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Vol 15, No. 1 -
Jan-Mar 2020
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ARTICLES
Somen Banerjee: A serving Commodore,
Indian Navy; Was till recently, senior
Research fellow at the National Maritime Foundation, New Delhi and was earlier Senior
Fellow at the Vivekananda
International Foundation, New
Delhi. Author of recent Books, 'Maritime Power through Blue Economy '
and 'Sea of collective Destiny: Bay of Bengal and BIMSTEC'
The United Nation’s Agenda of Sustainable
Peace: Implications for SAGAR
Two decades into the twentieth century,
traditional interstate conflicts continue to persist. However, peace and
security are no longer measured only in terms of conventional wars.
Under-development in many parts of the globe manifests itself in crime,
terrorism, and civil wars which, invariably, have a transnational
character, and affect regional stability. In 2016, the United Nations
Security Council and the General Assembly adopted concurrent resolutions on
Sustainable Peace, recognising that development,
peace, and security are firmly interlinked. In 2015, Prime Minister Modi
enunciated India’s foreign policy vision of Security and Growth for all in
the Region (SAGAR) that conflates security with development. This paper
seeks to access the extent to which the United Nations has been able to
deliver on its sustainable peace agenda. It examines the conceptual compatibility
between sustainable peace and SAGAR. Finally, the essay argues that SAGAR
not only provides a framework for maritime governance in the Indian Ocean
but is also a strategy for sustainable peace with a global footprint
India and Singapore: Fifty Years of Diplomatic
Relations
In ancient times, Singapore - earlier known as Tamaseek - was linked to the Greater India economy and
culture through India’s expanding maritime trade. The modern-day relationship between India
and Singapore can be traced to 1891 when Stamford Raffles convinced the
East India Company administration to make the trading station of Singapore
(en route to the Straits of Malacca) a British base between South and
Southeast Asia. Thus, Singapore
became a crown colony, governed from Calcutta till 1867. Singapore’s
Foreign Minister, George Yeo, called modern
Singapore the ‘daughter of Kolkata’.
Later, this British strategic enclave became the base of Indian
nationalists fighting British imperialism from abroad, with Subhas Chandra Bose setting up the Indian National Army
in Singapore in July 1943. From 21 October 1943 onwards, the Provincial
Government of Azad Hind functioned from Singapore till it was moved to
Rangoon on 7 January 1944. Singapore became a part of Malaya in 1962, but
broke away in 1965 as an independent republic. The relationship between
India and Singapore survived the difficult terrain of the Cold War to
become what Prime Minister Modi calls, the ‘warmest and closest’
relationship
Sana
Hashmi:
Dr. Sana Hashmi is Visiting Fellow at the Institute of International
Relations, National Chengchi University,
Non-Resident Fellow at Taiwan’s NextGen
Foundation, and affiliated scholar with the Research Institute for
Indo-Pacific Affairs, Japan. She is a former Consultant with the Ministry
of External Affairs, Republic of India, and the author of China’s Approach
towards Territorial Disputes: Lessons and Prospects (KW Publishers, April
2018).
India-Taiwan
Relations: Time is Ripe to Bolster Ties
2020
will be remembered for a number of reasons. COVID-19 has changed the world
in unimaginable ways. However, one silver lining of the pandemic is that it
expanded Taiwan’s global space. One of the greatest developments of 2020
was a deeper understanding about Taiwan worldwide, especially in India. Due
to Taiwan’s impeccable COVID-19 response and also India-China violent
clashes in the Galwan valley, domestic public opinion in India is
increasingly shifting in favour of Taiwan. However, despite this positive
momentum, the Indian leadership still remains cautious about elevating
political ties with Taiwan.
N. Manoharan and Ashwin
Immanuel Dhanabalan: Dr. N. Manoharan and Mr. Ashwin
Immanuel Dhanabalan are, respectively, Associate Professor and a Masters scholar with the Department
of International Studies, Political Science and History, CHRIST (Deemed to
be University). Dr. Manoharan had earlier served at the
National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS), Prime Minister’s Office, New
Delhi.
Punching Above Weight? The Role of Sri Lanka in BIMSTEC
Sri Lanka is undoubtedly a key member of
BIMSTEC, and has been intensely involved in making the grouping more
vibrant in all the 14 sectors identified for cooperation. The fact that
India is keen on energising BIMSTEC, is a big
plus for Sri Lanka’s ambitions. As the current chair (2018 to 2020), it has
facilitated conduct of three Permanent Working Committee Meetings and a
Senior Officials Meeting. Over a
period of time, Sri Lanka did inject dynamism and added vitality to the organisation in various capacities.
