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| July 18, 2008 | |
A sad saga of the PM's betrayals
The buzz is that Dr Singh has already secured the nuclear deal with the United States and a defeat on July 22 will not alter that reality.
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| July 16, 2008 | |
What if there is a free vote?
This is the ultimate paradox of the N-deal: A majority in the Congress would rather not have the deal and a majority in the BJP would love to have it, now that the military programme has been assured.
Lessons from a Kerala textbook
After reading the textbook and the controversial chapter we are left wondering as to what could have led the opponents of the book to conclude that the chapter promotes atheism.
IAEA draft: Invoking Para 29 won’t be easy
Agreements may provide rights but this does not mean asserting them or implementing them will be easy. India may consider itself to be on firm legal ground in invoking Paragraph 29, for example, in order to deal with the consequences of a fuel supply disruption, but the political opposition it will encounter internationally could be formidable. Some of this political opposition could even be couched in legal terms.
Afghanistan: Another frontier of Indo-Pak rivalry?
The increasing bonhomie in the Indo-Afghan relationship had posed a challenge to the ISI, which is interested in regaining its lost 'strategic depth' in Afghanistan.
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| July 15, 2008 | |
Is the nuclear deal about big business?
At a time when the global nuclear industry is somewhat dormant, India's ambitious plans to increase power generation capacity substantially through the nuclear route has come as a shot in the arm for nuclear suppliers who are looking for big money and to revive their industry.
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| July 14, 2008 | |
France and the nuclear deal
The question has to be asked of France: why don't you recognise Kashmir as you recognise Tibet? Then India need not sign a nuclear treaty with the US, which will bind her politically and economically to the Americans for two decades. France would be an excellent nuclear, economic and political partner for India.
There's plenty of room in the Democratic tent
Senator Obama has the ability to unite our nation as no one has done in my lifetime. Perhaps you need more proof, and in the coming weeks I'm sure he and his talented team of campaign staffers will show us.
Price for Samajwadi support = Oust Maya
That will be the last pound of flesh Mulayam Singh and Amar Singh wish to extract for the support they are giving the dying Congress party. Fortuitously, the Congress too wants a similar outcome.
Amar Singh: The man of the moment
The king of the politics of possibilities - Amar Singh, and he is back in action. Few have the ability to network and manipulate the levers of power as Singh does. A profile.
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| July 10, 2008 | |
View: Little to fault in IAEA agreement
The Left too, assuming it finds it possible to lay aside its fundamental objections (subservience to the US, infringement of India's sovereignty) to the main nuclear deal, would find little in the contents of the agreement to which it can take serious exception.
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| July 09, 2008 | |
Drawing lessons from the Kabul bombing
Each time an Indian life was lost, the top officials in Delhi reiterated their resolve not to be deterred by terrorists. A high level meeting of officials ensued to take stock of the security of the Indian personnel in Afghanistan. We, then, moved on. But does that approach suffice? Is anyone listening out there in the Hindu Kush? Isn't a comprehensive relook of policy warranted?
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| July 08, 2008 | |
The nuclear deal's essence is politics
‘The Indo-US nuclear agreement is a political deal masquerading as a technology treaty. The essence of the deal is politics, with technology and the energy it is supposed to bring simply a smokescreen. Power, to light up India, is not the driving force behind the deal. It is politics, and to be charitable to its prime proponents, of a global scale. The aim is to redraw the global politico-strategic framework under the guise of providing technology, energy, and power. But like all power that is not earned, produced, there is a cost. And it is this cost that gets the goat of most Indians.’
Analysis: The options before the UPA
The challenge before the Congress is to get its arithmetic right and mount an operation that is foolproof, particularly after the way things were botched up in Srinagar.
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| July 07, 2008 | |
Where Azad and the Congress failed in J&K
Azad had given Delhi the impression that he had got his act together. And Delhi -- both the home ministry and the Congress party -- were happy to take his word for it. The fact is that of late Delhi has been caught up in the nuke deal to the exclusion of all else.
Has the Left overplayed its hand?
The Left under the stewardship of the impulsive and inexperienced Prakash Karat, Sitaram Yechuri and the like has overplayed its hand and needlessly thrown the nation into turmoil, besides finding itself outmaneuvered.
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| July 04, 2008 | |
The taxi drivers' guide to world politics
Pearls of wisdom are often attributed to the cabbie who comes up with profound insights on the outcome of elections or the course of the conflict, or what have you.
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| June 30, 2008 | |
The prime minister cannot take things personally
The people want Manmohan Singh to lead, not to hand in his resignation. For the last four years he has presided over the economy, which is now facing difficult challenges. An economist prime minister is expected to get a grip over the situation, not walk into the sunset because he is feeling let down.
Dr Singh, lead or leave
Manmohan Singh is a nice man but India needs an effective prime minister. May be it is time for him to stand down.
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| June 28, 2008 | |
If you have to die, do so around Delhi or Mumbai
The fact that the defence minister was represented by his deputy Pallam Raju, the fact that the navy and air staff sent two-star generals, shows that however high or mighty, if you should die as you must, you should do so somewhere in the vicinity of New Delhi -- or Bombay. Or else, too bad.
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| June 27, 2008 | |
Pilgrims deserve better
To my mind, whether or not the land in question should be transferred to the SASB is only a technical question, not the heart of the issue. The more important thing is whether the state government feels that it has an obligation to improve the facilities that would make the pilgrimage of thousands of Hindu devotees more secure and more comfortable.
Is China doing a Mayanmar in Sri Lanka?
India is worried over Rajapakse's policy of bringing in external state actors into Sri Lanka. In the past, India had to worry about China, Pakistan and the US. Now, Rajapakse has started courting Iran, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia.
Licensed to live
The 'love that dare not speak its name' has found a voice, and legitimacy. Sandip Roy on the sexual revolution, circa 2008.
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| June 26, 2008 | |
Mayawati's Sahara demolition is only a trailer
The demolition of Sahara Shahar's illegal encroachments is symbolic. The real assault will be executed at the right psychological and emotional moment, in true Mayawati style. Make no mistake.
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| June 24, 2008 | |
Nuke deal and the prime minister's dilemma
Two things have thrown a spanner in the works for the prime minister and the Congress. One is the UPA allies. The second development is the hike in the inflation rate, which jumped to 11.05 percent.
