India's Positions and Goals beyond Paris Climate Summit
Submitted by stsf on Wed, 02/03/2016 - 14:36Now that the much-awaited Paris (COP-21) Summit has come to an end with a broad consensus on the post-2020 – termed a historic breakthrough – the next steps towards planning and implementation would be taken in an incremental fashion. Amidst fears of derailment of talks due to differences between the developed and developing countries, the least developed and island nations played a crucial role in pressing hard their demands and making sure that an agreement is reached.
Regional Perspectives on Environmental Security, Conflict and Governance
Submitted by stsf on Thu, 12/31/2015 - 09:48Environmental securityis a much-debated concept that is yet to be integrated completely with security studies due to theoretical, analytical, methodological and contextual disagreements over the interconnectedness between environmental issues and security. Though environmental security is a border-less issue that affects everyone across the globe, the perspectives on the concept are contextual and shifting.
The Iran Nuclear Deal: Will it Endure?
Submitted by stsf on Thu, 12/10/2015 - 13:58
On 2 December 2015, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has released its final assessment on past and present outstanding issues regarding Iran’s nuclear program.[1] The agency finds no “credible indication of diversion of nuclear material” and “based on all the information available to the Agency relating to nuclear material acquisition…the agency has not found indications of an undeclared nuclear fuel cycle in Iran, beyond those activities declared retrospectively by Iran.”
The Need for Regional Disaster Diplomacy Initiatives in South Asia
Submitted by stsf on Fri, 11/20/2015 - 09:56India is all set to host the first ever SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) disaster management exercise – called the South Asian Annual Disaster Management Exercise (SAADMEx) – between November 23 and 26.
Great Strides in India-Germany Climate Diplomacy
Submitted by stsf on Sat, 10/24/2015 - 12:31One of the pivotal points of discussion between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel during the latter’s visit to India earlier in October was climate change and clean energy.
FALL OF A TITAN: WHY LANKANS REJECTED RAJAPAKSA?
Submitted by stsf on Tue, 10/13/2015 - 10:23In the recently concluded General Election in Sri Lanka,defeat of former Lankan Supremo Mahinda Rajapaksa (MR) has been more conspicuous than the victorious forces. This is his second defeat in a row after the Presidential election rout early this year. Although he has won from his electoral district, his alliance has faltered in sweeping expected number of seats required to support his bid to become the country’s next Prime Minister.He accepted defeat a few hours before the official results were set to be declared.
India's "Red Lines" and Climate Policy Imperatives
Submitted by stsf on Tue, 10/13/2015 - 10:19The delay in India’s declaration of its Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) has raised many questions with regard to its long-term climate goals. For the time being, the governmentisfocussed on fulfilling the INDC requirement without compromising too much on some of the traditionally held positions (by the previous governments). The “red lines” that have long dominated India’s negotiating position on climate change are likely to shift slightly because of three reasons.
RE-ALIGNING GEOPOLITICS IN THE US-JAPAN-INDIA TRILATERAL DIALOGUE
Submitted by stsf on Mon, 09/21/2015 - 12:00The Asian Century is a departure from the Atlantic epoch in all forays. The focus is now on littoral states who aim to secure the freedom of navigation on the high seas. As Robert D. Kaplan explains, the difference between the 20th century and 21st is in the geography; Europe was a landscape and Asia is a seascape. This implies a shift in grand strategies and military doctrines from army to naval or rather air-sea domains of military and political influence.
Tatmadaw, Domestic Politics and Elections in Myanmar
Submitted by stsf on Fri, 09/11/2015 - 10:19On 13th August, 2015, Mr. Shwe Mann, the speaker of the lower house of Myanmar parliament was ousted from his role as the Chairman of the reigning Union Solidarity Development Party (USDP). Reports indicate that this was an outcome of the power struggle between Mr. Shwe Mann and President Thein Sein. Mr. Shwe Mann’s increasing political popularity in Myanmar and his close ties with the opposition leader were seen as grounds for his ouster.
Commonwealth-Relic or the Future?
Submitted by stsf on Fri, 09/11/2015 - 10:14Multilateral organizations of all hues and designs abound in the rapidly globalizing international system. All multilateral entities define and redefine their existential purposes, rendering both a spatial and temporal understanding. And, the Commonwealth has always had to fight its colonial image to prove its sustainability with changing times. As an air of obscurity hangs over the Commonwealth group of nations, it needs to prove its mettle in finding the common purpose of thought and action among its member countries.
