Comment & Briefs

The importance of the MFN status issue lies in the debate that the agreement has initiated in Pakistan, which could influence both the internal political structures of the country as well as the way it deals with its neighbours.

The East Asian Summit was a rude awakening, for not one country spoke up on behalf of China on the issue of disputes in the South China Sea.

F-35 is not an ideal choice because of the delay in its developmental schedule, a tight production line, prohibitive cost, India’s own efforts to jointly develop and produce a fifth generation fighter with Russia, and little technological or industrial benefits that would accrue.

Byzantine intrigues are nothing new in the sordid world of Pakistan’s power politics.

There certainly exists some logic behind India, Japan and the US working together, and that too in a region that lacks solid security architecture.

Prime Minister Gillard's decision to reverse the uranium export policy not just indicates a dramatic shift in Australia’s strategic outlook, but also could endow a decisive fillip to its crisis-hit uranium industry.

Libya may have to turn to Asian countries such as China and India for long term financial help as also for construction and white collar workers.

Irrespective of the outcome of the Palestinian bid to seek to become the 194th UN member-state, the effort is a definitive ‘fork-in-the-road’ as far as the future contours of the intractable issue are concerned.

China views the Indian military upgrade as a response to China's rise in Asia forgetting that its own aggressive posture and military upgrade since 2006 has provoked the Indian response.

India’s recent encounters with Pakistan show surprisingly warm diplomacy, with an open declaration from Islamabad of “mending the trust deficit.” This upswing in relations however comes with no guarantees.