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PUBLISHER’S NOTE/EDITORIAL |
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Welcome to the first
edition of the New Year. As we welcome
2012 with a feeling of anticipation
mixed with a palpable sense of awe, one
cannot help but marvel at how the future
loves to remain an enigma, a guess work,
an astrologer’s nightmare. So even
though 2011 did throw up many surprises
in places least expected it is difficult
to fathom what 2012 will resemble.
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News |
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> International News
> Bilateral News
> Corporate News |
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Focus |
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Myanmar: Towards
Democracy and Development? |
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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.
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Spotlight |
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India and Israel –
20 Years of Possibilities and Potential |
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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.” |
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Downslide in
US-Pak Relations and Implications for
India |
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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. |
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Cover Story |
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India’s Permanent
Ally in an Ephemeral World Order |
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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. |
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Duma Elections
2011: From ‘Managed’ to Genuine
Electoral Democracy?
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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. |
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India-Russia
Strategic Relationship Strength and
Substance |
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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. |
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Trade and Investment Cooperation
Touching New Highs |
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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. |
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Global Center
Stage |
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(Arab Awakening) Liberals versus
Islamists in Egypt |
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The unrest in Tunisia
provided the stimulus for wider
turbulence in the region. In a chain
reaction, discontent surfaced soon in
Egypt |
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(Arab
Awakening) Yemen’s Journey towards
Empowerment |
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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, |
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India’s Nuclear
Dilemma in West Asia |
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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. |
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‘The
Commonwealth is not about government,
but about its citizens’ |
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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. |
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Perspective |
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Vaclav Havel –
Symbolizing the Post-Communist
Democratic Era
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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 |
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Economy |
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The Indian-Brazilian Win-Win Game |
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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.
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Foreign Direct
Investment in Retail – Boon or Bane? |
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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..
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Indian States
on a Platter |
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Bounteous
Karnataka – Harvesting the Abundant Agri
Potential |
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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. |
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Women Power:
Women Empowerment and Development in
Gujarat
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Development through
Empowerment may be what the Government
of Gujarat envisaged when it announced
special incentives for women under its
Samras Scheme. |
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Successful
Conservation Stories in Gujarat State,
India
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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 |
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an Article |
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Global
Footprint |
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Unearthing
Sonalika Tractors – The Complete
Agricultural Service Provider
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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. |
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an Article |
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Special Report |
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Welcome To Sri
Lanka Exo 2012 |
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Medha Patkar
Searches for a New Cause |
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'Smart
Clobalisation' A Corollary of Trilemma |
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The lady behind the
Narmada Bachao Andolan, Medha Patkar has
now a question mark hanging over head
for her credibility. Surprisingly, the
ones to raise this flag are eminent
jurists from the Supreme Court of India.
In its recent judgement, the apex court
not only charged Patkar with purgery,
but also used harsh remarks to address
the social worker |
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an Article |
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Cultural
Diplomacy |
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Prelude to the
Pushkin Medal |
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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. |
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an Article |
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The Outsider |
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The Art of
Ajanta |
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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. |
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an Article |
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