The GCC is witnessing a massive diplomatic crisis because of Riyadh’s assertiveness, on the one hand, and Doha’s resistance to a Saudi-dominated regional order, on the other.
The real test for Bin-Salman would be to manage the three-pronged challenge of keeping royal unity intact, expediting economic reforms and ensuring regional stability.
No new initiative likely on strategic cooperation front, and complaints on H1B visa issue unlikely to fall on receptive ears since available data does not support the current Indian urban myth.
Why the objective sought to be achieved through the strategic partnership scheme could not be attained by resorting to an existing provision in DPP 2016?
In December 2015, the Russian Foreign Ministry revealed that Russia was engaging in intelligence sharing with the Taliban to counter the growing presence of the Islamic State in Afghanistan.
The main objective would be for Modi and Trump to come on the same page on key issues such as terrorism, UN reforms, South China Sea and the future of climate change.
BIMSTEC needs to build on regional synergies and work towards utilising the available resources optimally by focusing on fewer priority areas and undertaking projects that are economically feasible.
