Manoj Ambat's Blog dealing with Defence, Foreign Affairs, Strategic Affairs and Politics

Image credits- Wikimedia Commons Source- Eurasia Review Author- Rupak Bhatacharjee Bangladesh is again at the crossroads. The bitter power rivalry and acrimonious relations between the supreme leaders of the two contending parties — Awami League (AL) and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), have resurfaced in the polity after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s completion of one year in office. BNP-sponsored indefinite blockades and frequent bomb attacks on public vehicles have made life miserable and people from all walks of life now want to see Bangladesh free from the stranglehold of squabbling politicians. Despite the AL government’s imposition of restrictions on street demonstrations and mass gatherings, violent agitations and blockades have claimed more than 60 lives since Jan 5. In a significant development on Jan 25, Bangladesh police registered a criminal case against BNP chief Khaleda Zia for instigating a deadly bomb attack on a passenger bus on Jan 23 in the cap

Image credits- Wikimedia Commons  Source- The National Interest Author- Doug Bandow It’s hard to get out of a bad relationship. The good times may be over and the once vibrant connection may be dead, but people just can’t admit that it’s time to say goodbye. Countries have the same problem, especially the U.S. Washington has spent decades collecting allies like many people accumulate Facebook “Friends.” Virtually never, irrespective of the changed circumstances, does America drop an ally. Indeed, the less relevant the ties the more insistent U.S. officials become in demanding that the relationship be “strengthened” and “expanded.” With Valentine’s Day almost upon us, the Obama administration should take an unsparing look at the ever-growing crowd of American allies and ally-wannabes. It’s time for Washington to send the equivalent of a “Dear John” letter to a half dozen foreign capitals. Where to start? There are so many undeserving deadbeat friends. Saudi

Image credits- Wikimedia Commons / Author- United States Government   Source- The Diplomat Author- Sarah Graham  One of the few remarked-upon passages in Hillary Clinton’s otherwise unenlightening Hard Choices was her recollection of the decision not to inform Pakistani authorities of the U.S. raid to kill Osama bin Laden. In her retelling, the suggestion that the U.S. should tend to the diplomatic sensitivities of its ally was summarily dismissed by the most senior officials in the room. This would pose too great an operational risk given the known links between the Pakistani military and terrorist organizations such as Al Qaeda and the Taliban, even, scarily, at the risk that Pakistani authorities might mistake the U.S. incursion for a fully-fledged military attack by someone else. So well known are these terrorist connections, in fact, that sponsorship of terrorism by various elements of the Pakistani state has its own Wikipedia page, and analysts consider the use

Image credits- Wikimedia Commons / Various Authors Source- The Eurasia Review Author- Nurzhanat Ametbek Turkey hosted the G20 finance ministers and central bank governors for the first time since it assumed the rotating presidency of the elite global club. Officials gathered in İstanbul, Turkey from February 9-10 to discuss solutions to the debt crisis in Greece and ways to push forward faltering global growth. The meeting of the G20 finance ministers and central bank governors coincides with a time of global economic suffering and hardship that is characterized by uneven growth of the major economies, monetary policy differentiation, and the Greek question in Europe. During the meeting, G20 members tried to come up with a coordinated plan to reverse the current downturn of the global economy, pledging to continue to take action to boost economic growth. Nonetheless, the G20 members still hold divergent opinions on various issues including what kind of policy tools ar

Mumbai Skyline ( Image credits- Wikimedia Commons/ Author- Jeet221990) Source- The Diplomat Author- Anthony Fensom Asia’s rise to global economic pre-eminence could see China and India leading the world by 2050, with Southeast Asia also making gains, according to PwC. However, Japan, South Korea and Australia are seen slipping down the world rankings without major reforms. The projections came in the consultancy’s latest “World in 2050” report, which provides growth forecasts for 32 of the world’s largest economies, accounting for around 84 percent of global gross domestic product (GDP), based on purchasing power parity (PPP). According to PwC, China is already the world’s biggest economy in PPP terms and will become the biggest at the more commonly accepted figures of market exchange rates by 2028, despite its projected reversion to the global growth average. China’s share of world GDP in PPP terms is forecast to increase from 16.5 percent in 2014 to a peak of ar

Image credits- Wikimedia Commons/ Author- Ulrich Source- The Diplomat Author- Morena Skalamera While the EU has been historically dependent on Russian oil and gas supplies, this dependence has proved to be a two-way street, with Russia dependent on European goods and technology. This trade has nonetheless remained asymmetrical: Russia imports equipment, consumer goods, and high value-added products (such as luxury garments, cars, and foods), while it exports raw materials. Today Russia’s hydrocarbons are becoming harder to find and more expensive to produce even though the country’s technologically underdeveloped economy relies increasingly on the revenues they ensure. Moreover, despite possessing over 30 percent of global gas supplies and unconventional gas reserves that are estimated to be ten times larger than those in all of Europe, today’s Russia is heavily reliant on Western technology to boost energy extraction and develop these promising resources. Russia’s ec

INS Delhi ( Image credits- Wikimedia Commons / Author- Brian Burnell) Source- The Diplomat Author- Himanil Rana Where are debates on the future of fleet composition and naval force development headed? So far, discourse has been dominated by carrier battle groups. It’s not going to stay that way for long. The utility of sea control has always been measured by its capability to influence events on the shore. Aircraft carriers are naturally attractive to the United States and China as they can help attain sea control visibly and directly. Deriving their offensive power from their air wings, aircraft carriers can strike deep into the enemy’s homeland. Unlike submarines, carriers offer unmatched flexibility and lethality coupled with the ability to be as intrusive or as subtle as desired. The carrier’s ability to rapidly adapt its air wing to almost any expected threat is a tremendous advantage. Carrier groups can also be used as a diplomatic tool as well, influencing enem