By Pravin Prakash 19 Frbruary 2019 SYNOPSIS As the BJP stumbles in recent Assembly elections and in the polls, it seems set to embrace a more militant Hindutva agenda as its core electoral strategy. COMMENTARY THE RECENT defeat of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in three of its supposed stronghold states – Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh –
READ MORE14 February 2019 By Rajeev Ranjan Chaturvedy SYNOPSIS Diverse perspectives on the idea of “Indo-Pacific” are resulting in a lack of clarity on this concept. As a framework, the Indo-Pacific seeks to create a connected multipolar Asia that must be governed by commonly agreed international norms, rules and practices. But what is the Indo-Pacific? COMMENTARY
READ MORE28 January 2019 RSIS By Iftekharul Bashar and Phidel Vineles SYNOPSIS The counter-narcotics efforts of the Philippines and Bangladesh can be successful only if a comprehensive and long-term approach is taken. COMMENTARY THE INCREASE in drugs-related crimes in the Philippines and Bangladesh has pushed both governments to adopt a hard-line approach to get rid of
READ MOREby P S Suryanarayana 10 January 2019 SYNOPSIS Buoyed by four summit meetings and the formation of a new people-to-people ‘mechanism’ in quick succession, China-India engagement appears to be on a firm track. Despite challenges, this marks an opportune moment to press ahead towards total rapprochement. COMMENTARY CHINA AND India have resorted to soft-power diplomacy
READ MORENo. 216/2018 dated 27 December 2018 By Nazia Hussain; S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies SYNOPSIS There is no consensus on what the Indo-Pacific concept will cover. It is not clear what kind of structure is needed for such an Indo-Pacific construct. Nevertheless, the main protagonists behind the Indo-Pacific concept continue their diplomatic efforts to
READ MOREBy P S Suryanarayana 3 December 2018 Synopsis Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Singapore in mid-November 2018 was an exercise in strategic autonomy. He gained time to carve a comfort zone for India in a proposed regional economic pact which will include China. He also signalled closer strategic rapport with the United States.
READ MOREBy Nazia Hussain 13 November 2018 Synopsis Changing geopolitical realities in the region have brought about a renewed interest in the Bay of Bengal. Can BIMSTEC utilise the momentum to remodel itself as a grouping to be reckoned with? Commentary BIMSTEC, officially known as the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic
READ MOREImage credit: Slate magazine By Margareth Sembiring 5 November 2018 Synopsis The latest IPCC special report released in early October 2018 estimated that global temperature increase may reach 1.5°C anytime between 2030 and 2050. This is much sooner than the end of the century timeframe set in the 2015 Paris Agreement. Will this report
READ MOREBy Evan Rogerson 19 October 2018 Synopsis As the clouds of trade war continue to gather, the Centre for Multilateralism Studies at RSIS is convening on 24-25 October 2018 a high-level informal meeting among officials, the private sector and academics from around the Asia-Pacific region to discuss the threat and what can be
READ MOREBy Chris Cheang 18 October 2018 Synopsis President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India on 4-5 October 2018 for the 19th annual bilateral summit saw the signing of a major weapons system. This served relatively well Russia’s domestic and foreign policy objectives. Commentary RUSSIA AND India signed agreements in the fields of space, nuclear energy, railways
READ MOREBy Rohan Gunaratna and Shashi Jayakumar Synopsis ISIS may have suffered battlefield reverses, but in some respects – not least ideologically – it is resilient. Analysts, academics and security officials should resist the impulse to call time on the study of these types of issues – this mistake has been made before. Commentary WITH THE
READ MOREBy P. S. Suryanarayana 10 October 2018 Synopsis China, India and the United States may feel the need to rebalance their triangular engagement following the latest Russia-India missile deal and the recent Indo-American foreign-and-defence dialogue. Will these developments negate the Sino-Indian consensus reached at Wuhan in April 2018? Commentary CHINA’S STRATEGIC response to
READ MORENo. 137/2018 dated 16 August 2018 By P. S. Suryanarayana 16 August 2018 Synopsis China will be happy to have partners as it faces the United States in the emerging global trade war. With India seeking to break out of its geopolitical trap, there seems to be some room for a new ‘sense’ of
READ MOREBy Kang Siew Kheng 11/7/2018 Synopsis ASEAN foreign ministers meet in Singapore this month, amid the growing Rohingya crisis that has no clear solution in sight. ASEAN’s credibility is challenged by this multi-faceted tragedy. What should ASEAN do? Commentary EVEN AS the monsoon season readies its full onslaught into Cox’s Bazaar, Bangladesh, the repatriation
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