Thru’ the Desk of the Editor
Editorial: Perceptions, Perimeters, Partnerships and Power
India and China are not friends for four key reasons: Deep seated differences over their perceptions of each other, their territorial perimeters, and their strategic partnerships with big powers, as well as asymmetry of power between them. Negative perceptions of each other and profound differences over their perimeters are compounded by the fact that they have not been strategic partners. They have both partnered Soviet Union / Russia and U.S. at various times but never have been in partnership with each other. There is a power- gap between them. Read More
Taliban 2.0
Currently, the government of Taliban in Afghanistan is coherent to a high degree of governance over the lives of most of the Afghans living under their rule. Well defined committees govern the sectors of finance, education, health, taxation, law and order, justice and enforcement of religious edicts, with clear chain of command from the leadership in Kabul down to the villages. Read More
Diaspora a key in strengthening India-US relations under Modi Government
Indo-US relations have come a long way since India’s Independence. From estranged democracies, during the cold war, they became engaging democracies in the post-cold war period. In the 21st Century, various changing internal and external factors have contributed immensely to strengthening this relationship. One of those catalyst instruments has been the Indian Diaspora. Indo-US relations have been significantly shaped and reshaped over the years by the Indian-Americans. Prime Minister Narendra Modi since 2014 has capitalized on the Indian diaspora as a link between India and America to its core. Narendra Modi has kept the Indian diaspora at the forefront to recalibrate India-US relations through open public engagements in Silicon Valley, election rallies, cultural outreach, political lobbies, economic engagement through Make in India, ease of doing business policies and Philanthropy, etc. Read More
India in the Global Supply Chain Disruptions: A Geoeconomics’ Perspective
The disruptions to global supply chains due to COVID-19 and some of the recent geopolitical events like the Russia-Ukraine Crisis have heavily impacted sourcing, logistics, production, distribution, and aftermarket services. Despite two years into the pandemic, the nations are still looking for new strategies to coexist with the Covid-19 virus and its new variants, without shutting down their economies due to lockdowns. As the vaccinations began, mostof the countries had reopened their borders. This prompted the reassessment of business strategies for sustaining this unforeseen challenge of the pandemic to the supply chain management that is here to stay. As a country like India depends heavily on imports of crude oil for over three-fourths of its energy needs, these events will have a significant impact on the cost of production, warehousing, and transportation. Hence, it is important to assess the challenges and implications of the Global Supply Chain Crisis that emerged due to pandemics and can be seen getting worse with the Russia-Ukraine war. Read More
American Withdrawal from Afghanistan and Taliban Takeover - Implications for India
Although landlocked, Afghanistan has always occupied a position of geopolitical significance and has been meeting point of four ecological and cultural areas: West Asia, Central Asia, Indian subcontinent and Far East, for Pamir Mountains intrude into Chinese Sinkiang (Dupree, 1973). Afghanistan’s history clearly demonstrates that regional context and external involvement can create or disrupt peace building process. It is in interest of regional states to stabilise the volatility within the area and develop joint approach towards Afghanistan that can secure more lasting peace (Strand & Harpviken. 2002). While many states in neighbourhood are weak in many respects, they tend to command significant coercive capacity in Afghanistan (Harpviken, 2010). Read More
QUAD: India’s Opportunity to Emerge as Pivotal Indo-Pacific Power
The Indo-Pacific region and its security has become the policy priority of the countries in the region and the powers as it is set to become the center of gravity of world trade and commerce. The region has been the scene of multiple and overlapping territorial claims and disputes especially in the South China Sea with increasing Chinese aggressive assertiveness and unilateral actions particularly in the South China Sea. Thus maintenance of sustained security and stability in this region of promising prosperity has assumed a focused concern of the democracies and the Quad has demonstrated considerable cooperation and vision for a stable Indo-pacific the face of challenge of rising and assertive China. Read More
Book Review: India’s China Challenge – A Journey Through China’s Rise and What it Means for India
Ananth Krishnan has served as China correspondent for The Hindu and lives in Beijing. He was a Visiting Fellow at Brookings India in 2019. He has also served as Beijing-based Associate Editor at India Today Group until August 2018. He holds master’s degree in Social Sciences from University of Chicago. Ananth Krishnan has been covering China from China for over a decade. He first moved to China in summer of 2008. During decade in China, he had a ringside view of China’s remarkable transformation. From the more disciplined and understated Hu Jintao to dark, unbridled nationalism of Xi Jiping. Ananth Krishnan has mastered Chinese language and gained deep and unique insights into politics, society and economy of China and hence is in a position to enlighten us on the two most populous countries and their inter-relations. Read More
