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Swaraj in Beijing, with eyes on border
Feb 03, 2015

Swaraj in Beijing, with eyes on border

Even before the hype over US President Barack Obama's visit to Delhi has died down, the Modi government is on the move to enhance its ties with China. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's ongoing China visit is an important part of this effort.

Swaraj's Beijing visit creates right atmosphere for Modi's visit
Feb 13, 2015

Swaraj's Beijing visit creates right atmosphere for Modi's visit

After Sushma Swaraj's successful visit to Beijing, which managed to create a certain degree of 'warmth' in China's attitude towards India, now all eyes will be on Mr Modi's visit to China in May. But before that the border talks that are going to be held soon will play a key role in determining the course of events.

Sweet-and-sour menu
Jul 30, 2010

Sweet-and-sour menu

With a $4-trillion economy and laudable efforts at lifting 300 million people out of poverty, China today appears more socially cohesive than before.

Symbolic, and No More...
Jul 19, 2010

Symbolic, and No More...

Having the Union Cabinet now accepted a new globally identifiable symbol for the Indian Rupee, designed by Udayakumar, New Delhi may need to consider ways to take the horse to where it should belong, if it, together with the cart, has to be a driving force.

Syria not falling soon, notwithstanding Indian vote at UN
Feb 13, 2012

Syria not falling soon, notwithstanding Indian vote at UN

Like road repair gangs working on different stretches of a highway, the same gang of Arabs and their western minders are proceeding from Libya to Syria to.....sorry, hang on. Syria is proving to be a much tougher project than earlier imagined.

Syria to shake Obama-Putin handshake in New York
Sep 28, 2015

Syria to shake Obama-Putin handshake in New York

The issue of radical Islamism remains Russia's fundamental concern in Syria. Having fought two Chechen wars, it would not want another conflict to erupt on its territory. If either the ISIS or the rebels succeed in overthrowing Assad, there is a huge likelihood of expansion of jihadist activity to the Caucasus and southern Russia.

Syria will drag down Turkey
Jun 29, 2012

Syria will drag down Turkey

Turkey needs is to revert to a policy of peace with all its neighbour. CIA Special Forces operating from Turkey will harm Turkey more than they will Syria.

Syria: At the threshold
Oct 27, 2011

Syria: At the threshold

Everywhere in Syria the grand conspiracy of the US, Israel, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar to overthrow the Assad regime is feverishly discussed. Turkey reportedly tried to mediate in this crisis by suggesting that Muslim Brotherhood should be included in the negotiations, but Damascus refused since the Brotherhood is a religious grouping.

Syria: India should step up engagements with major States
Sep 09, 2013

Syria: India should step up engagements with major States

Though realism suggests India cannot directly influence the evolution of the Syrian situation, India must more actively partake in the international debate on Syria and step up its political engagement with all major states in the region, said experts at a brainstorming on Syria.

Tackling Terror: Calibrated restraint, incremental pressure needed
Apr 30, 2005

Tackling Terror: Calibrated restraint, incremental pressure needed

The view from Dhaka was summed up in a journal thus: ¿The cumulative case against a dependable relationship between India and Bangladesh is a very strong one¿ since Bangladesh suffers from ¿a serious lack of bargaining power¿ and hence needs ¿a viable strategy of alliances with China, Burma, Nepal and Pakistan¿. Adventurism is its logical outcome.

Tactics & Counter-tactics: PWG NAxals & Security Forces
Mar 13, 2004

Tactics & Counter-tactics: PWG NAxals & Security Forces

Naxalites of the People¿s War Group (PWG) and the security forces (SF) continuously devise tactics and counter-tactics to defeat one another. In a latest move, the SFs formed Counter Action Teams (CAT) to target the Permanent Action Teams (PAT) of the PWG. The tactic achieved its first success in Warangal District, Andhra Pradesh (AP). On April 11, 2004 two prominent Naxalites were hunted down by a CAT in the district, after reportedly engaging

Taiwan: Challenges before re-elected President Ma
Jan 18, 2012

Taiwan: Challenges before re-elected President Ma

The election results in Taiwan show that the voters have endorsed President Ma Ying-jeou's policy of maintaining good relations with Beijing. But whether such strategy will further make Taiwan safe remains unclear.

Take banks to villages - Financial inclusion necessary for growth
Sep 13, 2010

Take banks to villages - Financial inclusion necessary for growth

THE recent land rights issue of the Niyamgiri hills in Orissa seems to have been resolved with Rahul Gandhi's intervention. We are relieved that the ancient Dongria Kondh tribal population would be able to save their hills from exploitation by commercial interests.

Take cyber security seriously
Feb 15, 2013

Take cyber security seriously

Till now India has seen cyber-security only as a simple issue of a malware or a virus. But cyber-security is about protecting India's digital assets from cyber invaders, as India is rapidly turning into a digital society.

