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It is a reality today that the US-India relationship is on a somewhat arid plateau. It is unable to meet the expectations placed on it and the reason for that is the increasing lack of what can be called "strategic trust" between New Delhi and Washington.

Parliamentarians were supposed to meet in the afternoon of December 13 to honour those who died saving them five years ago. Instead, they woke up to the horror stories of their Eleven accepting bribes for agreeing to do something they were in any case elected to do - raise issues in Parliament. It is ironic that the exposé took place on December 13.

The jury is still out on the likely purchase of the much talked of ShinMaywa US 2i — the Japanese amphibious airplane by India for Navy

The US has done some serious weight-lifting to break down its own barriers to closer defence ties with India, and has taken away the plank that it isn't sincere. Can India do the same? Dr. Carter and his team have left a legacy which can be built upon. It is just the end of the beginning.

US-Pak relations are like high risk aerobatics. The plane nosedives, loops up, cruises at varying altitudes, takes a few spins and steadies.

The tripartite meeting between Afghanistan, Pakistan and the US representatives on August 2 took place against the backdrop of souring relationships, killing of Osama bin Laden and President Barak Obama's 2014 withdrawal plan.

The expansion of access to affordable drugs will play a central role in addressing present and future global health challenges. Given the vast social implications of increased access to medicines, the Indian patent system has historically maintained a pro-public health stand. However, the international political community is increasingly advocating for stricter patent regimes and India can no longer continue to ignore the pressure exerted by deve

This paper aims to analyse the reasons for the rise of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, its characteristics, the primary drivers for the growing menace and international responses; it also compares the differences in modus operandi between Gulf of Guinea and Somalian piracy. Till the early 1980s, piracy was often dismissed as being “archaic Tand folklore of the past”, rarely entering the main maritime discourse. But true to its nature, ‘moder

Twenty-six persons were killed and over a hundred injured by two explosions in Dimapur, the only railway station in Nagaland in India's North-East, on October 2, 2004, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The same day, in a series of co-ordinated attacks in different places in Assam, also in the North-East, involving the use of hand-held weapons, hand-granades and explosives,19 persons were killed.

In spite of its modest economic weight in the initial years, the New Development Bank (NDB) can change the ethos of development finance irreversibly. Rather than replacing or supplanting existing development finance institutions, the NDB will seek to supplement existing resources.

For steady growth in the face of fragile geopolitical contestations, New Delhi needs access to different platforms to pursue interests in multiple geographies

This paper examines current water management ideologies and practices and the impact they create on strategies for pan-Asian connectivity. It suggests that 'business-as-usual' management principles and the harnessing of transboundary rivers tend to undermine efforts at achieving economic and ecological sustainability goals, as well as meeting long-term development challenges. The Mekong and Ganga basin regions, in particular, suffer from inadequa

Massive populations in many parts of the world, including in India, continue to grapple with lack of access to clean and safe water. This paper studies the case of Delhi. It describes the conditions under which water is produced and supplied to domestic consumers in Delhi and explains the capacity of the water and sewerage agency to discharge its duties. The analysis finds challenges in five aspects related to water supply in Delhi: quantity; qua

In a recent interview, former Punjab chief minister and current Tamil Nadu Governor Surjit Singh Barnala said India's move to export wheat seeds to Pakistan in 1978 played a considerable role in thawing the relations between the two countries.

Could there exist identifiable ways of thinking that are distinctive to the Indian and Chinese psyches, and if so, what might the implications reveal? Could they throw light on some frequently asked questions like: What explains the Chinese prowess in infrastructure and manufacturing? Will China ever become a democracy? Will China and India be friends? The author ponders on these questions, revealing some fascinating insights that could pave the

The failed attack on the Indian consulate in Jalalabad on August 3, and the conspiracy to attack the Indian ambassador in Afghanistan, reported in Mail Today the day before that, are indications that we need to plan for the worsening scenario in Afghanistan, rather than for an optimistic one.

Though China has gained from the Ukraine crisis, the present situation also places China in a diplomatic bind. A strong proponent of the absolute nature of sovereignty, it does not support separatist movements.

Recent public mobilisations in certain Western countries of separatists demanding that a homeland for Sikhs be created in Punjab (or Khalistan) are raising concerns about the threats that these groups pose to India’s security. Tamil Eelam nationalists are also continuing to mobilise themselves in activities hostile to Sri Lanka that openly display militant iconography and messages. What motivates host countries, such as Canada and the United Ki

If the 20th CCP meet, which began on Sunday, enhances Xi Jinping’s power, it would reinforce trends associated with his tenure: Assertiveness abroad, no compromises on boundary issues, and a willingness to use the military as an instrument of policy

Backing Moscow beyond a point is likely to hurt Beijing’s economic plans and long-term interests

Reported problems with a new communications satellite have once again placed New Delhi’s space capabilities under scrutiny.

