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 ...
The missing ingredient in India’s soft power “We have allowed,” today’s Pax Indica contends “our misunderstanding of secularism to keep religion out of the foreign policy toolkit.” Excerpt: No one bats an eyelid when someone argues that we should use democracy, free-market capitalism, socialism or “South-South solidarity” to promote India’s interests abroad. But mention religion ...
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 ...