Comment & Briefs

While the Japanese government is facing pressure from the Tokyo Metropolitan government, Ishigaki municipal assembly and the main opposition LDP to nationalise the Senkaku Islands, a section of Japanese people have been asking it not to provoke China.

While overseas coal acquisition is a priority for both the government and private players, an important issue confronting them is the transportation of the acquired resources to the domestic market.

Given the urgent need to build strategic roads along the India-China border, the Ministry of Home has sanctioned Rs.1,934 crore for strategic road projects of about 804 kms.

To maintain our cultural heritage, it is vital that the state encourages the study of Sanskrit and impart vigour to reworking Sanskrit texts like that of the Arthsastra of Chanakya.

The question of Pakistan’s disintegrating domestic realm and the ramifications of this on national security calculi has not been factored in the post-withdrawal phase as the probability of military responsibilities to be undertaken by regional actors, including India, becomes real.

Unless Pakistan opens the NATO supply route, it is very unlikely that the US will transfer any coalition support funds, thus creating serious trouble for the aid-dependent Pakistani economy.

Political change in Myanmar is palpable and a sensitive and proactive approach is required to prevent the initiative slipping from India’s hands.

Nepal’s Constituent Assembly did have some positive achievements, the most important among these being the integration of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of the UCPN-M, although it failed to fulfil its other main task of finalising a constitution.

Repeated acts of targeting infrastructure speak of Maoist intentions: paralyse normal life, sabotage economic activity, dictate terms and allow life and economic activity only on their “terms and conditions.”

While expanding the SCO mandate and reviewing the membership criteria are some of the issues that make the Beijing summit a vital one, contentious global issues like Iran also lend the summit greater importance.