IDSA Comments - MP-IDSA

Is Iraq imploding?

The government in Baghdad has lost control over a stretch of territory to ISIL. It follows that Iraq is at present inexorably moving towards dissolution. In any case, it will...

K. P. Fabian |
July 07, 2014 |
IDSA Comments

US Military Departure from Manas Stirring a New Game in Central Asia

The author recounts his memories of the US military base at Manas International Airport in Bishkek, which was the hub for onward movement of about 15,000 troops and 500 tons...

P. Stobdan |
July 07, 2014 |
IDSA Comments

The McMahon Line: A hundred years on

On 3rd July 1914 nearly a hundred years ago at Simla, Tibet and India signed the Simla Convention that gave birth to the McMahon Line separating Tibet from India in...

R. S. Kalha |
July 03, 2014 |
IDSA Comments

Takeaways from Defence Minister’s address at Naval Commanders’ Conference

The Defence Minister made two significant points: one, the need for making a significant amount of the nation’s resources available for defence and two, he talked about the slow pace...

Amit Cowshish |
July 01, 2014 |
IDSA Comments

Sri Lankan perceptions of the Modi government

There is no one nationalist Sri Lankan view. Among the Sinhalas, there are also the liberals who are quite realistic about their assessments and would argue that there may be...

Gulbin Sultana |
July 01, 2014 |
IDSA Comments

Sushma Swaraj’s visit to Bangladesh: A new beginning?

While the visit was proposed as a good will visit, some of the issues that have been bedeviling bilateral relations came up for discussion particularly, from the Bangladesh side, the...

Why Non-Alignment has greater relevance in Modi’s India

The global thrust on economic integration has certainly accrued greater space to India that the non-alignment actually stands for. It allows India to reach out to both the US and...

FDI in Defence – Revisiting the Conundrum

The proposal to relax the present cap on FDI in defence has expectedly drawn sharp reactions. Those who oppose argue that higher FDI is not required and, more importantly, it...

Amit Cowshish |
June 26, 2014 |
IDSA Comments

China’s Second Coast: Implications for Northeast India

Myanmar’s 2,276 km long coastline in the Bay of Bengal has the potential to provide the ‘second coast’ to China to reach the Indian Ocean and achieve strategic presence in...

Namrata Goswami |
June 19, 2014 |
IDSA Comments

India-Sri Lanka Fishermen Problem: Some Solutions

New Delhi should work out an arrangement with the Rajapakse government wherein the rights of both the countries’ fishermen are protected within the respective territorial jurisdiction. If this is not...

Gautam Sen |
June 18, 2014 |
IDSA Comments

Modi’s Maiden Foreign Visit: Consolidating Bharat for Bhutan Relations

Modi’s visit to Bhutan is politically significant. After inviting SAARC leaders to his swearing in ceremony; his choice of Bhutan as the first country came as no surprise. Bhutan is...

Rescue Pakistan chorus is back again

Before India once again goes down the path of wondering how it can rescue Pakistan from itself, some home truths about Pakistan – the state and society – need to...

Sushant Sareen |
June 18, 2014 |
IDSA Comments

Indian Mujahideen Arrests: Lessons Learnt and Future Directions

The arrests of the key Indian Mujahideen operatives has come as a major breakthrough in the fight against terrorism; however, there are a few causes of concern - such as...

Restoring India-China Reciprocity on the Border

The principal opposition of the Chinese on the McMahon line is that it is illegal and a mere product of British imperialistic designs on China. Such assessments completely disregard the...

Implications of new rules in the US for India’s Defence Management

Despite “indigenisation” being an important policy objective in defence procurement it will be useful to observe the recent US regulatory developments on detection and avoidance of counterfeit components in defence...

Sandeep Verma |
June 05, 2014 |
IDSA Comments

Russia and the unravelling of economic sanctions

The recent additional economic sanction on Russia is yet another severe jolt. But faced with a gripping economic problem, sanctions can just be the incentive that Russia needs to implement...

Rajorshi Roy |
May 30, 2014 |
IDSA Comments

The mirage of peace in Pakistan

Sharif’s does not have any manoeuvring space to cut any comprehensive deal with the Taliban. He may not be averse to conceding their demand to shariatise Pakistani structures, yet he...

P. K. Upadhyay |
May 29, 2014 |
IDSA Comments

The new Indian government and parleys with Pakistan

While Nawaz Sharif was careful not to publicly bring up the Kashmir issue, it does not necessarily portend any change in policy. It remains to be seen whether Sharif will...

Sumita Kumar |
May 28, 2014 |
IDSA Comments

Reforming Defence Contracting Procedures

It may perhaps be useful to examine some features of India’s Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) for streamlining of the capital acquisition process for defence procurement. After all, the DPP may...

Sandeep Verma |
May 28, 2014 |
IDSA Comments

Little Hope for Entry into the SCO

The prospects for new states becoming SCO members seem remote. The new clause that requires all heads of the member states to sign the membership document is the main obstacle...

P. Stobdan |
May 26, 2014 |
IDSA Comments