With the announcement by India's ruling coalition that it will ask for the dissolution of the Lower House of Parliament on Feb. 6, the country is all set for national elections to get underway probably five months before the term of the House ends. By all indications,...
India-Pakistan Peace Process Fragile, but Real
Efforts at achieving normal relations and peace between South Asian rivals India and Pakistan have collapsed or run into a dead-end so many times in the past. Thus, it is only rational to ask if their latest attempt at a breakthrough is for real and likely to succeed....
Pakistan’s Help to Iran, Libya Hikes Nuke Peril
Revelations that Pakistan's scientists may have helped Iran's and Libya's secret nuclear programs raise worrisome questions about nuclear danger in South Asia, which has been described as the world's most dangerous place. They also call for major policy changes and...
South Asia Spars Over Commonwealth Summit
Even as they enforce a ceasefire along the Kashmir border and make other peace overtures to each other, India and Pakistan continue to fight each other in multilateral forums. They famously indulged in a slugfest three months ago at the U. N. General Assembly. The...
India, Pakistan Spar Under a Lengthening Nuclear Shadow
This past April 18, India's Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee raised many hopes when he offered Pakistan "the hand of friendship" from a public rally at Srinagar, the capital of Indian Kashmir. The greatest of these hopes was that South Asia's long, dark night of...
India Must Resist US Pressure to Send Troops to Iraq
India, which criticised the United States-led invasion of Iraq, is under intense pressure from Washington to despatch a division (about 17,000 troops) or more of its soldiers to that country to help the Anglo-American occupation forces and legitimise the occupation....
Revulsion, Disgust in India at the War
More than a week after President George W. Bush launched his "shock and awe" campaign against Iraq in flagrant violation of international law and the will of the world community, there is growing popular revulsion, disgust and anger in India at the gory...
India, Pakistan in Diplomatic Maze Over Iraq
Just a day before United States President George W. Bush delivered a fresh diatribe against Iraq in his State of the Union address, India's Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee did something unexpected. He appealed to the Great Powers to show "great...
India Should Oppose War on Iraq, But Will It?
Just a day before United States President George W. Bush delivered a fresh diatribe against Iraq in his State of the Union address, India's Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee did something unexpected. He appealed to the Great Powers to show "great...
Closer to Nuclear MADness
As nuclear taboos of various kinds get weakened and violated the world over, India and Pakistan are drawing each other into the vortex of a potentially ruinous nuclear and missile arms race. They are transiting from a posture of demonstrating an assured capability to...