Though the Astana meeting reflected a change in the OIC’s approach and understanding of the issues and problems of the Islamic world, lack of concrete action would lead to a further loss of credibility for the organisation.
While China’s interest in Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA) dates back to the mid-1980s, the Western hi-tech precision military action in the 1991 Gulf War; the 1999 Kosovo war; the 2003 Iraq war and the continuing Afghan campaign have all convinced it to opt for the RMA, albeit within the limits of Chinese technology, organisation, and defence budget.
This issue brief delves into the pragmatic motivations undergirding India and China’s “will to the sea”, before examining on a more conceptual level how New Delhi and Beijing have drawn on the old in order to buttress the new, most notably through the crafting of two maritime narratives.
This article examines the strategic importance of Turkmenistan for India in respect of: energy resources; transit potential; and proximity to Afghanistan and Iran. It argues that India's economic potential, its liberal-democratic values, its pluralistic structure, secular fabric, military strength, strong financial, scientific and technological capabilities make it the most desirable partner for all the five Central Asian republics.
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.
The increasing debate after the Fukushima crisis has undermined the recent renaissance of nuclear power and is likely to usher in greater regulation and stringent safety measures, making alternative sources of energy cheaper and therefore more appealing.