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| June 19, 2008 | |
Why I am fasting for Dr Binayak Sen
The 10-day fast by an array of illustrious and respectable persons around the globe is only an act of penance for the sinful act committed by the Chattisgarh police. I am contributing my bit by participating, in my own little way. I feel privileged and honoured to have been associated with this great cause in any way.
Salwa Judum: Strategy that backfired
What kind of strategy is it where you create 50,000 "enemies" to kill 500? Was it an experiment for India Inc to get tribal land vacated or a counter insurgency strategy gone horribly wrong?
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| June 16, 2008 | |
An inside account of Sino-Indian border talks
The boundary question may not affect the present comfort level in bilateral ties, as both sides agree to look beyond the border dispute in promoting relations with each other. One cannot be optimistic, however, about the likely scenario in the long run.
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| June 12, 2008 | |
How India can win the war on terror
The ultimate battle against Islamist terror has to be fought by the Muslims themselves, for they are its biggest potential victim.
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| June 11, 2008 | |
Pak army and the jihadi's second coming
In the past Pakistan had to contend only with India. But the situation today is vastly different. Any adventurism by Pakistan could easily invite the wrath of the world, especially the West. The question is whether the Pakistan army gives in to its jihadi fervour or whether the instinct for self-preservation acquires primacy.
In glow of victory, equations change in the BJP
Even as these intra party skirmishes go on, at a wider level, Rajnath Singh and L K Advani are moving in a parallel fashion, towards the attainment of the same goal, like Vajpayee and Advani, for all their rivalries, did in the past. Both played to different galleries, one to the moderate opinion, and the other to the Hindutva spectrum.
All you want to know about terrorism in India
'When a Kashmiri extremist attacks a soldier, it is wrong to call it a terrorist attack.'
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| June 06, 2008 | |
Stand up for the Indian soldier
One can't think of any major power in the world that treats its soldiers the way India does. It is indeed a sorry sight when India's bravest have to literally cry out for help from a callous politico-bureaucratic elite.
Inter linking rivers worse than 'India shining'
To begin with, inter linking of rivers is neither well thought out plan nor a development plan. It is essentially an extension of the big dam agenda that the Indian water resources establishment has been pursuing since the last 60 years. That agenda is not the best available option and has not been giving any additional benefits for over a decade.
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| June 04, 2008 | |
America is willing to change
'Youngsters, it's clear, are voting for Obama. Not only that, they canvass for him, add him to their Facebook and MySpace profiles, and talk about him over coffee and classwork. Should he win, he will be inexorably linked with my generation.'
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| June 03, 2008 | |
In-hurry Mayawati plans fast lane to Delhi
A strong-willed administrator, she takes quick decisions. Recently, she sanctioned the Taj Expressway, which will drastically cut the travel time from Delhi to Agra to two hours. The chief minister has also envisaged the Ganga Expressway, an 8 lane expressway, running over 1,100 km, across the entire state, from Greater NOIDA up to Ballia.
Can Sonia revitalise the Congress?
The Congress cannot do without the Gandhi-Nehru family, and they ensure the unity of the party. The Congress experimented with a Narasimha Rao and went back to the family. Sonia Gandhi neither faces a threat to her leadership nor a prospect of a split, which her mother-in-law had to contend with. But she will have to show a resoluteness she displayed in early 2004 if the party is to revitalise.
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| May 29, 2008 | |
Religious institutions should expose injustice
Sanathana Dharma has laid out some of the best principles for humanity to achieve equality, social justice, a violence-free society, and a prejudice-free mind. Let every Indian strive for educating oneself and the society in these golden principles.
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| May 28, 2008 | |
10 years on, nuclear shadow promises peace
'So many civil liberties activists have been killed by the State and their deaths left unaccounted for that I am beginning to despair.'
The saga of State impunity
Much depends upon how the civil society finally asserts itself in Pakistan. Along with democracy and aspirations of economic development, nuclear weapons would cease to be a threat and become a factor of regional stability.
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| May 27, 2008 | |
Karnataka results may lead to new alliances
It goes without saying that it will put new heart into the BJP cadre to gear them up for the important electoral battles that lie ahead. Conversely, it will affect Congress morale. Barring Haryana, the party has not won any state election in recent months.
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| May 23, 2008 | |
Politics: Crisis of leadership, not capacity
Instead of blaming politicians and parties, Indians must empower their elected representatives and bureaucracies to meet national challenges by making critical investments in leadership. One of the chief aims of Indian foreign policy is to establish the country as a great global power. It is no secret, though, that much of this battle must be won at home.
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| May 21, 2008 | |
Four years on, UPA losing direction
Unlike 2004 when Sonia Gandhi took things into her hands and hit the road and stitched up alliances, there is a lack of grip this time, as if things are on auto pilot. Cabinet meetings get over in minutes. People are glibly talking of a third front government in 2009 supported by the Congress.
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| May 20, 2008 | |
The Buddha is still smiling
Ten years after India's nuclear tests, C Uday Bhaskar reckons the country was well served by revealing its capabilities.
The UPA'S Ten Commandments
These legislative measures, excepting Right to Education Bill, which is yet to be introduced are like Ten Commandments which have impacted the polity and society in a significant way and will go a long way in ushering an inclusive society.
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| May 19, 2008 | |
Terrorism in the hinterland
'Terror targets cannot be protected by machines or manual security programmes alone. However, they can be countered to a great extent by enhancing cooperation among security agencies and timely intelligence sharing; strengthening political will; and most importantly public support.'
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| May 16, 2008 | |
Why Dr Binayak Sen must be released
'What is disturbing is that if this liberal middle space is gone, there would not be a counter voice to violence.'
With good intentions Bush ambushes Israel
As many analysts have pointed out, by excessively identifying with Israeli policies, Bush has actually worked against Israel's long-term interests. Indeed, the Jewish State has become more unsure now than in it was in January 2001 when Bush became president.
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| May 12, 2008 | |
Four years of UPA: Foreign policy adrift
The absolute control of the Communists on all realms of policy-making, the single point agenda of the Congress party to stay in power as long as possible and the insistence of the Bharatiya Janata Party upon destroying its credibility as a national party -- all have ensured that Indian foreign policy continues to drift without any real sense of direction.