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BOOK REVIEWS
Arvind Gupta: Director, Vivekananda International Foundation, New Delhi and former
Director General, Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses
S.
Jaishankar, The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World, (New
Delhi, HarperCollins India, 2020), Pages:
240 (HB), Price: Rs.
296.54 (K), Rs. 558.00 (HB).
Pinak
Ranjan Chakravarthy: Ambassador Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty is a
former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs; former High Commissioner of
India to Bangladesh; former Ambassador to Thailand; Visiting Fellow,
Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi.
Vijay
Sakhuja, Somen
Banerjee, Sea of Collective Destiny: Bay of Bengal And Bimstec,
(New Delhi, Pentagon Press, 2020), Pages: 192 (HB), Price: 795.00, (HB) Rs.
596.00 (SB)
Shreya Upadhyay: Dr.
Shreya Upadhyay, is a
visiting faculty with Symbiosis University and a Senior Analyst with India
Bound. A former Nehru-Fulbright pre-doctoral scholar with American
University, Washington DC, she was also a researcher with the Institute of
Peace and Conflict Studies, New Delhi..
Shakti Sinha (Ed), One
Mountain Two Tigers: India, China and the High Himalayas, (New
Delhi, Pentagon Press, 2020), Pages: ... (HB), Price: 614.00, (HB)
Skand Ranjan Tayal: Ambassador
Skand Ranjan Tayal is a former Ambassador of India to Uzbekistan;
and to the Republic of Korea. He was
also a Visiting Professor in the Department of East Asian Studies, Delhi
University.
Lakhan Mehrotra.
The
Odyssey of a Diplomat: Through the Corridors of Time , (New Delhi, Heritage Publishers, 2020), Price: Rs.
595.00 (PB) ₹ 695.00 (HB), Pages: 356
(PB) 356 (HB)
Rajiv
Narayanan:
Major General Rajiv Narayanan, AVSM, VSM (Retd), is presently the Head,
Centre for Strategic Studies and Simulation (CS3), The United Service
Institution of India, New Delhi.
Anil
Wadhwa, Arvind Gupta (Eds), India’s Foreign Policy:
Surviving in a Turbulent World, (New Delhi, Sage / VIF, 2020),
Pages: 440 Price: ₹ 598.85 (K), ₹ 1,310.00 (HB) ₹ 1,230.00 (PB)
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Compendium
of Contributions
Published in Volume 14 (2019)
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Vol 15, No. 2 -
Apr-Jun 2020
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ARTICLES
In June 2019, 10 countries formed a forum called the Energy
Resource Governance Initiative or ERGI, to share their mining experiences
and advise producer countries discover and develop minerals like lithium,
copper, and cobalt, with minimum impact on the environment. An
American-driven venture, the ERGI includes countries that have some of the
world’s largest mineral reserves. Given the world’s focus on de-carbonisation and technological innovation across all
sectors, a race for access to critical minerals like rare earths, lithium,
and cobalt is heating up. According to the World Bank, the demand for
minerals for advanced batteries and magnets used in wind and solar panels
as well as defence and telecom equipment could
grow by up to 1000 percent in 20 to 30 years. Therefore, when China, which
has succeeded in gaining control over the supply chain of these critical
minerals, suggested using them as a geopolitical weapon by threatening to
deny access to these minerals, an alarmed world, led by Washington, began
to take steps to counter China. It is in this light that the timing of
ERGI’s establishment is being perceived as a strategic initiative.
As India takes its place as a frontrunner in adopting clean
energy, its demand for renewable energy equipment will increase
exponentially. However, India is deficient in many of the minerals that are
required for the manufacture of renewable energy hardware. Moreover, with
the recent hardening of relations between New Delhi and Beijing, India’s
dependence on China for equipment like solar panels and batteries renders
it vulnerable to any disruption in supplies. This article looks at China’s
strategy in acquiring strategic minerals, and the response of other
nations, including India, in ensuring the security of their critical
minerals supply chain.
Rushali Saha: Ms. Rushali
Saha, is a Research Associate at the Centre for
Air Power Studies, New Delhi.
