Policy Papers

POLICY BRIEF 05: BRICS: STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION BY P. S. RAGHAVAN

Making a pitch for rebooting the stalled UN Security Council reform process, India has said that to regain its “lost legitimacy” the council should change to reflect new world realities. “The security council which takes decisions on behalf of ‘We the People’ represents an increasingly small minority of the world’s population,” India’s permanent representative Syed Akbaruddin told the council. “If it is to make rules for ‘the people’ then it needs to adequately reflect...

POLICY BRIEF 06: INDIA AND JAPAN: PARTNERS IN CHANGE AT HOME AND ABROAD BY PRAMIT PAL CHAUDHURI

Pramit Pal Chaudhuri is a Distinguished Fellow and Head, Strategic Affairs at Ananta Aspen Centre and the foreign editor of the Hindustan Times. He writes on political, security and economic issues. He was a member of National Security Advisory Board of Government of India from 2011-2015 and is a member of the Asia Society Global Council and the Aspen Institute Italia, the International Institute of Strategic Studies, and the Mont Pelerin Society. The Ananta...

Concerning the impact of climate on india’s security

Concerning the Impact of CLIMATE CHANGE ON INDIA’S SECURITY VICE ADMIRAL (RETD.) PRADEEP CHAUHAN, Director, National Maritime Foundation & Adviser, Ananta Aspen Centre is an alumnus of India’s National Defence Academy, Defence Services Staff College, College of NavalWarfare and the National Defence College, Vice Admiral Pradeep Chauhan retired in December 2013 after an extremely distinguished four-decade-long career in the Indian Navy. His extensive command and staff experience at sea and ashore has honed his...

TOWARDS A NATIONAL CULTURE POLICY

TOWARDS A NATIONALCULTURE POLICYVIKRAM SAMPATH is a Bangalore-based Sahitya Akademi award winning author/historian, archivist, political commentator and a Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellow (ClassVI). He is part of several State & Central Government committees on policy matters related to art, culture, archiving and tourism. He is also the author of three acclaimed books of non-fiction: ‘Splendours of RoyalMysore: the untold story of the Wodeyars’, ‘My name is Gauhar Jaan! : the life and times of a...

What’s love got to do with it? it’s Money, Fame and Power stupid

What's love got to do with it? it's Money, Fame and Power stupid When asked what advice she’d give to her 15-year-old self, the celebrated 83-year-old African American poet, Maya Angelou broached the subject of inspiration. “Find a beautiful piece of art,” she said. “If you fall in love with Van Gogh or Matisse or John Oliver Killens, or if you fall in love with the music of Coltrane, the music of Aretha Franklin...

It’s a Small World After All

“It's a world of laughter, a world or tears, its a world of hopes, its a world of fear, theres so much that we share that its time we're aware, its a small world after all.” Sherman Brothers, in the early 1960s, wrote this song for a Walt Disneyshow dedicated to the children of the world, with the hope to spread the message of peace and harmony. Aroundthe same time in several institutions across...

China: A mysterious, young girl

China: A mysterious, young girl-- Anuj Poddar, Aspen India Leadership Initiative FellowPrefaceThis past summer, a group of Aspen Fellows descended in Beijing, China for an AGLN1 Alumni Seminar focused on understanding China. As Aspen Fellows (read: above-normal IQs, I-know-it-all-attitude and very opinionated intellectuals) many of us already knew China. And yet something drew each of us to this Seminar to understand China. For, as Aspen Alumni, we know that if anything can challenge your...

A recap of my fellowship experience at Aspen Institute India.

I have wanted to come to India for the longest time thanks to how fondly family, friends and acquaintances spoke fondly of various trips to India. Prior to my fellowship at Aspen Institute India, I was fortunate enough to live in Japan and travel to some Asian countries such as China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia, and my one of my regrets not to travel to India. However, thanks to the Avantha-Aspen...

Africa & India: Strengthening connections and advancing opportunities

Africa & India: Strengthening connections and advancing opportunities Executive Summary AFRICA, A CONTINENT OF 54 COUNTRIES was once infamously relegated as ‘The Hopeless Continent’ by The Economist. Much has changed in recent years across Africa, from the strengthening of democratic governance and economic growth experienced by many African states. Such is the euphoria on Sub Saharan Africa, that even The Economist dedicated an ‘Africa Rising’ cover to the increasingly positive narrative of Sub Saharan...

