It’s encouraging that India and Pakistan continue to talk. But while they engage, they’d have to be careful about each other’s sensitivities on issues influencing popular support for peace between the two sub-continental rivals. Read more

Asif Ali Zardari lacks Benazir Buttoo’s erudition and charisma. He cannot boast even a fraction of her mass support. Read more

Pakistan is a land of conspiracies— imaginary and real. Much of what’s retailed by word of mouth or friendly media persons shows civilian rulers in poor light. The underlying message in the so-called “memogate” is that the men in Khaki could do no wrong, that they are the best defenders of Pakistan’s national interest. Read more

Mohali is for optics. The real match between India and Pakistan is across the negotiating table. And in that, there aren’t going to be any winners or losers. Not at least in the visible future. Read more

The DMK’s A Raja’s belated exit from the Union Cabinet had me counting the number of Congressmen removed from positions of authority after the UPA captured power in 2004. A quick count subject to correction showed that half a dozen bigwigs have been forced into relative political wilderness. Read more

President Barack Obama has proved skeptics wrong. He made all the noises we wanted to hear: support for a permanent seat in the UNSC, lifting curbs on dual-use technology exports, cooperation in homeland security and membership of restrictive multilateral treaties and organizations such as the Nuclear Suppliers Group. Read more

India has acted wisely in responding to the Pakistani demand for deposition before a Rawalpindi court of the police officer who led the 26/11 investigations at the Mumbai end and the magistrate who recorded the confessions of Ajmal Kasab, the sole surviving member of the marauding gang. Read more

SM Krishna’s biggest challenge since he assumed the reins of the Indian Foreign Office has arrived. The US-educated politico has faced many a battle at home. But the turf this time is unfamiliar and unfriendly. Read more

Bilateral meetings on the fringes of multi-lateral conferences aren’t unusual. But the one P Chidambaram had with his Pakistani counterpart, Rahman Malik during the SAARC interior ministers’ conference was unique in a way that it was the first of its kind. Read more

I’m glad the Indian Premier League has salvaged itself from denigrating into an India Pakistan Lafadaa series. It wasn’t for the first time that its overtly arrogant impresario, Lalit Modi placed big bucks riding on the tournament above national prestige. Read more