Tokenism won't revive Sainik Schools
A nation neglects its security at its peril. And Sainik Schools are a pivotal cog in the security apparatus.
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| May 09, 2008 | |
Why did the 1857 celebration fizzle out?
'There seems to be something amiss and mysterious in the way 1857 was suppressed in 2007 and 2008.'
Politics has defeated the purpose of Pokhran tests
Without the lifting of the technology denial and India acquiring the ability to interact freely with all major nations economically and technologically India will not be able to have a real independent foreign policy which will make it an effective balancer of power. That was the real purpose of Pokhran II.
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| May 08, 2008 | |
The Chinese threat in the Indian Ocean
At a cursory look, the development of a new strategic submarine by China appear to be of marginal impact on India as Sanya base is far away from Indian shores and as such ground-based missiles in China could be deployed in the event of skirmishes between the two rising countries in Asia. Besides, the avowed aim in developing the new Jin SSBN is not to target India but the United States, in the Chinese quest to become a great power in the world.
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| May 05, 2008 | |
Why the Karnataka poll is critical
Every election has its own fallout but the implications of the Karnataka poll go beyond its borders. For the BJP, winning the state means gaining the much coveted entry into the south. A victory in Karnataka would give a fillip to the Congress, after the recent string of defeats, and it could boost party morale for the battles ahead in the Hindi heartland.
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| May 02, 2008 | |
Iran, India and the 'great game'
Central Asia with Iran as a major gas supplier is the arena where the new 'great-game' is being played out and China, India and Japan are all seeking to protect their respective energy interests for the medium term -- and pipeline politics is the new instrumentality.
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| April 30, 2008 | |
Implications of Olympic flame on Everest
The Chinese have sought to counter the soft power of the Western media through the soft power of the patriotic response of the Chinese people and the overseas Chinese Diaspora.
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| April 29, 2008 | |
India should fear China's defence spending
Due to China's vigorous military modernisation drive, the military gap between India and China is growing every year. China is now capable of inducting large numbers of troops into Tibet in a time frame that is likely to unhinge Indian war plans.
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| April 25, 2008 | |
China's strike hard policy in Tibet
If the effort of bidding and conducting Olympics is to showcase China's rise to the world, popular indictments at the global and Tibetan levels have unnerved Beijing. For so long Tibet is considered to be the minimalist foreign policy position for China, while the Olympics indicated its bidding for global legitimacy for its policies.
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| April 22, 2008 | |
Message from bypolls: Alliances are the key
Clearly alliances will be key for the Congress and the BJP and for that matter the UNPA in 2009 and in the state polls in the Hindi heartland later this year. The just held by-polls have only underscored this.
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| April 21, 2008 | |
The time is right for the desi vote
South Asians could empower the entire community by flocking to polling stations in all upcoming elections, and show the importance of their ballot.
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| April 18, 2008 | |
Why must India kow-tow to China?
'Is there any peace and Olympic spirit in a flame which has become the symbol of Chinese repression, arrogance and thirst for domination in Asia?'
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| April 14, 2008 | |
Proving the historicity of Ram
Valmiki knew Ram to be a human, a noble man, the best of his era and in his time wrote the Ramayana as both were contemporary. He has also shown Ram to possess human traits and emotions, just like any ordinary person. We, in our blind faith, have accentuated the question marks on the historicity of Ram and Ramayana by treating Ramayana like a fable and depicting its noble characters as birds and animals.
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| April 10, 2008 | |
The Supreme Court's stunning decision!
'It is time to acknowledge that the benefits of globalisation have remained in the privileged hands of a few, for whom the world begins and ends with fashion, Bollywood and cricket.'
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| April 09, 2008 | |
DRDO is not a lost cause
One hopes the big daddies of South Block and DRDO realise why radical reforms are so crucial.
For guest.
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| March 27, 2008 | |
India needs to change its Tibet policy
It is time for India to get out of its defensive mindset and timid approach in dealing with China. There are vital national security interests at stake. Relations with China must be handled from a strategic, not a legalistic, perspective.
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| March 26, 2008 | |
Change will come from within China
In 1986, during an interview, the Dalai Lama told me: "We Tibetans can't do anything, except to keep their culture alive. A change will come from within China; it is our only hope". Twenty two years later, I believe this statement is the closest to a possible future scenario or 'solution'.
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| March 25, 2008 | |
Yousuf Raza Gillani: Tough man for a tough job
The new prime minister has the distinction of saying a big 'no' to both President Pervez Musharraf and the late Benazir Bhutto many times. Gillani has always been loyal to his party but he is not a 'yes man', a quality which impressed Zardari.
Kamlesh Sharma: Our Man at the Commonwealth
Sharma has to be a catalyst working like an honest broker pleading for the interest of the developing countries of the Afro-Asian region with the developed West. He has to tread cautiously carrying with him the goodwill of both the developed countries and that of the developing countries.
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| March 24, 2008 | |
Changing fortunes across Taiwan strait
The one country which has played its cards with impressive dexterity ever since the beginning of the crisis is India. It has avoided any judgmental observations, while generally appealing for return to the path of peace and reconciliation, and reiterating its time-honoured policy of accepting Tibet as part of China.
Making sense of the Tibetan imbroglio
The one country which has played its cards with impressive dexterity ever since the beginning of the crisis is India. It has avoided any judgmental observations, while generally appealing for return to the path of peace and reconciliation, and reiterating its time-honoured policy of accepting Tibet as part of China.
Tibet: Resuming dialogue is the only way
With 150,000 Tibetan citizens living in exile on its soil, many of whom shuttle between India and Tibet frequently, India nevertheless has a role in the resolution of this issue. Also, with Tibet under its control China has become India's Himalayan neighbour
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| March 19, 2008 | |
Talbott is right, so is Sinha
It was the NDA government that had first mooted the idea of additional nuclear installations being subjected to International Atomic Energy Agency inspection in return for civilian nuclear co-operation. On the basis of this, it was logical for Talbott to assume that the NDA government would have accepted the present deal or even something less. He had read the minds of his interlocutors correctly.
Provincialism: Problems of Mumbai
Sooner or later, India will have to address the issue of regional disparity. Unfortunately the solution lies in social and political reforms in the BIMARU states. Presently there seems no sign of it.
