Kim will drive the hardest bargain possible and be willing to make only small concessions like maintaining some type of a freeze on future tests of missiles and nuclear weapons.
King Abdullah II’s forthcoming visit to India represents an opportunity to catapult the relationship to the next higher level in strategic, security, political, energy, trade, investment and economic cooperation.
Notwithstanding differences on some issues, chiefly, Afghanistan and India’s UNSC aspirations, India and Iran have decided to focus their energies on areas of concurrence such as connectivity and economic cooperation.
India will be able to help and support only to the extent that the demand for democracy and freedom from within Maldives continues to put pressure on Yameen and his security forces.
For the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to succeed, China needs to engage in serious and sincere dialogue with BRI participants, ensure respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, uphold the internationally accepted norms of transparency and observe principles of financial responsibility, among other key issues.
The Doklam standoff has emerged as a litmus test for India in terms of how resolutely it can stand up against an increasingly hegemonic China to protect the interests of Bhutan as well as its own interests.
The foreign policy establishment can justifiably feel upbeat with the results of the Modi-Trump meeting, which have been most gratifying especially given the uncertainties in the run-up to the visit.
The main objective would be for Modi and Trump to come on the same page on key issues such as terrorism, UN reforms, South China Sea and the future of climate change.
