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Myanmar: Towards Democracy and Development?
After decades of economic and political stagnation, the past
year has offered the first hints of a better future for the long
suffering people of Burma/Myanmar. Elections held in November 2010,
the formation of a new ‘civilian’ government made up of ex-military
officers, and some announced reforms of media censorship and
political restrictions, have all contributed to an environment of
hope.
Read more...
India and Israel – 20 Years of Possibilities and Potential
It seems inconceivable that India and Israel lacked any
relationship for most of their relatively brief histories and
established full diplomatic ties the same year Israel and China did
(1992). Yet by 2003, Israeli Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz,
acknowledged that the relationship was already second in importance
“… only to Israel’s relations with the United States.”
Read more...
Downslide in US-Pak Relations and Implications for India
Ever since Pakistan army’s duplicitous post 9/11 U-turn of
hunting with the hounds and running with the hare, while the US
giving it the status of ‘frontline ally in the war against terror’,
kept giving it arms and monetary aid, this writer often asked how
long this flawed equation could continue.
Read more...
India’s Permanent Ally in an Ephemeral World Order
Indo-Russian relations are said to have withstood the winds of
change. Both countries enjoy ‘special and privileged strategic
partnership’. The political meet between the leaders of the two
countries extends to the economic and the defence sector, which form
an integral part of the bilateral relationship.
Read more...
Duma Elections 2011: From ‘Managed’ to Genuine Electoral
Democracy?
The 1993 Constitution of the Russian Federation created a
political system, often referred to as ‘super-presidential’ with a
powerful president and a relatively weak parliament. The State Duma
(Gosudarstvennaya Duma) is the lower house of Russian Parliament.
Read more...
India-Russia Strategic Relationship Strength and Substance
The strategic relations between India and Russia date back to
the Soviet period, especially in the field of defence cooperation,
thus making both countries traditional partners.
Read more...
Trade and Investment Cooperation Touching New Highs
India has always been one of Russia’s closest and most
reliable friend and partner. The Government and business leaders of
both countries are committed to deepening cooperation in economic,
trade and investment areas for the growth and welfare of the people
of our countries. Today, India and Russia are among the world
leaders in terms of economic growth.
Read more...
(Arab Awakening) Liberals versus Islamists in Egypt
The unrest in Tunisia provided the stimulus for wider
turbulence in the region. In a chain reaction, discontent surfaced
soon in Egypt
Read more...
(Arab Awakening) Yemen’s Journey towards Empowerment
In January 2011, protests began in Yemen, in both the South
and the North of the country. Initial demonstrations were against
the government’s proposals for further amendment to the Constitution
of Yemen,
Read more...
India’s Nuclear Dilemma in West Asia
The Iranian nuclear programme is once again hitting the
headlines and the spectre of military conflict in West Asia looms
large over the horizon. Citing “credible” intelligence in its latest
report to the United Nations, the International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) has expressed “serious concerns” that Iran is working towards
building a nuclear weapon.
Read more...
‘The Commonwealth is not about government, but about its
citizens’
Mr. Kamalesh Sharma, a seasoned Indian diplomat and former
Indian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, was recently
re-appointed as the Commonwealth Secretary-General for a four-year
term beginning April 2012. In an interview with Yamini Chowdhury,
Associate Editor, Diplomatist, the Secretary-General of the
54-nation grouping elaborated on a wide-range of issues, ranging
from the relevance of the grouping in the 21st century to the
judicious utilization of the Commonwealth’s potential.
Read more...
Vaclav Havel – Symbolizing the Post-Communist Democratic Era
It was a gloomy day for the Czech nation to learn on the
morning of 18 December 2011 that our former President and highly
respected public figure, who led the Czechoslovakian “Velvet
Revolution”, had died at the age of 75. As the Czech nation and
international community mourns the loss of one of the fathers of the
East European democracy movement
Read more...
The Indian-Brazilian Win-Win Game
They may be very different in their respective gigantic sizes
– India has 1.2 billion people (the second largest population in the
world) and Brazil ‘only’ less than 200 million, the fifth largest in
the world. Brazil has an area of 8.51 million sq km, making it the
largest country in the Southern Hemisphere, and India ‘only’ 3.28
million sq km, the largest country in South Asia.
Read more...
Foreign Direct Investment in Retail – Boon or Bane?
The backdrop to this article is the current debate and
uncertainty regarding permitting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
into the Multi-Brand Retail Trade (MBRT) sector. It is surprising
that the Government took a step with such significant economic,
political and social ramifications without the consensus of its
coalition members as well as the opposition..
Read more...
Bounteous Karnataka – Harvesting the Abundant Agri Potential
The state of Karnataka in South India is often considered to
be a melting pot of cultures, languages and faiths. Though the world
knows the state due to the IT prowess of its capital Bengaluru,
Karnataka, the eighth largest state in terms of geographical size,
boasts of immense diversity in its landscape and language.
Read more...
Women Power: Women Empowerment and Development in Gujarat
Development through Empowerment may be what the Government of
Gujarat envisaged when it announced special incentives for women
under its Samras Scheme.
Read more...
Successful Conservation Stories in Gujarat State, India
In a major initiative to boost tree plantation and improve the
ecology of the State, and also to connect people with tree, the
Government of Gujarat embarked upon an ambitious drive in the year
2004
Read more...
Unearthing Sonalika Tractors – The Complete Agricultural
Service Provider
From humble beginnings in 1969 to emerging as the leader in
tractor and farm equipment manufacturing in India, Sonalika Group
has come a long way. Ever since its inception, the group has created
a rich culture of serving the cause of farm mechanisation in India
and abroad.
Read more...
Special Report
Welcome To Sri Lanka Exo 2012
Medha Patkar Searches for a New Cause
'Smart Clobalisation' A Corollary of Trilemma
Read more...
Prelude to the Pushkin Medal
Growing up in England, Italy and America gave me the good
fortune of such an exposure. I was fortunate that in my mother,
Leela, who, while being deeply rooted in Hinduism and Sanskrit, was
keen to learn from the alien ambiences where my father’s diplomatic
assignments took him. My father Moni Moulik, and my husband Mohandas
Moses, possessed something of the Renaissance man. They could
traverse many cultural worlds without losing their own cultural
identities.
Read more...
The Art of Ajanta
One of the finest specimens of art in India is the ancient
Indian caves of Ajanta. Hardly any Indian would be unaware of this
mesmerizing heritage of architecture, sculpture and murals.
Read more...