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| March 18, 2008 | |
Sonia Gandhi@10: A mixed bag
Sonia Gandhi's major failure has been on the party front. The Congress is hardly a major player in the country's four large states -- UP, Bihar, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal -- which account for 200 seats. If anything, the situation has deteriorated in these states.
Congress has Left in debt trap
The Left Front had a choice in September 2007, either to push for an immediate general election or to permit the United Progressive Alliance to complete its full term without making a fuss. In trying to be too clever by half the Left Front must now both swallow the chillies of humiliation at being outwitted and accept the lash of public anger in an election.
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| March 17, 2008 | |
Provincialism: A new internal security threat?
What happened in the northeast and Punjab in the early 1980s ought to be remembered. It is true that public memory is short, but surely analysts and the government should know better.
In Tibet, China dishonours Olympic spirit
For decades, the Chinese 'minorities', particularly the Tibetans, have been wanting to express their deep-rooted resentment against a regime which slowly but surely is annihilating them.
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| March 14, 2008 | |
Nuclear dilemma: The road ahead
While the bilateral agreement with the US will broadly spell out the parameters with in which the deal operates, stipulating the rights and obligations on both sides, the safeguards arrangement with the IAEA will showcase the actual implementation of the agreement.
Sonia's 10 years: Lacking in vision
Sonia Gandhi has had little to show, apart from stitching together a ramshackle coalition and somehow sticking to power. But, if she had given the green signal to the nuclear deal and called the Left's bluff, she would have become the darling of the middle classes. And even those who did not understand the intricacies of the deal would have appreciated her gumption in standing by her prime minister and taking a decisive step. The world belongs to the bold, not to the timid.
McCain is a man of great conviction
As a citizen of this country, as a small businessman who is proud to contribute to its economy, and as someone who has been fortunate enough to interact with him over a period of time, I have no doubt whatsoever in my mind when I say that Senator John McCain is, among all the available options, the one best fitted to be the next President of the United States.
China's Olympics and the '3 evils'
A successful conclusion of Beijing Olympics would give China the much needed fillip to not only rise further in the global order but also the "political legitimacy" in the major capitals across the world. However, the journey towards great power status is arduous, if not impossible to realise.
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| March 12, 2008 | |
McCain would be best for the US and India
Senator McCain has been a consistent advocate of free trade. If he merely persists with the Bush administration's stance towards India, arguably the most pro-Indian of any administration since 1947, he would inarguably be the best for both countries.
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| March 07, 2008 | |
Why Musharraf fears the Sharif-Zardari coalition
The general election was held about three weeks ago in Pakistan, but the president of the country is reluctant to call the meeting of the new National Assembly.
Pakistan's democracy faces its biggest test
After the euphoria of 'revenge of democracy', the Pakistani political establishment is coming to grips with the fact that the verdict of the February 18 general elections in Pakistan is more than anything else, a test of democracy.
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| February 28, 2008 | |
Will Zardari dump Sharif?
'If Zardari is to go by US advice and mange a majority by taking on help of the pro-Musharraf League, he will in effect be defying the popular mandate.'
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| February 27, 2008 | |
US must adopt a tough Al Qaeda policy
The United States must henceforth adopt policies that treat Al Qaeda and the Taliban as a hostile state, says scholar Harold Gould
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| February 26, 2008 | |
A powder-keg on the border with China
India will, therefore, be committing a grave blunder by banking on the anaesthetising phraseology of the various formal agreements with the Chinese and time being the healer. It should clinch the issue by holding brisk and business-like parleys.
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| February 22, 2008 | |
India should stand up to China as an equal
The satisfaction we seem to derive from semantic play by the Chinese on these two issues reflects our mental acceptance of an inferior status vis-a-vis China and our readiness to be patronised by that country. We should not demand equality from China, we should behave as equals. We should protect our interests more forcefully.
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| February 21, 2008 | |
US will pressure PPP to keep Musharraf
The Bush administration may fail to save its most trusted friend because the PPP and PML-N are determined to form a coalition and clip all those powers through which a president can dissolve parliament.
Has the BJP become pseudo-secular?
Although there is no indication of a genuine change of heart, what is probably happening is that the BJP is slowly undergoing a process of becoming acclimatised, as it were, to India's diversity.
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| February 18, 2008 | |
Musharraf heading for a painful end
By the evening of February 18 it was clear that Pakistan People's Party, PML of Nawaz Sharif and Awami National Party have swept three provinces and the PML-Q performed well in Baluchistan.
Mayawati may settle for deputy prime minister
She may not be thrilled to compromise and subdue her vaulting prime ministerial ambitions. Her BSP is just a little short of becoming an all-India party. Therefore, she has no choice -- at least, not this time.
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| February 15, 2008 | |
Why the Pakistan elections will be rigged
The Pakistan army actually faces a no win situation: if the elections are stolen very brazenly, then there is every possibility that the army will have to douse the fires that engulf the country; on the other hand, if the results are scientifically managed then there will be prolonged political instability, something that Pakistan can ill-afford at this point in time. Clearly, very interesting times lie ahead for Pakistan.
Is being Indian not enough?
'To live a secured and politically correct life in India, its better to have a provincial identity than just be an Indian.'
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| February 14, 2008 | |
How India can acquire great power status
To avoid heading the way Pakistan is going and to realise its full potential, India will have to learn to use the 'stick' in tandem with the 'carrot'. With unique geo-political opportunities that exist for India on the international chessboard due to it's inherent strengths in several areas, to reach for the sky should not be all that difficult!
Vision, an honest mind & a nationalist spirit
Do we need short-term easy gains, that lead to catastrophe? Or long term progress? India will have to choose very soon when it elects its next government.
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| February 12, 2008 | |
Arunachal: The land of rising ire
Indeed, as regards Arunachal Pradesh, the situation has got worse. Whereas in the past China's interest was confined to the district of Tawang, in recent times, it has blatantly enlarged its claim to cover the whole state
Why is Taslima Nasreen a prisoner?
It is not often understood that foreigners too have constitutional rights, one of most important of them being the right to life and personal liberty. Clearly Taslima's right to life and liberty have been violated by her detention. Unless the government has good reasons to justify her detention, she must be set free.
