IDSA Comments - MP-IDSA

Iranian Upheaval and Implications for Indian Policy

Iran has unfortunately witnessed a deep political upheaval in the wake of recent Presidential elections leading to vertical polarization among its ruling elite between two major factions, one led by...

P. Stobdan |
August 25, 2009 |
IDSA Comments

Racial Profiling: An absurd drama

Incidents of racial profiling of Indian citizens at American airports have been reported time and again. The latest incident of ‘secondary questioning’ of a film star whom the United States...

The imperative of a national government in Nepal

Nepal Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, who heads a twenty-two party coalition government, chose India for his first official foreign visit after assuming office two months back. This ‘goodwill’ visit...

Smruti S. Pattanaik |
August 24, 2009 |
IDSA Comments

Afghan Presidential Elections: The Quest for Change

As a harbinger of change in a conflict ridden country, the Afghan presidential elections being held on August 20 are important for both the people of Afghanistan and the international...

Challenges Before New Government in Indonesia

A Constitutional court recently dismissed a petition about alleged electoral irregularities filed by opposition presidential candidates Megawati Sukarnoputri and Jusuf Kalla. The decision effectively clears the decks for a second...

Pankaj K Jha |
August 19, 2009 |
IDSA Comments

Afghanistan: Stability on the Cheap?

Eight winters since the launch of Enduring Freedom, the turmoil in Afghanistan continues. When contrasted with the progress in Iraqi Freedom, the gloom only deepens. Having applied the necessary mid-...

Raj Shukla |
August 17, 2009 |
IDSA Comments

“Reclaiming Nubra” – Locals Shunning Pakistani Influences

The liberation of Turtuk block and Siachen glacier in 1971 and 1984 respectively eliminated any threats that could have come from Pakistan having a contiguous border with China along the...

Senge H. Sering |
August 17, 2009 |
IDSA Comments

India, Australia and ‘Curry Bashing’

In early August, India’s Minister for External Affairs S. M. Krishna visited Australia as part of his trip to attend the Pacific Island Forum meeting, held in Cairns. India is...

Rahul Mishra |
August 17, 2009 |
IDSA Comments

Swine Flu: A National Security Issue

The security architecture of any state is normally based on traditional concepts like dealing with issues related to war and peace. This is no longer true in the 21st century...

Ajey Lele |
August 13, 2009 |
IDSA Comments

Sino US Climate Pact: Context, text and subtext

The United States and China signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on bilateral cooperation on energy, climate change and environment during their recently concluded strategic and economic dialogue (SED). This...

Avinash Godbole |
August 10, 2009 |
IDSA Comments

Sharm Al-Sheikh Indo-Pak Joint Statement: A Different Perspective

As the din and the dust raised by the Sharm al-Sheikh document settles down, it seems to be opening new possibilities for India to effectively deal with the emerging situation...

P. K. Upadhyay |
August 07, 2009 |
IDSA Comments

Violence in Pakistan: Trend Analysis April 2009

April saw the foot soldiers of Taliban moving to Buner and Dir, after consolidating their position in Swat. The march of Taliban to Buner, which is separated from Islamabad just...

Two Trucks and One Jeep

In a reality check to the wild celebrations that broke out in Pakistan after the Supreme Court declared ‘illegal and unconstitutional’ the emergency that was imposed by General Pervez Musharraf...

Sushant Sareen |
August 05, 2009 |
IDSA Comments

China’s Changing Worldview

Recent Chinese writings indicate that the Chinese see themselves as a major player in international affairs. They see the global economic crisis as an historic opportunity to redefine the Chinese...

Arvind Gupta |
August 04, 2009 |
IDSA Comments

For an Indo-Pak strategic dialogue forum

India is taking its time to reopen the dialogue process with Pakistan that has been suspended since 26/11. The meeting between Indian Prime Minister, Mr. Manmohan Singh and Pakistan’s President,...

Ali Ahmed |
August 04, 2009 |
IDSA Comments

Between 2015 and 2050: Considerations in Negotiating a Date for an Indian Grand Strategy Project

Security planners often grapple with the question of how far out they should be looking and planning, and it is not a problem to take lightly. Many believe that as...

Peter Garretson |
August 03, 2009 |
IDSA Comments

Political convulsions in Japanese politics

Since the early 1950s, two factors have remained constant in Japan - the political domination of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the continuation of the Japan-US security alliance. The...

An Editorial and Its (Mal) Contents

An editorial in the New York Times on July 18, 2009 ahead of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s visit to India - ‘Secretary Clinton goes to India’, has generated...

S. Samuel C. Rajiv |
July 25, 2009 |
IDSA Comments

Why Uighurs did not get support from West Asia?

The recent clashes that occurred between the Uighur Muslims and the Han Chinese workers in a toy factory and the subsequent spread of violence throughout the Xinjiang Uighur region have...

Jakarta Blasts and Jemaah Islamiyah

Indonesian police confirmed on July 19 that the twin blasts at the Ritz Carlton and Marriott Hotels in Jakarta two days earlier, which left nine people dead (including two suicide...

Pankaj K Jha |
July 23, 2009 |
IDSA Comments