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Constitutional Changes in Russia! What is Cooking?
January 21, 2020 Rajesh Soami Commentary

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and his entire government resigned on January 15th after a televised speech by President Putin to the federal assembly wherein he proposed sweeping changes to the constitution. These changes will modify the equation of ....

Keywords : International Relations and Diplomacy , Russia , Commentary , democracy , Putin , Medvedev , Yeltsin
Taiwan Elections 2020: Landslide Victory for Tsai Ing-wen
January 17, 2020 Dr Teshu Singh Commentary

In the just concluded 15th Presidential Election in Taiwan, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) leader Tsai Ing-wen has swept the polls with 8, 170, 231 votes (57.1 per cent). She secured the highest number of votes for any candidate since Taiwan....

Keywords : International Relations and Diplomacy , China , Commentary , Tsai Ing-wen , Taiwan Elections 2020 , One Country Two Systems , Cross-Strait , India-Taiwan
Some Thoughts on the Citizenship Amendment Act 2019
January 16, 2020 Dr Dilip K. Chakrabarti, Editor, VIF History Volumes Commentary

As far as I can understand, this act ties up a loose end of the chaos and confusion caused by the Partition of the sub-continent. I clearly remember the day when my parents bundled their children and a widowed mother into an over-crowded railway c....

Keywords : Governance and Political Studies , Commentary , CAA , Partition , Refugee camps , Citizenship Amendment Act 2019
India`s Chief of Defence Staff: Some Issues to be Resolved
January 16, 2020 Gautam Sen Commentary

Government of India has created the institution of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) as a single point adviser to Raksha Mantri (RM) on all matters concerning the Defence Services of the country and as Secretary of a newly created Department of Military A....

Keywords : National Security and Strategic Studies , Defence , Commentary , CDS , DMA , Revenue budget , Capital budget , DOD , Principal Advisor , Acquisition Plans
Sabrimala Issue and the Law
January 16, 2020 Rajesh Singh Commentary

All eyes are on the pronouncement of the nine-judge Bench of the Supreme Court on the Sabarimala issue. The matter is to be heard soon and it is likely that the court will engage itself with the case in a manner that the dispute ends at the earliest.....

Keywords : Governance and Political Studies , Commentary , Supreme Court , Articles 14 , 25 & 26 , Sabrimala Issue
Notes from the Sub-continent: CAA, NRC and others
January 12, 2020 Mayuri Mukherjee Commentary

In this fortnight’s compilation of some of the big ideas being debated in the media across the Indian sub-continent, we look, first, at the coverage of India’s recent amendment of its Citizenship Act and the related issue of preparing a national ....

Keywords : Neighbourhood Studies , Commentary , Nepal , Sri Lanka , Constitution , NRC , CAA , Saffroni , Modi-Shah
US and Iran in an Uneasy Calm
January 10, 2020 Amb Anil Trigunayat, Distinguished Fellow, VIF Commentary

President Trump has the uncanny habit of surprising the world by his unique and often contentious tweets on foreign policy issues. But this time it pleased many. “All is Well” tweeted President Trump after 20 odd Iranian missiles apparently targe....

Keywords : International Relations and Diplomacy , US , West Asia , Commentary , JCPOA , Trump , Arab Spring , Soleimani , Javad Jarief , missiles attack , unconditional talks
Practical Patriotism: Remembering Swami Vivekananda on his 157th birth anniversary
January 10, 2020 Dr Arpita Mitra Commentary

In December 1892, Swami Vivekananda was visiting Trivandrum, the capital of the then Princely State of Travancore. This was right before his visit to Kanyakumari, where, during the Christmas of 1892, sitting on “the last bit of Indian rock” ....

Keywords : Historical and Civilisational Studies , Commentary , Swami Vivekananda , birth anniversary; 12 January , National Youth Day , patriotism , service to the nation , call to the youth , serving the poor
All Quiet in Kashmir?
January 09, 2020 Bashir Assad Commentary

Kashmir is relatively calm since the last couple of months. No street protests, no encounters between the militants and the security forces. Last encounter was reported on November 26 between the militants and the forces in Pulwama district of South ....

Keywords : Jammu & Kashmir , National Security and Strategic Studies , Commentary , Pakistan , FATF , infiltration , ISI , Article 370 , Intelligence , Communications
Chinese President Xi Jinping Faces Difficult Times Ahead
January 08, 2020 Jayadeva Ranade Commentary

There are clear indications that popular dissatisfaction and discontent with Chinese President Xi Jinping inside China continues to simmer just below the surface. The economic slowdown, unemployment and rising cost of living have contributed to the d....

Keywords : International Relations and Diplomacy , China , Commentary , Protests , BRI , China's universities , surveillance , leaks
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