Many reasons were attributed to former PM Vajpayee’s decision to bring India’s nuclear weapons out of the closet in May 1998. However, the primary motivation stemmed from threat perceptions: a dangerous nuclear neighbourhood with two inimical nuclear powers, China and Pakistan, colluding with each other to destabilise India through a nuclear warhead-ballistic missile nexus and a long-drawn proxy war under the nuclear shadow.

The new deadline for the restoration of the deposed judges has been extended to May 12th, 2008. One possibility is that the PPP will approach the judiciary for a “deal” which ensures its political survival. However, if the deposed judges are restored by May 12th, it will be difficult to predict the extent to which the Supreme Court will become hostage to party politics in Pakistan.

Iranian President Ahmedinejad’s brief stopover in New Delhi on 29 April for talks with Indian leaders expectedly aroused great interest throughout the world. When the Americans suggested that India should use the occasion to press Iran to stop nuclear enrichment, India tartly responded that it did not need any “guidance” on how to handle its relationship with Iran.

Despite having stirred the sensibilities of both the socially advantaged and disadvantaged sections of society, the 1990 Mandal reservation scheme has brought about radical changes in Indian polity and society. The grammar of entitlement has now become an integral part of the language of politics in contemporary India.

India’s deafening silence on the PRC’s brutal crackdown on the hapless Tibetans makes a complete mockery of its much-vaunted independent foreign policy. Sadly, this utterly misguided set of policies has a long and tragic lineage harking back to India’s dealings with the PRC from the 1950s.