If a Presidential candidate refers to himself as a devil, chances are he’s in trouble. Last week, campaigning ahead of this Thursday’s election, Mahinda Rajapaksa, the incumbent Sri Lankan President, tried hard to endear himself to an audience in the northern city of Jaffna. The crowd consisted almost entirely of Tamils, the island’s largest minority, […]
The presence of Chinese naval platforms in Sri Lanka, and India’s discomfiture at this development, is part of the complex signalling that is underway, and the East Asia Summit deliberations in Myanmar may test PM Narendra Modi’s summit-level politico-diplomatic acumen in an unexpected manner. Read Here – Daily Mail
The iconic Yal Devi Express from Colombo to Jaffna will resume its run on October 13, some 25 years after the link was suspended during the height of the Sri Lankan civil war. Read Here – The Hindu
Long accused of remaining a mute spectator to China’s expanding interests in the region — and the astounding success of Beijing’s “maritime silk road” proposal — India will soon launch its own Project Mausam, a transnational initiative meant to revive its ancient maritime routes and cultural linkages with countries in the region. Read Here – […]
While hard power and soft power are necessary attributes of sustainable power projection by nation states, smart and fast power can help nations, big and small, find their way through or adapt to complex and rapidly changing strategic environments. By acting “fast”, the Modi government can claim it has more than neutralised, in a short […]
It is perhaps too soon to try and discern a distinctive “Modi doctrine.” But the wider arc of foreign and strategic policy is gradually coming into focus. The government’s early initiatives have been stamped with the Prime Minister’s style, yet the real challenges lie ahead. Read Here – The Hindu
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is slated to visit Sri Lanka soon. Abe will undoubtedly express his appreciation for Sri Lanka’s past assistance to Japan, but a more important task will be to convey Japan’s strong concern over China’s strategic muscle-flexing. He will be trying to pour a bit of cold water on the island-nation’s […]
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured Bhutan of India’s support during his first trip abroad, a move seen by many as an attempt to assert his country’s influence in South Asia where China has steadily made inroads. Read Here – Reuters Read More – Hindustan Times
The SAARC summit in Kathmandu this November will see all countries give another push to SAFTA, the free trade agreement, while they will discuss cooperation on everything from power distribution and roadways to the welfare of overseas workers. At a book launch in his house, Mr. Modi told journalists that “What happens in the countries […]
While the war is over and the Tamil Tigers have been jubilantly crushed by the government forces, the north remains heavily militarized and for many residents, the violence isn’t over. Read Here – The Diplomat
looking beyond borders 