India and the Republic of Korea: Engaged Democracies by Skand R. Tayal At a time when the Republic of Korea (South Korea) occupies considerable space in India’s foreign policy, particularly in its ‘look east’ policy, it is incongruous that there is no corresponding awareness among the people about the country and the India–Korea relationship. Knowledge and understanding about the Korean peninsula and India’s engagement with the region are limited to academia and the miniscule endangered scholarly tribe in elite universities like Jawaharlal Nehru University or Delhi University. Rup Narayan Das | September 2014 | Strategic Analysis
India and the Allied Occupation of Japan 1945–52 by T.R. Sareen Relying on a wide range of archival material, the author draws our attention in this thoughtful book to the lesser known yet rich historical dimension of India–Japan relations. He investigates the presence of Indian troops as part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Forces (BCOF) in Japan during 1945–1947 and relates the fascinating story of Justice R.B. Pal’s dissenting judgement at the International Military Tribunal for the Far East (IMTFE). The author also explains why India did not sign the Japanese peace treaty at San Francisco in 1951 despite being sympathetic to its terms. Arvind Gupta | September 2014 | Strategic Analysis
Peace is not possible and war is not an option! Should we still be ‘talking up’ non-traditional security? Three verities appear to underwrite contemporary environmentalism. We live in an interdependent world. The earth is fragile. And good science is our best bet to ‘save’ the planet. When strung together, these views can speak forcefully for responsibility, restraint and hope. But what appears as today’s clinching common sense had very little intellectual purchase among decision makers for much of the recent past. Rohan D’Souza | September 2014 | Strategic Analysis
Chanakya: An Empiricist as a Philosopher At the outset, it is important to put on record the epistemological root of the reading of Chanakya’s Arthashastra applicable to this commentary. The main text is from the translated volume by L.N. Rangarajan, titled Kautilya: The Arthashastra published by Penguin in 1992. Rangarajan has himself stated that he was guided by two versions of the original treatise of R. Samasastry and R.P. Kangle. Pinak Chakravarty | September 2014 | Strategic Analysis
Water Issues in the Near East and South Asia Region: Risks and Solutions With water concerns growing increasingly urgent, the global community will benefit from a treatment of the lessons learned and best practices in water dispute resolutions and approaches to water management. This report discusses the outcome of a working group of water experts from the Near East and South Asia (NESA) region,1 set up by the Strategic Studies Network, National Defense University, Washington DC. Uttam Kumar Sinha | September 2014 | Strategic Analysis
Nehru, Patel and China On November 7, 1950, Vallabhbhai Patel wrote his celebrated letter to Jawaharlal Nehru on India’s China policy. ‘The Chinese Government has tried to delude us by professions of peaceful intention’, he stated, referring to Beijing’s decision to move troops into Tibet. A new challenge confronted India as a result of the ‘disappearance of Tibet, as we knew it, and the expansion of China almost up to our gates’. ‘Chinese ambitions … not only cover the Himalayan slopes on our side but also include the important part of Assam. Chandrashekhar Dasgupta | September 2014 | Strategic Analysis
Indo–US Cooperation in Countering Cyber Terrorism: Challenges and Limitations The increasing dependence on Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) has unleashed a whole new genre of cyber terrorism. Cyber attacks on critical infrastructure, online hate propaganda and use of the internet for recruiting, planning and effecting terrorist attacks have become new frontiers of terrorism. The ubiquitous cyberspace has expanded terrorism structures and transformed their operations. Swaran Singh , Jayanna Krupakar | September 2014 | Strategic Analysis
‘Politicised Safeguards’: Iran–IAEA Contentions, Drivers and Policy Implications This article examines Iranian contentions on three issue areas that exemplify the politicised nature of its interactions with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). These include access to military facilities, information credibility and the ‘nuclear activism’ of US-based non-governmental organisations (NGOs). S. Samuel C. Rajiv | September 2014 | Strategic Analysis
China’s Tryst with the IORA: Factoring India and the Indian Ocean Engaging with a multilateral body requires constructive foreign policy forethought, especially for a country that is not a fully fledged member of that body. China’s overtures to the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) exemplify this approach. The Indian Ocean and India are the two most immediate elements in China’s policy approach to the IORA. With 20 member states, extra-territorial major powers as important dialogue partners, and the increasing importance of energy politics in the region, the IORA today is a significant multilateral body in China’s calculus. Jagannath P. Panda | September 2014 | Strategic Analysis
Domestic Politics of Bangladesh and India–Bangladesh Relations The foreign policy of a country generally changes incrementally but in the case of Bangladesh it changes dramatically towards India depending upon which political party or alliance is in power. The ideological cleavage prevailing in the country affects not only its domestic politics but also its relationship with its neighbour India. In this article an attempt has been made to explain why and how the domestic politics of Bangladesh affects India–Bangladesh relations. Anand Kumar | September 2014 | Strategic Analysis
