushma Swaraj, have now agreed to hold a meeting at an earlier date this year that would allow the foreign ministers of India, Japan and the US to conduct talks. This positive move will contribute significantly to creating stability in the Indo-Pacific.

The expanding engagement with the Japanese navy, one of the strongest in the world, should give a boost to India's maritime diplomacy in Asia. If New Delhi's interests in the Pacific are growing, Tokyo's naval profile in the Indian Ocean has begun to expand.