Can the BJP Do It Again?

In politics, as in life, promises are not always kept.

In 2014, the BJP swept to power easily. In this year’s elections, a lot more stands between India’s ruling party and government formation.

40 years after the U.S. passed a law to govern unofficial ties with Taiwan, the strategic environment has shifted dramatically.

Efforts by the government to secure peace in the country continue to be hampered by a series of internal and external factors. 

The mistakes that led to the failed Trump-Kim summit provide useful insights for future diplomacy.

What the U.S. withdrawal from the INF Treaty means in practice.

For all the hand-wringing that accompanied the announcement, such documents are mostly of symbolic, not practical, significance.

After discovering numerous instances of fraud, U.S. senators are calling for an end to a program that allows foreign investors – most commonly Chinese – to “buy” a Green Card.

Unlike other nations, China’s space ambitions are centered on wealth creation through a space-based economy.

China’s ban will not be enough to save the world’s elephants if it does not address its booming illegal ivory trade.

The populist mayor of Kaohsiung is a cultural phenomenon who looks set to make his presence known in Taiwan’s presidential race.

The pause in U.S.-North Korea dialogue is an opportunity for Japan to reset its regional approach.

A kindergarten dispute exposes South Korea’s ever-increasing reliance on private education.

What would such a peace agreement include and can it be delivered?

The ongoing cyber campaign seeks to infiltrate defense, financial, energy, telecom, and healthcare firms.

To increase energy self-sufficiency after the 2011 nuclear disaster, renewables are Japan’s only option.

The restive Pakistani province is critical to the success of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. 

The Digital Security Act 2018 was just the latest blow.

13 years after the civil war ended, a splinter Maoist group is waging a new campaign of violence.

The long-standing water-sharing agreement should not be a soft target for punitive action.

What are the historical origins of animosities between South Asia’s two largest religions?

The visit of Malaysia’s foreign minister to the Latin American country reinforced the growing attention that ties have been getting under the new Mahathir government. 

Concern about Duterte’s China outreach is building among legislators and the general public.

The government is rushing ahead with the high-speed rail, even as the public is left in the dark.

The BRI is a double-edged sword. How can Indonesia take advantage of the benefits and avoid the pitfalls?

Myanmar is losing billions in tax revenue from jade and gemstones.

The Tajik opposition leader was kidnapped in Russia and forcibly returned to Tajikistan. But with his release, the joke’s on Dushanbe.

Karimova, the late president’s daughter, had a very bad week in March.

Not quite, but the denouement has surely begun.

In 2016, the UN estimated that 14,000 Tajiks were HIV-positive — since then, that number has surely grown.

Social media accounts specializing in historical photos of Kyrgyzstan reflect young people’s desire to learn about their country’s past.

The Pacific Labor Scheme (PLS) allows people to work in low-skilled or semi-skilled jobs in rural and regional Australia for up to 3 years.

The referendum for Papua New Guinea’s eastern region is now set for October. How its outcome will be handled remains unclear.

For years, Australia has been quietly strengthening defense ties with India and other Indian Ocean partners.

A declining global population will make the maintenance of Australia’s immigration program the country’s primary strategic asset.

Where does the U.S.-Philippine alliance go from here?

The Quad makes a better reserve force than an actual capability, at least for the time being.

Trump didn’t blunder in hailing Kim; this is how U.S. presidents often treat dictators. Look at Nixon and Mao.

The situation is constantly changing, but the basic balance of power remains largely the same as it has since 2012.

In 2017, I asked if Xi Jinping’s signature strategy was increasing crime and terrorism. Today, are we any closer to an answer?

Who are Jaish-e-Mohammed?

Unabated Islamist radicalism in the Maldives poses a unique challenge to India’s security focused foreign policy.

2019 will see at least three movies on Indian politicians but this may not become a long-term fashion.

Peruvians yearn to learn more about China, some to rediscover their ancestry but many out of a genuine interest in the Asian giant.

Japan’s best-selling travel guide has a tendency to heavily stress crime and danger in other countries.