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| February 07, 2008 | |
China uneasy over PM's Arunachal visit
The tracing of internal dimensions of Dr Singh's visit to Arunachal by the Chinese experts (pressure from the Indian military and the need to 'balance' the moves of anti-China hawkish sections in India) seems to reflect China's doubts over the likely impact on the border talks coming from future political equations in India, especially in the context of general elections due in that country next year.
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| February 06, 2008 | |
Security in the Asian Century
What seems certain is the growing influence of major Asian countries on the structures and processes of international relations in Asia. At the same time, we cannot overlook the influence of external actors on the continent. Asian security in the 21st century will thus be shaped by the interactions between major Asian powers and influential external actors such as European Union, Russia and the United States.
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| January 25, 2008 | |
Rediscover the Sainik school
The decreasing interest in joining the armed forces should worry not just the ministry of defence but the nation too.
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| January 24, 2008 | |
France's Hyper President comes calling
When President Chirac arrived in Mumbai in 1998, he declared: 'In India, France is not at the level where it should be.' Ten years later, it is still true. France has a role to play in India, but will Delhi and Paris will be bold enough to seize the occasion?
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| January 21, 2008 | |
How DRDO has helped the nation
Tactical systems such as main battle tank Arjun, light combat aircraft Tejas, a family of radars, electronic warfare systems, sonars, torpedoes, armaments and missiles have been successfully developed in the country and many of them are being delivered to the armed forces. The recent success of the DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) in the launch of interceptor missile and Agni-III has taken our country into the elite club of a few developed nations.
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| January 18, 2008 | |
How Modi hopes to overcome opposition
Be it the vexed boundary issue or nuclear co-operation or supporting India's bid for a permanent seat, whatever India and China say is mere candy floss, says B S Raghavan.
Lessons from Pakistan
Since partition, the growth of the minority population in India has been manifold while Pakistan's minority population has dwindled from 15 percent to just 1 percent. The biggest mistake that Pakistan made was in not supporting its minority communities.
L K Advani's roadmap for world peace
Can Asia, or for that matter, the rest of the world, rest in peace if ideologies of religious extremism, exclusivism and global domination -- and these ideologies neither respect democracy nor tolerate secularism and plurality -- are allowed to grow in our midst?
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| January 15, 2008 | |
Euphoria over PM's China visit unwarranted
The sense of proportion with which the government handled the visit underscores a profound understanding of this ground reality. Platitudes of the vision document notwithstanding, the cold reality is that both China and India are engaged in a period of adjustment in a highly volatile regional and international environment. To compound the variables, the process of adjustment has just about begun and is likely to be drawn out.
How DRDO failed India's military
If DRDO can appreciate that a technologically advanced and vibrant defence industry is equally critical for India's security and its global aspirations, we will not replicate this mistake. In other words, it should be made to realise that it solely exists to support the armed forces and not vice versa. Therefore, New Delhi should force ruthless accountability within DRDO and ensure fruitful collaboration with the private sector.
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| January 14, 2008 | |
PM in China: Engaging the Dragon
Despite "positive" signals from Beijing during the PM's visit on the civilian nuclear technology issue, no progress is made on either a nuclear "de-targeting" or "non-targeting" agreements between the two countries. Nevertheless, it needs to be pointed out that Beijing is now prepared to support India in "important" international institutions and expressed its view to work with New Delhi in regional and international affairs.
Why you should retire quickly
Pradeep Srivastava has valid arguments to make.
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| January 11, 2008 | |
Dr Singh is not Richard Gere
In diplomacy, it is inadvisable to be a straggler, as you may end up crawling back on a pitiless greasy pole.
Nuclear negotiators have not learnt from Tarapur experience
Throughout the evolution of the deal, since India has not insisted on the parity issue and resigned itself to playing second fiddle as a 'client' State, there are problems galore in having to contend with a deal with conditions heavily loaded against India on technical and economic issues with political overtones.
Lanka turmoil: Threat to India's soft underbelly
The dialogue must be open and the world at large told of the issues involved. But the first step for the process to begin is for both sides to accept that they are in a no win situation. If the world and India fails to convince the Sri Lankans, then we are looking at a fire next door with China gleefully fishing in troubled waters!
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| January 10, 2008 | |
Violence in Kenya: A plague in paradise
Indians are constant targets of violence not because of any particular anti-Indian feeling, but because they are the richer of the species. They have bigger homes and more wealth for the looters and the thieves. Kenyans, who serve in these homes, are witnesses to conspicuous consumption by the Indians. Many homes resemble Hindi movie sets the Kenyans watch with envy every day.
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| January 09, 2008 | |
Good timing for PM's visit to China
For reluctant optimists like me, there are still some inconvenient truths. I believe that the time has come for India to follow the example of China who, in Sonia Gandhi's words, has 'shown the world how much could be achieved with pragmatism, clarity of vision.
PM in China: Stability in times of turmoil
While this visit is expected not to forge any major breakthrough on outstanding issues that afflict bilateral relations in the last five decades, as with the other high-level political visits between the two countries so far, the bottom line is to create conditions that possibly tie both countries in politico-legal frameworks of stability.
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| January 08, 2008 | |
Local factors led to Kandhmal violence
However, if there is any one aspect that is pan-Indian in all the incidents related to Hindu-Christian clashes it is religious conversions. Even in Kandhamal district, one of the major factors fuelling tensions is the conversion campaign of the evangelical groups. It is noteworthy that in a state like Orissa which enacted anti-conversion laws as back as in 1967, the Christian population in Kandhamal district alone has grown from 6 per cent in 1970 to 27 per cent in 2001
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| January 03, 2008 | |
Armed might won't defeat the Naxals
Having traveled several times through the 'affected' areas in Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra I have little hesitation in testifying that the insurgency has much popular support. The police, forest and excise departments are truly hated and this is just about all the government the common people encounter.
Musharraf is wrong to delay the election
In a fair contest, with an independent judiciary, an unbiased election commission and neutral officials in the field, polls suggest Musharraf loyalists would be obliterated. If a delay is simply a pretext to thwart the PPP and to gerrymander a return of a pliable, pro-Musharraf parliament, countries that genuinely want a democratic Pakistan should condemn it.
The other Benazir we should remember
While paying tribute to the slain leader, keep in mind her anti-India stance and role in transferring nuclear technology to North Korea.
