Protest Movements in West Asia: Some Impressions The pro-democracy uprisings in West Asia began with Tunisia, where the dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali fled the country in a dramatic fashion and found refuge in Jeddah, his new home in exile in Saudi Arabia. The Tunisian revolt had a dramatic impact on Egypt, where a non-violent uprising, brewing for some years, sought the removal of the regime of Hosni Mubarak, president for 28 years. While the movement for change in Egypt was still underway, a pro-democracy revolt erupted in Bahrain, which became the first country in the Gulf whose people sought a fundamental political transformation. Atul Aneja | July 2011 | Strategic Analysis
‘Cheonan’ Epilogue: Prelude to the Sino-US Incompatibility on the South China Sea Dispute The 'Cheonan' incident has prodded and expedited the strategic comeback of the US in East Asia. The US offer to mediate the territorial disputes over islands and seabed minerals in the South China Sea at the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) meeting in July 2010 has provoked harsh criticism from the Chinese. This US diplomatic move appears to be a premeditated one to substantially diminish the influence of China in the region, to re-secure its own strategic forward military presence and to signal that it is not yet time for China to acquire absolute control over this critical waterway. Preeti Nalwa | July 2011 | Strategic Analysis
India-Pakistan Talks: Media’s Role Crucial for Normalisation of Relations The success of high-level talks between India and Pakistan would depend on how the media shape popular opinion in the two countries and popular support to take the relationship forward. Shamshad A. Khan | June 29, 2011 | IDSA Comments
The Other South Asia Though Pakistan and Afghanistan still continue to be embroiled in religious and ethnic conflict, the rest of South Asia appears keen to check and go beyond such tendencies. Anand Kumar | June 20, 2011 | IDSA Comments
India’s NSG Membership Under the November 2010 statement issued by India and the United States, India is committed to take only one step: harmonizing its export controls with those of all the four multilateral export controls regimes. Rajiv Nayan | June 18, 2011 | IDSA Comments
Pakistan: Beginning of the Endgame? If the Army withers away then a fragmentation of Pakistan into a ‘Lebanonized’ state would become inevitable. P. K. Upadhyay | June 17, 2011 | IDSA Comments
Nepal after Three Months Given the reluctance of Nepal’s political parties to further extend the term of the Constituent Assembly, lack of progress in implementing the five-point deal will result in the CA becoming defunct by the end of August. Uddhab Pyakurel | June 17, 2011 | IDSA Comments
India’s Membership of the NSG: Possible Options This Brief elaborates the principles that need to be followed to evolve a criteria-based approach to enable India to join the NSG as a full member and contribute materially and substantially to a future non-proliferation regime that will be acceptable to the international community as a whole. G. Balachandran | June 16, 2011 | Issue Brief
Is India’s Transport Infrastructure Prepared for the Eastern Front? It is imperative that the transport connectivity in the Northeast be strengthened by the establishment of railway networks in the hinterland, by the timely construction of roads that extend to the borders, and by expediting the construction of bridges. Shivananda H | June 15, 2011 | IDSA Comments
Faulty Manpower Policy in Indian Armed Forces: Time for Action Faulty promotion policies and the unsatisfactory professional education of the officer corps deprive Indian military officers of the opportunity to master strategy and develop capacities for handling high level issues. Rumel Dahiya | June 13, 2011 | Issue Brief
