If Only The Arms Hadn’t Been Chopped…

It’s a nationalist myth that Indian independence was won by militant Congress direct action and that partition was the inevitable price exacted by a pro-Muslim colonial power determined to divide and rule. On the contrary, effective independence was implicit in the progressive constitutional reforms introduced by the Raj in 1909 and 1919, well before Gandhi […]

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Nawaz Sharif And His Baggage

If Sharif has learned any lesson from his previous two stints as prime minister, it should be that his chances for serving a full five-year term in office will depend on his establishing a modus vivendi with Pakistan’s powerful military establishment. His prospects for establishing civilian control over the military and intelligence agencies, however desirable […]

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In Afghanistan, India Needs To Look Beyond Karzai

India‘s emphasis on the Karzai government, while principally sound, is problematic on the ground. While remaining dedicated to the strengthening of the central government of Afghanistan, India must constructively engage political groups outside the government. This will be key to safeguarding its material and strategic interests in Afghanistan, regardless of how things unravel post 2014. […]

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Losing The Plot

At least in the Maldives, the Manmohan Singh government has sought to correct its botched analysis of the political situation. Across the rest of South Asia, Delhi has so clearly lost its nerve that it has failed to project the leadership that is expected of it. Worse, by taking the path of least resistance, the […]

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India and Afghanistan: Tied In Knots

India’s early engagement with post-Taliban Afghanistan was considered by the United States, Pakistan and the Afghan government to be a strategy to undermine Pakistan. While this may have been true at first, in recent years India has come to accept that Pakistan has a ‘special interest’ in Afghanistan that overshadows its own. The main driver […]

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Looking For Answers In Pakistan

As the Pakistani anti-terrorism court prepares to indict former President Pervez Musharraf over the murder of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, the UN official who conducted the special investigation into her death recounts his own search for answers. Read Here – Foreign Affairs

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Who’s The Next Chief?

In a nation long plagued by military coups, the question of who will replace Pakistan‘s all-powerful army chief has taken on new urgency this year as the country tries to shake off the legacy of decades of military dictatorship. Read Here – Reuters

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Iran’s Long Shadow Over Afghanistan

Iran has positioned itself as an important regional actor in Central Asia and is committed to playing a role in neighboring Afghanistan. As U.S. troops draw down their numbers in Afghanistan, Washington should consider how improved U.S.-Iranian relations could further long-term U.S. policy goals in Afghanistan and in the region. Read Here – Carnegie Endowment […]

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