Although the ideas of nuclear arms control, nuclear security and nuclear disarmament have featured in several US official statements and joint statements with other countries, will US adopt the ‘No First Use’ policy, remains to be seen.

• Rajiv Nayan |
• December 28, 2021 |
• Comment

With few convergences among partners, the path of the “traffic light coalition” headed by Olaf Scholz is laden with challenges, but also offers spaces for positive action. With several new faces in key positions, its success would lie in maintaining continuity, and tweaking it to accommodate necessary changes when required.

• Swasti Rao |
• December 23, 2021 |
• Comment

President Putin’s short but highly consequential visit to India and the launch of the 2+2 format have imbued new dynamism into the bilateral partnership. There might be a few areas of divergence between the two sides but spheres of convergence are much greater.

• Ashok Sajjanhar |
• December 16, 2021 |
• Comment

Considering that the year 2021 marks the fifth anniversary of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and Vietnam, the upcoming visit of Mr Vuong Dinh Hue, the current Chairman of the Vietnam National Assembly, to India is likely to strengthen India–Vietnam relationship further.

• P.K. Chakravorty |
• December 14, 2021 |
• Comment

Nord Stream 2, a Russian undersea gas pipeline project that intends to deliver natural gas from Siberia to Germany, currently sits at an intersection of several geopolitical and geo-economic cross-currents that determine the economic security as well as the geostrategic balance of Europe.

• Swasti Rao |
• December 10, 2021 |
• Comment

Showing readiness to sign the SEANWFZ treaty seems to be a low-cost, high-return proposition for Beijing. It could be a calculated symbolic gesture having no bearing on the region’s precarious security situation.

• Niranjan Chandrashekhar Oak |
• December 09, 2021 |
• Comment

As the civilian political space shrinks and the capacity of the state gets hobbled by political dissension and internal resistance from forces armed with an alternate blueprint for action, Pakistan is likely to rely more on its anti-India stance to build national unity, seeking especially to suck in the militant religious groups into its orbit.

• Ashok K. Behuria |
• December 03, 2021 |
• Comment

Defence procurement in India needs to adopt a mix of procurement avenues in which the indigenous solutions, foreign equipment and futuristic R&D continue together in a balanced manner. Considering that piecemeal solutions are not effective in the long term, there is a need to adopt a ‘Systems Approach’ to come up with a holistic solution which is enduring and progressive.

• Manish Rana |
• December 02, 2021 |
• Comment

The coming of Taliban to power in Afghanistan could upset the geopolitical applecart in Central Asia and adjoining regions. The growing association of radical Uyghur groups like the ETIM, with IS-K and the spread of jihadist operations in Central Asia could have significant implications for regional and international powers, particularly for China and its ambitious plans for Silk Road imperialism.

• Adil Rasheed , Saman Ayesha Kidwai |
• November 29, 2021 |
• Comment

Melting of the polar ice-sheets and their scientific inter-linkages to Indian monsoons, necessitate India to undertake scientific studies in the Arctic and Antarctica. An independent PRV with required icebreaking capabilities will be a crucial requirement in this regard. It is also important considering the pace of the geo-political and geo-economic transitions happening in the Arctic.

• Bipandeep Sharma |
• November 25, 2021 |
• Comment