Difficulties of Regional Cooperation for Afghanistan: An Alternative Interpretation This article addresses the question of why regional cooperation among Afghanistan’s neighbours has been so difficult despite these countries’ common concerns. To answer this question, Afghanistan is conceptualised as placed at the core of overlapping regions: South Asia, the Middle East, Central Asia and, through China’s influence, East Asia. Over the past decade, interactions among different regions ‘through’ Afghanistan have increased, and overlap has intensified. Sandra Destradi | March 2015 | Strategic Analysis
Does the Elephant Dance? Contemporary Indian Foreign Policy by David M. Malone In Does the Elephant Dance, David Malone identifies various aspects of Indian history relevant to foreign policy by examining the role of domestic politics and internal and external security challenges. The author specifically analyses domestic and international economic factors. In several chapters, he evaluates India’s policy towards its South Asian neighbours as well as explaining its multilateral diplomacy with respect to China, the US, West Asia, East Asia (India’s ‘Look East’ policy), Europe and Russia. Uma Nabhi | March 2015 | Strategic Analysis
Russia, Turkey, and Iran: Moving Towards Strategic Synergy in the Middle East? This article aims to delve into the patterns of convergence and divergence of interests among three key regional players in the Middle East: the Russian Federation, Turkey and Iran. Hossein Aghaie Joobani , Mostafa Mousavipour | March 2015 | Strategic Analysis
Defence Budget 2015 -16: The Writing on the Wall It is a fairly simple exercise to estimate what the defence budget will be given available indicators. My assessment is that the Budget Estimate for defence is likely to be around Rs. 250,000 crore, with 105,000 crore for Capital Expenditure and 145,000 Crore for Revenue Expenditure. Vinay Kaushal | February 27, 2015 | IDSA Comments
India’s Non-Policy on Pakistan: U-Turn to Square One The thumb rule in making a policy U-turn is “minimise damage or maximise advantage”. What is extraordinary about the Modi government’s U-turn is that it maximises losses and minimises advantages. Sushant Sareen | February 26, 2015 | IDSA Comments
India and the Convention on Supplementary Compensation There is a general feeling among analysts that while US government lawyers may have been satisfied that the CLNDA is compatible with CSC in light of explanations offered by the Indian government, this view is being reportedly challenged by nuclear industry lawyers. G. Balachandran | February 19, 2015 | Issue Brief
Yaalon’s Visit and the India-Israel Defence Relationship The Modi’s government determination to adopt a muscular stance on national security and its commitment to expedite defence modernisation are likely to translate into greater political and defence engagement with Israel. S. Samuel C. Rajiv | February 19, 2015 | IDSA Comments
Giving Aero India 2015 a Make-in-India Touch There is an urgent need to conceptualise a policy framework as to what Make-in-India implies so far as defence production is concerned and how it is different from the existing policy framework. Amit Cowshish | February 18, 2015 | IDSA Comments
Some issues in respect of Indian’s nuclear liability law – I While the exact nature of the understanding between the two countries is yet to be announced and in fact may never be officially released, it is possible to offer an outline of the possible “memorandum” with possible understandings on all the three liability issues as well as the administrative arrangements. G. Balachandran | February 10, 2015 | Issue Brief
The Dependence Entrapment India’s nuclear deal with the US is driven less by technology requirements than by the need to be integrated into the global nuclear community and gain access to uranium imports for fuelling its nuclear power expansion plans. Sarosh Bana | February 10, 2015 | IDSA Comments