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| December 31, 2007 | |
Why Musharraf is not responsible for Benazir's death
People are gunning for Musharraf because they feel he is partly responsible for Benazir's assassination. Nothing could be far from truth. In fact, Musharraf and Benazir might have entered a secret pact, says Sudhir Bisht.
She resorted to anti-Indianism to please voters
Is Benazir Bhutto one of the outstanding leaders of our sub-continent, who always looked for reconciliation between India and Pakistan?
Remembering the truth about Benazir
She was the prime minister who gave the ISI the go-ahead to wage jihad on India. She was the one who exhorted the Pakistan trained and financed terrorists to 'jag-jag mo-mo han-han' Jagmohan the then governor of Jammu and Kashmir, with an explicit chopping motion of the right hand across the open left palm. She was the one who shrieked 'Azadi-azadi' from across the LOC and extended Zia-ul-Haq's doctrine of death by a thousand cuts to Kashmir
Indo-China army drill is symbolic, more to be done
This programme is qualitatively a downgraded version as compared to the Chinese military exercises with others such as with Russia (in August 2005), Pakistan (in 2005 at Taxkorgan area north of Sakshgam valley and in December 2006 at Abbotabad in Pakistan), Central Asian Republics (in August 2007).
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| December 28, 2007 | |
Benazir's death won't have long-term impact
'The military is so deeply entrenched in Pakistan's economic and political life that no democratic entity in the country can survive a challenge from it.'
Al Qaeda does not have a mailing address
'In all such cases of assassinations, the opportunity to act, and access to the target, are the most important aspects. Once these two are available and there are guns for hire, the rest is easy as a matter of patient waiting, or a speedy arrival and quick escape.'
Brave Bibi Benazir
'She was not a politician a newly created country like Pakistan needed. But, among the choices that are available, she was the best.'
Bhutto murder brings US-Pak ties to breaking point
The tragic irony could well be that what Bhutto couldn't achieve over the recent years, she might well have managed by laying down her life -- the beginning of a parting of ways between Bush and Musharraf.
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| December 24, 2007 | |
Will Modi now modify his style?
'He will have to undertake course correction. He will have to be respecful to the norms of a democratic system and observe the rule of law. He may become more cautious lest he looks abrasive and authoritarian.'
How secularists played into Modi's hands
As opposition to Modi by the secularists become shriller, they will end up doing the job of polarising the voters for him and not the other way round.
Idols are better vote-getters than ideology
'Cynicism does not necessarily fetch votes, nor does mindless populism. Good governance, strong leadership and a squeaky clean image now command a premium.'
Dear Father Christmas
'Today, when the planet is in danger, why should India's leaders use petty arguments instead of showing the way?'
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| December 23, 2007 | |
Next step for Modi -- the national stage
Modi has proved to be a formidable vote-catcher at a time when the BJP leadership is full of political bureaucrats without mass following. The survival of the party demands that these bureaucrats make way for Modi or else they and the party will perish. Surrendering to Modi is their last chance for long term survival.
Reading Gujarat's message right
The message from Gujarat is that people want to see in their leaders the time-honoured values of intellectual honesty, personal integrity, performance-oriented governance and straight dealing. They do not any longer want to put up with politicians who speak differently from different corners of the mouth and soft-pedal the looming dangers to the nation from hostile forces and traitorous groups.
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| December 19, 2007 | |
Chinkara gazelle or Kashmiri Hindu?
Do you feel it is okay for government agencies to let terrorists roam free and be more concerned about Chinkara gazelles?
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| December 12, 2007 | |
Pakistan: Will the fatal cycle continue?
What is even more tragic is that US diplomacy, which might have made a difference, instead acted as an enabler of authoritarianism by pursuing a militarised grand strategy almost exclusively fixated on short-term tactical results when what Pakistan has always needed if it is to avoid political self-destruction is comprehensive social reform.
Judicial accountability is at stake
While Justice A K Mathur and Justice Markandey Katju said there have to be limits to judicial activism, Justice S B Sinha retaliates the following day refusing to decide the issue whether women prisoners in jail are being denied their rights. Then, the high court retaliates by refusing to decide a petition relating to beggars, for being chastised by the Supreme Court in entertaining all petitions in public interest. While the judges fight it out, justice suffers.
When grief weighs us down...
Sharing grief allows us to ease our burden, as someone else helps us carry it. This helps us process our inner thoughts and feelings through the filter of a trusted and beloved partner, says Shankerprasad S Bhatt.
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| December 10, 2007 | |
Pakistan: Doomed to a fragile democracy?
The military-bureaucratic dominance is a menacing reality in Pakistan, as a result of which the nation is unable to build a vibrant democracy, says Mohammad Sajjad.
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| December 07, 2007 | |
Bhutto's manifesto hits at Musharraf's power base
Some promises made in Benazir Butto's new manifesto strike at the very root of Musharraf's power base while others -- including handing over control of the Military Initelligence and the nuclear arsenal to the prime minister -- go even beyond that.
Why Modi will score a landslide win again
This is the most one-sided election I have covered in my 28-year journalistic career, where there is no electoral issue except the incumbent chief minister who looms larger than life before the Congress's has-been and would-be small-timers. When a Tendulkar faces gali-mohalla bowlers a double century is certain.
Will the real Indian please stand up?
The Malaysian Hindus used to be Indians hundreds of years ago. Now, they are as Malaysian as any ethnic Malay.
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| December 06, 2007 | |
Think consumer, engage society
Vote for clean politics without being afraid that your vote will be wasted, compare prices, join a social network and share information. There's a lot you can do to make 2008 be better.
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| November 30, 2007 | |
Catch me if you can
Pervez Musharraf is taunting Pakistan, just as Osama bin Laden is taunting the West.
General Kiyani's appointment has US nod
Kiyani's appointment could be seen as part of the US grand strategy to pass off democracy on Pakistan with Musharraf as the civilian president and a civilian prime minister.
Musharraf must exit both politics and the army
To salvage what remains of his legacy, Musharraf should as soon as possible let the chairman of the senate take over as an interim president and withdraw from politics.
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| November 28, 2007 | |
Dear Taslima, let's forget Nandigram
The Islamists are unhappy with Taslima, there is no confusion about that. But what baffles me ? what has that got to do with an issue as grave as Nandigram? I fail to see any connection between the two. Nandigram, Taslima; Taslima, Nandigram -- I give up. Which is exactly when realisation dawns.
