OBSERVER RESEARCH FOUNDATION

Why India needs to safeguard its ties with Nepal

Neighbourhood

Jun 27, 2018

Why India needs to safeguard its ties with Nepal

Kathmandu has repeatedly indicated that it wants to maintain a balance between India and China.

Harsh V. Pant

Why India needs to think through its policy on Gilgit-Baltistan and POK

Neighbourhood

Aug 26, 2016

Why India needs to think through its policy on Gilgit-Baltistan and POK

Manoj Joshi

International Affairs | Indian Foreign Policy | Great Power Dynamics

Nov 13, 2017

Why India should be wary of the Quad

Like it or not, the term ‘Indo Pacific’ seems to be a means of including India in the military calculations of US strategy in the Pacific.

Manoj Joshi

Why India should become closer to Afghanistan

International Affairs | Neighbourhood

Sep 08, 2015

Why India should become closer to Afghanistan

Vikram Sood | Holger Rogner

Neighbourhood | Indian Foreign Policy | US Foreign Policy

Aug 28, 2017

Why India should buy into Trump's plan

If it wants to be a source of regional stability, it must act like one.

Mihir Swarup Sharma

Why India should engage in development work with China in neighbouring regions

Indian Foreign Policy | China Foreign Policy

Aug 27, 2018

Why India should engage in development work with China in neighbouring regions

The idea of hotline, now stuck up on protocol issues, will play a role in reducing tensions between India and China.

Manoj Joshi

Why India should have a declared Space policy

Defence and Security | Space

Sep 03, 2013

Why India should have a declared Space policy

Laying down the rules of the road is a task that should not be left until Space is highly weaponised. Aside from the political and strategic value, India has a huge financial stake given its investments and reliance in this regard.

Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan

Jun 10, 2015

Why India should join China's MSR

India is located at such a prime position that it can't miss out the opportunity to be part of the MSR. Both the Marine Silk Road and the continental Silk Road --which is going to connect China with the central Asia -- are going to pass from India's periphery. India could gain a lot from being an active partner to the MSR. And, not joining it may isolate India.

Kangkanika Neog

Why India should monitor TTIP negotiations

Indian Economy

Dec 30, 2013

Why India should monitor TTIP negotiations

As an aspiring global power, what India should take note of is that the TTIP will potentially contribute greatly to the evolution of rules of global trade, particularly in areas where multilateral-level consensus is still elusive. It is in India's interests to keep a close watch of the situation and make necessary interventions.

Why India should stay away from the politics of good extremist/bad extremist

Internal Security | Indian Defence

Nov 06, 2018

Why India should stay away from the politics of good extremist/bad extremist

There are lessons we can learn from Pakistan unless we want to end up like them.

Sushant Sareen

Why India should support greater African representation under its G20 presidency

International Affairs

Aug 26, 2022

Why India should support greater African representation under its G20 presidency

As India is all set to take over the G20 presidency from Indonesia on 1 December 2022 till 30 November 2023, it should step up its game and distinguish itself as Africa’s partner with a difference

| Abhishek Mishra

Why India should view Trump's idea of mediation with caution

Neighbourhood | US Foreign Policy

Jul 24, 2019

Why India should view Trump's idea of mediation with caution

The US merely followed the lead of Britain in pushing the UN resolutions of 1948 making a dispute out of India’s complaint of Pakistani aggression in Kashmir.

Manoj Joshi

Why India's defence procurement is problematic?

Apr 10, 2012

Why India's defence procurement is problematic?

A country that spends 15 per cent of its Central expenditure on national defence (armed forces and DRDO) and 23 per cent on national security (armed forces and all other security forces like para-military, police) must explain to its citizens as to whether its spending on security is justifiably utilised or not.

Why India's drone policy needs a rethink

Internal Security | Indian Defence

May 18, 2018

Why India's drone policy needs a rethink

Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan

Why India's election process is bringing out the absurd in us all?

Domestic Politics and Governance | National Politics

Nov 06, 2013

Why India's election process is bringing out the absurd in us all?

As five states in India go to the polls in the coming weeks, it seems the 'silly season' is upon us. We are being saturated with inanities masquerading as "political discourse". The problem, however, is that as these samples of ludicrousness tumble out in a disturbingly steady stream, we actually engage with them in earnestness.

