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Welcome to the February edition of the Diplomatist!
“No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow”, says an ancient
proverb. Spring is finally here, brimming with hope and blossoming with cheer.
It is this sense of hope that pervades the preparations for the
highly-anticipated EU-India Summit, scheduled for February. Our in-depth Cover
Story analyses the different facets of the Summit, from strategic expectations
to the auto industry’s apprehensions. We also feature an interview with U.D.
Choubey, Director General SCOPE (Standing Conference of Public Enterprises), who
underscores the need for an Asian Union.
It is also time for celebrations as India raises a toast to four decades of
cherished partnership with Bangladesh and Vietnam. The celebrations form part of
this edition’s Focus section. But a sense of caution, prompted by the explosive
developments in Pakistan, interrupts the spirit of camaraderie. We put the
Spotlight on the rapid changes taking place in the neighbourhood, and also get
H.E. Zin Yaw, Ambassador Republic of the Union of Myanmar, talking about the
optimism surrounding his country’s tryst with democracy.
Continuing the focus on the MENA region in his column Arab Awakening, Atul
Razdan gives us valuable insights into the unrest in Algeria. We also continue
our coverage of the crisis in Iran in the Global Centre Stage section. As
fundamentalists threaten Nigeria’s peace and harmony, we highlight the ground
realities in Africa’s most populous nation. From West Africa we travel to
Europe, and find out if the European Union’s winter of economic gloom is coming
to an end. Will the optimism generated by the Eighth Ministerial Conference of
the World Trade Organisation prevail? H.E. Freddy Svane, Ambassador of Denmark,
shares his opinion about the challenges and opportunities ahead of the Danish
Presidency of the European Union. Admiral Sir Trevor Soar, the Royal Navy’s
Commander-in-Chief Fleet, talks about the strategic importance of the Indian
Ocean in the theatre of operations.
Our Economy section highlights the burgeoning economic partnership shared by
India with two important trading partners – China and Canada. We also have
experts discuss the economic prospects for India and the world in 2012.
Haryana and the North-East occupy centre stage in Indian States on a Platter .
We find out why the state of Gujarat is soaring high after the success of the
International Kite Festival.
Our bilateral supplement focuses on the strength and substance of India’s
multi-faceted relations with Kazakhstan.
We appreciate your valuable feedback, so do keep those letters coming.
Here’s wishing you a happy reading!
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