Ms. Dhanasree Jayaram, Project Associate, Manipal Advanced Research Group (MARG), Manipal University and Editorial Coordinator, Science, Technology & Security forum (STSforum) interviews Ms. Veena Nayyar on China’s troubled economic future. Ms Nayyar provides an overview of the economic indicators that point towards a decline in China’s economy as well the structural and societal barriers to its future growth. She throws light on the economic shifts in China and what these portend for the future of the country.
Chinese Activities in the Maldives: Waning Indian Influence
As India aspires to become a power to reckon with, there exists an imminent need to bridge the foreign policy gap between its politico-strategic and economic priorities. From this standpoint, Iran is an important country in India’s radar screen that deserves far greater attention than it already receives. The takeaways from strengthening multi-level ties with Iran far outweigh the risks and downsides associated with its apparent pariah status in the international geopolitical paradigm.
North Korea will Copy Pakistan’s Thousand Cuts Strategy
Defying the constant warning from the international community, including its ally China, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), also called North Korea has conducted five nuclear tests and launched several long-range rockets including the latest Pukguksong-2[1] in violation of Security Council resolutions.[2] As a result, North Korea has faced severe economic sanctions.
Chabahar vs Gwadar: A New “Great Game”?
For very long India’s Taiwan policy has been hyphenated with its ties with Beijing. Over the past few years, India however has strengthened economic ties with Taiwan, and a number of Taiwanese companies including Foxconn have invested in India. The Taiwanese electronics maker has promised to invest 5 Billion USD over the next 5 years in a manufacturing plant in Maharashtra. Bilateral trade between both countries, estimated at 5 Billion USD, is of course way below the actual potential, though it has steadily risen over the years.
Perspectives on India’s Research and Development: An Interview with Dr. Anil Kakodkar
North Korea has been a conundrum for both China and the U.S. With sophisticated missiles and nuclear weapons, Pyongyang is believed to be “on the verge of a strategic breakout – quantitatively (by ramping up its warhead numbers) and qualitatively (through mastery of warhead miniaturization and long-range ballistic missiles) – that directly threatens the U.S.
India-Taiwan Ties: Looking beyond Beijing
The term, "Christ-Buddha path to Korean unity" refers to the need for the North Korean leadership to show the wisdom of Lord Buddha and for the South Korean side to exhibit the compassion of Jesus Christ. The window for a peaceful unification of an ancient country will close within four years, as by that time, the North Korean Leadership (NKL) would have succeeded in weaponising its nuclear devices and delivery systems sufficient to devastate both Japan and South Korea, a risk impossible to consider, much less accept.
Perspectives on India’s Indigenous Nuclear Energy Programme: An Interview with Dr Anil Kakodkar
Many, who had sounded the death knell to Russia after the disintegration of the erstwhile Soviet Union in 1991, have been proved wrong. Some even thought it was the beginning of Russia’s ‘Monroe Doctrine’? However, with 12.5 percent of the landmass of the earth’s land surface as its sovereign territory, encompassing two continents bounded by two oceans and sharing its borders with over a dozen countries; it has little choice but to get involved in the rough and tumble of the world’s geopolitics.
Dealing with North Korea’s Strategic Breakout
Since the past couple of years, India is still discussing whether Daesh is a real time threat or is it waning. Interpretations, therefore, depend from person to person. Taking no chances, Indian security and intelligence establishments, under difficult circumstances, have done a commendable job in preventing departures of youth to Syria and Iraq, and most importantly, unearthed modules from a few Indian states.