India and South Asia: December 2017 Dossier

Policy Study

Two important assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat bring the BJP to power, Dec 2017. Rahul Gandhi, new Congress President, springs surprise through aggressive Gujarat campaign.

Economic developments in India includes improved data for second quarter of financial year, position at the WTO and the enhanced focus of government on north-east region of India while preparing for the commemorative India-ASEAN summit in January 2018. Rajorshi Roy draws the economic potential between India and Denmark. Other foreign developments of India include the RIC meeting and the appointment of the new Foreign Secretary. The federal Parliamentary elections in Nepal (Nov-Dec, 2017) bring the Left Alliance to power.

Contents:

Part I  India – Domestic developments

BJP wins Assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh

Rahul Gandhi is new  Congress-President

Part II  India – Economic Developments

Improved economic indicators

India’s position at the inconclusive 11^th WTO MC

Government’s current focus: Connecting with ASEAN

Part III  India – Foreign Policy Developments

15^thForeign Ministerial Meeting of RIC

Fulfilling the potential of India-Denmark ties

New Foreign Secretary: Vijay Keshav Gokhale

Part IV South Asia                     

Elections to the Federal Parliament in Nepal

 Part V Press Articles on major domestic and foreign policy issues

As always, a number of complementary articles provide the reader with a much wider and deeper understanding of the politics in India, South Asia and across the wider region, through an Indian-centred perspective.

Emerging as a beacon in the neighbourhood

Srikant Kondapalli

Hindustan Times, November 28, 2017

The Art of Spar

C. Raja Mohan

The Indian Express, December 02, 2017

Raja Mandala: After Indo-Pacific, the Eurasian idea

C. Raja Mohan

The Indian Express, December 05, 2017

Babri recall: A million mutinies

Shyam Saran

Business Standard, December 12, 2017

To make Chabahar a ‘Game Changer’ Central Asian states need to be roped in

P. Stobdan

IDSA, December 12, 2017

A ‘Neighbourhood First’ foreign policy has little value for India

Kanwal Sibal

Hindustan Times, December 15, 2017

Nepal, Lanka, Maldives: Delhi strategy in tatters?

K. C. Singh

Deccan Chronicle, December 16, 2017

Jerusalem protests: Changing regional geopolitics at play

C. Uday Bhaskar

South Asia Monitor, December 17, 2017

Next Door Nepal: The morning after

Yubaraj Ghimire

The Indian Express, December 18, 2017

What Trump’s New National Security Strategy Means For India

Manoj Joshi

The Wire, December 20, 2017

In 2018, India must balance the demands of the neighbourhood against the compulsions of a global role

Shyam Saran

Hindustan Times online, December 26, 2017