Take it along
Mar 06, 2006

Take it along

The decision of the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Government to involve the representatives of the All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) as part of the dialogue process on Kashmir is strategic in principle. Though it may not be entirely wrong to question the extent of public support the Hurriyat leaders enjoy in Kashmir, it would be equally short-sighted to exclude them from any dialogue concerning Kashmir.

Taken for granted, and for a ride
Mar 14, 2013

Taken for granted, and for a ride

It is time we realised that the battle over Italian Marines is lost. Now we need to introspect and realise that, what people say to our faces and think of us are two very different things. And we have no one but ourselves to blame for living in La La Land.

Taking a wrong turn
Jun 06, 2006

Taking a wrong turn

Different states react differently to similar situations. When Israel is subjected to terrorist attacks, which is very often, the State reacts immediately and with force each time. In India, two days after Pakistan-backed terrorists kill innocent civilians in Srinagar, we send an official delegation to talk about cooperation in the war against terrorism with the sponsors of terrorism.

Taking India-Singapore partnership to newer heights
Sep 03, 2014

Taking India-Singapore partnership to newer heights

India and Singapore's efforts and strategic planning have brought the bilateral linkages between them to such a juncture that further opening up and adhering to the '5s plan' of the Indian foreign Minister will enhance their partnership and make them achieve newer heights.

Taking India-US ties forward
Aug 01, 2014

Taking India-US ties forward

Most observers blame a "trust deficit" for the current state of Indo-US relations. Actually, the idea of a "trust deficit" is merely a cover for the real problem - the lack of political will on either side to take the relationship between the two countries to the stage that the rhetoricians have been promising. Blame must be shared by both sides

Taking the Peace Momentum Forward
Sep 08, 2004

Taking the Peace Momentum Forward

By declaring that his talks with Pakistani counterpart, Khurshid Mehmud Kasuri would produce nothing dramatic or drastic, External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh might have robbed the event of the avoidable media hype, the like of which had attended on the ¿Agra summit¿ earlier. At the end of it, the two-day ministerial meeting in New Delhi was a cup that was not half-full. Nor was it half-empty. In turn, this indicated that the two Gover

Taking the Sri Lankan peace process forward
Nov 05, 2010

Taking the Sri Lankan peace process forward

The ORF conference stressed that the Sri Lankan state must be very sensitive towards creating the right perceptions about its policy of inclusiveness towards the Tamil minority

Taksim Square protests: Can it really be called the Turkish Spring?
Jul 06, 2013

Taksim Square protests: Can it really be called the Turkish Spring?

It's easier to compare the Taksim Square protests in Turkey to an Arab Spring, or a supposed tale of religious dictatorship versus freethinking democracy. But what actually lies underneath is a nation going through a debate over several ideologies and multiple identities.

Taksim Test
Aug 08, 2013

Taksim Test

Turkey, which had invested heavily in the success of Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood, was obviously agitated by the circumstances in which the Egyptian President had to go. The Turkish government had given them aid, advise and even garbage cans as a step towards improving the quality of governance.

Taleban's Hurrah at Kabul Intercontinental
Jul 02, 2011

Taleban's Hurrah at Kabul Intercontinental

Despite former President Musharraf's departure, neither the ISI nor the Army, could disengage itself from its dream - strategic depth in Afghanistan.

Taliban making political gains without any commitment
Mar 13, 2014

Taliban making political gains without any commitment

Recent political developments suggest that the Taliban is taking measures to gain important political points while not committing to anything concrete. The US-Afghan rift has not only created confusion regarding the future of the country but also given the Taliban some breathing Space.

Taliban trying a comeback
May 26, 2006

Taliban trying a comeback

By all accounts, the new Taliban is more aggressive, well armed and trained, in collaboration with Al Qaeda and other terrorist elements, determined to take over, to begin with, southern Afghanistan, despite the presence of coalition forces.

Taliban's piercing 'Spring Offensive' - dominance or desperation?
Jul 02, 2011

Taliban's piercing 'Spring Offensive' - dominance or desperation?

Increased insurgent violence in Afghanistan since the start of the Taliban's 'spring offensive' in May has further deteriorated the country's state of security.

Talibanisation of Punjab
Dec 09, 2007

Talibanisation of Punjab

There are increasing signs of Talibanisation striking roots in some of the districts of Punjab, the political and military centre of Pakistan, said Prof. Kalim Bahadur, well-known expert on Pakistan, during a discussion organised at Observer Research Foundation on September 12 in New Delhi.

Talk time
Feb 06, 2013

Talk time

As the Obama administration debates the speed of its military withdrawal from Afghanistan between now and 2014, there is mounting pressure on all parties to find negotiated solutions.

Talking to Maoists, and tackling insurgency
Aug 31, 2010

Talking to Maoists, and tackling insurgency

The Centre cannot be seen as taking tentative steps if and when the talks commenced, and get enmeshed in complications from the Law and Order (a State subject) to issues of tribal welfare, industrial investments, development, etc.

