Confidence building steps the way forward in Indo-Pak talks

Ajai Shukla

Business Standard, 2nd Jan 16



The frustrating saga of Indo-Pakistan
dialogue is widely regarded as an exercise that has yielded little success.



Yet, on New Year Day, New Delhi and
Islamabad exchanged lists of their nuclear installations, as part of an
agreement that prohibits both sides from attacking each other�s nuclear
facilities. This is the 25th straight year that

Modi seizes initiative on Pakistan policy with �impromptu� visit to Lahore

By Ajai Shukla

Business Standard, 26th Dec 15



On a busy Christmas Day for him, Prime
Minister Narendra Modi redefined the rules of Indo-Pak diplomacy with an unscheduled
visit to Lahore to personally greet his counterpart, Nawaz Sharif, on his
birthday.



The brief stopover at Lahore came on Modi�s
journey home to Delhi from Kabul, where he inaugurated Afghanistan�s new
parliament

Trade, energy and defence take centrestage in Modi�s talks with Putin

From the joint statement:



Beyond six nuclear power reactors at Kudankulam, Russia welcomed progress in identifying second site in India for additional six nuclear reactors.



Inter-governmental agreement (IGA) for building Kamov-226 helicopters under �Make in India� scheme.



Joint Study Group for studying possibility of hydrocarbon pipeline system connecting Russia and India.

S-400 missiles, Kamov-226 helicopters, Gen-5 fighters on Modi�s agenda in Russia

The Russian S-400 air defence missile that could feature in Modi's agreements with Putin in Russia today



By Ajai Shukla

Business Standard, 24th Nov 15



Why is Prime Minister Narendra Modi
visiting Russia on what much of the world considers Christmas Eve? Because it
will not be Christmas in Russia until January 7, according to the Gregorian
calendar, when Orthodox Christians --- Russia�s

Book Review: "JFK's Forgotten Crisis", by Bruce Riedel

Title : JFK�s Forgotten Crisis: Tibet, the
CIA, and Sino-Indian War

Author: Bruce Riedel

Publisher: The
Brookings Institution, Washington

Pages : 231

Price : $30.67



By Ajai Shukla

Business Standard, 23rd Dec 15



Bruce Riedel is a Central Intelligence
Agency (CIA) veteran, who has advised the last four US presidents on South and

MoD clears Rs 30,000 crore buy of Russian S-400 air defence system

By Ajai
Shukla

Business
Standard, 18th Dec 15



On
Thursday, the defence ministry�s apex procurement body, the Defence Acquisition
Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, cleared the purchase
of the S-400 mobile surface to air missile system (M-SAM), Russia�s latest and
most vaunted air defence system.



A Reuters
report, quoting a source speaking on condition of

Book Review: Crouching dragon, kneeling tiger

Title : Why
India is Not a Great Power (Yet)

Author : Bharat Karnad

Publisher : Oxford
University Press, New Delhi

Pages : 552

Price : Rs
875/-



Followers
of this country�s strategic and security policy know well that to read Bharat
Karnad is to imbibe the most hawkish Indian worldview and perspectives outside
the Sangh Parivar. Over the years,