Comment & Briefs

Strengthening defence ties and broadening defence engagement between India and Saudi Arabia was the principal objective of Antony’s visit to Riyadh.

The growing violence and regional unpopularity of the Assad regime forced India to give up its erstwhile silence on Syria and vote against it both in the Security Council and General Assembly.

Knowing how slippery the democratic playfield can be and having a sense of who actually has fouled, as a sort of friendly referee, India should award a free kick to the player who has been knocked down.

With Russia’s increasing involvement in the Asia-Pacific region, it has become extremely important for Japan to build a relationship of trust with that country and keep the territorial dispute on the back seat, at least for the time being.

Over the last few years, there is a whole range of instances where the common Kashmiri has become a part of the Indian landscape, by persevering through the difficult circumstances in the Valley and making something worthwhile of their life.

India will have to take a call on whether the pivotal position of Iran for reaching Afghanistan and Central Asia outweighs the benefits India derives from its relationship with the West and the Arab world.

In the wake of the selection of the Rafale the offset clause currently in force must be used to revamp India’s domestic aerospace industry, making it more technologically current and capable of taking on advanced design and development tasks in future.

There is a real danger that India’s strategic space in West Asia could be further constricted due to the rising political tensions on account of the Iranian nuclear imbroglio.

The challenge before India is to make sure that it stands on the side of popular aspirations, democratic and secular values and representative forces in its immediate periphery.

The 13/2 terrorist attack against the Israeli diplomat exposes India to the possibility of a more potent and professional group, which may have already raised the capability levels of indigenous terror cells and created a threat which is both real and potent.