This article examines China’s response to Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover in August 2021, focusing on the implications for the BRI. Employing R for text analysis, the article uncovers China’s nuanced sentiments—balancing optimism and caution amid the prevailing uncertainties surrounding the Taliban regime. China’s prioritization of security concerns in Afghanistan, addressing both Xinjiang’s stability and Afghanistan’s internal security situation, takes precedence over immediate economic interests, notably the BRI.
The unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or the unmanned aircraft, commonly called ‘drones’, have emerged as the new face of a technologically oriented warfare today. They provide the state with the technological capabilities to strike with utmost accuracy without the risk of endangering human lives of the armed forces. Today, drones have become the strategic weapons of choice for most of the states, including India.
It is extremely hard to assess prospects for the 2016 MSP. There have been a number of preparatory events in the run-up to this MSP. However, if there is no outcome from this Meeting of State Parties (MSPs), it is unlikely that agreement could be reached before 2021 BWC Review meeting. This MSP was the final chance for a BWC inter-sessional process. It is likely that governments will move activities to reduce deliberate biological threats away from the BWC. It would then be harder to promote discussions on the subject of deliberate biological threats. This would weaken the position of Geneva-based diplomats to influence policy on the BWC. And what would be the potential areas for future work for a programme on BWC between now and 2021 is now anyone's guess.
The Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction usually referred to as the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), or Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) is the first multilateral disarmament treaty banning the production of an entire category of weapons, entering into force in 1975. The Eighth BWC Review Conference was recently held at Geneva from November 7-25, 2016, Unfortunately, it appears to have flattened for the lack of consensus among the member-states until the next conference in 2021.
In a significant turn of events, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on September 24, 2005, adopted a resolution (22-1 with 12 countries abstaining) calling upon Iran to accelerate its cooperation with the Agency in terms of revealing its ‘secret’ nuclear programme failing which the issue will be referred to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).1 Althoug
In a predictable policy statement, the US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nonproliferation, Andrew Sammel, remarked at the just concluded NPT Review Conference that India should eventually sign the NPT as a non-nuclear weapon state. He asserted: “The situation in South Asia (also) poses unique challenges. Let me reiterate that the United States remains committed to NPT universality.” But at the same time he also highlighted the fact that neither India nor Pakistan may join the Treaty for the foreseeable future.
The agenda of the NPT Rev Con, currently underway in New York, has now been finalized. Moreover, the Chairman of the Rev Con, Ambassador Sergio Duarte of Brazil has also been able to finalize upon the three Main Committees (MC) and the three Subsidiary Bodies (SB). These three subsidiary bodies will look into three important issues: practical steps towards disarmament (SB1), regional issues including the issue of Middle East (SB2) and the issue of withdrawal from the NPT (SB3).
India and the NPT
In a predictable policy statement, the US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nonproliferation, Andrew Sammel, remarked at the just concluded NPT Review Conference that India should eventually sign the NPT as a non-nuclear weapon state. He asserted: “The situation in South Asia (also) poses unique challenges. Let me reiterate that the United States remains committed to NPT universality.” But at the same time he also highlighted the fact that neither India nor Pakistan may join the Treaty for the foreseeable future.