India’s Compass on Terror is Faulty
Afzal Guru’s hanging shows the ineptness with which our political system deals with the grave problem of terrorism. The biggest challenge to our security, and indeed that of countries all over the world that are caught in the cross currents of religious extremism, is terrorism.
The Evolving Indo-Myanmar Defence Relationship: an Analytical Perspective
It was only in early 1990’s that India realized that it was fast loosing strategic ground to China due to its lack of engagement with Myanmar. Not only security and stability in the border regions was crucial to India from internal security point of view but also constructive engagement with Myanmar and connectivity through it was very important for India to realize its ‘Look East Policy’ unveiled in early 1990s.
Political Impasse over the Caretaker Government in Bangladesh
The Caretaker Government that was a unique feature of Bangladesh’s democracy was in place over the years to oversee elections in a country that has a history of military coups, political assassinations and electoral fraud. Historically, democracy has struggled in Bangladesh with an unstable political environment that has two main political parties at loggerheads at all times with periods of dictatorships and battling the influence of its army in politics.
Reforming the Criminal Justice System
Justice JS Verma Committee that recently submitted its findings titled as ‘Report of the Committee on Amendments to Criminal Law’ has once again brought to focus the urgent need for reforms in the criminal justice system in India. The principal objective of a criminal justice system is to impart a sense of security to the people. However, India’s criminal justice system has not been able to deliver on what is expected of it and is, in fact, under immense strain.
Hydro Power Projects Race to Tap the Potential of Brahmaputra River
For past many years while China has been in the news for its efforts in exploiting the vast hydro power potential of Yarlung Tsangpo River of Tibet Autonomous Region India has also been attempting to tap the potential of this river known as Brahmaputra in India. Recent reports indicate that China has approved the construction of three new hydropower dams on the middle reaches of Yarlung Tsangpo. Work on an older 510 MW hydro project in Zangmu in Tibet had commenced way back in 2010.
Dealing with the Neighbour from Hell – Slandering the Indian Army
Since the recent episodes on our side of the Line of Control in January 2013, there has been a spate of articles seeking to justify and somehow explain the Pakistani actions, even if many are prefaced with the pro-forma demurral that the beheadings – this time and in the past - were condemnable. Many of the spurious arguments used by the appeasers of Pakistan have been disposed of in earlier writings; one of the newer ones has been that the Indian Army has done similar things. Happily, Raksha Mantri Antony has denied these allegations, and so has the former Army Chief, Gen Malik.
Stop Appeasing Pakistan
The anger in India at the recent mutilation of its soldiers by Pakistani forces in J&K is natural and understandable. Quite unwarranted, however, are the calls for revenge and of internationalisation of the issue as also our feelings of surprise. The idea of a tit-for-tat response to the mutilations is an obvious non-starter given the Indian ethos which militates against such atrocities. Moreover, unlike the Pakistani Army which is essentially a jihadi outfit in uniform the Indian Army is much more professional with a code of conduct that makes such reprehensible moves unthinkable.
The Governor, the Constitution and the Courts
The Supreme Court of India, in a Division Bench consisting of Dr. Justice B.S. Chauhan and Mr. Justice Fakkir Mohammed Ibrahim Kalifulla, has disposed of a civil appeal filed by the State of Gujarat Vs. Hon’ble Justice R.A. Mehta on the question of appointment of the Lokayukta in the State of Gujarat. The sequence of events as narrated in the judgment is:-
Friendly Handshake
Looking ahead, what could President Barack Obama’s second term mean for relations between India and the United States of America? Will the relationship stay more or less at the level that it has already reached or will it see a surge in the years ahead? Can it begin to wane?