COMMENTARIES
  • Pokharan II: The Incestuous Debate
    PR Chari    ·   01 Oct, 2009    ·    #2976    ·    Commentary    
    Santhanam’s disclosure that the thermonuclear (hydrogen bomb) test in 1998 failed to reach expectations was known earlier. Initial doubts emerged among weapons designers abroad whether Indian nuclear scientists could have contained the yie...
  • Engaging Iran: “Bigger Carrots and Bigger Sticks”
    Tara Sarin    ·   25 Sep, 2009    ·    #2975    ·    Commentary    
    After almost a decade long struggle to engage Iran, the international community seems prepared to offer an ‘extended hand’ to Iran by finally launching a direct diplomatic dialogue combined with employing a new strategy of ‘big...
  • Where is the “Northern Spring” in Sri Lanka?
    N Manoharan    ·   23 Sep, 2009    ·    #2974    ·    Commentary    
    The Sri Lankan government’s socio-economic and political plans for the island’s north are called “Northern Spring.” It has two broad aspects: ‘Triple R’ and elections. Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruct...
  • LTTE : The Jihadi Connection
    Jeremie Lanche    ·   23 Sep, 2009    ·    #2973    ·    Commentary    
    In an article for the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism in March 2008, Shanaka Jayasekara analyzed the LTTE links with Islamic militant groups in South Asia and beyond. Jayasekara stated that as the LTTE benefited from its worldwide ...
  • Presidential Visit to Tajikistan: India among the Pamirs?
    Uddipan Mukherjee    ·   22 Sep, 2009    ·    #2972    ·    Commentary    
    Indian President Pratibha Patil made a quiet but strategic three-day state visit to the Central Asian Republic of Tajikistan from 6-8 September. She stated India’s commitment to assisting Tajikistan in nation building through Indian experi...
  • The 90,000 sq kms Sino-Indian tangle
    Mirza Zulfiqur Rahman    ·   18 Sep, 2009    ·    #2971    ·    Commentary    
    The state of Arunachal Pradesh on India’s northeastern frontier has been in the news recently for a variety of reasons. The state has really been the center of Sino-Indian contestations for the past few years over the question of territory...
  • Chinese Military 'Website' : Possible Interpretations
    Bhartendu Kumar Singh    ·   16 Sep, 2009    ·    #2970    ·    Commentary    
    Recently, China’s Ministry of National Defence (MND) opened itself to the rest of the world through an exclusive website, available in Chinese and English. While the initiative is only on a trial basis, it could stay put. Given the curiosi...
  • Playing National: Towards Karzai’s Re-election
    Jeremie Lanche    ·   16 Sep, 2009    ·    #2969    ·    Commentary    
    It could be weeks before the Afghan elections give the country a new Head of State. A low turnout, upcoming reports of “clear and convincing” evidence of fraud according to the Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC), threats of ethnic...
  • Emulating the US
    Firdaus Ahmed    ·   14 Sep, 2009    ·    #2968    ·    Commentary    
    The proceedings of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) are appropriately not in the public domain. Only its decisions, whenever required, are made known to the public, as was done in case of its endorsement of India’s nuclear doctrine ...
  • New Beginning for Indo-Bangladesh Ties
    Smruti S Pattanaik    ·   14 Sep, 2009    ·    #2967    ·    Commentary    
    The recent visit of Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni to India was the first official level after the Awami League (AL) assumed power. The joint statement issued after this visit includes many significant issues, such as, bilatera...
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