Commentaries & Articles
Review of Developments in China in 2019

In 2012, Xi Jinping along with other members of the standing committee of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau, Li Keqiang, Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yushan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli visited an exhibition titled ‘The Road to Renewa....

Taiwan Elections 2020: Landslide Victory for Tsai Ing-wen

In the just concluded 15th Presidential Election in Taiwan, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) leader Tsai Ing-wen has swept the polls with 8, 170, 231 votes (57.1 per cent). She secured the highest number of votes for any candidate since Taiwan....

Analysing Iran’s Counter Strikes

Iran on 8 January 2020 launched 22 surface-to-surface missiles at two US military bases in Ain al-Asad base in Anbar province and one facility in Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan.1 The operation called, “Shahid Soleimani” has been....

Trump and Iran: Who Lost More?

The media as well as some scholars refer to “Iran-U.S. confrontation” giving the wrong impression that both sides are equally responsible for the genesis of the current crisis in their relations, a crisis that brought the world to the brink of di....

West Asia Roundup - December 2019

Abstract: Year 2019, in keeping with the ongoing trend of conflicts and hotspots in the region, ended in heightening tensions between US and Iran which does not portend well for 2020. Iraq has been facing series of demonstrations and co....

Trends in Central Asia in 2019

In 2019, a major highlight of political trends in Central Asia was the steady development of intraregional relations, driven primarily by Uzbek President Shawkat Mirziyoyev’s neighbourhood-first initiative. There were several other socio-economic ....

Complicated 2019 for the International Oil Market and Trade

Introduction The effects of the United States of America’s (U.S) pulling out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) in early 2018 had an impact on the global oil trade, which continued in 2019. The renewed unilateral sanction....

US and Iran in an Uneasy Calm

President Trump has the uncanny habit of surprising the world by his unique and often contentious tweets on foreign policy issues. But this time it pleased many. “All is Well” tweeted President Trump after 20 odd Iranian missiles apparently targe....

Assassination of General Soleimani and geo-political tensions in the Gulf

Assassination of Major General Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Al Quds Forces in an American strike at Baghdad airport in the early hours of 3rd January sent shock waves in the region. Iran declared 3 days mourning and flags are being flown at half....

Chinese President Xi Jinping Faces Difficult Times Ahead

There are clear indications that popular dissatisfaction and discontent with Chinese President Xi Jinping inside China continues to simmer just below the surface. The economic slowdown, unemployment and rising cost of living have contributed to the d....

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