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| November 27, 2007 | |
This Jest In
Aditi Nadkarni looks at the funnier side of life as an immigrant.
Jettison the no-first-use nuke policy
The NFUP smacks of an extremist version of masochism. It's tantamount to: You, there, c'mon clobber me, but if you leave me alive I'll disembowel you!
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| November 26, 2007 | |
Pakistan: Towards democracy?
The Pakistani elite seem to be realising for the first time that they need to move away from the idea that Pakistan must necessarily confront India as a matter of honour.
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| November 20, 2007 | |
Stalingram
Nandigram was Stalinised the same way Stalin had Siberia-ised Soviet Russia.
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| November 16, 2007 | |
The nattering nabobs of negativity
The nuclear quagmire illustrates our historic bent towards shooting ourselves in the foot, our indecisiveness, and the perils or the pretensions of an unbounded 'universalism.'
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| November 15, 2007 | |
Busharraf of Pakistan
If Pakistan is today on the brink, the blame should be squarely put on the US and the other Western nations.
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| November 14, 2007 | |
Who did what in Nandigram?
The happenings of the past 10 months in Nandigram -- that once obscure hamlet of the hinterland of West Bengal, which has now begun hitting headlines in world media -- do not lend themselves to any clear appraisal of the situation. Nobody knows for sure who did what there.
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| November 13, 2007 | |
Of Bengal's Magaj Dholai & lost dynamism
When Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee became chief minister after Jyoti Basu stepped down in 2000, the younger generation could not have been happier. 'Change is about to set in' they thought. But the euphoria was short-lived.
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| November 07, 2007 | |
Tehelka sting: Time to speak up
'The response the sting has evoked from some among us is both shameful and dangerous. And when it comes from leaders -- the so-called intellectuals and especially editors who are supposed to mould public opinion -- it is despicable.'
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| November 05, 2007 | |
'We need to be creative about federalism'
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh speaks at the inauguration of the International Conference on Federalism in New Delhi on November 5, 2007.
Will Musharraf survive and succeed?
'Any weakening of army support would spell doom for Musharraf. The Pakistani army's image is much dented and it is doubtful if it can withstand a civil war with the Taliban.'
Where does Pakistan go from here?
'The question of whether General Musharraf will remain army chief for another five years or take off his uniform then will have to be settled by the new parliament in 2008 as happened in 2003.'
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| November 04, 2007 | |
Musharraf has support of US, UK
It is quite evident that the timing of Pervez Musharraf's decision to impose emergency rule in Pakistan is linked to the impending judgment by the Supreme Court regarding the propriety of his re-election as president for another term. But that is only part of the story.
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| November 01, 2007 | |
Emboldened extremists threaten Pakistan, US
In the past six months, (Pakistan President Prevez) Musharraf has been seriously weakened, the major non-religious political figures have been diminished, and the US has been publicly involved in the deal-making leading to Pakistan's next government. The biggest security challenge for the US, however, comes from the newly emboldened violent extremists who are challenging the authority of the Pakistani state.
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| October 31, 2007 | |
India's foreign policy running aground
The idea of India under compulsion harmonising its foreign policy with the US global strategies -- militates other powers. Which is why Iran becomes a test case. The world watches us, and it takes us seriously. We shouldn't appear as one-dimensional men.
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| October 30, 2007 | |
Sonia in China: Mending fences
Sonia referred to her trip as a 'milestone' in bilateral relations, while Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao termed her work in improving bilateral relations as 'of great importance'
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| October 29, 2007 | |
Barak Obama and the Pakistan conundrum
His declaration that the Pakistani junta will no longer be given carte blanche to stonewall further on dislodging Al Qaeda from Waziristan cannot, therefore, be dismissed as the ranting of a politically immature novice, as his detractors aver; it is the right thing to say and should be seen as another instance of Obama once again getting ahead of the pack.
Colombo port adds to India's China woes<
'A Chinese company is in the final fray to get a foothold in the strategic Port of Colombo.'
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| October 25, 2007 | |
The price of pusillanimity
'The N-treaty volte face is a big loss of face for our country. I wonder who will take a frivolous India seriously now. Given the resounding triumph of Leftist blackmailers, wannabe blackmailers can roll their sleeves up and expect a field day hereafter.'
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| October 24, 2007 | |
Mayawati goes after UP’s Big Three
Mayawati was, pre-election, hell-bent upon preventing Amar, Mulayam and Subroto Roy from 'running away' from India. But for Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh's temporary intervention with behenji, Amar Singh would have been put behind bars the day she took over as chief minister.
Bangalore is the best Indian city I've seen
We watched the Global Bazaar come to IIM Bangalore. The days before the recruiting marathon began it felt as if there was a wedding on campus.
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| October 19, 2007 | |
Benazir Bhutto's magic works
Now comes another test in the coming days. As Benazir travels to the province of Punjab in the coming days, what will be her reception? Will it match another homecoming - no less fortuitous, no less breathtaking - two decades ago?
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| October 17, 2007 | |
A gold medal for the Tibetan cause?
The award to the Dalai Lama is good 'for the conscience of the US,' but it does not help the Tibetans in their aspiration for freedom.
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| October 15, 2007 | |
Why India must watch China's communist congress
What India needs to take note of is that relatively younger and educationally qualified candidates are getting elected to the congress over a period of time.
BJP must step in and save N-deal
Failure or inordinate delay in taking forward the deal, by way of engaging with the Internation Atomic Energy Agency and the Nuclear Suppliers Group will actually result in keeping India's sovereignty shrunk and eroded ? the very objective that the Left parties are claiming to advance!
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| October 11, 2007 | |
The RTI movement will lead India to Swaraj
In its true sense, the RTI is a citizen's search for the truth about how his government functions -- a satyagraha. The movement is growing relentlessly and will lead India to the 'Swaraj', which we missed in 1947. A quiet peaceful revolution called the 'Right To Information' campaign is sweeping across the nation.
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| October 02, 2007 | |
Futile bloodshed in Myanmar
Myanmar's history of the last 47 years or more makes it extremely unlikely that change will come through a popular uprising. The military is so well entrenched and the people are so patient that change has to come through a process of reconciliation.