Samir Saran

Why India's food value-chain needs better risk management instruments amid Ukraine war

International Affairs | Climate, Food and Environment | Economics and Finance | Climate Change

May 30, 2022

Why India's food value-chain needs better risk management instruments amid Ukraine war

The Russian attack on Ukraine’s agricultural industry has largely destroyed the agricultural supply chain. The impact has been felt on the Indian economy as well.

Nilanjan Ghosh | Soumya Bhowmick

Why India's Japanese Partnership must avoid the pitfalls of zero-sum geopolitics

International Affairs | Indian Foreign Policy

Dec 14, 2015

Why India's Japanese Partnership must avoid the pitfalls of zero-sum geopolitics

Manoj Joshi

Why India's military isn’t getting the weapons it needs

Internal Security | Indian Defence

Aug 06, 2020

Why India's military isn’t getting the weapons it needs

New Delhi's labyrinthine procurement organization is an obstacle to the country's national security. And the external security threats that India confronts, especially that from Beijing, will not miraculously disappear.

| Pushan Das

Indian Economy

Aug 28, 2015

Why India-Australia FTA matters?

Why India-Nepal ties are likely to worsen

Neighbourhood

Dec 19, 2017

Why India-Nepal ties are likely to worsen

KP Sharma Oli, who is bitterly anti-Indian, is likely to return to the prime minister's office.

Manoj Joshi

Why Indian fishers cannot chase 'Sri Lankan' fish?

International Affairs | Neighbourhood | Indian Foreign Policy | Indian Ocean

Mar 12, 2014

Why Indian fishers cannot chase 'Sri Lankan' fish?

With Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa linking the officially-blessed second round of fishers' talks in Colombo, scheduled for 13 March, to the release of all fishers arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy, questions have arisen about the future course.

| N. Sathiya Moorthy

Why India’s 20 per cent club loves the status quo

Domestic Politics and Governance

Nov 03, 2018

Why India’s 20 per cent club loves the status quo

The CBI is #IASmukt, as is the CVC, whose commissioners are former income-tax, police and bank officials.

Sanjeev Ahluwalia

Why India’s economic slowdown is a national security problem

Indian Economy | Internal Security | Indian Defence

Dec 06, 2019

Why India’s economic slowdown is a national security problem

The country won’t have the resources required to modernise and equip the armed forces, or the wherewithal to project power in its neighbourhood and beyond.

Sushant Sareen

Why India’s military needs to move to theatre commands now

Defence and Security

Feb 20, 2017

Why India’s military needs to move to theatre commands now

Harsh V. Pant

Why India’s new defence budget falls short

Defence and Security | Indian Economy

Feb 14, 2019

Why India’s new defence budget falls short

The new budget does little to advance the very objectives the country has outlined for itself.

Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan

Nuclear Security

Jul 07, 2018

Why India’s nuclear security challenge demands attention

It is essential that the government goes ahead and tables the NSRA Bill.

Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan

Why is China building its nuclear arsenal as world fights COVID?

Healthcare | Nuclear Security

May 15, 2020

Why is China building its nuclear arsenal as world fights COVID?

Manoj Joshi

Why is China renaming seemingly unimportant places in Arunachal Pradesh?

Indian Foreign Policy | China Foreign Policy

Apr 24, 2017

Why is China renaming seemingly unimportant places in Arunachal Pradesh?

Two of the six spots renamed could be of significance, but the other four are simply points on a map. Is there a method behind this that we cannot discern at the moment?

Manoj Joshi

Why is environmental accounting essential for India?

Climate Change

Mar 05, 2019

Why is environmental accounting essential for India?

Depletion of natural capital is an irreversible process and steps to assess and combat this are needed urgently.

Soumya Bhowmick

International Affairs | Terrorism

Jul 16, 2016

Why is France the terror target again?

| Rakesh Sood

Why is India ranked so low in Global Hunger Index?

Healthcare | Developing and Emerging Economies

Oct 27, 2016

Why is India ranked so low in Global Hunger Index?

David Rusnok

Why Is India Shy of Playing Geo-strategic Games?

