China-EU deal is a reality check for India

After seven long years of negotiations, China and the European Union announced on December 30 that they have reached a Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI). It is a hugely consequential event for the world economy and international politics.  The agreement is destined to rebalance the trade and investment relationship between two of the top three …

Turkey gets an ally in Ukraine

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar (L) and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (L2); Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba (R2) and Defense Minister Andriy Taran (R) held a press conference after meeting in a ‘2+2’ format, Kiev, Ukraine, Dec, 18, 2020. Turkey under President Recep Erdogan has been variously accused of ‘neo-Ottomanism’, revanchism or radical Islamism. But …

India’s military diplomacy is delusional

India’s chief of the army staff General Manoj Mukund Naravane (L) met top Saudi generals, Riyadh, December 14, 2020  The recent visits by the army chief General MM Naravane to the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia generated some excitement among Indian analysts that a brave new world of ‘military diplomacy’ has dawned. Bombastic coinages …

Red, red Kerala hails Pinarayi’s leadership

Jubilant communist party supporters savour massive election victory in Kerala’s local body elections, December 16, 2020  Malayalis attribute high importance to democratic elections in general, but the elections to the local bodies and the state assembly are of exceptional importance. Like in any part of the world where the roots of democracy and representative rule …

Trump administration gives parting kick to Turkey

A Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile system (File photo) The announcement on December 14 by the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo of sanctions against Turkey under the provisions of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) comes as a surprise, since President Donald Trump’s affection for Turkish leader Recep Erdogan is fairly well-known. And …