
THE CHANGING DYNAMICS OF TAIWAN’S POLITICAL ACCEPTANCE
Introduction
Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China (ROC), is a democratically ruled island of about 23.6 million people across the Taiwan Strait from mainland China. Taiwan Strait, which is 110 kms wide, connects the South China…

NAVIES AND THE ‘USE OF FORCE’- ANALYSING AN ENCOUNTER BETWEEN THE US NAVY AND SEAGOING FORCES OF THE ISLAMIC REVOLUTIONARY GUARD CORPS PART 2: ADDRESSING THE LEGAL ISSUES
The preceding segment of this two-part article had set the context within which three important legal questions needed to be explored: (1) Do IRGCN gunboats classify as warships? (2) Do their harassment-actions constitute a level of ‘use…

NAVIES AND THE ‘USE OF FORCE’- ANALYSING AN ENCOUNTER BETWEEN THE US NAVY AND SEAGOING FORCES OF THE ISLAMIC REVOLUTIONARY GUARD CORPS- PART 1
The following paragraphs constitute the first of a two-part article that seeks to analyse the sea-going forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), considered by some to a legitimate, albeit parallel, ‘navy’ of the Islamic Republic…

JAPANESE AND SOUTH KOREAN ENGAGEMENTS IN THE HORN OF AFRICA
Japan and South Korea are two nation-states that have increasingly been assuming a constructive role in East Africa. Japan has, particularly, assisted African nations through a variety of initiatives that have considerably raised the profile…

AFTER “MALABAR 2020”, WHAT? — NEXT STEPS IN CONSOLIDATING OUR MARITIME SPACE
The 2020 edition (the 24th in the series) of the combined naval exercise MALABAR has finally been restored to its expanded format involving combat platforms and personnel drawn from the navies of all four members of the Quad. Quite apart from…

INDIAN INVITATION TO AUSTRALIA TRANSFORMS MALABAR INTO A QUADRILATERAL NAVAL EXERCISE
In a much awaited development, an official press release from the Government of India, on 19 October 2020,[1] has confirmed that Australia will take part in this year’s edition of the MALABAR series of naval exercises, which is scheduled to…

SEA WALL IN THE MALDIVES AND ITS SUSTAINABILITY
Abstract
Small Island Developing States are particularly vulnerable to the peril of climate change. Sea level rise, an increase in sea surface temperature, high incidences of drought and flood are some of the challenges faced by island states. …

EU AND “MARITIME MULTILATERALISM” IN THE INDO-PACIFIC: NAVIGATING IN ASIA’S WATERS
Using a maritime metaphor evoking the EU “in rougher seas”, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, defends the vision of a European Union affirming its identity and values in a climate…

THE SABANG AND ACEH-ANDAMANS INITIATIVES: BEYOND BASE, ACCESS AND BALANCING
The Indonesian city of Sabang that overlooks the Andaman Sea and global maritime traffic passing through Strait of Malacca became a matter of much Indian interest in May 2018[1] when Indonesia’s then Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs,…

RETURNING TO THE INDIAN OCEAN: MARITIME OPPORTUNITIES ARISING FROM TAIWAN’S NEW TIES WITH SOMALILAND
Since Tsai Ing-wen of the pro-Independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) acceded to the presidency in Taiwan in 2016, the country has been under severe diplomatic pressure from China that claims the island as a ‘renegade province’.…

BOOK REVIEW- NIHONOMICS: THE ECONOMIC FOREIGN POLICY OF JAPAN (FROM THE 16TH CENTURY TO THE PRESENT DAY )
By Preethi Amaresh,
Notion Press, 2020, 256 pp., INR 350/-
eISBN: 978-1-64760-825-5
“Nihonomics: The Economic Foreign Policy of Japan (From the 16th century to the Present Day)”, is a book written by Preethi Amaresh, wherein she analyses…

THE ROLE OF OIL IN THE SECURITY ARCHITECTURE OF THE PERSIAN GULF AND THE IMPACT OF THE CURRENT DUAL OIL-SHOCK ON REGIONAL STABILITY
Introduction
The year 2020 is an epoch in modern history that stands not only for the fatal impact of the pandemic, but also for the disruption of societies and economies. The Gulf countries have been severely hit by the dual shocks of plunge…