Positioning the Indo-Pacific in India’s Evolving Maritime
Outlook
This
paper attempts to trace the evolution of India’s maritime outlook and shows
how, over the years, a paradigm shift is evident in India’s worldview
whereby a continental focus onto South Asia has been complemented by a
maritime focus. India has come to formally recognise the geo-strategic
importance of the Indo-Pacific to its own national security and strategic
interests. This is reflected in its naval modernisation efforts as well as
in official policy positions and diplomatic manoeuvrings. The paper
identifies inclusivity and ASEAN centrality as the main pillars of India’s
Indo-Pacific approach which, while converging with ASEAN’s outlook on the
Indo-Pacific, is distinct from the US vision for the region. In assessing
India’s approach to the QUAD, the paper identifies some tension between
India’s Indo-Pacific approach and the QUAD. However, it also argues that
such tensions have been accommodated, and India’s maritime moves have to be
seen as an extension of the fundamental principles driving its own foreign
policy, i.e. ensuring self-sufficiency and independence.
The
paper argues that such a position is well suited for the rapidly changing
balance of power equations in the region which demand flexible
restructuring rather than a formal security “alliance.” Moreover, focusing
on inclusivity would allow India to allay the fears of smaller South Asian
neighbours, such as Sri Lanka, of increasing the securitisation of the
region as well as of traditional partners such as Russia who see QUAD as
“anti-China.” The paper concludes that India’s nuanced SAGAR vision is
based on an acknowledgment of the unique reality of the dynamic balance of
power equations in the region, and reflects its diplomatic exceptionalism.
Adil Rasheed:
Dr Adil Rasheed is Research Fellow and Coordinator of Counter
Terrorism Department at the Manohar Parrikar
Institute for Defence and Analyses (MP-IDSA). He is author of Countering the Radical Narrative
(2020), ISIS: Race to Armageddon (2015).
West Asia: From Non-State Radicalism to State
Revisionism
The
crater left by the decimated ISIS proto-state has become the epicentre for
a new wave of turmoil in West Asia. As shell-shocked jihadist groups
struggle to regain their footing in the region, some of their shadowy
patron states have decided to militarily step into the hollowed out
geostrategic space, even as US forces continue to draw down their troop
levels from the region. With Turkey and Iran making blatant incursions into
Arab lands as part of their revisionist imperialism, Gulf monarchies seem
to be dumping their Salafi-Wahhabi extremism in
favour of a fledgling Semitic neologism, envisioned as ‘Abraham Accords’,
to keep non-Semite powers out of bounds. Meanwhile, the scattered jihadist
forces are scouting for safer havens in sub-Saharan Africa, Central Asia,
and the Af-Pak region. Thus, non-state radicalism
appears, for the time being, to be giving way to state revisionism, and a
more conventional form of militarism in West Asia.
The
first half of this paper focuses on the causes for the current phase of
evident decline in jihadist activity in West Asia, while the second half
hones in on the incipient haggling for hegemony between Turkey and Iran
which has started to arouse historical strains of imperialist rivalry. In
making these propositions, the paper is not oblivious to the outward facade
of cooperation within present-day frail alliances; nor does it claim that
the stated historical hostilities would invariably manifest in the future.
This paper is merely a Rorschach reading of West Asia’s shifting sands:
that is, the study of a few inchoate trends that might strengthen over
time.
Sitakanta Mishra:
Dr Sitakanta Mishra, is
an Associate Professor in the School of Liberal Studies (SLS) of Pandit Deendayal Energy
University (PDEU), Gujarat, India.
Pandemic Geopolitics and India
By
now, the world seems to have learned to live with the Corona virus which is
likely to cast its spell for some more months. Meanwhile, active and new
infection cases have started to decline in many countries, along with a
growing momentum in the vaccination drive around the world. Nevertheless,
the aftershocks of the pandemic are real. No event since World War II has
triggered such distinct global effects on human and state behaviour so
rapidly. The pandemic’s transformational effects on global affairs are yet
to surface fully. While there is no unanimity yet on the ushering in of a
new world order, the pandemic’s upshot is consequential for the current
world order.
Will
2019-20 be viewed as another turning point in the geopolitical history of
the world? Will 2019-20 be a hinge in human history with an ex-post shift
in the core concepts that defined pre COVID-19 world politics? Has a
transformation process of the fundamental factors of global politics - like
the distribution of power, the calculation of interest, or the constitution
of global actors - begun?
The
debate over the pandemic’s transformative effects on geopolitics is gradually
unfolding. Many argue that the effects of the pandemic will be more
sweeping; others think 2019-20 is unlikely to be an inflection point.
