It’s here! Our latest issue is officially live and ready for you to dive into.
Volume 2, Issue 1 (May 2018)
First Pages
Contents
Read PDF Editorial Board
In this Issue
List of Contributors
Praise for the Journal
Commentaries
Editor's History Page
TRUMP'S ASIA POLICY LOOKS LIKE THE NIXON DOCTRINE, BUT IT IS NOT
HARISH C. MEHTA
National Security Strategy
TRUMP’S FIRST COUNTER-POLICY TO CHINA’S BELT AND ROAD:
LIMITS OF U.S. POWER TO CONFRONT CHINESE ECONOMIC STRENGTH
TOH HAN SHIH
Cultural Diplomacy
WELL VERSED EMISSARIES OF A NEW POETIC WORLD ORDER
ANJANA BASU
Research Articles
Southeast Asian History
“EVERYTHING COMES FROM INDIA, BUT ALL IS TRANSFORMED, ALL IS KHMER:â€
THE SOFT POWER OF INDIA IN ANCIENT CAMBODIA
JULIE BANERJEE MEHTA
Abstract
The Angkor Empire, created between the ninth to fourteenth centuries CE, borrowed
extensively from Hinduism and Buddhism. The influence of India was also all-pervasive in
trade, customs, and language. Yet, the Khmer Kings would not blindly emulate. They cherrypicked
in order to impose their own personality on their evolving cultural ethos. They completely
transformed the Indian blueprint into a glorious Khmer one that would even surpass the former
in some respects.
extensively from Hinduism and Buddhism. The influence of India was also all-pervasive in
trade, customs, and language. Yet, the Khmer Kings would not blindly emulate. They cherrypicked
in order to impose their own personality on their evolving cultural ethos. They completely
transformed the Indian blueprint into a glorious Khmer one that would even surpass the former
in some respects.
Eastern Diplomacy
THE GREAT INDIAN LEAP OVER BAMBOO HURDLES
KAMARAN M.K. MONDAL
Abstract
India could not develop its foreign relations with Southeast Asia for most of the twentieth
century as it was blocked by the Cold War divide. New Delhi’s eastern diplomacy faced another
hurdle because of its troubled relations with Bangladesh and Myanmar. India’s desire to transform
itself from a “South Asian Regional Power†to an “Asian Major Power†compelled it to develop
political and economic relations with Asean, using it as a bridge to connect to East Asia. There is
still an overhang of outstanding issues that needs to be addressed in order to make the Act East
Policy more effective. The Asean India Free Trade Agreement came into force on January 1, 2010,
but in order to accomplish its full trade potential and product integration, it is of crucial urgency
to facilitate business-to-business connections, information flow, and harmonisation and mutual
recognition of standards, as well as the removal of non-tariff barriers.
century as it was blocked by the Cold War divide. New Delhi’s eastern diplomacy faced another
hurdle because of its troubled relations with Bangladesh and Myanmar. India’s desire to transform
itself from a “South Asian Regional Power†to an “Asian Major Power†compelled it to develop
political and economic relations with Asean, using it as a bridge to connect to East Asia. There is
still an overhang of outstanding issues that needs to be addressed in order to make the Act East
Policy more effective. The Asean India Free Trade Agreement came into force on January 1, 2010,
but in order to accomplish its full trade potential and product integration, it is of crucial urgency
to facilitate business-to-business connections, information flow, and harmonisation and mutual
recognition of standards, as well as the removal of non-tariff barriers.
The ASEAN Story
FIFTY YEARS OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY, AND TRIUMPHANTLY, 1967-2017
HARISH C. MEHTA
Abstract
The balance sheet of Asean shows rich gains and massive losses in the 1967-2017 period.
The anti-communist group has resolved some of its knotty bilateral territorial disputes just as
successfully as its original five members have ensured high living standards for its people. Its newer
members, however, are struggling to construct their economies. While it has done well in tackling
intra-Asean disputes, it is riven with internal differences in its diplomacy with outside powers
such as China over the South China Sea disputes, and its drive to integrate the economies of its
ten member countries has been a partial success. The Asean human rights commission has given
much cause for concern over its silence on the ethnic cleansing of the Rohingyas of Myanmar.
The anti-communist group has resolved some of its knotty bilateral territorial disputes just as
successfully as its original five members have ensured high living standards for its people. Its newer
members, however, are struggling to construct their economies. While it has done well in tackling
intra-Asean disputes, it is riven with internal differences in its diplomacy with outside powers
such as China over the South China Sea disputes, and its drive to integrate the economies of its
ten member countries has been a partial success. The Asean human rights commission has given
much cause for concern over its silence on the ethnic cleansing of the Rohingyas of Myanmar.
Books
Extract
Old Europe, New Asia:
Strategies, Challenges, Responses
CHINA VIEWS EUROPE AS A LONG-TERM STRATEGY,
AND INDIA NEEDS A “LOOK TO EUROPE†POLICY
KRISHNAN SRINIVASAN
Abstract
Former Indian Foreign Secretary Krishnan Srinivasan demonstrates in his book Old
Europe, New Asia: Strategies, Challenges, Responses that Europe and emerging
Asia could be natural partners with considerable synergy in fashioning a new multi-polar world,
but they are handicapped by their respective internal weaknesses, lack of self-confidence, and the
considerable influence of the United States despite its rebalance to Asia proving to be a non-starter.
Ambassador Srinivasan identifies the limitations of current Europe-Asia relations, and explores the potential for the future. In the first part, the author examines Europe's interactions with China,
and in the second he explores the India-Europe relationship. He recommends that India needs a
Europe, New Asia: Strategies, Challenges, Responses that Europe and emerging
Asia could be natural partners with considerable synergy in fashioning a new multi-polar world,
but they are handicapped by their respective internal weaknesses, lack of self-confidence, and the
considerable influence of the United States despite its rebalance to Asia proving to be a non-starter.
Ambassador Srinivasan identifies the limitations of current Europe-Asia relations, and explores the potential for the future. In the first part, the author examines Europe's interactions with China,
and in the second he explores the India-Europe relationship. He recommends that India needs a
Review
Nirmal Ghosh. Unquiet Kingdom: Thailand in Transition
JOHN RANJAN MUKHERJEE
Conference Recommendations
Conference Recommendations
ARUNACHAL DEMANDS POLITICAL AGENCY
AS INDIA NEEDS TO STUDY THE REGION
AND NEGOTIATE WISELY WITH CHINA
Ceners-K
Conference Recommendations
GOOD NEIGHBOURS NEED BETTER SECURITY
TO DELIVER PROSPERITY
Ceners-K