Doklam Plateau, an area of 89 sq. km, is in western Bhutan and is part of Bhutan’s 269 sq. km disputed area with China. Since mid-June this year, there have been a number of reports and debates on Indian Army’s ‘face off’ with China in the Doklam Plateau opposite Indian Army’s position at Doka La in East Sikkim. Media reports have been hyped and in some quarters, there is a fear of war clouds gathering in the region. War however is a rare and mostly the last option for nations who wish to preserve their strategic options.
China as a New Arbitrator in Afghanistan: Assessing Evolving Geopolitics – Part I of II
India-China relations are complex and will be getting even more complex as time passes by. For a successful engagement, a nuanced and cool-headed handling of this relationship is needed. This is primarily because the nature of relationship between India and China will determine the future of Asian security and the architecture of the Indo-Pacific region.
Face Off at Doklam Plateau: Implications for India and Bhutan
Bhutan has been a friendly and reliable neighbour to India. The friendship between India and Bhutan is time-tested and deep-rooted. Not only has India signed a friendship treaty with Bhutan but also placed a permanent training team in the latter. The cultural and religious affinities also bring the people of Bhutan and India very close to each other.
India-China Relations: An Overview
Pakistan’s candidature for the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) membership and its claim as “a prospective member of the cartel on its own merit…with the possibility of strengthening the non-proliferation regime” warrants a serious scrutiny.
An Indian Perspective on the “Uninhabitable Earth”
Pakistan has, in the past, been accused of offering critical nuclear weapons technology to countries like North Korea, Iran and Libya. The rationale behind these transfers varies from reciprocal missile technology sought by Pakistan from these countries to certain personal gains made by several high-ranking Pakistani government officials.
Why is China Encroaching on Bhutan?
The Chabahar deal signed by India with Iran in May last year is seen by many as its strategic response to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which culminates in Gwadar. Besides deepening ties between India and Iran, Chabahar deal provides a strategic edge to India by gaining connectivity to Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan.
Pakistan is More a Nuclear Offender than a Victim
Pakistan has been very proud of its nuclear weapons programme and its dependence on the weapons has enhanced tremendously with the continuing instability within the country and rising Islamic extremism in the region. Islamabad has long tried to balance its domestic vulnerabilities with the nuclear weapons which it treats as the ultimate guarantor of its survivability and security.
Penchant for Proliferation: Pakistan’s Contentious Tryst with Nuclear Weapons
North Koreans say that as long as there are US troops in South Korea, Japan and Guam, Washington will not initiate hostilities against Pyongyang.
Chabahar and Gwadar: Antagonism Denying Potential Synergies
As the world confronts the threat of North Korean nuclear weapons, a peak into the history of its nuclear weapons and missile programme displays evidence of funds and technology having flown out of an American ally in the region. Japan, a US ally since the end of World War II, fell victim to Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) intelligence and subversive attacks that led to the flow of financial and technical assistance to the latter’s nuclear and missiles programme.