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| September 26, 2007 | |
India@60: Still a long way to go
Everything in India has happened despite the system. However, the system needs a complete overhaul -- into one of strict meritocracy -- and until that happens India will continue to play second fiddle to China.
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| September 25, 2007 | |
Sonia must back Priyanka, not Rahul
She has all the charisma sentimental Indian voters look for in a popular leader. Priyanka can try and mobilise the youth, cutting across caste lines.
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| September 24, 2007 | |
The real Ram Setu fight
The attack on Ambika Soni is aimed at stopping her return to the party during election time.
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| September 14, 2007 | |
Denying Ram is denying India
Gandhi stood firmly for Ram Rajya. He died with Ram's name on his lips. His samadhi in Delhi has only one inscription etched on it, He Ram. But Hindus are asked to provide proof of Rama's birthplace and the data of his bridge's construction plans.
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| September 12, 2007 | |
As difficult as 123
It may not be the easiest of deals to forge, but with patience and understanding it can be done.
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| September 05, 2007 | |
Pakistan and the 'minus 2 formula'
Musharraf was serious about sharing power with Bhutto but her demands exposed her real intentions; she actually overestimated her importance and tried to grab everything from Musharraf through negotiations.
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| August 28, 2007 | |
Mayawati’s plans to rule India
With her pan-Indian Dalit following her in a frenzy, slogging for her in the field, with their dreams of seeing a Dalit prime minister in India, the possibility is not as distant as most Indians wish/dread it to be.
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| August 27, 2007 | |
India and Japan: Limits of convergence
India, which has kept its distance from the militaristic dimension given to the SCO by the recent Sino-Russian exercises, should equally avoid closer involvement in a quadrilateral combine which will harm its relations with China.
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| August 23, 2007 | |
Amend Constitution to enable debate
The Left has raised an important issue using their bargaining power. Non-party people's formations may not have the power in Parliament, but we have an important set of issues that need to be considered
Why Japan and India are moving closer
Although Shinzo Abe's itinerary in India indicates a bias towards financial-related issues, several issues of concern would have been discussed between the two sides
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| August 22, 2007 | |
Who holds the Indian flag in Kashmir?
It is these 7,000 Kashmiri Hindus who still believe in the Constitution. If we lose them, we lose Kashmir.
Shinzo Abe is an admirer of India
Between India's democracy and China's opaque political system, non-military transparency in particular, Abe sides with the former. On India's nuclear programme, the Japanese prime minister had refused to compare India's case with that of North Korea.
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| August 21, 2007 | |
We need to tend to the grassroots
'The fault is not in our freedom but how we are milking the magnificent opportunity it has afforded. Should we not ponder and correct the course?'
Why the Japanese PM's visit is crucial
'On the agenda: A nearly $100 billion Delhi-Mumbai fast track freight corridor, a similar corridor for Delhi and Kolkata, cooperation in counter-terrorism and security matters, and civil nuclear cooperation.'
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| August 14, 2007 | |
The US cannot dictate to Pakistan
Pervez Musharraf's willingness to be persuaded by the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to attend the Kabul jirga underscores the criticality of Pakistan's cooperation for Washington.
India should not waste this last chance
The future may not be as rosy as the cheerleading cohort may think, and yet it need not be as bleak as the pessimists fear.
We need to set lofty goals
We need to set lofty goals just as our forefathers. Like them, we need to be dreamers with a pragmatic approach.
Nuclear steal: It's the Constitution, stupid
`The Constitution needs one more amendment to overcome the perils of anything like the latest 123 Agreement. But a repair job will not do; what is wanted is a total overhaul to overcome contradictions and complications.'
Which part of India are you from?
After 60 years, we know from our own everyday experience that there is 'an idea of India' which transcends sub-identities and unifies us when needed.
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| August 10, 2007 | |
The nuclear deal: A positive fallout
The boldness of the nuclear deal could provide a much-needed boost of confidence to a country which, at 60, is only now learning to tightrope across the world stage without the safety net of the United Nations or the Non-Aligned Movement.
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| August 06, 2007 | |
Nuclear deal: It could have been worse
'In the event of a nuclear test by India, the Agreement will stand automatically terminated.'
Nuclear deal: India has no leverage
'We are now in effect reduced to a mere recipient State mandated by the Hyde Act to carry out a set of dos and don'ts and to strive to earn a good behaviour report card to become eligible to continue receiving what the Americans can offer.'
Abuse as argument
It is only the apex court that can decelerate, though not stop, the march of casteism. Politicians have not opposed and will not oppose the expanding scope of reservations.
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| July 27, 2007 | |
Does N-deal really solve issues?
What we are fed up with is one-sided interpretation of the text by the official side though there is promise that the text will be made public soon in consultation with the US.
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| July 18, 2007 | |
Weaving it together: Web 2.0
'It is early days as yet and what is certain is that like all technology Web 2.0 will irrevocably and irreversibly change the way we interact with the Web and with each other.'
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| July 17, 2007 | |
Pakistan after Lal Masjid
The perception that the extremists have got a clear signal from the establishment regarding its threshold to tolerate such nonsense will keep others in check.
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| July 16, 2007 | |
Lal Masjid: What should Musharraf do now?
'The Lal Masjid battle is part of the wider civil war within the Islamic world waged by totalitarian forces that seek redemption through violence. Their cancerous radicalism pits Muslims against Muslims, and the world at large.'
Karnataka is a state in danger from itself
The real, frightening problem is that there is no one fighting communalism in Karnataka.
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| July 12, 2007 | |
11/7: We MUST remember
July 11 did not deserve to be an ordinary day. It is a day of anger. A day to respectfully honour hundreds of citizens -- who could have been you or me – killed in the space of minutes. Of lives lost. Of homes shattered. How can we not remember?
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| July 10, 2007 | |
Beyond the Lal Masjid operation
'Pakistan faces no such danger as a takeover by the Islamist radical forces. The temper of the overwhelming majority of Pakistanis is also such that they share a dislike toward the forces of extremism.'
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| July 07, 2007 | |
Goal post shifts for Indo-US nuclear deal
The heart of the matter is that the Indo-US nuclear deal, unless it is closed now ? right now ? and on American terms, will soon need to be harmonised with the new Russian-American format and the international regime emanating |
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