International and Bilateral Issues

EU considering food aid cuts

The European Union is considering a roughly 75 per cent cut in funding for a programme that helps feed 18 million of its poorest citizens.
The cuts, set to take effect after New Year's, would come at a time of rising unemployment and consumer food prices in many parts of Europe, as well as overall economic turmoil on the continent.
The Food for the Deprived programme dates back to 1987.

Crucial game for Middle East players

The drama of the Iranian plot to assassinate the Saudi Ambassador in Washington features four players who, whatever the allegations, are engaged in a series of proxy battles for control of their interests in the Middle East. Three of the four — Saudi Arabia, the U.S. and Israel — are struggling to contain and deflect the tidal wave of democratic protest known as the Arab spring.
The fourth, Iran, sees in the same events a challenge to its stewardship of the Shias and the loss of the regional influence it was unexpectedly handed when the U.S. invaded Iraq.
In Egypt, registration opened this week for candidates for the first election since the fall of Hosni Mubarak. Tunisia will hold its first election in 10 days.
U.S. President Barack Obama has instead tried to wrap the Arab spring into a narrative of his own aspirations.
U.S. allies who are expendable in Tunisia and Egypt are not in Bahrain. Still less would they be in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, or Palestine if that rose up against occupation. Let the Arab spring continue, and core U.S. oil and military interests would be affected. The gap between stated policy and national interest will go from being latent to something that has to be bridged.
The street battles in Syria between government forces and opposition forces are a major threat to Iran. If it lost Syria, it would lose not just its closest ally, but the conduit of arms, missiles and money to Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas, whose external leadership is in Damascus.
The biggest deterrent card that Iran has left to play is Iraq, a country that U.S. troops are intent on leaving, and whose rulers have announced their support for Syria's Bashar Assad.

A vision for the Indian Ocean

Recent developments in the Indian Ocean region demand attention. Look at a sample collection: Somali pirates, operating in waters off the Horn of Africa with impunity, are now coming closer to our coast; China has commissioned its first aircraft carrier; an Indian company's hydrocarbon exploration activity in Vietnam's waters is being contested by China
Every move by Beijing to cement its ties with our immediate neighbours is seen as vindication of the “string of pearls” theory.
The combined legacy of Alexander and subsequent invaders who crossed the Himalayas is far more important than the rich history of the subcontinent's interaction, through the ocean route, with a vast region stretching from Aden to Bali.
While a majority of people in the north have never seen a beach, people living south of the Vindhyas, especially in the southern States and on the east and west coasts, regard the Indian Ocean as a defining element of their destiny.
Having experienced India's centrality in the Indian Ocean region through visits to the Cape of Good Hope, Durban and Mombasa; Port Louis, Colombo and Gan — the southernmost island of Maldives; cities on Myanmar's southwestern flank and the coasts of Java and Bali, I am convinced that there can be no place for “sea-blindness” in our policymaking.
In the western section of the Indian Ocean, three key developments, all negative from our viewpoint, are: piracy, terrorism, and the Chinese Navy's growing presence as part of the broader trend of China's expanding profile in Eastern and Southern Africa.
The Indian Navy has deservedly received considerable appreciation for its role in ensuring countermeasures. However, the expert opinion is that, in view of the expanding arc of piracy, much more needs to be done — on land, sea and elsewhere
Terrorism through the sea came knocking on India's doors on 26/11. Developments since then have augmented concern, not confidence. Experts worry about the security of our coastal cities, and offshore oil and gas installations.
On the one hand, India's endeavour to promote cooperative bilateralism has begun to show positive results. On the other, Beijing continues to be ultra active in deepening its relations with principal South Asian countries such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Myanmar, besides Pakistan — all located in the Indian Ocean region.
While piracy and terrorism are manageable there, the critical question facing the subregion is: will China and its immediate neighbours ranging from Japan to Thailand chart a pattern of relations marked by cooperation or conflict?
New Delhi's conception of a suitable politico-strategic environment in the Indian Ocean is fairly clear.
South Block rejects the view that an outside power is needed as “a sea-balancer” for the area.
Besides, India is set to enhance its hard power and also deploy soft power assets to deepen its links with littoral states.
First, in the Indian Ocean's western region, India's effort has been to strengthen defence cooperation with island states — Mauritius, Madagascar and Seychelles, besides Maldives.
Second, under the overall umbrella of the IBSA Dialogue Forum, cooperation among the navies of the three member-states — India, Brazil and South Africa — through joint exercises, training and strategising has been gaining momentum.
Third, since the western segment of the Indian Ocean has limited institutional arrangements for dialogue and cooperation compared to the eastern theatre, many believe it is time to reinvigorate the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC).
Fourth, India's bilateral cooperation on strategic issues needs to be strengthened with seven countries in the eastern theatre — Myanmar, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, South Korea, Japan and Australia. Some may term them a ‘potential necklace of diamonds.'
“The time has come for India to craft a new balance of power equation in order to safeguard its core interests and values.”

U.K. Defence Secretary Liam Fox quits

British Defence Secretary Liam Fox, who had been at the centre of a political storm for allowing a mysterious friend extraordinary access to his private office prompting allegations that he may have compromised national security, was on Friday forced to resign following new revelations
Prime Minister David Cameron came under mounting pressure to sack him after The Times newspaper reported

Vice-President beckons Turkish investors

With bilateral trade set to surpass the $5-billion mark two years ahead of schedule, Vice-President Hamid Ansari on Friday urged Turkish businesspersons to explore the opportunity in infrastructure development being planned by India
And India earmarked $1trillion for infrastructure development over five years from 2012, offering an opportunity for investment
We need more investments in roads and highways, new electricity generation and distribution networks, expanded and modernised railway networks, new and upgraded airport and port facilities. Such essential elements of infrastructure would provide our industry and agriculture with the connectivity needed for growth in production and trade, and for improving the quality of life of all of our people
At present, more than 100 Indian companies had registered businesses, investments and operations in Turkey, spanning information technology, airport infrastructure, automobiles, steel, irrigation and personal care products.

Syria death toll tops 3,000

Pro-democracy activists called for nationwide demonstrations on Friday in support of “free soldiers” — a reference to defectors — after 36 people, including 25 soldiers, were killed in clashes across Syria on Thursday.
Western governments have issued increasingly shrill warnings that unless the Assad regime heeds popular demands for reform, the so far peaceful protest movement risks resorting to violence.

Pranab for global action to tackle economic woes

Amid fears of double-dip recession, Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Friday called for concerted action by G-20 nations to provide impetus to the world economy
G-20 is a club of rich and developing nations that account for 85 per cent of the global output and cover two-thirds of the world population.
China came down from double digit growth to single digit. The first quarter figures showed that only one economy (Turkey) recorded 10 per cent plus growth. It was followed by China at 9 per cent, Mexico at 9 per cent and India at 7.7 per cent