IDSA Comments - MP-IDSA

Masses in Flight: The Crisis of Internal Displacement in Sri Lanka

The exodus from the conflict zone in Sri Lanka as well as the plight of those still trapped in it have not only become a major focus of international attention,...

M. Mayilvaganan |
May 05, 2009 |
IDSA Comments

New Challenges Confront ASEAN

The collapse of the ASEAN Summit in Pattaya (Thailand) on April 11 following anti-government protests tarnished Thailand’s image. It also brought the regional group’s age-old policy of non-interference in the...

Pranamita Baruah |
May 04, 2009 |
IDSA Comments

Violence in Pakistan: Trend Analysis February 2009

Highlight of the month was the peace deal signed by the NWFP government with the founder of Tehrik Nifaz Shariat-e- Mohammadi (TNSM), Sufi Mohammad. The deal did bring some ‘peace’...

Fighting the Taliban : Challenges for Pakistan Army

Rise of the Taliban in the frontier provinces of Pakistan portends several challenges to the Pakistan establishment, a fact that has lately raised much alarm and concern amongst the international...

Harinder Singh |
May 01, 2009 |
IDSA Comments

Obama First 100 Days: Inherited Challenges and the Legacy Tripod

April 29 marked the first 100 days of the presidency of Barack Obama. Urgency, pragmatism and engagement have marked his method of tackling the enormous challenges bequeathed to him by...

Exit Points and the Updation of Cold Start Doctrine

The Army Commander’s conference is a much looked forward to biannual feature in the strategic calendar. The occasion, and like conferences in the other two services, is used by the...

Ali Ahmed |
April 22, 2009 |
IDSA Comments

India and Kuwait: New Hopes and Aspirations

The recent three day visit of Indian Vice President Hamid Ansari to Kuwait fills a three decade diplomatic gap between the two countries. The visit was highly successful to the...

Zakir Hussain |
April 22, 2009 |
IDSA Comments

Growing al Qaeda Threat in Yemen

Yemen has witnessed a number of al Qaeda-led activities in recent weeks. A suicide bomber killed four South Korean tourists in the city of Shibam in Hadramaut province on March...

Af-Pak Plan: Responding to Holbrooke’s Diplomacy

Much as the text of Obama’s new ‘Af-Pak’ plan echoes India’s traditional concerns, it may turn out to be contrary to India’s interest with unseen implications in the longer term....

P. Stobdan |
April 13, 2009 |
IDSA Comments

Resolution of Tibet a will-o’-the-wisp

For decades, the issue of Tibetan autonomy has been a bone of contention between China and the Tibetan government in exile. While Beijing considers Tibet an integral part of China,...

Pranamita Baruah |
April 13, 2009 |
IDSA Comments

Domestic Support, National Interest and the US War on Terror

Pakistan’s counter-terrorism performance has received much attention. However, the United States’ capacity to sustain the ‘War on Terror’ needs greater attention, because Washington is the principal state leading the global...

Kartik Bommakanti |
April 13, 2009 |
IDSA Comments

North Korea continues to defy the world

True to its planned schedule, North Korea defied warnings from the international community on 5 April 2009, launching a rocket capable of reaching Alaska and Hawaii. As was expected, it...

Rajaram Panda |
April 13, 2009 |
IDSA Comments

Israel’s Iran Dilemma

As the new government headed by Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu takes charge in Jerusalem, it seems that there are no easy solutions to what Israel perceives to be its central...

S. Samuel C. Rajiv |
April 08, 2009 |
IDSA Comments

North Korea in International Limelight over its Space Development Programme

North East Asia’s fragile peace is being threatened by North Korea’s planned launch between 4 and 8 April over Japanese territory of a communication satellite. The US and its allies...

Injecting New Dynamism in US-Australia Ties

Labour Party Prime Minister of Australia, Kevin Rudd, has been in office for nearly one and a half years after his unexpected victory over John Howard in late 2007. For...

Nepal: New ‘Strategic Partner’ of China?

There has been a major shift in China’s foreign policy towards Nepal since the Maoist ascendance to power. China had earlier adopted a policy of ‘non-intervention’ in the internal matters...

Nihar R. Nayak |
March 30, 2009 |
IDSA Comments

Obama’s Overtures to Iran

US President Barack Obama’s landmark appeal to the Iranian people for a shift away from decades of confrontation was a significant move in the right direction. Obama’s videotaped message on...

M. Mahtab Alam Rizvi |
March 30, 2009 |
IDSA Comments

Japan’s Response to Sea Piracy

In its efforts to check the piracy menace, Japan deployed two Maritime Self Defense Force (MSDF) destroyers - Sazanami and Samidare - on March 14, 2009 in the Gulf of...

Pranamita Baruah |
March 30, 2009 |
IDSA Comments

Needless Apprehensions about the CISF (Amendment) Act 2008

The Indian Parliament has recently passed the Central Industrial Security Force (Amendment) Bill 2008, paving the way for the government to provide Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) security to private...

Om Shankar Jha |
March 19, 2009 |
IDSA Comments

Volatility in Japanese Politics Intensifies following fundraising Scandal

Ichiro Ozawa, leader of the opposition Democratic Party of Japan and projected to be the man most likely to become Japan’s next prime minister, has become dangerously entangled in an...

Rajaram Panda |
March 18, 2009 |
IDSA Comments