Undeniably, pandemics and politics are always intertwined and, for most of
human history, pandemics have had considerable effects on international
affairs.
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BOOK REVIEWS
Sanjay Kumar Pandey: Prof. Sanjay Kumar Pandey, Centre for
Russian and Central Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University. New Delhi
Achal Malhotra, The
South Caucasus: Transition from Subjugation to Independence, (New
Delhi, ICWA / Macmillan Education, 2020), Pages: 248, Price: Rs. 2,215.00
Ashish Shukla: Dr Ashish Shukla,
Assistant Lecturer, Amity University, NOIDA
S. Narayan and Sreeradha Datta (Eds), 'Bangladesh at 50: Development and
Challenges', (New Delhi, Orient BlackSwan,
2020), Pages: 292Price: ₹ 829.00 (HB) ₹ 509.00 (PB),
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Vol 15, No. 3 -
Jul -Sep 2020
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Special Issue
on
India -
Bangladesh Relations @ 50: The Way Forward
In 2021, Bangladesh will celebrate the 50th year of her
independence. Bangladesh’s War of Liberation remains an inspirational saga
of valour, determination and sacrifice. Since India played a vital role in
this war, both countries annually commemorate 16th December as “Bijoy Dibosh” and Victory
Day. To mark this historic milestone, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a virtual Summit on December 17, 2020.
Bangladesh’s emergence on the international stage as a free,
sovereign and independent country was a significant geo-political event
that changed the political geography of South Asia.
... ... ...
... ... ...
[T]his golden jubilee year may be the right time to take stock of
the state of bilateral relations between the two countries. What have been
the positive aspects of these relations? Where have been the hurdles and
hiccups? What lessons can we draw from the experience of the past five
decades? What steps, both conventional and based on out-of-box thinking,
can we adopt to push these relations to greater heights?
This Journal has, periodically, published 'debates' on
India-Bangladesh relations. The last one was two years ago, in 2018. For this special issue, the Journal had
invited a few leading expert analysts on the subject to comment on the
above issues. Their views are being published in the pages of this special
issue.
(The Joint Statement, issued at
the end of the 'India - Bangladesh (Virtual) Summit' held on December 17,
2020, is also being carried, as a backgrounder).
December 30, 2020
Full text of the Concept
Note
(The views expressed
by the authors are their own, and do not reflect the views of the Indian
Foreign Affairs Journal, or that of the Association of Indian Diplomats)
Sreeradha Datta: Dr. Sreeradha Datta,
is Centre Head, Neighbourhood Studies and Senior Fellow, Vivekananda
International Foundation, New Delhi and Non-Resident Senior Fellow,
ISAS-NUS. Singapore.
Towards a Durable Political Understanding: Fifty
Years of Indo-Bangladesh Relations
Shamsher Chowdhury,
BB:
Ambassador Shamsher M. Chowdhury,
Bir Bikrom, is a
decorated war hero, and a former Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh.
Bangladesh-India Relations: History and the Way
Forward
Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty: Ambassador Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty is a former Secretary in the Ministry of External
Affairs, and a former High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh, and
Ambassador of India to Thailand.
Bangladesh-India Ties: 50 Years and Beyond
Smruti S Pattanaik
: Dr. Smruti S Pattanaik is a Research Fellow at the Manohar
Parikkar Institute for Defence
Studies and Analyses, New Delhi.
India - Bangladesh Relations: Enduring Challenges
Anasua Basu
Ray Chaudhury :
Dr. Anasua Basu Ray Chaudhury, is Senior Fellow, Observer Research
Foundation, Kolkata Chapter.
Re-Connecting Neighbours: India-Bangladesh
Relations @ 50
Joyeeta Bhattacharjee: Dr. Joyeeta Bhattacharjee,
is a Senior Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi.
Celebrating 50 years of India-Bangladesh Relations
Anand Kumar: Dr. Anand
Kumar is an Associate Fellow at the Manohar Parikkar Institute for Defence
Studies and Analyses, New Delhi,
India-Bangladesh Relations: Some Issues Need Deft
Handling
Ashish Shukla: Dr. Ashish Shukla
is an Assistant Professor, Amity University, NOIDA and was till recently,
Research Fellow, Indian Council of World Affairs, New Delhi.