India’s Non-Traditional Security Concerns

India’s Security Concerns Non-Traditional Introduction T HE CONCEPT OF NATIONAL SECURITY has evolved since the end of the Cold War and the rise of globalisation. Although the concept of national security is often invoked by national leaders across the globe, the definition of national security is seriously debated by various scholars, national leaders and members of civil society. Consequently, the concept of national security is no longer strictly confined to traditional state centric security...

Araku Originals

Araku Originals is a for-profit farmers' cooperative for the Adivasi tribal farmers to bring quality products to market, while building a fair income in the hands of the farmers. Having grown to over 11,000 farmer-households (over 55,000 people reached so far), it is still just starting to scale, and can cross over 100,000 households. Araku Originals leapfrogs traditional approaches to increase farmer income. If it were simply providing market-access, that in itself would provide...

N = all ….An Impending Big Data Era

Araku Originals is a for-profit farmers' cooperative for the Adivasi tribal farmers to bring quality products to market, while building a fair income in the hands of the farmers. Having grown to over 11,000 farmer-households (over 55,000 people reached so far), it is still just starting to scale, and can cross over 100,000 households. Araku Originals leapfrogs traditional approaches to increase farmer income. If it were simply providing market-access, that in itself would provide...

Save a life, make a change- Rhea Mehta

“Most of us want to make a positive impact on society. Do something good and help improve the lives of our brethren who are less fortunate. Doing so would enrich our own lives” These were the words of our instructor during the session titled “Socrates dialogue” at TSALS which I attended in June last year. The words kept reverberating in my mind throughout the night and fortunately the next morning we were asked to...

BRICS: A NEW PARADIGM?

Making a pitch for rebooting the stalled UN Security Council reform process, India has said that to regain its “lost legitimacy” the council should change to reflect new world realities. “The security council which takes decisions on behalf of ‘We the People’ represents an increasingly small minority of the world’s population,” India’s permanent representative Syed Akbaruddin told the council. “If it is to make rules for ‘the people’ then it needs to adequately reflect...

INDIA & CHINA: A NEW CHAPTER?

Ananta Aspen Centre "Fireside Chat" on "India-China Relations: A New Chapter?" Interview with Mr. Jayadeva Ranade, Dr. Srikanth Kondapalli and Ms. Haiyan Wang  Read More

INDIA–CHINA RELATIONS: THE “MO–XI” DYNAMIC

The Asian region has been the economic engine for growth of the component nations and their neighborhood adding wealth and quality to human lives for several decades. In fact,economic engagements have truly deferred disputes in both time and space. While component countries found it inspiring to address the basic needs and well being of their people, China's well-known disputes with almost every neighbour found means and ways of settlement partially or wholly.In many ways...

MAKING GOVERNANCE WORK: TOWARDS ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY

We call India a democracy, since we have a constitution and a reasonably fair system of elections. However, it has not delivered the desired expectations of fairness, equity and progress since our governance has been poor. The dilemma is that if ‘we the people’ govern our nation, how is it that we are unhappy with our governance? The truth is that the government is largely unaccountable to us, and except for electing our representatives,...

DECODING RELATIONS INDIA-PAKISTAN

Diplomats and practitioners of international relations work towards predictable and rational behaviour. While the definition of rational is inherently subjective, that of predictability is not. Even if the interlocutor’s actions are not rational, welcome and beneficial, if they are predictable—or exist within a broad and given matrix of options—a state can live with them and learn to respond to them. For the past decade, India-Pakistan relations have followed a certain predictability. This is not...

INDIA-U.S. ENERGY TIES: ENDING PROTECTIONISM

It is time for India and the United States, the world’s leading democracies, to become full-fledged energy partners. Doing so will go far toward making the U.S. and India true strategic partners and driving cooperation on a host of issues from climate change to maritime security. With President Obama having accepted Prime Minister Modi’s invitation to be the Chief Guest at this year’s Republic Day celebrations, now is the time for the U.S. and...

INDIA US TIES IN A NEW POLITICAL LANDSCAPE

Ananta Viewpoint : "India-US Ties in a new political landscape" An interview with Ms. Meenakshi Lekhi, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), Bharatiya Janata Party and Mr. Baijayant Panda, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), Biju Janata Dal. Read More

THE OUTLOOK FOR U.S.-INDIA RELATIONS

Ananta Viewpoint : "The Outlook for US India Relations" (Remarks at the XX US India Strategic Dialogue) by Amb. Robert Blackwill, Henry A Kissinger Senior Fellow for US Foreign Policy, The Council on Foreign Relations (US). Read More

BOOSTING INDIA-US TIES: A REGIONAL IMPERATIVE?

