Breaking the ice: On India-U.S. Trade Policy Forum (TPF)
Context: India and the United States will re-launch the Trade Policy Forum (TPF), a premier forum to resolve trade and investment issues between the two countries, after four long years. Relevance: GS-II: International Relations (Foreign Policies affecting India’s Interests) Dimensions of the Article: U.S.-India relations About India-U.S. Trade Policy Forum (TPF) Way forward Click Here […]
Dynamism in India-U.S. ties
Context: The trajectory of India-U.S. bilateral ties continues to go up – however, while there are regular interactions among officials at various levels and across sectors, as well as people-to-people engagement, there are no formal interactions between Members of Parliament in India and members of the U.S. Congress. Relevance: GS-II: International Relations (Foreign Policies affecting […]
Pakistan to allow India’s Afghanistan aid to pass through
Context: One month after India offered humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, Pakistan’s Prime Minister said that his government would allow the aid to transit over the land route through Pakistan. India had protested the delay in Pakistan’s permissions for the aid to be facilitated, including most recently at the 8-nation Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan in […]
Keeping a close eye on China’s nuclear capabilities
Context: The only real substantive outcome of the recent virtual summit between Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping has been some unconfirmed reports of the two sides, the United States and China, agreeing to hold strategic nuclear talks sometime in the near future. Relevance: GS-II: International Relations (India’s Neighbours, Dimensions of the Article: Evidence of […]
Agreeing to disagree: On U.S.-China ties
Context: The virtual summit meeting between Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping appeared to underscore in their minds the need for them to find common ground on contentious issues including trade and tensions surrounding Taiwan and the South China Sea. Relevance: GS-II: International Relations (India’s Neighbours, Foreign policies affecting India’s Interests) Dimensions of the Article: […]
ASEAN objects, China wants Myanmar junta to join summit
Context: A Chinese envoy has lobbied Southeast Asian nations to let Myanmar’s military ruler attend a regional summit being hosted by China’s President next week but has met stiff opposition. Relevance: GS-II: International Relations (India’s Neighbors, Important International Groupings, Foreign Policies affecting India’s Interests) Dimensions of the Article: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) […]
Maldives rejects ‘India out’ campaign
Context: The Government of Maldives said it “strongly rejects attempts to spread false information” criticising its ties with India, its “closest ally and trusted neighbour”. Relevance: GS-II: International Relations (Important International Institutions, India’s Neighbors, Foreign Policy Affecting India’s Interests) Dimensions of the Article: What is behind the ‘India Out’ campaign in Maldives? Issues that agitated […]
Kabul, Kashmir and the return of realpolitik
Context: Recently, Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan was held with an aim to help stabilise Afghanistan. Relevance: GS-II: International Relations (India’s Neighbours, Foreign policies affecting India’s Interests) Dimensions of the Article: Who are the Taliban and what is their Ideology? The Taliban’s Violent breadcrumbs Impact of Taliban’s rise to power on India Giving recognition […]
The EU’s role in the Indo-Pacific
Context: The Indo-Pacific region has acquired striking salience with the U.S.-China strategic contestation becoming sharper than before. Europe’s Asia connect is old, strong and multi-layered and hence it becomes relevant to understand the European stand in relation to Indo-Pacific region and the emergence of AUKUS and Quad. Relevance: GS-II: International Relations Dimensions of the Article: […]
Pakistan retained on FATF’s ‘greylist’ again
Context: The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on October 2021 retained Pakistan in the ‘greylist’ yet again, observing that it needed to further demonstrate that investigations and prosecutions were being pursued against the senior leadership of U.N.-designated terror groups, which include Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, al-Qaeda and the Taliban. Relevance: GS-II: International Relations (International Groupings or Agreements […]