While New Delhi has begun to build on the synergies with the United Arab Emirates on counter-terrorism and long-term strategic economic cooperation, it has barely scratched the surface of what is possible in the domain of defense.
Money does not guarantee electoral victory in India; what it does is guarantee you a seat at the table.
The 2019 elections will be an important moment to see whether India can remain a civilisational state cultivating coalition politics as a way to perpetuate “unity in diversity” or it will continue its recent march towards a unitary, ethno-religious state.
The U.S. strategy in the Indo-Pacific is still evolving. By engaging now, European countries would have the opportunity to shape it.
India’s continuing political challenges with China’s Belt and Road Initiative have been matched by New Delhi’s enduring difficulties in advancing its own connectivity initiatives.
Engaging with the communities they study offers scholars meaningful critiques for their work and allows those communities to shape and benefit from the research agenda.
While the hopes for a durable peace might be premature, the conflicts in Kashmir and Afghanistan might be entering a new phase in their long and depressing history.
For coalitions to be effective, they need leaders who know how to decentralise power. This is important as the 2019 election is likely to be a choice between two kinds of coalitions.
Securing the eastern Indian Ocean in partnership with Southeast Asian littorals like Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand could be one of the important near-term Indian contributions to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.
After four years, Modi and the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) remain the favorite in most of the large states of India, contributing to great opposition coordination for the 2019 election. But if Modi loses popularity, the BJP could be in trouble.