Why is Japan important to India’s energy security? India is trying to deal with its domestic energy concerns through various measures including reforming its New Exploration and Licensing Policy (NELP), intensifying its efforts in developing domestic unconventional energy resources and diversifying its crude imports. In this regard Japan’s support holds special importance. Manish Vaid April 01, 2014 IDSA Comments
Nuclear Security Summit: An Assessment In the years to come, a lot more activity on nuclear security can be expected and much of it will arise from the commitment taken by states at the three nuclear security summits and the voluntary pledges undertaken by different countries. A good deal of pressure from civil society and think tanks on nuclear security issues can be expected. Arvind Gupta , Rajiv Nayan March 29, 2014 IDSA Comments
Hong Kong Elections: Limits of One Country, Two Systems Model At its core is Beijing’s fear of having a chief executive in Hong Kong who is locally popular and vocally critical about Beijing's policies. Fear perhaps also emanate from Beijing’s concerns of spillover effects on the mainland if a full-fledged democracy in Hong Kong were to succeed since at home the CCP continues to grapple with the problems of corruption, inequality and inflation. Avinash Godbole March 28, 2014 IDSA Comments
Does Nuclear Asia have its Own Dangers? There are no properly functioning Asian security institutions or regimes to regulate Asia’s nuclear politics and has to rely on global institutions and regimes for regulation of its nuclear politics and management of nuclear order. Treaties like the NPT are struggling to provide stability in the world as in Asia. Rajiv Nayan March 28, 2014 IDSA Comments
Examining the Maoists’ attacks in Jeeram Ghati Jeeram Ghati area is part of the Maoist's annual Tactical Counter Offensive Campaign. 2014 is a significant year on two counts: one, it is the tenth year of formation of CPI (Maoist) that requires a show of its strength and lethal prowess, and two, that general elections, scheduled in April-May, need to be disrupted. It, therefore, does pose a serious challenge to the security forces in the immediate future. V.K. Ahluwalia March 27, 2014 IDSA Comments
Unshackling the Armed Forces: Need for Greater Delegation of Financial Powers The recommendations of a committee set up in 2009 to review the delegated powers were accepted by the Defence Minister in December 2010 but soon thereafter these were held in abeyance because of the perceived fear that there was a large scale misuse of the delegated powers and that implementation of committee’s recommendations would result in excessive delegation of powers. Amit Cowshish March 25, 2014 IDSA Comments
UNSC Vote on the Crimean Issue: Why did China Abstain? The reasons for abstention go far beyond the immediate issue at hand and are enveloped in deep Chinese strategic interests. The Chinese leadership is adamant that there can be no dilution of the concept of the principle of non-violation of the territorial integrity of nation states in the international system. R. S. Kalha March 21, 2014 IDSA Comments
Crimean crisis: A New Phase of Cold War? Putin seems to have concluded that Russia must draw the line at Ukraine. The EU bid to sign trade agreement with Ukraine in December drew Russia’s ire and now Russia has moved to make Crimea its part thus changing the borders in Europe once again and deepening the distrust between Russia and the West at a time when serious issues like Syria, Iran and Afghanistan are yet to be resolved. Arvind Gupta March 21, 2014 IDSA Comments
Chess Game over Crimea The West will be compelled by their own threats to impose economic sanctions against Russia. But Russia is no Iraq or Iran and may very well retaliate against Western companies, for example, Exxon Mobile is active in Russia and there are 6,000 German companies in Russia. K. P. Fabian March 20, 2014 IDSA Comments
RFI for the Basic Trainer Aircraft: New Ray of Hope for the Indian industry It is difficult to understand why the MoD should bind itself by asking for request for information (RFI) that cannot be compared across all the proposals. What would constitute ‘capability’ and ‘requisite infrastructure’ to license produce the aircraft is a matter of subjective interpretation and therefore, it would become difficult for MoD to assess whether the information provided by a bidder establishes that he/she has the requisite capability/infrastructure. Amit Cowshish March 19, 2014 IDSA Comments
