Topics Archive

Haryana: India's SEZ capital needs holistic development

One of South Asia's wealthiest and economically developed regions is gasping for development in the form of medical infrastructure and sustainable agricultural practices. Haryana has been the single…

India’s ASW readiness

China has stepped up its activity in the Indian Ocean while maintaining a sizeable number advantage to India’s submarines. Can India adapt its surface technologies to thwart sub-surface threats? Anti…

Maruti Suzuki’s electric drive

Maruti Suzuki has announced that it will cease all production of diesel cars by 2020. Why has the company abandoned diesel engines? Maruti Suzuki is an Indian automobile manufacturer, a subsidiary of…

Jharkhand: Mineral wealth, human poverty

Jharkhand represents an interesting mix of development and poverty. The state houses 40% of India's mineral resources but its citizens are one of the most malnourished and suffer from low per capita…

Belarus to join Russia?

President Vladimir Putin may look beyond Russia for a window to retain status quo after his current term ends. Is President Putin looking to force Belarus’ integration with Russia as a way of staying…

Sturgeon calls for Scottish Referendum 2.0

Scotland should hold a new referendum on independence from the United Kingdom by 2021 if Britain leaves the European Union, said the Scottish leader, Nicola Sturgeon. The question remains, is…

Erdogan takes a gamble

President Erdogan is unlikely to buy oil from Saudi Arabia and the UAE due to sustained tensions. However, can Mr. Erdogan continue to buy oil from Iran given its energy requirements? Strategic…

Japan apologises to victims of forced sterilisation

Twenty years after Japan repealed the eugenics law, it has agreed to compensate victims of the government program under which thousands of people were forcibly sterilized because of intellectual…

Haftar’s quest for oil dominance

Much of Libya’s civil war has focused on control of the nations’ airports. Why have rival factions concentrated on securing Libya’s airports? What is the Haftar offensive’s endgame in securing Libya’…

Kim Jong-Un in Russia

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will meet Russian President Vlad Putin in the first trip aimed at galvanising support while talks with Washington are in limbo. Is North Korea looking for other…

Goa: Golden beaches and unfulfilled promises

One of India's smallest states sends only two MPs to Parliament but is an undisputed part of the country. Goa has been a stronghold for the BJP since 2014 and it will be interesting to see if the INC…

Afghanistan civilian casualties fall

Civilian casualties from the Afghan conflict dropped by almost a quarter in the first three months of the year, amid freezing winter weather and a sharp fall in the number of suicide attacks. Is the…

Russia’s nuclear drones

Is the likelihood of nuclear war increasing? In March 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed footage of six prototype advanced weapons systems being developed by the nation. Mr. Putin said…

Afghanistan – A way forward

Upendra Baghel visited Synergia Foundation to discuss India’s need for an independent and inclusive Afghanistan Policy. Mr. Baghel recently served as the Head of the Policy Advisory Unit of the…

Do Better with Less: Frugal Innovation to Sustainable Growth

The Synergia Foundation hosted a Harvard Business School Club of India conversation with Prof. Jaideep Prabhu and Navi Radjou on April 16, 2019. Also in attendance were Sajju Jain - Founder of Impact…

London choked by Climate protests

Climate change protesters who have brought parts of London to a standstill said that they were prepared to call a halt if the U.K. government would discuss their demands. The question is, will the…

Violence returns to Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s government has blamed local jihadist group National Thowheed Jamath for one of Asia’s deadliest terrorist attacks in years and said other nations had shared intelligence ahead of the…

Ceasefire in Doha talks: Difficult to agree, more difficult to implement.

Whatever type of ceasefire is negotiated in Doha, it would have two basic ingredients: (i) moratorium on all types of attacks by all parties, here the Government and the Taliban cessation of…

Doha Peace Process - Another Dayton Agreement?

Doha peace talks between the US and the Taliban have progressed but still one should agree with Amb. Zalmay Khalilzad, that ‘nothing is agreed till everything is agreed’. Afghans’ recent conflicts…

People centered intra-Afghan talks lead to convergences

Constitution is at the intersection of the legal system, the political system and the society in the country. It is the supreme law of the land. Foundation of legal system: rights and duties are…