On 16 July, 2013 the UPA government decided in principle to open up as many as 13 sectors for foreign direct investment - ranging from 49 percent to 100 percent - with different caveats. Some needed approval through automatic routes, some approval through Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) and others with distinct riders.

This World Water Day (22 March 2013) calls for cooperation on transboundary rivers. Among 276 transboundary river basins in the World, it makes sense for  countries in Indian subcontinent and China to consider it seriously. While the international institutions are trying to define a working definition of 'water security', will India be able to secure unhindered access to water for living beings across McMahon line - the source of all perennial rivers flowing through India?

Wellbeing of a nation depends much on its ability to adapt to the changes. Each change brings in new possibilities and also critical risks. Nepal as a nation is witnessing to many changes as early as from 1950.

Two Russian built warships with the same name i.e. Admiral Gorshkov have been making news in the last few weeks. The first vessel is an aircraft carrier which was sold to India in 2004 and is rechristened as INS Viramaditya. It has been plagued in controversy due to costs and time over runs. The pre-delivery trials of the ship were unsuccessful and according to reports, the vessel will have to wait till the White Sea ice melts during the summer of 2013 to complete the trials.

Thinking about a majestic river as the Indus River in South Asian set up attracts more perspective and more situation room strategies than a possible benefit sharing solution. From countless war strategies to suing each other in legal battle, from instigating to investigation, from hydro-phobia to hydro-politics, from misinformation to deliberately uninformed, India and Pakistan have been engaged in myriad exchanges and wasting time and opportunity. The exception could have been only during ancient Indus Civilisation where settlements at both sides of the river respected Indus as one.

In 1974, India conducted a nuclear test that it termed as a ‘peaceful nuclear explosion’. However, in 1998, India conducted a full scale nuclear test and consequently claimed to attain nuclear capability. It was soon followed by its neighbor, Pakistan, also opting for the same nuclear route. A year later, the draft on nuclear doctrine was presented in August 1999 to the Indian Prime Minister. Subsequently the Cabinet released it for public debate by the National Security Advisory Board.

The Indian foreign minister SM Krishna’s four nation visit to Israel, Jordan, Palestine and the UAE from January 8 to 11, 2012 has been seen as a beginning of “new approach ” in India’s foreign policy towards West Asia in general and the Arab Gulf region in particular. India has unequivocally accepted the paradigm that the relations with both Palestine as well as Israel are equally significant to its core national interests. Israel is important to India from defence, security and technology point of view, while Palestine is significant for humanitarian, ideological and strategic reasons.

On October 4, 2011, New Delhi and Kabul have signed a historic Agreement on Strategic Partnership (ASP) which will further strengthen the relations between the two neighbors. India is the fifth highest donor in Afghanistan with $2billion of aid and also engaged in various development projects in Afghanistan and the recent visit by Afghan President Hamid Karzai also marks the collaboration of expanding the training of Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF).

The dawn of twenty-first century coincided with an unusual phenomena in the arena of international relations and that is the emergence of China and India as global powers. The steadily rising rate of economic growth in India has recently been around 8 percent per year and there is much speculation about whether and when India may catch up with and may even surpass China’s over 10 percent growth rate. India and China understand the concept of co-existence and the growth very well. This engagement has elements of both rivalry and cooperation.

The 21st century is witnessing rapid development in various parts of East and Southeast Asia. The developing states in the region are struggling to maintain balance between their social obligations and economic reforms. It is their belief that technology could act as a catalyst for successful implementation of their development strategies. During the last few years Vietnamese government has invested significant resources in the development of its science and technology base keeping in mind the long-term interests. Space technology is one such area identified by the Vietnamese government.