Indian Diplomacy in Overstretch

Indian Diplomacy in Overstretch

The Foreign Secretary’s special briefing on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Asia-Pacific tour (May 19-24) dovetailed skilfully into three summit meetings, and brings to mind an institution of the Middle Ages known as the “wandering minstrels”.  Wealthy people used to employ minstrels to entertain them in their homes. These wandering minstrels told stories, recited poems, sang…

Another Meeting of Quad Foreign Ministers

Another Meeting of Quad Foreign Ministers

On February 11, Melbourne hosted the fourth meeting of foreign ministers of the countries participating in the Quad, which consists of the United States, Japan, India and Australia. Since the creation of this alliance in 2019, Washington (together with Tokyo and Canberra) attempted, firstly, to expand the scope of activity beyond the framework of an…

Two Top Russian Diplomats Issued a Timely Reminder That India Resists US Pressure

Two Top Russian Diplomats Issued a Timely Reminder That India Resists US Pressure

It’s significant that two top Russian diplomats not only reminded the world that India resists US pressure, but also seemingly timed their arguably coordinated statements to coincide with the Quad’s fourth Foreign Ministers’ meeting. This signals to the world that Russia has full trust in India’s sovereign right to calibrate its multi-alignment policy in whatever…

None Dare Call It “Encirclement” – Washington Tightens the Noose around China

None Dare Call It “Encirclement” – Washington Tightens the Noose around China

The word “encirclement” does not appear in the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), signed into law by President Joe Biden on December 27th, or in other recent administration statements about its foreign and military policies. Nor does that classic Cold War era term “containment” ever come up. Still, America’s top leaders have reached a…