India and South Asia: February 2017 Dossier

Policy Study

The February 2017 Dossier highlights a range of domestic and foreign policy developments in India as well as in the wider region. These include an analysis of ambitions of the Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab, the deep political crisis in Tamil Nadu and the results of the elections to the Bombay Municipal Corporation, the strategic dialogue between China and India, India’s engagement in Africa and its involvement in talks on Afghanistan in Moscow.

Part I  India – Domestic developments

• Aam Aadmi Party’s power search outside Delhi
• Crisis, instability and a new government in Tamil Nadu
• Municipal Elections in Mumbai: Shiv Sena and BJP neck to neck

Part II  India – Foreign Policy Developments

• The Upgraded India-China Strategic Dialogue
• India’s engagement with Africa: Rwanda and Uganda

Part III  South Asia

• India in Afghan Talks

Part IV  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.

• This Budget Will Not Relieve the Shock of Demonetisation to the Economy

Prem Shankar Jha

The Wire, February 01, 2017

• Budget disappoints on ecological sustainability

Shyam Saran

Business Standard, February 07, 2017

• India’s military modernisation: Trapped in a fiscal strait jacket

C. Uday Bhaskar

South Asia Monitor, February 07, 2017

• JeM chief block shows China’s determination to shield Pakistan from terrorism scrutiny

Kanwal Sibal

Daily Mail, February 13, 2017

• Sasikala meets her fate

S Nihal Singh

The Tribune, February 18, 2017

• Mehbooba Is Kashmir’s Big Disappointment

Mani Shankar Aiyar

NDTV, February 21, 2017

• Raja Mandala: Getting down to work with Trump

C. Raja Mohan

The Indian Express, February 21, 2017

• The charge that the arrest of an air chief affects soldiers’ morale is laughable

Manoj Joshi

Hindustan Times, February 22, 2017

• Bloody February in Pakistan: Can the country change course?

C. Uday Bhaskar

South Asia Monitor, February 23, 2017

• Backed by China, Pak is unlikely to change support for terror substantially

Shyam Saran

Hindustan Times, February 24, 2017