Prof D Suba Chandran

What do the complexities of domestic, regional and international issues in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Iran, Afghanistan, Myanmar and North Korea signify? What should we expect from the American foreign policy towards Asia as exemplified in the recent statements by Donald Trump about Iran, Afghanistan and now about North Korea? Where does the so called ‘peaceful […]

India and Pakistan just celebrated their seventy years of independence; during the occasion, there was an individual introspection of the last seven decades in both the countries. One wishes, that there is an introspection jointly of the last seventy years of our bilateral relations — what we have achieved, and where we have failed. The […]

A joint statement — titled ‘United States and India: Prosperity through Partnership’ after the much-awaited Modi-Trump meeting projects the intent between the two countries. Clearly, it highlights the homework undertaken before the summit, and the authors of the statement have taken care in addressing the interests of both leaders and two countries. Keeping the rhetoric […]

Are there new developments in Afghanistan and the surrounding region which demand a new push, with Kabul as the pivot? Is there an Afghan common ground cutting across South and Central Asia today? There have been numerous efforts and initiatives in recent years to find a common ground in Afghanistan – both at the bilateral […]

Two diverging developments in South Asian’s western neighbourhoods — Gulf and Central Asia, calls for two different approaches especially by India and Pakistan. While South Asia should try to insulate itself from the ongoing crisis in the Gulf, we should try to integrate further with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and pursue it as an […]

Is it the right time to talk about a South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) 2.0? Isn’t Donald Trump’s election as United States president and Brexit referendum exemplary of an inward-looking process underway at the global level? In South Asia, as well, recent developments have only highlighted fissures within SAARC? And with divergent trajectories […]

What a week it has been for the Middle East! People of Iran came out in droves to re-elect Rouhani as president for another term. With this outcome, it is expected that Iran will continue along its moderate and reformist path — both inside and vis-à-vis the world. United States President Donald Trump, meanwhile, visited […]

Depending on who writes and for what audience — the One Belt, One Road summit recently held at Beijing gets presented with high expectations as well as reservations. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is certainly a mega project for the Eurasian region. Its timing is of great economic significance. With the global economy still […]

A recent commentary in The New York Times titled “The Wrong Enemy in Afghanistan” calls for the US focussing more on a peace deal with the Taliban than being obsessed with the Islamic State in Khorasan. Should the US or the countries in the region — especially Pakistan and Afghanistan make such a distinction? Is […]

The recent meeting between Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Indian business tycoon Sajjan Jindal has raised a controversy in Pakistan. While a section has seen it as a back channel, others have questioned the legality and protocol involved. With this meeting as the background, this commentary will discuss various diplomatic channels available for Indo-Pak […]