Comment & Briefs

What makes the South China Sea compelling is its global strategic significance both in terms of trade and energy, which has given rise to the strategic presence of a dangerous number of actors cast in multiple roles.

Egypt is realizing that democracy is not an easily procured fruit, especially in a nation where political movements have been suppressed for decades and peoples’ sentiments can be easily swayed either way.

The issuance of these ordinances will not only add to the growing tensions in the disputed areas, specifically the South China Sea, but also add to the growing suspicions about Chinese intent.

Unity of purpose and synergy between state institutions required to deal with sectarian violence is largely missing and, as a result, the Pakistani state is responding to the growing Taliban threat in Karachi in a knee-jerk manner.

The events of the last ten days have once again focussed international attention on the DRC and lent support to voices clamouring for a review of the existing mandate of MONUSCO and the larger process by which these mandates are concretized.

Since the revolution that toppled Mubarak, Sinai has become a no man’s land where jihadists from Egypt and Gaza as well as local Bedouins have begun to engage in militant activities.

It is desirable that policies are not tinkered with after every change of command and are allowed to stabilise over a period of 5 to 10 years before they are reviewed for their efficacy.

MoD has to assume the leadership role and provide some kind of a single-window service to the defence industry to steer the offsets in a direction that helps achieve the objective of modernisation through self-reliance.

The SED is an important forum that can render valuable service to the cause of greater economic cooperation and work like an effective confidence building measure.

Obama’s visit strengthens the hands of President U Thein Sein and has raised expectation that it would encourage the Myanmar government to address the democratisation and ethnic challenges.