Oil Price Volatility and India’s Energy Security: Policies and Options The recent downslide in crude oil prices from a peak of US $147 a barrel to below $40 and speculated to fall further to $25 has evidently provided relief to oil importing countries, which have been triply inflicted by huge oil pool deficits, growing food prices and global economic downturn. But based on current oil market fundamentals and past experience, there is no reason not to believe that the current fall in oil prices is likely to be temporary. Sooner or later prices will rise and may even be higher than the recent peak because of two particular reasons. Zakir Hussain | January 09, 2009 | IDSA Comments
Towards Better India-Bangladesh relations The landslide victory of the Awami League led by Sheikh Hasina in the December 29, 2008 parliamentary elections ended the two-year old political uncertainty in Bangladesh and marks the return of a democratic government. With 262 seats out of 299 for the Awami League-led Grand Alliance, Sheikh Hasina is entrusted with the onus of opening a new era in the history of Bangladesh. The mandate clearly shows that people voted to power the party that won the country’s independence from Pakistan, and rejected the BNP-led four-party combine which got only 32 seats. M. Shamsur Rabb Khan | January 09, 2009 | IDSA Comments
Bird Flu: A Lethal Threat In early January 2009, bird flu resurfaced with the death of a Chinese woman who was infected with the H5N1 strain of avian influenza in the eastern Shandong province in… Continue reading Bird Flu: A Lethal Threat Reshmi Kazi | January-March 2009 | CBW Magazine
Leveraging Defence Offset Policy for Technology Acquisition Offset provisions were promulgated by Ministry of Defence (MOD), Government of India in DPP-2006 [1], and revised in DPP 2008 [2]. These provisions are applicable to all Capital Acquisitions categorized as ‘Buy (Global)’, i.e., outright purchase from foreign / Indian vendor, or ‘Buy and Make with Transfer of Technology’, i.e., purchase from foreign vendor followed by Licensed production, where the estimated cost of the acquisition proposal is Rs. 300 crore or more. Prahlada , S. Radhakrishnan , Parimal Kumar | January 2009 | Journal of Defence Studies
Special Address at Defence Offset Seminar The timing of the seminar is very apt and we are at a stage when we have made some headway and we can actually deliberate on certain issues relating to the subject. The entire exercise of introducing offsets and formulating and promulgating a policy in this regard is aimed at encouraging sound relationship between the defence industries of the advanced countries and those of our own. Fortunately, we have a reasonable depth in our industry and there is a plenty of promise. S. K. Sharma | January 2009 | Journal of Defence Studies
A Survey of Successful Offset Experiences Worldwide In venturing to write about successful offset policy and experience in different countries, the basic problem faced is that of unavailability of data. There are no universally laid down parameters or measures to weigh the costs and benefits of offset programmes. Even if some countries have individually undertaken an exercise to evaluate such costs and benefits, the information is not always available in the public domain. Cross country comparisons would also not yield consistent results. Anuradha Mitra | January 2009 | Journal of Defence Studies
Pakistan’s Accountability and International Obligations Undoubtedly, the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attacks was an international tragedy. It was a crime under international law and as the serious concerns expressed by the UN Security Council demonstrates, it had the potential to threaten international peace and security. Accordingly, it had provoked outright and vehement condemnation by the international community. S. R. Subramanian | January 06, 2009 | IDSA Comments
Involvement of Major Powers in Nepal Since the 1990s: Implications for India Nepal being a poor landlocked country with a fragile and unstable political system, major external powers providing aid and assistance to Nepal tend to carry an influence on domestic politics, foreign policy, and the socio-economic agenda of the government. These powers have divergent interests and do not coordinate their policies towards Nepal. While some external forces like the United States and China have hidden political and strategic interests, some others like the European Union are engaged in humanitarian issues. Nihar R. Nayak | January 2009 | Strategic Analysis
China’s New Confucianism: Politics and Everyday Life in a Changing Society Abanti Bhattacharya | January 2009 | Strategic Analysis
Making of the New Afghan National Army: Challenges and Prospects The paper attempts to examine diverse challenges to the making of the new Afghan National Army (ANA), and its future prospects. The issue assumes significance as the Taliban shift battle lines outside the Pashtun areas and there is growing difference among Western countries regarding the means and approaches to be used to stabilize Afghanistan. The paper is broadly divided into four sections. The first section seeks to identify and critically examine the role played by key institutional structures responsible for the training and mentoring of the new national army. Vishal Chandra | January 2009 | Strategic Analysis
