EDITOR'S NOTE: Read the Note. 
  

COVER STORY: Rekindling hope
If SAARC cannot organise itself, it will simply miss the boat. Other alignments will develop to seize the economic opportunities offered by closer integration; we cannot forever be challenging logic and mocking economics. Read the Article. 
    
INTERVIEW: Let SAARC grow as much as it can;
Prof S.D. Muni teaches at the Centre for South, Central, South East Asia and South West Pacific Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He spoke to our Correspondent Syed Sultan Kazi about the upcoming SAARC summit.  Read an interview.
   
INTERVIEW: Desire to open up trade in the region has been recognised
Better understanding has prevailed upon the member countries to make some progress in SAARC.  Read an interview.    
   
The new Indian Foreign Secretary: 
Mr. Shashank  Read the details. 
  

OPINION: Indo-Pak ‘Merry Go Round’
The intelligentsia is silent, the leaders are calculative, and the people are confused. Result: Normalisation is still a long way off. Read the Article. 
  

FOCUS: A “dynamic partnership” on a roll 
The Fourth India-EU Summit in New Delhi recently, gave a renewed push to dynamic ties between the two sides, leaving the bitter memories of Copenhagen behind.  Read the Article.
  
INTERVIEW: Full potential of Indo-Indonesia relations remains to be exploited
The H.E. Mr. Donnilo Anwar, the new Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to India, spoke in an interview with Diplomatist Correspondent. Read an interview.    
  

IMAGE: The Learning Trip
The visit of President Kalam had once again brought into focus the need for India to maintain frequent high-level contacts with countries in different parts of the world; especially those with whom it has enjoyed warm and friendly relations over decades.  Read the Article. 
    

SPOTLIGHT: Old Friendships, Renewed Ties
Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee’s visit to Russia, Tajikistan, and Syria, has given the much-needed boost to New Delhi’s old relations with these countries, and conveyed the urgent message to build mutual relations on more contemporary principles.   Read the Article.  
  

LIFE STYLE: Amoment unto eternity !
Nothing gratifies a man or a woman more than the glitter of matter. In a moment one could be transported from the fragile realm of reality into a world of never-ending satisfaction. Only a moralist would feel apologetic about his feelings to acquire a little glitter, or may be not. No one has ever claimed to remain unaffected by the quaint splendour of trinkets cast in sundry metals and gems. Even Gods have gone about flaunting their affected splendour for centuries. Now, don’t you blame Man for creating God!. Read the Article.   
  

SOJOURN: Touring Bhutan
Diplomatist Magazine Publisher and Managing Editor visited Bhutan in late November (2003) and this photo feature marks their appreciation for this unique Himalayan Kingdom, which is steeped in tradition and culture. Read the Story.
  

ESSAY: The new Indian hope
There is a method in the madness that is India. For, despite our size and our diversities, there is much that we can be proud of. Yet, we seem to be perennially in a state of self-doubt, continuously asking ourselves if we have performed. This, despite the fact that it has been proved time and again, that no matter what our status, with vision and an ambition, things could be made to happen in India. Let’s shake off our negative mindsets and march ahead. Indian talent will reign supreme in the 21st century.  Read the Article. 
  

TECHNOLOGY: E-governance in India: some successful initiatives
Information Technology and its tools in the functioning of Government. Though the central and several state governments have taken some major initiatives in implementing e-governance during the Ninth Five Year Plan period, these efforts are yet to take the shape of a systematic national programme. Thus in the Tenth Five Year Plan special emphasis has been given to the use of Information and Communication Technology into different areas of government activities. This helps in achieving higher level of efficiency and transparency in the whole bureaucracy.   Read the Article.  
  

AGENDA: Cancun, WTO, and the Economic Rule of Law
In the Mayan language, the word ‘Cancun’ means a snakepit. The beach resort of Cancun wasn’t exactly trying to live up to this meaning, when it saw the WTO summit transformed into a snakepit of sorts finally.  Read the Article.  
  

EVENT: The flavours of peace
The first Hindustan Times Leadership Initiative on the Peace Dividend - Progress for India and South, saw a host of leaders, intellectuals and captains of industry advocating peace in South Asia.  Read the Article.   
   
Peace for the creation of new hope and opportunity: 
-- Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee Read the Article. 
  

NGO WATCH: Rural India wired up the TARAhaat way
The era of information and communication has triggered a ‘transformation roller-coaster’ across countries, economies and societies, tooled by Internet - the enabling technology. Digital utopians believe that this planetary revolution has the potential to end centuries of isolation and neglect and kick-start slumbering societies to a heady mix of empowerment and opportunity.  Read the Article.
  

VISION: Shirin Ebadi
The irony is that ‘Peace’, these days comes at a very heavy price and with means which are almost always bordering on violence. In such times, Shirin Ebadi has clawed her way into the heart of the conflict to carve out a pasture of dignified living. Read the Article. 
  

POLICY WATCH: India & Africa: The road ahead
In the new partnership that is developing between India and Africa, efforts should be made not to limit the relationship to the government level but to involve civil society as well. Read the Article.
  

INTERVIEW: Free world trade is a myth
Dr. Suman Sahai is the president of Gene Campaign, a non-government organisation (New Delhi-based) working on the issues of bio-resources, intellectual property rights, indigenous knowledge, farmers’ rights and community rights, and she is a member of the International Trade Committee, Government of India.  Read an interview.   
  

Diplomatic Diary: India on the move...
Read the information.
  

Diplomatic Diary: India Calling...
Read the information.