Strengthening Cooperation and Reducing Irritants:
India-Bangladesh Relations Today
Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury: Dipanjan
Roy Chaudhury is the Diplomatic Editor --
Economic Times, New Delhi
The Resilience of Secularism in Bangladesh
Sanjay K Bhardwaj: Dr. Sanjay K Bhardwaj, is Professor for South Asian Studies, School
of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
Tenets of India-Bangladesh Relations
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Document
India -
Bangladesh (Virtual) Summit, December 17, 2020: Joint Statement
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Vol 15, No. 4 -
Oct - Dec 2020
Download Full Issue
Special Issue
on
India-US Relations
under the Joe Biden Administration
A robust bilateral strategic partnership
with India has been backed by successive United States administrations. It
enjoys strong bipartisan support from the two main political parties in the
US the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. Special focus on
prioritising India-US relations can particularly be observed since the
Clinton Administration, with increasing importance given to it by
successive Presidents since then. A range of factors have contributed to
this ascendancy in the bilateral relationship between India and the US,
most importantly, the acknowledgment of India’s growing economic and
strategic importance and its rising weight in global and Asian geopolitics
today. As Joe Biden assumed office as the 46th President of the United
States with a formal inaugural ceremony on 20 January 2021, questions about
the nature of India-US relations under a new US administration have become
pertinent. This issue of the Journal focuses on various aspects of India-US
relations under the Biden administration.
With the changing political landscape in
the US, this issue of the Journal focuses on issues and challenges to
India-US relations under the new Biden administration. What will US-India
relations under Biden Administration look like? Will the fundamental levers
driving India-US relations get further strengthened? Will Biden’s approach
to India be fundamentally different from Trump’s? Will it be, by and large,
the same? How will the impact of the pandemic influence the future course
of this strategic partnership? Will the understanding between the two
countries on the Indo-Pacific persist?
The Journal has, periodically published
'debates' on India-US relations. The last one was four years ago, in
2017. For this special issue, the
Journal invited a few experts on the
subject to comment on the above issues. Their views are published in this
special issue.
January 21, 2021
Full Text of the Concept Note
(The views expressed
by the authors are their own, and do not reflect the views of the Indian
Foreign Affairs Journal, or that of the Association of Indian Diplomats)
Chintamani
Mahapatra: Prof. Chintamani Mahapatra is Rector, Jawaharlal Nehru University,
New Delhi, and Professor for American Studies, School for International
Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University,
New Delhi.
Indo-US
Relations under the Biden Administration: Predictable Difficulties Ahead
Arun K.
Singh: Ambassador Arun K. Singh was, till recently, the Ambassador of
India to the United States, and is a former Ambassador of India to France
and to Israel.
India
- US Relations: Continued Convergence, New Vistas, Managing Differences
Annpurna Nautiyal: Professor Annpurna Nautiyal,
is Vice Chancellor, HNB Garhwal University,
Srinagar, Garhwal, Uttarakhand
India and the Biden Presidency
Arvind
Kumar: Prof. Arvind Kumar is Professor, American Studies Programme
and Chairperson, Centre for Canadian, US and Latin American Studies, School
of International Studies, JNU, New Delhi.
India and the United States in the Emerging Global
Order
Sanjukta
Bhattacharya: Prof. Sanjukta Bhattacharya is a former Professor, Department
of International Relations, Jadavpur University, Kolkata
India-US
Relations under the Biden Administration: Future through Prism of the Past
Monish Tourangbam: Dr. Monish Tourangbam,
is Assistant Professor at the Department of Geopolitics and International
Relations, Manipal University (Karnataka).
The
Biden Administration: Elevating America’s Shared Strategic Future with
India
Pramit
Pal Chaudhuri: Pramit Pal Chaudhuri, is a Distinguished Fellow and Head of
Strategic Affairs, Ananta Aspen Centre, New
Delhi.
A
'Climate Handshake': The India-US Green Strategic Partnership
G. Balachnadran: Dr. G. Balachandran
was till recently Consulting Fellow at the
Manohar Parikkar Institute for
Defence Studies and Analyses, New Delhi
The Biden Presidency: Some Indian Concerns
Shreya Upadhyay: Dr. Shreya Upadhyay
is Assistant Professor, Christ University, Bengaluru
India-US
Relations: Will Continue to Flourish but in a More Structured Manner
Vivek Mishra: Dr. Vivek Mishra, is
Research Fellow, Indian Council for World Affairs, New Delhi.
India-US
Relationship under the Biden Administration: Apprehensions and Outcomes
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