India–Africa: Perspectives on Development in Africa—Trade and Investment The realisation that trade and investment are key to development is backed up by development theories and empirical studies. This article identifies existing patterns of trade and investments between India and Africa, whereby Africa has a trade surplus through exports of mostly unprocessed commodities and importing processed merchandise from India. Hoseana Bohela Lunogelo | September 2015 | Strategic Analysis
Why Bangla Desh? On 26 March 1971 the usual news broadcast from the Chittagong Station of Radio Pakistan was interrupted at 2.05 p.m. Dacca Betar Kendra till then under the control of the staff who owed their allegiance to Mujibur Rahman had already been taken over by the Pakistan army in the morning. At 2 p.m. the Chittagong Radio station was relaying a news broadcast from Karachi, when suddenly, it was interrupted and Abdul Hannan, Secretary of the Chittagong District Awami League, made the first public declaration of independence of Bangla Desh. He did it in the name of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Mahbubul Hok | September 2015 | Strategic Analysis
Implementing the Peace, Security and Development Nexus in Africa Peace, security and development are inextricably linked. Peaceful, democratic and well-governed societies are believed to promote levels of growth, employment and prosperity. This article first defines the terms peace, security and development and then situates this within a current debate—that of the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals. It looks at the African Union Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development (AU PCRD) framework and how it addresses issues of peace, security and development. Amanda Lucey | September 2015 | Strategic Analysis
Radicalisation of Muslim Converts At the moment, the radical Muslim convert threat does appear to be limited to Europe and America where the converts are ‘less visible’. Surya Valliappan Krishna | August 31, 2015 | IDSA Comments
GSAT-6: India’s Second Military Satellite Launched India’s increasing investments in space for strategic purposes clearly indicates the rising relevance of space assets for the armed forces. Ajey Lele | August 31, 2015 | IDSA Comments
Exchange Rate Variation in Defence Contracts The 19th August amendment to the Defence Procurement Procedure of 2013 extends the provision of exchange rate variation to Indian vendors under all the procurement categories of capital acquisition. Amit Cowshish | August 31, 2015 | IDSA Comments
How Pakistan Gains From the Cancelled NSA-Level Talks It was not in Pakistan’s interest that the NSA meeting should take place. It is to their credit that they managed to do that by waving a red flag at the Indians through their first briefing on the planned NSA talks by mentioning their invitation to the Hurriyat leaders for a meeting in Delhi prior to the NSA talks. G. Balachandran | August 28, 2015 | IDSA Comments
Gilgit Baltistan: Province, No Province? Chinese stakes in Gilgit Baltistan could propel Pakistan to introduce a stop gap provincial arrangement that would contain popular resistance, promote greater stability, and deflate India’s objections to CPEC. Priyanka Singh | August 27, 2015 | IDSA Comments
China-Russia Naval Ties and the Balance of Maritime Power in Asia A growing Sino-Russian-Pakistani maritime nexus in the IOR poses a challenge to India’s influence in the Indian Ocean and heralds a potential change in the Asian balance of maritime power. Abhijit Singh | August 27, 2015 | IDSA Comments
Defence Offset Guidelines – A Long Overdue Tweak The 5th August amendment to the offset guidelines exemplifies how difficult it is to let go of unnecessary controls. Amit Cowshish | August 27, 2015 | IDSA Comments
