Chintamani Mahapatra

The Indo-US strategic partnership has been a long project that is soon going to be a quarter of a century old. While the Kickleighter Proposal of 1991 sowed the seeds of this partnership, their germination began with the March 2000 visit to India by the US President Bill Clinton. From 1991 till Clinton’s visit, there were good beginnings and unexpected pitfalls that prevented the growth of the strategic partnership. The most serious pitfall was, of course, India’s decision to go nuclear in 1998, and the Clinton Administration’s resolve to impose sanctions on India.

• Chintamani Mahapatra |
• January-March 2025 |
• Journal of Defence Studies

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington and a summit meeting with President Barack Obama re-energised a relationship that was widely perceived to be moving towards a dead end. During almost 10 years of Manmohan Singh-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, India’s relations with the United States held all the promises of becoming robust and a model strategic partnership for international relations.

• Chintamani Mahapatra |
• March 2015 |
• Strategic Analysis

India–US strategic dialogue was initiated in 2009, and is organised annually in different capitals. The first round of dialogue took place against the backdrop of pessimism in the bilateral relationship. For about six months after the new Obama administration was formed, strategists in Delhi were suspicious about the durability of an India–US strategic partnership that had been painstakingly nurtured by President George W. Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

• Chintamani Mahapatra |
• November 2013 |
• Strategic Analysis

Pakistan has all the signs and symptoms of an ailing State that may not be able to sustain itself at the current rate of deterioration. It suffers from the crisis of confidence at home. People, an important constituent of the elements that defines a State, are fast losing faith in their governing institutions. The most revered institution in Pakistan, the military, failed to detect foreign forces barging into their territory and executing an operation killing Al Qaeda supremo Osama bin Laden throwing up questions about their competence.

• Chintamani Mahapatra |
• October 2011 |
• Journal of Defence Studies

US-China relations have assumed a new dimension in recent years and reflect
the various tensions and mutual suspicions that are inevitable in a relationship
between an existing super power and a rising super power.

• Chintamani Mahapatra |
• July 2011 |
• Journal of Defence Studies

Sujit Dutta's article, ‘China in SAARC? To What Effect?’ is a thought-provoking essay. It raises an appropriate and timely debate on a theme that is of vital significance for the peace and prosperity of South Asia. Sujit has given a sound conceptual background on regionalism and has strongly argued against supporting China's membership in SAARC.

A recognised China specialist like Sujit sees the writing on the wall in view of the proposal of some of India's neighbours to include China in SAARC.

• Chintamani Mahapatra |
• May 2011 |
• Strategic Analysis

The defence diplomacy of the United States in the midst of the current war against terror in Afghanistan is designed towards ending the US military operations without ceding total authority to the Taliban. The US-led international coalition of forces, that include NATO forces, have failed to crush the Taliban. On the other hand, Taliban have been unable to force the external forces to quit Afghanistan. The US does not want to quit without the assurance that no second 9/11 takes place.

• Chintamani Mahapatra |
• January 2011 |
• Journal of Defence Studies

Has the power and influence of the United States declined in recent years? Does the current global recession, the outcome of the US invasion of Iraq and the resilience of the Taliban in Afghanistan provide adequate rationale to profess waning of US influence? Has China's power and influence grown to an extent that can effortlessly put it on the top of the global hierarchy of power? Is the US–China interdependence equitable enough to work as a deterrent against unbolted conflict?

• Chintamani Mahapatra |
• July 2010 |
• Strategic Analysis

While it is premature to draw conclusions on Obama’s policy towards India, his first year in office certainly did not carry forward his predecessor’s initiatives.

• Chintamani Mahapatra |
• February 05, 2010 |
• IDSA Comments

After the June 2013 election when Hassan Rouhani became president of Iran, Iranian foreign policy changed course. The fundamental transformation is the result of his decision to open up a fresh dialogue with the United States and other Great Powers to resolve the nuclear stand-off that would end the country’s isolation, lift the biting US-led sanctions and allow Iran to open a new chapter in its economic policy and international diplomacy.

• Shebonti Ray Dadwal, Chintamani Mahapatra |
• |
• Strategic Analysis