Search: For - R

27974 results found

The Abraham Accords: Powerlifting West Asia’s geopolitics
May 11, 2022

The Abraham Accords: Powerlifting West Asia’s geopolitics

Rather than pinning all hopes to mitigate regional tensions in West Asia on the Abraham accords, regional actors should establish new channels of comm

The Abrahamic Middle East — Will Israeli-Arab alignment on Iran create a new equilibrium for peace? 
Dec 28, 2020

The Abrahamic Middle East — Will Israeli-Arab alignment on Iran create a new equilibrium for peace? 

Despite the narrative of ‘peace’ around the Abraham Accords, it is not to be forgotten that the harbinger of this accord is ‘deterrence’ — b

The accidental empire rises again
Apr 07, 2015

The accidental empire rises again

Berlin might not yet be ready to provide the kind of leadership that some expect, but the real "German question" seems to be whether Europe can really stomach German leadership. Given the uneasy reactions to Merkel's handling of the Eurozone crisis, the answer is clearly no.

The Af-Pak map is about to get a make over
Apr 29, 2015

The Af-Pak map is about to get a make over

It would be a mistake to assume that the US has changed its policy towards the region. It may have changed its style or the way it wishes to handle India and Pakistan but not its overall interests. The US wants to have a stronger presence in India without losing the hold it has on the military rulers in Pakistan.

The Afghan War: Beginning of the end?
Dec 24, 2019

The Afghan War: Beginning of the end?

For Washington, war weariness has set in deep.

The Afghanistan conundrum: Russia’s peace plays and India’s room for maneuver
Nov 13, 2018

The Afghanistan conundrum: Russia’s peace plays and India’s room for maneuver

Realities are changing in Afghanistan, and New Delhi must be nimble.

The Afghanistan crisis and the question of European Union’s strategic autonomy
Sep 06, 2021

The Afghanistan crisis and the question of European Union’s strategic autonomy

Should the EU build up its own EU-based security apparatus in light of the US withdrawing from Afghanistan without truly consulting its EU allies?

The Afghanistan Factor in India’s Approach to Central Asia
Aug 23, 2023

The Afghanistan Factor in India’s Approach to Central Asia

This issue brief examines how Afghanistan facilitates India's objectives vis-a-vis Central Asia and explores how engagement with Central Asia, in turn, could play a major role in furthering India's interests in Afghanistan.

The Afghanistan-Pakistan peace quagmire
May 21, 2013

The Afghanistan-Pakistan peace quagmire

Pakistan is an important player as far as determining the outcome of a post-2014 Afghanistan is concerned and should be engaged with. But to expect it to play a productive role or to expect Afghanistan and Pakistan to reconcile their differences and jointly work towards stability is a tall order.

The Africa Climate Action Performance Report
Aug 12, 2022

The Africa Climate Action Performance Report

Although Africa’s greenhouse gas emissions are low, its contribution to climate change mitigation is critical to global climate action. This report evaluates Africa’s climate policy through the lens of ‘common but differentiated responsibilities,’ an asymmetrical allocation of responsibility for climate action, determined by differences in countries’ contributions to historical emissions and their current capabilities to fight climate c

The African continental free trade area and its implications for India-Africa trade
Oct 08, 2018

The African continental free trade area and its implications for India-Africa trade

The African countries are set to launch the African Continental Free Trade Area or AfCFTA, the biggest free trade agreement in the world since the World Trade Organization was created in the 1990s. When implemented, the AfCFTA is projected to increase intra-African trade by 52.3 percent by 2022, from 2010 levels. In turn, higher trade levels can facilitate economic growth, transform domestic economies, and help the countries achieve the Sustainab

The African Continental Free Trade Area: Opportunities for India
Jul 21, 2023

The African Continental Free Trade Area: Opportunities for India

Unlike in other regions of the world, the value of intra-Africa trade has remained low over the years. Moreover, Africa accounts for just 2 percent of global trade. In 2021, African countries launched the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which aims to create a single African market for the free movement of goods, services, labour, and capital, and increase intra-African trade. AfCFTA may be able to provide Indian firms and in

The aftermath of post-coup Niger
Aug 21, 2023

The aftermath of post-coup Niger

Regional African blocs should try to find solutions through diplomacy before the coup in Niger causes regional instability and leads to a full-fledged

The Agni Prime Missile: Shifts in New Delhi’s ‘missile thought’?
Jul 11, 2023

The Agni Prime Missile: Shifts in New Delhi’s ‘missile thought’?

While India’s missile thought is certainly evolving, it is yet to be seen if its flagship nuclear-oriented ballistic missiles are meant to further i

The Agnipath Scheme: Overcoming structural flaws
Jul 04, 2022

The Agnipath Scheme: Overcoming structural flaws

The Agnipath Scheme might appear to be feasible on paper but won’t pan out well in practice.

The Agnivir Scheme: Only the test of fire will make fine steel
Jun 27, 2022

The Agnivir Scheme: Only the test of fire will make fine steel

The reforms that the Agnipath scheme entails will help revolutionise the Indian defence system.

