DIPLOMATIC NOTEBOOK: Facing up to the Myanmar challenge
India’s heart may be with Aung San Suu Kyi and the struggle for democracy but its head knows there’s no alternative to dealing with the military. Is there a middle … Continue reading
DIPLOMATIC NOTEBOOK: For Krishna, a year of hectic travel
The External Affairs Minister has visited 27 countries in 12 months. With his frequent flyer miles has come greater confidence but Indian diplomacy is still plagued by mixed messages… 20 … Continue reading
Timeline on Siachen, Kashmir talks was the deal-breaker at Islamabad
Pakistan Foreign Minister Qureshi overruled his officials over draft of common talking points … 18 July 2010The Hindu Timeline on Siachen, Kashmir talks was the deal-breaker at IslamabadSiddharth Varadarajan India … Continue reading
The perils of ‘half-way house’ diplomacy
Having decided to engage Pakistan on issues beyond terror, it is counterproductive for India to artificially limit the subjects it is willing to discuss. 17 July 2010The Hindu The perils … Continue reading
Substantive dialogue is still some distance away
Instability on the AfPak front — and not the lack of trust — has emerged as the binding constraint on India’s ability to move bilateral talks on Kashmir forward… 14 … Continue reading
China, Pakistan and the NSG
Rather than objecting to what it can’t prevent, India should back a nuclear deal for Pakistan structured around a package of non-proliferation commitments… 24 June 2010The Hindu China, Pakistan and … Continue reading
Building trust, one step at a time
India should strive for functional cooperation with Pakistan on the Mumbai terror trial. As the ‘front channel’ picks up speed, so will the ‘back channel’… 23 June 2010The Hindu Building … Continue reading
India shifts from ‘accusatory’ to ‘exploratory’ mode
Acknowledging the progress made on the back-channel would be major trust building step … 21 June 2010The Hindu India shifts from ‘accusatory’ to ‘exploratory’ mode Siddharth Varadarajan New Delhi: In … Continue reading
Chidambaram to brief Pakistan about Headley disclosures
Mandate to assess Pakistan’s pledge to stop terrorists using its soil against India … 21 June 2010The Hindu Chidambaram to brief Pakistan about Headley disclosures Siddharth Varadarajan New Delhi: Union … Continue reading
India keen to engage ‘empowered’ Gilani
After Thimphu, trust building key to emerging dialogue template with Pakistan …2 May 2010The Hindu India keen to engage ‘empowered’ Gilani Siddharth Varadarajan New Delhi: The recent empowerment of Pakistani … Continue reading
At long last, a firm step forward
The meeting in Bhutan between the two Prime Ministers has opened a path, but India and Pakistan are not out of the woods yet… 30 April 2010The Hindu At long … Continue reading
Time to end the impasse with Pakistan
If India really believes dialogue is the way forward, it should not allow a disagreement over form or nomenclature to come in the way. 26 April 2010The Hindu Time to … Continue reading
India resigned to ‘holding pattern’ with Pakistan
On the even of the Saarc summit in Bhutan, India and Pakistan are, as Dr. Seuss, would put it, still in The Waiting Place … You will come to a … Continue reading
India wants ‘zero tolerance’ for nuclear traffickers
India and Pakistan take potshots at each other at the Nuclear Security Summit… 14 April 2010The Hindu India wants ‘zero tolerance’ for nuclear traffickers Siddharth Varadarajan Washington: With the spectre … Continue reading
Siddharth Varadarajan 