Comments & Briefs

The paralysis at the Conference on Disarmament (CD) captures the state of affairs that has bedevilled the field of arms control/disarmament during the last 10 years.

While the Chinese president’s trip concluded with a joint statement and the signing of trade and investment deals, it achieved little in terms of addressing pressing global problems and bilateral issues.

India needs to engage countries in the region to ensure that the transition process in Afghanistan does not threaten regional stability.

Money, manpower and material (3Ms) determine a state's capacity to leverage its hard power for fulfilling its national security objectives.

Primarily because of the uncertainties surrounding US-China relations, the Hu-Obama summit ended in a stalemate with both leaders agreeing to disagree on important matters.

In the absence of reforms in several areas, DPP-2011 may not be able to achieve its stated objectives of expeditious procurement and greater involvement of domestic industry in defence production.

To maximise gains from their bilateral relations, India and Indonesia have to tread a middle path - a mix of furthering economic complementarities while competing to attract foreign investments.

The changing security environment calls for re-fashioning the use of hard power, which may have to be managed differently in the future.

President Yudhoyono’s visit is likely to take the strategic partnership to the next level.

The Indian Government, and the Foreign policy establishment in particular, can do more to leverage the vast collective experience of Indians in Indonesia and channel it towards the larger ends of bilateral cooperation.