International Affairs | Neighbourhood | Climate, Food and Environment | Water

Jul 27, 2011

Why Is India Shy of Playing Geo-strategic Games?

Indian decision-makers appear to live in splendid isolation and do not recognise the importance of meetings like the Pacific Army Chiefs Conference. These meetings have become more institutionalised and are likely to gain greater momentum.

International Affairs | Neighbourhood | US Foreign Policy | Terrorism

Jun 08, 2004

Why is Karachi burning, again?

Karachi is burning, once again. There has been a sudden spurt of violence in the city. Killings, bomb attacks and riots have taken a heavy toll during the past month. Sindh Chief Minister Ali Mohammad Maher has been forced to resign. Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali faces criticism for failing to impose law and order.

Why is Radical Islam spreading in South Asia?

International Affairs | Neighbourhood

Mar 02, 2010

Why is Radical Islam spreading in South Asia?

The rhetoric and the justifications that Radical Islam employs to create willing suicide bombers must be properly understood if this menace is to be tackled effectively

Why is the Indian counter-insurgency failing repeatedly?

Internal Security | Indian Defence

Apr 08, 2014

Why is the Indian counter-insurgency failing repeatedly?

The Indian tendency to muddle through is likely to continue when it comes to counter-insurgency. The distance between the Army and its civilian masters is so gaping that advice, however enriched by experience and reflection, is likely to fall on deaf ears.

Why Is the Indo-Pacific Important for Europe?

International Affairs

Feb 25, 2022

Why Is the Indo-Pacific Important for Europe?

A proactive Europe is welcomed by many in the Indo-Pacific, a reality highlighted by a recent ministerial forum focused on cooperation in the region.

Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan

Why is US Secretary of Defence Panetta so angry?

International Affairs | Neighbourhood | US Foreign Policy

Jun 12, 2012

Why is US Secretary of Defence Panetta so angry?

The US, as always, learned the hard way that it was not or need not be all that dependent on Pakistani cooperation and generosity and Pakistan was probably beginning to realise that it had exaggerated its own importance.

Vikram Sood | Holger Rogner

Why ISIS and Taliban threat to Afghanistan's national security should concern India

Defence and Security

Jul 07, 2018

Why ISIS and Taliban threat to Afghanistan's national security should concern India

India needs to be aware of the potentially disastrous consequences for its national security.

Harsh V. Pant

Why Israel-Lebanon maritime agreement is a breakthrough deal

International Affairs

Oct 31, 2022

Why Israel-Lebanon maritime agreement is a breakthrough deal

Opening of gas fields offers scope for reducing conflict in the region and has the potential to reduce Europe's energy dependence on Russia

Navdeep Suri

Jul 21, 2015

Why it is time to invest in Iran

The opening of Iran will alter the geopolitics of south-western Asia. Even so, India needs to tread with care. But this should not in any way constrain our initiatives with Iran. We need to move beyond the phase of dithering that has characterised our ties with Tehran for the last decade.

Manoj Joshi

Why it makes sense for India and China to cooperate on Iran’s Chabahar project

Indian Foreign Policy | China Foreign Policy

May 10, 2018

Why it makes sense for India and China to cooperate on Iran’s Chabahar project

The development of the Chabahar port needs to be viewed as Iran’s call for “engagement”.

Harsh V. Pant

Why it may be too soon to write democracy’s obituary?

Domestic Politics and Governance

Jan 19, 2018

Why it may be too soon to write democracy’s obituary?

Niranjan Sahoo

Why it's dangerous for BJP government to assume it can resolve Kashmir crisis

Internal Security | Indian Defence

May 08, 2017

Why it's dangerous for BJP government to assume it can resolve Kashmir crisis

Last week's massive combing operation is a clear indication that things are regressing on the ground in J&K.

Manoj Joshi

Why Italy should reorient towards the Indo-Pacific and India

Indian Foreign Policy

Dec 18, 2020

Why Italy should reorient towards the Indo-Pacific and India

As the European Union has recently started to look beyond China, labeling it as a strategic competitor in 2019, new partnerships would be needed and are being codified. Italy too needs to respond fast to this evolving strategic reality by framing its own approach to the Indo-Pacific in general and India in particular.

Harsh V. Pant