Geography necessitates that India play a role in the Belt and Road Initiative, but it is the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor that’s keeping it away.

While Indian officials have participated in events where the Taliban have been present, India has been content to let others take the lead. We have, therefore, been unable to plan options for ensuring security of both the Indian nationals working in Afghanistan as well the diplomats at our embassy in Kabul, and this remains the primary responsibility at the moment.

How can we differentiate ourselves from China whilst dealing with Africa? Clearly the worst option would be to emulate the muscular Chinese style of economic diplomacy. For one we just don't have the firepower. For another the principle of comparative advantage advocates that everyone must play to their strengths.

Friendly Indo-Bangla relations will play a major role in securing peace and prosperity in the South Asia and these can be achieved with sincere initiatives by the government in resolving outstanding issues. India's Bangla policy could be a for the new government in dealing with other countries in the Neighbourhood.

The Congress ended with the insertion of the ‘Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese characteristics for a New Era’ into the Party constitution, confirming Xi as the most powerful Chinese leader since Deng Xiaoping.

As India, China, US and the European Union grapple with the need for equitable and meaningful climate action, strategies are also needed to address the differing needs and capabilities of the sub-national entities that make up these big players.

Settle the border with India. With increasing US pressure, it is in China’s interest.

The Government of Myanmar, in the past few weeks, has played host to a number of high-ranking foreign officials. These include the likes of the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

With more nations building their nuclear arsenal, the Indo-Pacific is becoming a high-risk place.

Will the globalization of the economic relationship trump the geo-politics that is being played out in East and South East Asia? For the US, the dilemma is acute, for it cannot ignore the pleas of its allies in the region nor allow an incremental drift to take place in the relationship.

The civil society outfits need to remind themselves that the discredited polity that they have sought to replace have their own uses, roles and responsibilities - which the former cannot shoulder unless they themselves convert to being one.

China continues to warn regional players of negative consequences of their actions. Yet, it is Beijing’s own behaviour that is reshaping the Indo-Pacific landscape

According to the Planning Commission, rural poverty has declined faster than urban poverty regardless. If this is true, it would definitely have got reflected in better housing and sanitation. It would also have meant a decline in malnourished children and maternal death. But the census figures show a different picture.

The BJP has tried to play smart politics with its insulting break with Mehbooba Mufti. The fallout of the move could envelope Kashmir in distress — and hurt the BJP too.

With the sheer volume of free — occasionally dubious and sometimes outright fake — content available online, one wonders if the news business can ever be rescued in India.

The rising tempo of Chinese deployments in Tibet should be of concern to New Delhi.

Why was there no Big Bang change in the Budget? After all, the Modi government had the full mandate to do so. Why was the FM playing with Lego like blocks instead of huge building blocks? It could be because the time was short and the Budget was put together in a hurry.

One of the key Chinese objectives in initiating the Doklam standoff seems to be testing India’s resolve to stand by Bhutan. Leaving Bhutan to its devices at this juncture cannot be good for India’s elusive pursuit of regional primacy.

Europe has to come to grips with the fact that not even the USA is strong enough to create a new order anywhere in the world, neither in Afghanistan nor in the Middle East. Instead, anything that will increase the conflict without an achievable goal will play into the hands of the IS.

While superficial similarities between the recent Gurdaspur attack and the Mumbai attack may be apparent, there are major differences in the manner both planned and executed. The scale of the attack itself suggests that it certainly doesn't seem to have had the support of the highest echelons of power as in the Mumbai attack.

India's objections to Pakistan's plan of holding an election in Gilgit-Baltistan region and New Delhi's protests to Chinese activity there need to seen in the wider context of Sino-Pak nexus.

The G20 — with its mix of developing and developed countries — offers the perfect platform for India to infuse partner nations with foundational ideas

Under a bilateral agreement water data on the Brahmaputra is shared by China with India on the Brahmaputra, but a weak understanding of hydrology means that the data is coming from the wrong places

The idea of hotline, now stuck up on protocol issues, will play a role in reducing tensions between India and China.

The US merely followed the lead of Britain in pushing the UN resolutions of 1948 making a dispute out of India’s complaint of Pakistani aggression in Kashmir.

Despite 70 years of unremitting and implacable hostility, New Delhi still does not know how to deal with Islamabad.

A country that spends 15 per cent of its Central expenditure on national defence (armed forces and DRDO) and 23 per cent on national security (armed forces and all other security forces like para-military, police) must explain to its citizens as to whether its spending on security is justifiably utilised or not.

Though India has decided to cut down oil from Iran and thereby, for the time being, might have placated the US, it, however, cannot afford to ignore Iran either - for a myriad of reasons.

New Delhi and Washington need to be mindful of the larger Asian strategic issues that have brought the two closer in the first place.