President Obama’s India visit: Why is it important for bilateral ties? Stabilizing South Asia: The Way Forward G Parthasarathy: S K Lambah: Jayadeva Ranade: S K Lambah: The visit of President Obama to India to join us in our Republic Day celebrations sends a clear message internationally. It demonstrates that the two largest democracies in the world are not only celebrating their commitment to democratic freedoms, but also strengthening their mutual cooperation, for the...

MEGA TRADE AGREEMENTS: AN EMERGING TREND

Ever since the World Trade Organization (WTO) was established in January 1995, countries across the globe have understood and appreciated the large-scale benefits of trade agreements. However, the Geneva-based multilateral trade organization has a clause that ostensibly creates a down side for countries that look to liberalize at a fast pace- all agreements within the WTO can be adopted only on the basis of a consensus. This clause, which seeks a complete consensus, is...

Solving the Afghan riddle

Making a pitch for rebooting the stalled UN Security Council reform process, India has said that to regain its “lost legitimacy” the council should change to reflect new world realities. “The security council which takes decisions on behalf of ‘We the People’ represents an increasingly small minority of the world’s population,” India’s permanent representative Syed Akbaruddin told the council. “If it is to make rules for ‘the people’ then it needs to adequately reflect...

THIRD INDIA-AFRICA FORUM SUMMIT

Ananta Viewpoint : "Third India-Africa Forum Summit" Author: Amb. Ashok Sajjanhar, Former Ambassador of India to Kazakhstan, Sweden and Latvia, and Former Secretary/Principal Executive Officer, National Foundation for Communal Harmony. Read More

The Durand Line

Aspen Institute India (AII) promotes values-based leadership, open dialogue and cross-sector outreach by engaging the civil society, government, private sector, and other key stakeholders on issues related to India's development. It invites industrial, economic, financial, political, social and cultural leaders to discuss these issues in settings that encourage frank and open dialogue. The Institute focuses on the most important problems and challenges facing society, the business community and the individual in India. The Aspen...

Time to talk to the Taliban?

Aspen Institute India (AII) promotes values-based leadership, open dialogue and cross-sector outreach by engaging the civil society, government, private sector, and other key stakeholders on issues related to India's development. It invites industrial, economic, financial, political, social and cultural leaders to discuss these issues in settings that encourage frank and open dialogue. The Institute focuses on the most important problems and challenges facing society, the business community and the individual in India. The Aspen...

The Evolution of India’s Bilateral Relations with Russia

Aspen Institute India (AII) promotes values-based leadership, open dialogue and cross-sector outreach by engaging the civil society, government, private sector, and other key stakeholders on issues related to India's development. It invites industrial, economic, financial, political, social and cultural leaders to discuss these issues in settings that encourage frank and open dialogue. The Institute focuses on the most important problems and challenges facing society, the business community and the individual in India. The Aspen...

Maritime Power: Key to India’s Security Interests

Aspen Institute India (AII) promotes values-based leadership, open dialogue and cross-sector outreach by engaging the civil society, government, private sector, and other key stakeholders on issues related to India's development. It invites industrial, economic, financial, political, social and cultural leaders to discuss these issues in settings that encourage frank and open dialogue. The Institute focuses on the most important problems and challenges facing society, the business community and the individual in India. The Aspen...

POLICY BRIEF 02: INDIA – US: – BEYOND THE HORIZON BY INDRANI BAGCHI

This paper looks at the current state of play between India and US and makes some recommendations for the short and medium term. From being on opposite sides of the fence during the Cold War, India and US have metamorphosed to being a “defining partnership of the 21st century.” While that may not be heavy mantle to bear, both countries have to make some significant strategic space for each other if this partnership is...

POLICY BRIEF 01: DRUGS- THE INSIDIOUS ENEMY BY K C VERMA

Drug trafficking and addiction cause untold human suffering throughout the world. They also spawn evils like corruption, terrorism, human trafficking and prostitution. Yet the danger from drugs is seldom recognized because of its insidious nature. In India, there is insufficient awareness of critical issues and even the extent of drug abuse is unclear. Policy responses have been inadequate, mainly due to absence of structures to deal with the multidimensional threat. The first and only...