MANTRAYA INTERACTION#01: 20 JUNE 2016 The Kashmir Conundrum Interaction with Dr. Ashok Bhan – How will you describe the current situation in Jammu & Kashmir? The security situation in Jammu & Kashmir has been improving continuously since 2001. In the last five years, terrorism related incidents have gone down to less than 200 per year. So […]
MANTRAYA BRIEF#16: 13 JUNE 2016 Pakistan: Sharif Contestations Anand Arni – Abstract In Pakistan, the Sharifs- Prime Minister Nawaz and Army Chief Raheel have tried to outmanoeuvre each other. While many would expect the civilian government to be subdued almost instantly in a country where the military dictates terms, Nawaz’s own tactics have helped him to […]
MANTRAYA BRIEF#15: 1 JUNE 2016 Pakistan Army: Martial Race or National Army V. Vidya Lakshmi – Abstract The kind of influence Pakistan’s army enjoys in the country has few parallels. However, notwithstanding its primacy, it remains an ‘ethnically imbalanced’ army and not a ‘national army’. With a deeply entrenched concept of ‘martial race’, modernity is an […]
MANTRAYA OCCASIONAL PAPER #01: 27 MAY 2016 Sri Lanka: Assessment of the End-Game – Thomas A. Marks, Ph.D. – Much has already been written concerning the dramatic climax of three decades of war in Sri Lanka (see map). Still, much remains to be assessed. This is imperative, for the conflict, one of the most complex […]
MANTRAYA BRIEF#14: 26 MAY 2016 Profile: Abdul Rehman Rauf of Jaish-e-Mohammad Partha Chakraborty Abstract Abdul Rehman Rauf is the second in command in the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM)’s power hierarchy and is arguably the most important person in charge of taking key decisions in the outfit. He has played key role in several terrorist attacks carried […]
– MANTRAYA SPECIAL REPORT#05: 08 APRIL 2016 One Belt, One Road, One Singapore – Boh Ze Kai – Abstract In the 14th century, Mongol dominance in Asia resulted in the Pax Mongolica, a framework of peaceful trading relationships straddling the Maritime and Overland Silk Roads, allowing the Kingdom of Singapura to flourish into a wealthy […]
MANTRAYA SPECIAL REPORT#04: 11 MARCH 2016 Expanding Chinese Infrastructure on the Indian border – Jhinuk Chowdhury – Abstract Three key focus areas of China’s massive infrastructure build up along the Sino-Indian border are: integrating the border region to Chinese mainland, accessibility to the Line of Actual Control (LAC), and strengthening counter offensive capabilities. This calls for […]
MANTRAYA BRIEF#13: 05 MARCH 2016 CPI-Maoist’s continuing potency Bibhu Prasad Routray – Abstract Killing of 16 civilians in the worst massacre since 2013 and another three security force personnel in Chhattisgarh by the CPI-Maoist brings back attention on the potency of a declining extremism. The state’s continued achievements in neutralising its cadres does not appear […]
VOICES FROM THE REGION#01: 23 FEBRUARY 2016 Afghanistan in the balance – – Guest Writer: Heidi Kingstone – Afghanistan may no longer command the front page but somehow our fascination with the country is like an addiction to heroin, and we keep going back for one last hit. In London, […]
– MANTRAYA SPECIAL REPORT#03: 27 JANUARY 2016 Narco Diplomacy: Foreign Policy of the United Wa State Army – Boh Ze Kai – Abstract Once a remote, uncontrollable region, Shan State in North Myanmar is home to the ‘Wild’ Wa people, who make up 10percent of its population. Nonetheless, with 30,000 active soldiers, the United Wa State […]