IDR Blog
Building Frigates for The Philippines Navy
The Indian Navy was, till not very long ago, dependent on foreign yards for its requirements of warships. It has come a long way since then and today all its future warships on order are with Indian shipyards, including hi-tech vessels like Aircraft Carriers, Nuclear Submarines, etc., the manufacture of which very few countries in the world...
Dhaka Hostage Crisis: It’s Domestic Political angst that is Speaking, not the IS
For those jumping to conclusions about the perpetrator of the Dhaka terror attacks, here is a reality check. On Saturday, I battled a whole army of Indian TV anchors, journalists and commentators on several national channels, challenging their repeated assertions that either the ISIS or the Al Qaeda was behind the Friday night attack on...
Strengthening Ties with Africa
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to embark on a tour of four African countries – Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania and Kenya – from July 7 to 11, 2016. This is his second tour to Africa. Last year, he had visited Seychelles and Mauritius. His tour also comes on the heels of President Pranab Mukherjee’s and Vice President Hamid...
India’s entry to MTCR: A classic case of “Policy of Prestige”
One of the cherished goals of any foreign policy is often to secure, maintain and enhance the prestige of the country. In the diplomatic parlance, it is called doctrine of ‘policy of prestige’. Morgenthau says, “the policy of prestige is the third of the basic manifestations of the struggle for power on the international scene.” A...
The Afghan Conundrum: As Big Powers Continue Their Charade, Afghanistan Loses Peace
Richard Olsen, US Special Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan recently said that India and Iran will be included in the Afghan peace process at a “later stage”. What is that later stage in the US calculus and whether this has something to do with Olsen’s preceding tenure as US ambassador in Islamabad is an open question? But...