|
Divided Diet and its Impact on Japanese Politics and Foreign Policy
Veena Sharma
9 May 2008
The Japanese Parliament is called the National Diet. Since July 2007, the Japanese politics has been witnessing many ups and downs. A Divided Diet situation in the Parliament is where the ruling coalition (the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the New Komeito) commands a two-third majority.....more
Ansari’s visit to Central Asia to boost ties
Angira Sen Sarma
8 May 2008
India’s relations with its “extended neighbourhood” got a significant impetus with Vice President Hamid Ansari’s April 2008 visit to Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. The choice of these two countries for the Vice President’s first official visit abroad after assuming office reflects India’s renewed interest in the region.....more
In Nepal, India’s choices are limited
Paul Soren
3 May 2008
The India-Nepal "Peace and Friendship Treaty of 1950" has always been a bone of contention between the two neighbours. Extensive discussions at different forums and platforms have been held and the issue analysed from all possible angles......more
Which came first, defence deals or middlemen?
Deba R Mohanty
3 May 2008
Addressing a press conference at Def Expo 2008, defence minister AK Antony vowed that there was no place for middlemen in defence deals. He had earlier set an example by scrapping a couple of mega multi-billion dollar defence deals for 197 medium lift military helicopters and a major artillery gun deal.....more
Vice President releases Indian Army Vision 2020
6 May 2008
Indian Army Vision 2020, the new publication of Observer Research Foundation, was released in Delhi on Tuesday (April 29, 2008) by the Vice President of India, Mr. Mohammed Hamid Ansari.
The concise and comprehensive book on the Indian Army has been written by Brig. Gurmeet Kanwal (Retd.) and published by HarperCollins India....more
Vol I, Issue 17
SOUTH ASIA WEEKLY
4 May 2008
The US State Department, in its latest report on terrorism, came down heavily on LTTE for its extortionist activities. The terrorist group, despite world-wide ban on its various activities, has been raising funds by forcing business houses to pay tax in areas they dominate....more
International Human Rights Standards: How Does India Measure Up?
Dilip Lahiri
3 May 2008
China’s fulsome praise for India’s human rights record on April 14, 2008 in the first session of the UN Human Rights Council’s new system of Universal Periodic Review (UPR) would have come as a respite for the Indian delegation even as India was being subjected to hard and searching questions on torture in police custody......more
Caspian Pipeline Politics, Energy Reserves and Regional Implications
By P.L. Dash
ORF-Pentagon Press
29 April 2008
The Caspian region is endowed with enormous offshore and onshore hydrocarbon resources, but their access to world markets is limited. Following the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the number of claimants to the Caspian Sea has increased from two to five States. Besides Iran and Russia, who shared the Sea through the erstwhile Soviet Union, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan are the three new actors.....more
|