The list of regional security issues where ASEAN is falling short is growing Excerpts from today’s Business Standard column: Yet, ASEAN, a regional grouping often celebrated for its pragmatism and competence, has been unable to keep two of its members from going to war with each other. It will now try to play peacemaker, but ...
Who can resist China? While researching for today’s Business Standard column I came across Ame Trandem’s article in Vietnam’s Than Nien newspaper on the controversy relating to the Xayaboury (Xayaburi) dam in Laos. Here’s an excerpt of my subsequent email interview with Ms Trandem: Nitin Pai: What is China’s position on the downstream dams that ...
It’s up to you to find your partner In my Business Standard column today argue that “the (East Asia Summit) club only provides the dance floor. India will have to court its dancing partners on an individual basis.” Excerpts: [Although] the EAS is set to become the pre-eminent regional grouping, bilateral alignments remain in a ...
The waters east of Singapore hold the key to the lands west of the Indus Yesterday’s post was about the developments in East Asia. In today’s Pax Indica column, I argue that India must be part of the security equilibrium in that region. Excerpts: India’s strategic power projection will not be unwelcome in South East ...
In claiming the South China Sea, China destroys warm fuzzy feelings. Good. Some, like ‘peaceful rise’ are of China’s own creation. Others like ‘G-2′ are outputs of wishful thinking in the United States. Still others, like ASEAN being a coherent geo-political entity are indulgences of the Southeast Asian elite. These myths never stood up to ...