The agony and irony of Imran Khan’s disqualification
Oct 22, 2022

The agony and irony of Imran Khan’s disqualification

Election Commission of Pakistan’s disqualification of highly popular former Prime Minister Imran Khan will have far-reaching consequences for the co

The AIIMS cyberattack reflects India’s critical vulnerabilities
Dec 03, 2022

The AIIMS cyberattack reflects India’s critical vulnerabilities

In the quest for digitalisation, India has become an easy target for cyberattacks due to poor cybersecurity

The Al Qaeda Striptease
Sep 02, 2004

The Al Qaeda Striptease

ACT 1: March 2002. Abu Zubaidah, a Palestinian member of Al Qaeda, was arrested in Faislabad in Pakistani Punjab by the Pakistani authorities and handed over to the USA's Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). He was the operational chief of Al Qaeda; his arrest was a major breakthrough, we were told. This is hardly supported by the report of the 9/11 Commission.

The al Qaeda Striptease Continues
May 05, 2005

The al Qaeda Striptease Continues

How big a catch is Abu Faraj al-Libbi, a 40-year-old Libyan married to a Pakistani, fluent in Urdu and Arabic and suffering from lucoderma, whose arrest was announced by the Pakistani authorities at Islamabad on May 4,2005?

The Allahabad High Court Verdict on Ayodhya and the Popular Will
Oct 07, 2010

The Allahabad High Court Verdict on Ayodhya and the Popular Will

While the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board is well within its right to appeal to the Supreme Court against the Allahabad High Court verdict, the VHP's reaction does not represent the people's will at all.

The Alliance of Sahel States: A regional crisis in troubled West Africa
Mar 01, 2024

The Alliance of Sahel States: A regional crisis in troubled West Africa

The establishment of the Alliance of Sahel States by Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger and their withdrawal from ECOWAS undoes the decades of regional int

The ambiguities in India's attempt at data protection
Dec 17, 2022

The ambiguities in India's attempt at data protection

While the new DPDPB 2022 is a more comprehensive bill, the underlined aim is to protect the data fiduciaries than to protect users from exploitation.

The American Millennium Challenge Corporation and Nepal
Mar 09, 2022

The American Millennium Challenge Corporation and Nepal

By overcoming the multiple challenges posed against the MCC, the Nepalese government was finally able to ratify the long-delayed agreement.

The Americas: Trump was not just another brick in the ‘wall’
Nov 02, 2020

The Americas: Trump was not just another brick in the ‘wall’

Looking beyond ‘The Wall’: Continuity and Change in US policy towards the Americas under the Trump Administration

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Indian Territory, Regional Potential
Sep 27, 2021

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Indian Territory, Regional Potential

Often referred to as among the most strategically located island chains in the world, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are critical for India’s strategic interests. The islands comprise the sole archipelago in the Bay and they straddle important sea channels. As the long-standing protectionist regime in the islands morphs into a more flexible form of governance that will balance development with conservation, the stage appears set for India to c

The Andijan uprising - the Back Ground
May 16, 2005

The Andijan uprising - the Back Ground

The violent uprising of the people of Andijan in Uzbekistan on May 13,2005, seems to have been crushed for the time being by the Uzbek authorities with heavy force, resulting in the death of at least 20 civilians. The anti-Government elements, which organised the uprising, claim to have captured 30 Uzbek soldiers and to be keeping them in their custody.

The Arab divide on Syria
Sep 02, 2013

The Arab divide on Syria

The Libyan case is vastly different from that of Syria. The maverick Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi had few friends in the Arab League. Unlike Libya, Syria is a critical element of the regional balance of power in the Middle East.

The Arab Gulf’s outreach to Iran amidst a flailing nuclear deal
Aug 24, 2022

The Arab Gulf’s outreach to Iran amidst a flailing nuclear deal

With the Arab Gulf states hoping to renew ties with Iran, a collective-diplomacy approach has now kicked in.

The Arab League Summit: Saudi Arabia projects authority by hosting Syria and Ukraine
May 25, 2023

The Arab League Summit: Saudi Arabia projects authority by hosting Syria and Ukraine

The recent Arab League Summit showcased Saudi Arabia’s attempt to bring change in its foreign policy approach

The Arab Spring & India: Promises and Challenges
Jul 20, 2011

The Arab Spring & India: Promises and Challenges

Saeed Naqvi, Distinguished Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, traveled to Bahrain, Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, Baghdad, Najaf, Amman, Cairo, Jerusalem and Ramallah after the Arab Spring broke out. Earlier, he visited Tunisia, Iran, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan, Western Sahara and Libya. In this paper, he shares his first-hand experiences and discussions with leaders and diplomats, many of whom have requested anonymity. This paper follows

The Arab Spring at 10: A more complex West Asia
Dec 19, 2020

The Arab Spring at 10: A more complex West Asia

The Arab Spring taught everyone that democracy, transition and political movements are not a spectator sport, but require rigour, time, planning and c

The Army's law can be harsh but going soft can make things worse
May 30, 2018

The Army's law can be harsh but going soft can make things worse

Major Leetul Gogoi was commended when he broke the law by taking a Kashmiri civilian hostage. Now, the army is holding a second court of inquiry for another alleged act of indiscipline or worse.

The arrival of air taxis: A need for a new drone policy
Jan 05, 2024

The arrival of air taxis: A need for a new drone policy

With commercial drone operation just around the corner, relevant guidelines need to be introduced to ensure the smooth and safe functioning