Strategic Analysis

India and China: The Battle between Hard Power and Soft Power by Prem Shankar Jha

Penguin Viking, New York, 2010, 398 pp., Rs. 599, ISBN

R N Das |
January 2011 |
Strategic Analysis

India’s Options in Afghanistan

The prognoses that it will be long before Afghanistan will be at peace with itself; that the Taliban have raised the cost of the Afghan war for the West; that the growing differences between the West and Kabul have aggravated the prevailing uncertainty over the future of the war; and that the US-led Afghan mission appears unwinnable are all unexceptionable.

Socio-Economic Underpinning of Jihadism in Pakistan

The rise of the jihadist movement in Pakistan is driven primarily by ideological and religious factors. Decades of indoctrination of a virulent version of radical political Islam has motivated thousands of people—young and old—to take the path of violent jihad to capture political power, and through it, transform the society, economy and culture to bring about what they consider to be a pristine Islamic order.

Soft Power: China’s Emerging Strategy in International Politics by Mingjiang Li (ed.)

Lexington Books, Plymouth, 2009, 275 pp., US$80, ISBN 978-0-7391-3377-4

India in the Afghan Maze: Search for Options

The Afghan war has a long way to go. The situation has come to a point where with every passing month one wonders where the war is headed. There can be no doubt that it will be long before Afghanistan will be at peace with itself. At this moment, there does not seem to be any solution to the Afghan crisis. The Taliban and their allies, both Afghan and foreign, have notably succeeded in transforming the war to their advantage.

Tasks before Indian Foreign Policy

India is contesting elections for the non-permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for a two-year term, 2011–12. If elected, it will return to the Security Council after a gap of 18 years. During this long hiatus, the geopolitical environment in the world has changed dramatically. As a member of the UNSC, India will be called upon to deliberate over a host of new issues and threats to international security.

Arvind Gupta |
January 2011 |
Strategic Analysis

India and Counterinsurgency: Lessons Learned by Sumit Ganguly and David P. Fidler (eds.)

Routledge, Oxon, 2009, 256 pp., $120.00, ISBN 978-0-415-49103-7

Kapil Patil |
January 2011 |
Strategic Analysis

Illegal Bangladeshi Migration to India: Impact on Internal Security

Migration, a worldwide phenomenon, has often been seen as beneficial for both the sending and receiving countries. However, post-9/11, the phenomenon is seen as a mixed blessing. It is also being realised that it is impossible to check illegal migration unless the sending country cooperates. In South Asia, India has been at the receiving end of the problem of illegal immigration from Bangladesh. This paper argues that such illegal migration is posing a threat to internal security because the issue has not been properly securitised.

Anand Kumar |
January 2011 |
Strategic Analysis

Breaking Through – The Birth of China’s Opening-Up Policy by Li Lanqing

Oxford University Press and Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, Oxford and New York, 2009, ISBN 978-0-19-801692-2

Engaging Iran in the New Strategic Environment: Opportunities and Challenges for India

In recent years, Iran has come to acquire a significant place in the West Asian region with the ability to influence regional politics. For India, relations with Iran are vital. In the changed strategic environment, both India and Iran have been working towards improving their bilateral relations. However, there are several challenges, especially for India, in this regard. If the Iran-US confrontation intensifies, for example, India may find it difficult to pursue a smooth relationship with Iran.