COMMENTARIES
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China’s Defence Chief Visit: A Call Overdue
Dipankar Banerjee · 10 Sep, 2012 · #3719 · Commentary
Friendly visits by defence ministers of neighboring countries are always welcome. Especially welcome is the visit of General Liang Guanglie, the defence chief of India’s northern neighbour, which comes after an eight years interregnum.&nbs...
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Yang Yechi in Southeast Asia: A fruitful Visit?
Teshu Singh · 10 Sep, 2012 · #3718 · Commentary
The Chinese foreign Minister Yang Yechi visited three Southeast Asia countries – Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei during 9 -13 August 2012. The visit came right after two specific developments - the failure of the ASEAN to come up with a com...
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Maldives: Plight of a Free Media
Annapoorna Karthika · 07 Sep, 2012 · #3717 · Commentary
In 2004, Maldives embarked on the path toward adopting a democratic status when then President Gayoom, under mounting pressure for reforms, announced plans for significant political reforms which included the drafting of a new constitution. Betw...
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Tibet and the Pursuit of Happiness
Bhavna Singh · 07 Sep, 2012 · #3716 · Commentary
In a most unabashed mockery of the abysmal state of people in Tibet, China Central Television (CCTV) recently announced in its ‘Economic Survey list of China’s happiest cities’ that Lhasa bags this honour with highest claims. M...
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North Korea: Reforms Imminent?
Ruhee Neog · 29 Aug, 2012 · #3715 · Commentary
Talk about North Korea’s satellite launch in April 2012 is now being followed by a slew of speculations about political change and possible economic reforms on the horizon. What has prompted these speculations? More importantly, could ther...
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Special Commentary: Two Decades of India’s Look East Policy
Navrekha Sharma · 29 Aug, 2012 · #3714 · Commentary
Twenty years after the words ‘Look East’ were introduced into India’s foreign policy lexicon, a book titled Two decades of India’s Look East Policy: Partnership for Peace, Progress and Prosperity published by Ma...
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Resilience amidst Conflict: Women of Kashmir
Zainab Akhter · 28 Aug, 2012 · #3713 · Commentary
In armed conflict, the experiences of women are varied. From victims to survivors, and from peace-builders to perpetrators of conflict, the categories of classification are indeed numerous. In the context of the conflict in Kashmir, however, wha...
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Vietnam: Gay Pride Parade
Amruta Karambelkar · 24 Aug, 2012 · #3712 · Commentary
Early August, around 100 persons took to streets in Hanoi as part of a gay pride parade. The procession came at the backdrop of an announcement to legalise same sex marriage in the country. The event received significant media attention, some de...
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India: Double Speak on Nuclear Disarmament
PR Chari · 24 Aug, 2012 · #3711 · Commentary
Call it unintended irony. But India’s Foreign Minister and National Security Adviser using a forum to discuss the resurrected Rajiv Gandhi Action Plan and the Holy Grail of nuclear disarmament to emphasise India’s devotion to nuclear...
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Attack on Pakistan’s Kamra Airbase: What Next for Pakistan and the TTP?
D Suba Chandran · 23 Aug, 2012 · #3710 · Commentary
The attack on a Pakistan airbase on 15 August 2012 was a grim reminder of an earlier attack on PNS Mehran in May 2011. While a section would consider this to be a tipping point, a cursory look at the reactions to such attacks in the past would i...