Issue Brief

The November 24, 2013 Joint Plan of Action between Iran and its P5+1 interlocutors is the first agreement since November 2004 that contains Iran’s acceptance of certain short-term limitations on its nuclear programme.

• S. Samuel C. Rajiv , G. Balachandran |
• December 09, 2013 |
• Issue Brief

The Emperor of Japan and his wife are visiting India. 60-years ago they had laid the foundation stone of India International Centre. The visit will further strengthen India-Japan strategic partnership in the backdrop of major global and regional geopolitical shifts, particularly the rise of China; the US policy of ‘rebalancing’ and “pivot to Asia;” and maritime security challenges in the Indian and Pacific Oceans

• Arvind Gupta |
• November 29, 2013 |
• Issue Brief

The reported offer of China to sell 1000 MWe reactors to Pakistan has raised a number of issues. China applied for NSG membership in 2004 only after being satisfied that it can safeguard its nuclear commerce with Pakistan even after joining NSG. It must be clearly understood that China’s application for joining NSG was at the repeated appeals of NSG and not the other way around.

• G. Balachandran , Kapil Patil |
• November 15, 2013 |
• Issue Brief

If Chinese companies eventually end up bidding for Urenco, there is no reason why Indian companies should not do so. India can form a joint-venture with counterparts in Brazil, South Africa and, if needed, China (even Russia) using common interests envisioned through forums like the IBSA or BRICS to enter this race.

• A. Vinod Kumar |
• November 13, 2013 |
• Issue Brief

The joint OPCW-UN team mandated to assist Syria with the elimination of its chemical weapon programme by mid-2014 may not be realistic. As in the case of Russia and the US, the deadline for the destruction of stockpile of chemical weapons has shifted considerably.

• Sudarshan Bhutani |
• October 17, 2013 |
• Issue Brief

The issue brief analyses the changing patterns of relationship of Saudi Arabia and Iran, the two major players in the Gulf, with Egypt in the backdrop of the removal of Morsi.

• Prasanta Kumar Pradhan |
• September 27, 2013 |
• Issue Brief

Though public-private partnerships is encouraged, privately the government continues to retain its monopoly on research and development and defence production through the DRDO, the ordnance factories and the defence PSUs.

• Gurmeet Kanwal |
• September 19, 2013 |
• Issue Brief

After wining the elections, Hassan Rouhani has insisted that Iran is ‘ready to show more transparency’ over its nuclear programme, but has also affirmed that it has ‘inalienable rights’ to enrich uranium as a member of the NPT.

• S. Samuel C. Rajiv , G. Balachandran |
• August 06, 2013 |
• Issue Brief

The Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangh (CMAS), an association of peasants, bonded labours and the tribal, is a classic case of a popular movement being hijacked by the Maoists to get their foothold in Koraput, Malkanagiri and Rayagada districts of Odisha.

• Anshuman Behera |
• August 05, 2013 |
• Issue Brief

Several issues have been raised in the last one year, one such issue concerns the need for amending the policy to enable the MoD to demand offsets in specific area(s) rather than being driven by the vendors.

• Amit Cowshish |
• August 05, 2013 |
• Issue Brief

The victory of moderate cleric Hassan Rohani as the President and his accommodative overtures have potentials of driving Iran into a new era of relationship with the neighbourhood as well as with the US.

• Rajeev Agarwal |
• July 19, 2013 |
• Issue Brief

Into its third year, the Syrian conflict has been fuelled by a multiplicity of interest groups and countries, overshadowing the initial cause of the protests. Gains for either side in Syria have come to mean corresponding losses for different regional and international stakeholders.

• Melissa M. Cyrill |
• July 08, 2013 |
• Issue Brief

Trends towards direct energy weapons (DEW), though yet to be fully mature and battle proven, indicate a major shift in the conduct of aerial combat in the coming decades.

• Vivek Kapur |
• July 08, 2013 |
• Issue Brief

China maintains a twin track relationship with most countries. While its political differences are handled diplomatically it has continued to engage such nations economically.

• Mandip Singh |
• June 21, 2013 |
• Issue Brief

The assertions of the new Pakistan government of Nawaz Sharif to de-radicalise the society by engaging the Radical Islamists (RIs) in a dialogue and accommodation with them in reality means, to many observers, a meek surrender to Islamic radicalism of Deobandi variety.

• P. K. Upadhyay |
• June 14, 2013 |
• Issue Brief

Buy (Indian)’ the most important policy decision introduced through DPP 2013 suggests that it should be the first option or the most preferred category. It, however, gives rise to many questions.

• Amit Cowshish |
• June 11, 2013 |
• Issue Brief

Wide-ranging agreements and proposals were signed and discussed during Li’s visit to Pakistan. The emphasis between the two countries continues to be ‘strategic’ – ‘strategic communication’ and ‘reinforcing strategic and long term planning’.

• Mandip Singh |
• June 05, 2013 |
• Issue Brief

Even as the uncertainty over the alleged use of chemical weapons use in Syria deepens, the cautious US response to the situation has been conditioned by the lack of viable military options as well as its Iraq war experience.

• S. Samuel C. Rajiv |
• June 03, 2013 |
• Issue Brief

India’s admission to the NSG has, as on the previous times when the India-US Nuclear Deal and the NSG exemption of 2008 were under discussion, caused many of those opposed to the Indian nuclear programme to come out with various policy suggestions on how to get India to agree on additional conditionalities. In addition there is a move by many to use the Indian admission for membership as a means to legitimize the illegitimate nuclear commerce between China and Pakistan. All these are predicated on the assumption that India is desperate to join the NSG. India should reject any move by the nonproliferation lobby to devise a criterion-based admission procedure.

• G. Balachandran |
• May 23, 2013 |
• Issue Brief

The military sector reform is a top priority for Vladimir Putin, who believes that these reforms will go a long way in achieving Russia’s military and comprehensive national power objectives. The on-going military reforms have come a long way since they were first introduced in 2008. Most of the structural reforms have already been implemented. The material reforms, which are necessary to ensure that the structural reforms deliver, are progressing well, notwithstanding difficulties such as corruption, availability of limited resources, and recession.

• Amit Kumar |
• May 23, 2013 |
• Issue Brief