Comments & Briefs

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.

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.

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.

If the Army withers away then a fragmentation of Pakistan into a ‘Lebanonized’ state would become inevitable.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Significant policy differences between the DPJ and LDP and New Komeito’s unwillingness to lose its identity will prevent the formation of a grand coalition.

Acknowledging the fact that military victory over the LTTE is not the final solution, Mahinda Rajapaksa has promised to restore the rights and dignity of the Tamils through a political solution.