Articles written by Saurav Jha
By Saurav Jha
07 Sep 2010 |
World Politics Review
A number of recent incidents involving both China's presence in Pakistani-controlled Kashmir and its stance on the Kashmir dispute in general have exacerbated the feeling among Indian analysts that New Delhi is being systematically "surrounded" by Beijing. The developments highlight the fact that the geostrategic struggle between
India and Pakistan for Kashmir has a third direct player: China.
By Saurav Jha
12 Aug 2010 |
World Politics Review
The indefinite postponement of Saudi King Abdullah's scheduled visit to
the French capital last month does not bode well for France's efforts to
considerably raise its profile in the Gulf Cooperation Council, and it
could well dampen the supposed gains made by French President Nicolas
Sarkozy's two visits to the desert kingdom last year.
By Saurav Jha
03 Aug 2010 |
World Politics Review
Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada's reiteration of support last
week for the Iranian fuel swap proposal outlined in the Tehran
Declaration is the latest sign of a strategic reorientation in Japanese nuclear policy. Despite being the only country to have ever suffered a nuclear attack,
Japan has built up capability in the civil
nuclear sphere and is seeking to leverage its strengths in the global nuclear renaissance to advance its own geopolitical interests.
By Saurav Jha
27 Apr 2010 |
World Politics Review
Pakistan may not have been able to secure a nuclear deal from
Washington, but it seems to have sewn up an agreement for building
additional reactors with longtime ally China. While this specific deal is unlikely to make a significant dent on
Pakistan's energy deficit anytime soon, it nevertheless serves as a
symbol of the durability of the Sino-Pakistani "all-weather friendship"
against which Islamabad often judges its relations with Washington.
By Saurav Jha
29 Mar 2010 |
World Politics Review
When Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived in Riyadh on Feb. 27 for a
three-day visit, it was the first time an Indian premier had been to the
kingdom in 28 years. However, this is one bilateral relationship where
substance has preceded style. Saudi Arabia has emerged
as India's largest supplier of crude oil, and is also
looking to increase its commercial ties with a New Delhi as a way to
diversify its economy.
By Saurav Jha
18 Mar 2010 |
World Politics Review
Food prices in Asia continue to be above what they were prior to the 2007-2008 surge. Worse, there are signs that they may increase once again
owing to the existence of similar conditions. Presently, the region's major economies are reorienting
their food management policies -- a step that is likely to be the
harbinger of a tougher stance on the Doha Round of trade
talks as well as on climate change issues.
By Saurav Jha
16 Feb 2010 |
World Politics Review
Pundits have talked quite a bit of late about the shift from West to
East. But the UAE nuclear sweepstakes that recently saw a South Korean consortium walk away with a $40 billion contract demonstrates just how pronounced
that shift really is: A
Middle Eastern country new to nuclear power sought to secure its
nuclear future in an alliance with an Asian nation other than Japan. In
addition to being representative of the kind of economic interactions
that will increasingly drive the shift Eastward, the deal also
foreshadows the coming of a new nuclear age.
By Saurav Jha
06 Jan 2010 |
World Politics Review
China's recent maritime activities, such as its extended counterpiracy
patrols in the Horn of Africa and its involvement in a number of port
development projects in Indian Ocean littorals, have raised the suspicion in Indian defense circles that Beijing's so-called
"third island chain" strategy centers on the Indian Ocean and, specifically,
the waters surrounding the Indian Andaman and Nicobar islands.
By Saurav Jha
08 Dec 2009 |
World Politics Review
Although Iran has long been considered one of India's key allies in the Muslim
world, relations between the two countries have been adrift since
India voted against Iran at the IAEA, in 2005 and 2006. However, the visit of Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki to
New Delhi on Nov. 16-17 could be a sign that Iran is once again seeking
India's support more actively.
By Saurav Jha
09 Nov 2009 |
World Politics Review
Saudi Arabia's possible purchase of at least $2 billion of Russian military equipment has the potential to be the most significant Russian arms deal in the Middle East since the Soviet Union transferred SA-2s to Nasser's Egypt. The deal may also be part of a larger process that leads to a significant realignment in the external relations of both parties.
By Saurav Jha
30 Oct 2009 |
World Politics Review
The U.S.-UAE 123 Agreement on civil nuclear cooperation, set to come
into force, has the firm backing of the Obama administration,
which sees it as a model for countries looking to introduce nuclear
energy to their territories. For the UAE, the deal
reaffirms its close ties to the West, and represents a gateway to developing a source of energy that, for a number of reasons, makes sense for the Emirates.
By Saurav Jha
13 Oct 2009 |
World Politics Review
Following the Nuclear Supplier Group's waiver in September 2008, India
seems ready to take its place in the world of nuclear trade -- not just
as a purchaser, but as a supplier, too. A proposed sale to Kazakhstan of India's indigenously developed 220 megawatt electric
Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors serves to underline that India will not be content to remain
a mere recipient of nuclear technology.