Two years ago, Myanmar was to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) what Bihar was to India: Dogged in its isolation, a region with low development indices and one the West loved to hate -- a state perpetually on the defensive. However, Myanmar's growth has also been as rapid as that seen by Bihar.
With the International Atomic Energy Agency weighing options to deal with Iran's nuclear programme, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday said the issue should be dealt with diplomatically as he discussed it with US President Barack Obama.
China's behaviour in the post-pandemic geopolitical landscape which may determine the Quad's future trajectory, notes former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
A picture showing Indian flag placed upside down during the meeting of two ministers went viral. The picture was released by photo agencies.
How to manage China's rise and mould its behaviour will be one of the biggest diplomatic challenges facing New Delhi in the coming years, says Harsh V Pant.
BWith a distracted president brooding in the White House, Pompeo seems to think his day has come. He seems to be pushing a personal agenda before a target audience in America, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Leveraging the India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement, India wants to double its commerce with Myanmar and diversify the bilateral engagement to agro-research and natural gas exploration.
The agreement would divert China's attention and keep them busy in the Pacific theatre, probably resulting in a reduction in threat perception in our area of interest in the Indian Ocean, notes Commodore Venugopal Menon (retd).
India's Current Account Deficit rose to a record 6.7 per cent in the quarter ended December of 2012-13.
HSBC on Thursday said the Indian economy, which is projected to grow at 5.7 per cent this fiscal, is likely to grow at a faster pace next fiscal at 6.9 per centfollowing the recent spate of policy reforms.
A day after attending the India-Asean summit and the East Asia Summit in furtherance on India's Look East policy, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday credited Singapore for leading to the strategic shift in the nation's foreign and economic policies.
US President Barack Obama would meet Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Bali on November 18 on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit, a top presidential aide said on Wednesday.
The US, he said, rejects any Chinese claim to waters beyond a 12-nautical mile territorial sea derived from islands it claims in the Spratly Islands (without prejudice to other states' sovereignty claims over such islands).
Sources said much has been done to ease the tax burden of the middle classes in the last five years, and that such a measure affects only a limited segment of people when the focus should be to put money in rural areas. Archis Mohan reports.
With Donald Trump unable to make it, Modi settles for Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.
Given the importance of Vietnam and its perpetual fear of big brother China, India must improve its relations with all the ASEAN countries, says Colonel (Dr) Anil Athale.
Although two-way trade has grown 10-fold since 2000 and is expected to exceed $3 billion this year, according to the Ministry of External Affairs, India's flagship foreign direct investment project in Vietnam -- Tata Steel's proposed $5 billion facility -- remains stalled, largely owing to pending governmental approvals.
"Reform is not an end in itself. Reform for me is just a way station on the long journey to the destination. The destination is the transformation of India," he said.
Chinese manufacturers are re-routing their products through the markets of other countries that India has Free Trade Agreements with.
Dr Singh and Obama, who met on the sidelines of ASEAN and East Asia Summits, talked about strengthening the bonds of strategic ties put in place during the historic visit of the US President to India in November last year.
Decision to hinge on Q3 GDP, Feb inflation data and supply-side reforms in the Budget
India and China may not be the antagonists everyone says they are, fighting for the same piece of pie, but nor are they the best of friends. Unlike, say, the United States and India which have discovered each other after a long period of standoffishness.
A top Singaporean diplomat described India as "stupid", saying the country was "half in, half out" of the ASEAN grouping, according to leaked US cables.
As Washington, DC, prepares to celebrate July Fourth with a military "Salute to America" that will feature military bands, a parade and flyovers from the US Navy's Blue Angels and Air Force One, here's a look at other countries that hold military marches.
While the FPI limit on most bond issues would not be raised above 6 per cent, there would be some in which there would be no limits, reports Arup Roychoudhury.
The two met informally in a holding room before attending a gala dinner in the Lao capital marking the beginning of the yearly ASEAN summit.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday met Myanmar's President U Thein Sein to begin a string of bilateral meetings with over 40 world leaders during his 10-day three-nation tour on the margins of key multilateral summits in Myanmar and in Australia and a visit to Fiji.
Enthused by the success of US President Barack Obama's visit, India said on Tuesday it is time to 'seriously consider' a trade-opening agreement with America, similar to the ones entered with the ASEAN and South Korea.
"Prime Minister Modi raised the issue of Zakir Naik's extradition. Both the parties have decided that our officials will stay in contact regarding the matter and it is an important issue for us," Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said on PM Modi's meeting with Mahathir.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will focus on extended neighbourhood, particularly the ASEAN and Central Asian regions, says Archis Mohan
Prime Ministers Modi and Abe enjoyed a close and empathetic relationship and this certainly gave a sustained momentum to the India-Japan strategic partnership. It is necessary for India to reach out and engage with his successor as early as possible, advises former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
Modi hailed the close defence cooperation between the two countries and welcomed the completion of the logistics agreement between the two navies.
A bilateral comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) with Japan has reportedly been finalised so that it can be signed when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visits Japan next month.
The US has been, historically, a sleeping partner in India-China relations. Today, any attempt by the Modi government to make a bilateral move to improve relations with Beijing could upset Biden's apple cart, notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
'The first year of the Modi government's second term has laid the roadmap for the future and we will embark on it with gusto,' promises Gopal Krishna Agrawal, the BJP's national spokesperson on economic affairs.
India has already shortlisted the names of two-three heads of states for extending invitation to be chief guest at the Republic Day parade.
Automakers are caught in a chicken-and-egg situation: Prices have to come down if volumes are to increase, and volumes won't increase unless prices come down, notes Pavan Lall.
India on Saturday extended $500 million (Rs 3,328 crore) Line of Credit to Vietnam for facilitating deeper defence cooperation with the south east Asian nation, as the two countries elevated their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to respond to emerging regional challenges.
Without Myanmar, India can't engage with any of the Asian nations to its east.
India and South Korea have reached an agreement on civil nuclear cooperation.
