Latest in India
The costs of escalating conflict along the China-India border are greater than they were in 1962. Both sides know they must avoid the worst-case scenario.
The Indian government has introduced a new data protection bill. What's in the bill? What does it reveal about the Indian government's vision of the data protection and of the internet?
What is the legal significance of India’s new citizenship law and why has it prompted protests on such an unprecedented scale?
New Delhi is looking for a way to deescalate tensions between two important partners.
The disputed territory of the Kashmir Valley has long been a cause of tension and armed conflict between India and Pakistan. The United Nations has stated it could be “one of the most militarized zones in the world.” Within India, the valley is located in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, which until recently enjoyed a special constitutional status that granted it more autonomy than other Indian states. On Aug.
On Aug. 5, the Indian government announced that the “special status” accorded to the state Jammu and Kashmir—which includes Ladakh—was no more.
On Feb. 14, a suicide bombing in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir killed more than 40 members of Indian paramilitary forces—the deadliest terrorist attack in Kashmir’s history.
Editor’s Note: The strategic balance in Asia is changing dramatically, presenting both risks and opportunities for the United States. The dynamic between China and India is one important concern, particularly as U.S. relations with India have gone from tepid to friendly. Arzan Tarapore of the National Bureau of Asian Research argues that some forms of balancing China with India are unlikely to work but that helping India build up its maritime presence would be an effective counter to China's rise.
Daniel Byman
***
China and the Philippines plan to conduct talks and potentially sign an agreement regarding joint exploration for hydrocarbons, oil and natural gas in South China Sea. This agreement could cover portions of the South China Sea such as the Reed Bank that were under dispute in the 2016 South China Sea Arbitration.
The 26th biennial Rim of the Pacific naval military exercises, the largest international maritime exercises in the world, kicked off in and around Hawaii on June 27 with one participant notably absent. The U.S. military chose to disinvite China this year due to its “continued militarization of disputed features in the South China Sea,” Pentagon spokesman Marine Lt. Col.