Non-Traditional Security

No posts of Books and Monograph.

Climate Summit at Copenhagen: Negotiating the Intractable

Climate change is hugely challenging. But there is an unmistakable straightforwardness to it – reduce emissions to reduce global warming. In many ways, this reflects the sum total of the paradoxes that define our reality and the contradictions and hypocrisy of coping and dealing with it. Climate change raises all the right concerns from effectively all the right quarters. But concerns require actions and that is where the debate starts, the positions get entrenched and more often than not words and gestures become hollow and empty.

Climate Change and the Road to Copenhagen: Twisted and Torturous

The Road to Copenhagen in December 2009 has two visible signposts. One that reads, ‘The time for climate change action is now’, the other that warns, ‘The road is bumpy’. The first signpost expresses the apocalyptic language that the earth's rising temperatures are poised to set off irreversible consequences if concrete steps are not taken quickly. It suggests that the climate is nearing tipping point. The second signpost forewarns that arriving at a bold, equitable, and binding treaty will not be easy and that the politics of climate change will undermine the science of climate change.

The Why and What of Water Security

That there is a freshwater crisis today is an irrefutable fact. That there is also a water policy that is in perpetual crisis is an equally undeniable fact. Continued population growth and the impact of global warming along with over-consumption, inadequate conservation, and wastage are putting enormous pressure on water resources. Water covers most of the planet but only 3 per cent is fresh water, of which a mere 1 per cent is readily accessible for human consumption. What it means is that less than 0.007 per cent of all the water on earth is available to drink.

Geopolitical Implications of Arctic Meltdown

Climate Change: Issues and Divides

Geopolitical Implications of the Current Global Financial Crisis

Reflections on the Georgian Crisis

India and Pakistan: Introspecting the Indus Treaty

Sino-Indian Water Issues

Consumers’ Cartel No Panacea to Resource Nationalism

With the price of oil crossing $110 a barrel, the oil-importing countries' concerns have been mounting. Not surprisingly, the issue of whether the time is now ripe for energy consuming countries to take measures to counter the producers' growing clout is being discussed, including the formation of a consumers' cartel, to force exporters to bring down prices.

Emerging Need for Nepali Ecological Task Force (ETF) Units

Nepal should raise Ecological Task Force (ETF) units to assist in tasks related to ecological reconstruction.

P. K. Gautam
April 29, 2015
IDSA Comments

Using Temple Gold for Shoring up the Economy: Learning from Kautilya’s Arthashastra

Kautilya argues that when the treasury gets depleted, concerted efforts become necessary for its replenishment and even recommends extraordinary measures in emergency situations. But the guiding principle should be what the people consider as beneficial to themselves.

P. K. Gautam
April 17, 2015
IDSA Comments

SAARC Energy Agreement: A step in the right direction

Signing of the SAARC agreement is merely the first step in the process of regional energy cooperation. To make this initiative work, governments in the region need to synchronise their efforts on a range of technical, institutional and political issues.

Time for India to Look At Energy Security from Geostrategic Perspective

Is India now looking at energy through the strategic prism? Its recent signing of the TAPI deal is certainly indicative of that.

Need to revive Iran-India energy ties

The possible lifting of the sanctions on Iran will lead to a rush for a share of the lucrative Iranian energy pie similar to Myanmar’s opening up last year. India cannot afford to be left behind.

Shebonti Ray Dadwal
September 30, 2014
IDSA Comments

Iraq crisis: Lessons for India

Given India’s vulnerability to a rise in global crude oil prices as a result of its 75-80 per cent of its crude import dependency, the Iraq crisis could widen its current account deficit, while putting pressure on exchange rate, impeding government’s fiscal consolidation goal and putting off any nudge on interest rates by the Reserve Bank of India.

Why is Japan important to India’s energy security?

India is trying to deal with its domestic energy concerns through various measures including reforming its New Exploration and Licensing Policy (NELP), intensifying its efforts in developing domestic unconventional energy resources and diversifying its crude imports. In this regard Japan’s support holds special importance.

Manish Vaid
April 01, 2014
IDSA Comments

Will Turkey be the new hub for gas?

Turkey’s natural gas reserves are 218 bcf and its production is roughly 27 bcf. It relies heavily on imports to meet its domestic demand. Additionally, Turkey positions itself as a gas transit hub – importing from Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Iran and re-exporting some of it to Europe.

Gulshan Dietl
November 06, 2013
IDSA Comments

Northern Sea Route: Humming with Activity

As the ice thins in the Arctic, the commercial feasibility of the northern sea route is increasing rapidly. Five years ago there was no activity; this year about 1.5 million tonnes of cargo will be transported through the NSR.

Arvind Gupta
August 27, 2013
IDSA Comments

Understanding Kautilya’s Four Upayas

The four upayas are not well studied by scholars and are often used in a casual manner, particularly misquoting Kautilya. It is important to locate the text of traditional indigenous knowledge in their correct context.

P. K. Gautam
June 20, 2013
IDSA Comments