BRICS: India’s Costly Timepass

The five countries have been unable to take even one meaningful tangible economic initiative since their inception. The much hyped BRICS Bank has expectedly emerged with a whimper as have so many previous such attempts at creating alternatives to the Bretton Woods twins. Extending the Putin analogy, the Indian elephant would do well to keep its eyes firmly on the ongoing dance of the eagle and the dragon and working to distance the two from each other.

West versus Rest

The world is no longer unipolar .  A cluster of powers is emerging now .While US remains pre-eminent but it is not the same hyper power as before. As predicted earlier by SAI , alliances are now being formed with or against US. An analysis of basic global power equations indicates  “West versus Rest”  clusters [...]

Paradoxes of a Nuclear Iran

A nuclear Iran ultimately may be a far less dangerous proposition to starting a war to prevent the Iranian bomb.

Syrian Spring Rolls Over

India’s vote in favour of the west also antagonizes Russia. In the choice between the West and the rest, India has chosen pragmatism over principles. China and Russia are noticing these repeated Indian efforts to protect its short term economic goals and efforts to shore up support for the UNSC with concern. By siding with the West we have opened up another vista in playing balancing games between US and SCO.

Iran-Pakistan Relations and India

Iran is key to India’s Middle East and Central Asia policies, apart from being a major contributor to India’s growing energy needs. In terms of connectivity, it is the major hub through which India draws strength to meet its ambition of connecting with Central Asian Republics (CAR) and Afghanistan.

There are two major impediments to realisation of these ambitions. First, the US – Iran relations where sanctions by US have deeply affected India’s latitude to deal freely with Iran. The second is the Iran – Pakistan relations in the light of deteriorating US – Pakistan matrix which is being exploited by Russia, China and Iran to form an axis against US in the region. A similar equation holds good in view of Syria’s political turmoil leading to an impending or arrived civil war.

Debating Russia Pakistan Relations

Russia’s (re)entry into the now emerging game in Af Pak signals a new great game for influence in the region. On the larger plane this may be a SCO backed initiative to marginalise US influence in the region. However, amidst the above stated chaos, Russia’s designs of building a house in Indian Ocean may not be very viable, at least for now. We need to watch this space.

Demystifying the New World Order in Middle East

In this maze of activities redefining the New World Order in Middle East a lot is at stake not only for the middle east but South Asia and the world as such. Much in league with Mr Jamal Wakim’s assertions, Israel and the west may get deeper into the struggle now called West versus the Rest. While it would be difficult for the West to replicate Libya in Syria, an attack on Iran would alter the geopolitical geometry totally.

Not Just Another BRICS on the Wall!

The summit aimed at addressing several important issues and initiate new plans for the group. Such initiatives included economic ones like forming a group bank, cross-linking of stock exchanges, energy and currency, and political issues involved between the member nations.

NATO Realigns

Group Profile Portugal Summit Redefining Threats NATO leaders on Friday adopted a new Strategic Concept that will serve as the alliance’s roadmap for the next 10 years and that reconfirms the commitment to defend one another against attack as the bedrock of Euro-Atlantic security. The document lays out NATO’s vision for an evolving alliance that will remain [...]

Indo US Relations – The Russian Factor

Sumit Ganguly argues that Good Indo-Russian relations need not necessarily come at the cost of a robust Indo-U.S. relationship. However, bilateral ties aren’t formed or maintained of their own accord. If Obama continues to neglect India, other powers—many of which see the U.S. has a strategic competitor—will step into the breach. Given all the authoritarian regimes, terrorism and the tenuous economic recovery in Asia, can Obama really allow U.S.-India relations to backslide into the mutual neglect last seen during the Cold War?

Next Page »