India and South Asia: May 2016 Dossier

Policy Study

The May 2016 Dossier highlights a range of domestic and foreign policy developments in India as well as in the wider region. These include a detailed account of the recent Assembly elections in five states and an ensuing analysis of the consequences for the national level, Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Tehran post sanctions, and President Pranab Mukherjee’s visit to China.

Part I India – Domestic developments

Assembly Elections 2016: Messages beyond the results

Part II India – Foreign Policy Developments

Modi visits Tehran post sanctions

President Pranab Mukherjee visits China

Part III: 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.

• Next door Nepal: Arrest of a journalist
  Yubaraj Ghimire 
  The Indian Express, May 02, 2016

• No longer at sea
  C. Uday Bhaskar
  The Hindu, May 06, 2016

• Mr Modi’s mixed record
  Shyam Saran
  Business Standard, May 12, 2016

• Emerging Flashpoints in the Himalayas
  P. Stobdan
  Issue Brief, IDSA, May 18, 2016

• Will Congress be able to do major surgery?
  S. Nihal Singh
  The Asian Age, May 22, 2016

• Despite Modi’s wooing, the US is unlikely to change its policies on India’s security
  Kanwal Sibal
  MailOnline, May 23, 2016

• India’s Chabahar test
  C. Raja Mohan
  The Indian Express, May 23, 2016

• India, US and an eastward tilt
  Manoj Joshi     
  The Indian Express, May 23, 2016

• Catching up on time lost in Iran
  Manoj Joshi
  Mid-day online, May 24, 2016

• A good scorecard
  Kanwal Sibal
  The Tribune, May25, 2016