COMMENTARIES
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Demilitarization in J&K: Politicization of National Security
Saroj Bishoyi · 26 Mar, 2008 · #2524 · Commentary
Apart from Pakistan and separatist groups, which have been demanding demilitarization, the People's Democratic Party (PDP) has also threatened to break up the ruling alliance if Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) is not demilitarized and the Armed ...
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Terror Bytes
Siddharth Ramana · 26 Mar, 2008 · #2523 · Commentary
The Indian government has allayed the fears of mobile phone subscribers that Blackberry technology will be banned in the country. Reports on moves on banning this popular technology were based on the fears that the Indian government’s inte...
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Public Diplomacy: Lessons for the Conduct of Indian Foreign Policy
Madhavi Bhasin · 26 Mar, 2008 · #2522 · Commentary
The realist dictum that power struggle dominates relations between states still holds good. Conflictual relations and clash of national interests continue to involve states in different forms of diplomacy. As the contours of the power struggle c...
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India's Inadequate Defence Budget 2008-09
Laxman Kumar Behera · 26 Mar, 2008 · #2521 · Commentary
The Union Budget 2008-09 allocated Rs.1,05,600 crores, or 10 per cent more than previous year's allocation, for defence. Crossing the Rs.1 lakh crores barrier for the first time, the defence budget looks impressive. However, the question rem...
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Nayagarh Attack: Maoist Penetration in Orissa
Devyani Srivastava · 26 Mar, 2008 · #2520 · Commentary
In their trademark style, the Maoists launched multiple attacks in February on several places including a police station, a police training school and an armory in the Nayagarh district of Orissa. The attacks were executed by a group of 500-600 ...
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Changed Scenario in Pakistan and Kashmir
Mushtaq Ahmad · 26 Mar, 2008 · #2519 · Commentary
The events of 9/11 and the subsequent American "war on terror" brought a perceptible shift in the course of Pakistan's foreign policy, evident from its volte face, particularly in its relations with its immediate neighbourhood. Pre...
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Minority Malaysians Reject Ethno-Centric Majoritarian Politics
Vibhanshu Shekhar · 18 Mar, 2008 · #2518 · Commentary
In an unprecedented political upheaval, the coalition front of Barisan Nasional (BN), which had been governing Malaysia since 1969, saw the biggest ever reduction in its political representation in the parliamentary and provincial elections, hel...
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China's Emergence as India's Largest Trade Partner
Bhartendu Kumar Singh · 18 Mar, 2008 · #2517 · Commentary
It is now official! China has emerged as India's largest trade partner, a position that was monopolized by the United States so far. This was revealed by the Economic Survey for 2007-2008, which said that'China's trade share during A...
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Four Crises and a Peace Process: American Engagement in South Asia
Sonali Huria & Rekha Chakravarthi · 17 Mar, 2008 · #2516 · Commentary
Report of Book Discussion held at the USI on 1 March 2008
Introductory Remarks: PR Chari
This book, the route to which was paved by a series of other books written on individual crisis, represents about 15 years of work. The entir...
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Cultural Tourism in the Look East Policy
Papori Phukan · 14 Mar, 2008 · #2515 · Commentary
Northeast India holds an advantageous position in India's Look East Policy (LEP) since the region provides an important historical and cultural linkage between Southeast Asia and India's Northeast. The case of the Tai-Ahoms of Assam brin...