Roundup

Last year has been witness to Indian diplomacy’s understated successes in its neighbourhood.

Time to rethink India’s engagement of the United Nations

Actual spending makes a mockery of the election expenditure limits

Analysis of the October 2008 assembly elections reinforces the need for a new law governing political parties

While Mrs Clinton’s candour was a refreshing departure from the oft-tired rhetoric toed by state officials, her statements may have been a little too honest – Kalsoom Lakhani looks at Hillary Clinton’s visit to Pakistan

Should the United States withdraw from Afghanistan, China would help facilitate “deployment of international peacekeeping missions in its land and accelerating its reconstruction process” – a look at the thought of replacing a US-led coalition with a UN peacekeeping force

Rohit Pradhan outlines the problem with the UPA government’s ‘austerity drive’

The road to achieving India’s objectives in Afghanistan lies, unfortunately, through Washington

This is a battle India can win easily against China: by being more open, India may reveal its weaknesses; but at least those weaknesses will be visible. By closing down, India may think it has hidden its weaknesses, but it will only confirm the worst fears other may have about India. Salil Tripathi urges that academics, journalists and human rights activists be welcomed.

The only storage that can provide some measure of drought proofing is groundwater storage. Instead of pumping money on dams and canals, Indian agriculture will be better off investing in groundwater banking. Tushaar Shah, Avinash Kishore and P Hemant brace for the oncoming drought in India.