Talking to Pakistan Taliban: Will it work?
Sep 20, 2013

Talking to Pakistan Taliban: Will it work?

The Nawaz Sharif government's offer of the olive branch to TTP seems more like an act of desperation than a serious attempt to bring about stability in the country. As the previous deals with militants have shown, the outcomes have favoured militants more than the governments.

Talking to Taliban
Nov 22, 2012

Talking to Taliban

Any realistic assessment would suggest that the Taliban holds the key to the Afghan peace process. An Indian engagement with the Taliban does not mean a political endorsement of its ideology or worldview. Finding a way to talk to the Taliban must necessarily be a part of Delhi's Afghan policy mix.

Talking to Taliban: Is it going anywhere?
Jul 29, 2011

Talking to Taliban: Is it going anywhere?

Reconciliation with the Taliban is critical to the US transition plan for Afghanistan. Although there have been secret and persistent talks with some key elements of the Taliban leadership during the last two years, a tangible outcome has yet to emerge from these negotiations.

Talking to the Taliban
Jun 29, 2013

Talking to the Taliban

Pakistan has not given up its dream of controlling Afghanistan. It gives Rawalpindi an incredible reach and influence in the region and a legitimacy at home which has been under severe strain since the Abbottabad raid. The Taliban office in Doha is the first step towards such a goal. In that sense, the Doha office is a breakthrough for Rawalpindi more than any one else.

Talking to the Taliban: Between hope and experience
Sep 09, 2013

Talking to the Taliban: Between hope and experience

The release of seven Afghan prisoners by Pakistan over the weekend has raised hopes, once again, for a formal dialogue between Kabul and the Taliban leaders under the protection of Pakistan.

Talking Tokyo
May 27, 2013

Talking Tokyo

Don't provoke China has been the mantra behind New Delhi's recent "go slow" strategy with Japan. At the very moment when many Asian countries are frightened by the prospect of China's non-peaceful rise and are looking to Indian leadership in constructing a stable Asian balance of power, Delhi seems trapped in strategic hesitation.

Talks alone can solve Kashmir problem
Dec 14, 2013

Talks alone can solve Kashmir problem

It is obvious that the Kashmir problem has to be resolved only through negotiations between the two Prime Ministers. With the recent election results from the four States going against the UPA, it is likely that Pakistan may not make an effective push towards a solution of the issue till the next parliamentary elections are over.

Talks for amending the Constitution
Dec 19, 2014

Talks for amending the Constitution

US President Barak Obama's visit to Myanmar late last year has opened the political space in the country for discussing amendments to the nation's Constitution. A day after speaking to Obama on 30 October,

Talks of US leaving Afghanistan Premature
Oct 10, 2011

Talks of US leaving Afghanistan Premature

The Indo-Afghanistan strategic partnership is also an important backup for the region because of uncertainties on account of the run upto the US Presidential elections in November 2012.

Talks with Pakistan: Feel good factor of a different kind?
Jan 27, 2004

Talks with Pakistan: Feel good factor of a different kind?

In one of the most recent analytical pieces on this website it was very wisely quoted ¿Don't hear, listen. Listen to what is not being said¿ (sic) as regards the Indo ¿ Pakistan peace talks and their decision to hold a composite dialogue. Thus ironically while most peaceniks, in Pakistan and India are hailing this recent thaw in relations it remains advisable to be cautiously optimistic for the time being.

Tamil Nadu coast line needs protection
May 05, 2007

Tamil Nadu coast line needs protection

As part of the 'Maritime Security Programme (MSP) which was launched by the then Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Arun Prakash on 19th May 2006 at ORF Chennai, Observer Research Foundation (ORF), ORF Chennai Chapter conducted a day long seminar on "Tamil Nadu Coastal Development and Security: Challenges and Responses" on 5th May 2007.

Tamil Nadu: Coalition blues and Congress' options
Oct 19, 2010

Tamil Nadu: Coalition blues and Congress' options

In Tamil Nadu, conventional thinking has it that the Congress is the 'deciding factor' in the State and has rediscovered this limited role despite the entry of actor-politician Vijaykanth and his Desiya Murpokku Dravidar Kazhagam (DMDK),

TAPI: A reality check
Jun 06, 2012

TAPI: A reality check

The proposed TAPI pipeline goes through Kandahar, enters Balochistan, passes through Multan reaching India at Fazilka, Punjab. Given the nature of Pakistan-India relations one would have little confidence about the ability or even the intention of Pakistan to ensure uninterrupted supplies.

TAPI: What's in the pipeline?
May 22, 2012

TAPI: What's in the pipeline?

The TAPI pipeline is not merely about economics. Geo-political concerns have played a crucial role in pushing the project, especially the deteriorating US-Iran relationship, amongst others. Two US companies have evinced also keen interest.