Praful Bidwai

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, it will be a contentious, sharp and bitter … Continue reading “India’s Ruling Party Faces Fierce Fight in Elections”

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. Doubts persist on this even after Indian … Continue reading “India-Pakistan Peace Process Fragile, but Real”

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 new arrangements for export controls on nuclear materials, and more generally, to prevent nuclear proliferation. … Continue reading “Pakistan’s Help to Iran, Libya Hikes Nuke Peril”

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 latest instance of their mutual rivalry concerns Pakistan’s continued suspension … Continue reading “South Asia Spars Over Commonwealth Summit”

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 confrontation, bitter hostility and dangerous brinkmanship that began with a … Continue reading “India, Pakistan Spar Under a Lengthening Nuclear Shadow”

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. India’s government is strongly inclined to pull the US’s chestnuts out of the fire in … Continue reading “India Must Resist US Pressure to Send Troops to Iraq”

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 campaign of death and destruction unleashed by the Anglo-American coalition. There is … Continue reading “Revulsion, Disgust in India at the War”

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 restraint" and "patience" in dealing with Iraq and make "all efforts" to avoid a … Continue reading “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 restraint" and "patience" in dealing with Iraq and make "all efforts" to avoid a … Continue reading “India Should Oppose War on Iraq, But Will It?”

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 cause mass destruction, to one of deterring each other with nuclear … Continue reading “Closer to Nuclear MADness”