Michael Phelps dwarfs India
American swimming star Michael Phelps now has the same number of Olympic medals as India. That’s right, Phelps alone has achieved what 1.2 billion Indians put together have. And my bet is that we won’t...
View ArticleWho cares about Mary Kom?
Despite her best efforts, pugilist MC Mary Kom failed to win a gold medal for India at the London Olympics. Nonetheless, her bronze medal will ensure that for a brief period of time she becomes the...
View ArticleFury of the Razakars
Last weekend's mayhem in Mumbai that saw a rampaging mob affiliated to two Muslim organisations wreak havoc once again highlights that sinister forces have hijacked the Indian Muslim community....
View ArticleUshering in the retail revolution
Though cheered by industry, the government's decision to allow foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail has raised hackles in several quarters. Political parties (both within and outside...
View ArticleIndia-Bangladesh ties in need of a booster shot
As the UPA government looks to fight off policy paralysis and reinvigorate the economy, efforts are on to consolidate the gains of the last four years. And one area where the Manmohan Singh...
View ArticleThree questions for Khaleda Zia
With Bangladeshi leader of opposition Khaleda Zia in New Delhi for a week-long visit, one can expect a flurry of substantive exchanges. There are two main reasons why Zia's visit is more than a...
View ArticleBangladesh's war crimes trial must remain on track
The recent controversy over the resignation of Justice Md Nizamul Huq as the chairman of Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal-1 highlights worrying developments in that country. The tribunal is...
View ArticleIndia must not take Nepal for granted
Nepal President Ram Baran Yadav's ongoing visit to India comes at a crucial time. For months now Nepali politics has been stuck in a painful impasse. Having missed several deadlines, the country's...
View ArticleBangladesh war crimes trial must withstand external pressures
Bangladesh's ongoing trial of war criminals of that country's 1971 Liberation War produced a second conviction yesterday. Following its maiden verdict on January 21 that handed Abul Kalam Azad, alias...
View ArticleMali Crisis: India can be a force of stability in north Africa provided it...
As French President Francois Hollande concludes his two-day visit to India, there is one key foreign policy initiative that New Delhi would do well to seriously consider. The ongoing military...
View ArticleNot so Incredible !ndia: We cannot take our tourism potential for granted
A recent survey by Assocham’s Social Development Foundation has highlighted a significant 25% dip in the country’s foreign tourist inflows over the last three months. Several reasons can be cited for...
View ArticleBangladesh’s battle of principles: Awami League must not dilute its secular...
Bangladesh today is in the throes of an internal churning. What started in February as a movement to press for justice for war crimes committed during Bangladesh’s Liberation War in 1971 has now...
View ArticleIndia's nowhere people
One of the biggest casualties of the recently washed out budget session of Parliament is the 119th Amendment Bill to the Constitution. The amendment relates to the 1974 India-Bangladesh Land Boundary...
View ArticleFor the love of the game
The IPL spot-fixing/betting scandal and the subsequent revelations of conflicts of interest represent the darkest hour in Indian cricket. The ugly episode can no longer be blamed on a handful of errant...
View ArticleThe Afghan conundrum
A recent dinner outing with friends and family provided the opportunity to try out an authentic Afghan restaurant in the heart of Delhi. The capital's Lajpat Nagar area is home to several Afghan...
View ArticleWhat Egypt can learn from Morocco
The latest developments in Egypt have certainly turned the legacy of the Arab Spring on its head. As the most populous Arab nation in the world, the 2011 pro-democracy protests in Egypt that led to the...
View ArticleBangladesh: Just deserts at last
The past week has been a historic one for Bangladesh. Ghulam Azam, the former amir of the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, was sentenced to 90 years in prison by Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal...
View ArticleMorocco: India's key to north Africa
In a lavish dinner hosted by His Excellency Ambassador Larbi Reffouh of the Kingdom of Morocco to commemorate the 14th anniversary of the enthronement of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the strategic...
View ArticleThe spirit of Taiwan
As I stepped outside Taoyuan international airport, a damp and bracing evening greeted me. This was my second visit to the remarkable island state of Taiwan. Bordering the East China Sea and facing the...
View ArticleTaiwan's ICAO challenge
Most people will be forgiven for thinking China Airlines operates from Beijing. But at the headquarters of the carrier here in Taoyuan county, the Made in Taiwan spirit is writ large. Founded in 1959...
View ArticleBangladesh must forge ahead with war crimes trials
In a major judgment in Bangladesh, the assistant secretary general of the Jamaat-e-Islami, Abdul Quader Mollah, has been recently sentenced to death for his involvement in crimes against humanity...
View ArticleWillow that spoke for India
In a recent interview toasting Sachin Tendulkar`s illustrious career, another stalwart of Indian cricket, Rahul Dravid, made an interesting observation. When asked to choose one batsman to bat for his...
View ArticleNew dawn in Middle East: Strengthening US-Morocco ties can galvanise the region
In a significant visit that has the potential to shift the axis of US interests in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Morocco’s King Mohammed VI is slated to meet US President Barack Obama today...
View ArticleStandoff in the East China sea
Beijing must demonstrate prudence and flexibility over territorial disputes in the region With tensions rising in the East China Sea over China’s declaration of the new Air Defence Identification Zone...
View ArticleBangladesh election represents triumph of constitutionalism
Let’s get one thing straight. The recent general election in Bangladesh was 100% legitimate. It was held in a timely fashion. The election was conducted within the stipulated three months before the...
View ArticleManmohan Singh can salvage his legacy with a Nepal visit
Visiting India on a recent three-day official tour, Nepal’s minister for foreign and home affairs Madhav Ghimire may have just given the Manmohan Singh administration one last chance to salvage what...
View ArticleSalman Khurshid's Morocco visit can galvanise an important relationship
With foreign minister Salman Khurshid commencing his tour of three north African nations -- Morocco, Tunisia and Sudan -- India's relations with the region is poised to receive a fresh boost. This is...
View ArticleIndia must note Morocco’s important role in Africa and Middle East
My previous blog on foreign minister Salman Khurshid’s recent visit to Morocco had raised some eyebrows regarding the utility of such a trip. Several readers have questioned the minister’s north...
View ArticleMH370 should compel thorough revamp of aviation protocols
The disappearance of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 is certainly one of the biggest tragedies in recent memory. The Boeing 777 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing went missing on March 8 with 239...
View ArticleFocus Northeast: Freeing the bamboo trade can galvanise the region
Northeast India is a region of abundant natural resources and raw human talent. Yet the lack of development here is palpable. This can be directly attributed to a curious political mindset that views...
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