News for 'south-asian-affairs'

Indian-origin US advisor arrested for keeping 'TOP SECRET' docs

Indian-origin US advisor arrested for keeping 'TOP SECRET' docs

Rediff.com15 Oct 2025

According to the Justice Department, Tellis, 64, the Tata Chair for Strategic Affairs and a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment think-tank, served as an unpaid senior adviser to the State Department and was also a contractor with the Office of Net Assessment at the Department of Defense.

Trump loyalist confirmed as US envoy to India

Trump loyalist confirmed as US envoy to India

Rediff.com9 Oct 2025

Gor, 38, was among 107 nominees confirmed by the Senate in a single en bloc vote on Tuesday, with 51 senators voting in favour and 47 against.

'India's Confidence In The US Is Shattered'

'India's Confidence In The US Is Shattered'

Rediff.com1 Sep 2025

'The current strain in the relationship is serious and likely to be long lasting.' 'Even if Trump suddenly changes his attitude toward India -- which he is entirely capable of doing -- it is unlikely that New Delhi will be able to pick up the pieces and respond as if nothing has happened.'

Atalji@100: Vajpayee's Unmatched Legacy

Atalji@100: Vajpayee's Unmatched Legacy

Rediff.com25 Dec 2024

It was good fortune for India to have Atal Bihari Vajpayee lead the government at a crucial moment in our history. He avoided India meeting the fate of Iraq or Ukraine, asserts military historian Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).

Modi will bail out crisis-hit Pak, extend olive branch, claims ex-RAW chief

Modi will bail out crisis-hit Pak, extend olive branch, claims ex-RAW chief

Rediff.com25 Feb 2023

Dulat, however, pointedly said engagement with Pakistan has always been "influenced by domestic politics".

Was Pakistan airspace used in drone strike that killed Zawahiri?

Was Pakistan airspace used in drone strike that killed Zawahiri?

Rediff.com4 Aug 2022

The US drone strike that killed Ayman al-Zawahiri has raised questions over Pakistan's possible role in the raid amid reports suggesting that the country's airspace could have been used for carrying out the precision strike on the Al Qaeda chief's safe house in Kabul.

Obama-Singh meeting to re-energise Indo-US ties: Inderfurth

Obama-Singh meeting to re-energise Indo-US ties: Inderfurth

Rediff.com25 Sep 2013

"I think the principle benefit would be greater visibility to the relationship at the highest level with President Obama and Prime Minister Singh," Karl F 'Rick' Inderfurth, the former Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs said.

'Nothing wrong with India-US relations, just a slowdown'

'Nothing wrong with India-US relations, just a slowdown'

Rediff.com22 Jun 2013

K Alan Kronstadt, an expert in South Asian affairs at the US Congressional Research Service, speak to Sheela Bhatt on why India-US bilateral relations are getting cold.

Why India, US have reached out to China

Why India, US have reached out to China

Rediff.com8 Jun 2012

The United States apparently is always looking over its shoulder vis-a-vis China, conscious that its envisaged strategic partnership with India and its trilateral partnerships in East Asia and the Pacific -- with India and Japan and India and Australia respectively -- are not construed as ostensible encirclement of Beijing.

Empowering women in India key goal for US State Dept

Empowering women in India key goal for US State Dept

Rediff.com18 Jul 2012

Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs Dr Alyssa Ayres, the keynote speaker at the National Federation of Indian American Association's conference on Women's Empowerment, has declared that promoting women's empowerment in India is a key goal of the United States administration, particularly Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

India has more credibility with developing countries: US

India has more credibility with developing countries: US

Rediff.com8 Jun 2012

India has more credibility with developing countries on democracy promotion and governance than does the United States, a top United States official has admitted, even as Washington is pushing New Delhi to be part of the effort to make this phenomenon contagious worldwide.

'Bureaucracy a major impediment to Indo-US military ties'

'Bureaucracy a major impediment to Indo-US military ties'

Rediff.com22 Nov 2012

Dr S Amer Latif, a senior Pentagon policy wonk, on leave as a Visiting Fellow with the Wadhwani Chair in United States-India Policy Studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies -- a leading Washington, DC think tank -- has said the civilian bureaucracy with the Indian ministry of defense "is a significant impediment to close US-India military ties."

'Putin's nuclear threats are attempts to bully the world'

'Putin's nuclear threats are attempts to bully the world'

Rediff.com2 May 2022

'Putin is in danger of losing face in his Ukrainian adventure. His bluster is a response to this.'

US seeks commitment from Lanka over reconciliation efforts

US seeks commitment from Lanka over reconciliation efforts

Rediff.com14 Sep 2012

The United States on Friday asked Sri Lanka to speed up its probe into allegations of rights abuses during the civil war with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, resume talks with Tamil parties on power sharing and reduce the role of the military in the former conflict zone.

'Many in US feel Pakistan playing a double game'

'Many in US feel Pakistan playing a double game'

Rediff.com22 Feb 2011

Pakistan's deteriorating security situation, its connection with Islamist militancy, and the implications for the United States and India relations came under focus during a lecture by American Foreign Policy Council Fellow Jeff M Smith, at the Indian consulate in New York recently.

What is India's role in the US-China game?

What is India's role in the US-China game?

Rediff.com19 Feb 2011

Observing that China has been anxiously watching the rise of Indo-United States relationship, a former top US diplomat believes New Delhi doesn't want to be caught in this Sino-US game at the global level.

Millionaire Wadhwani sets up India chair at CSIS

Millionaire Wadhwani sets up India chair at CSIS

Rediff.com14 Jan 2011

The India Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies -- a leading Washington, DC think tank -- will be occupied by Karl F Inderfurth, erstwhile Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs in the Clinton Administration.

India and US set to up the ante on terror

India and US set to up the ante on terror

Rediff.com9 Dec 2010

Taking part in an interaction following his speech to a conference of US-India Relations, Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs Robert Blake announced that US Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano will make her first trip to New Delhi in the spring for meetings with her counterpart Home Minister P Chidambaram and other senior officials in the Ministry and intelligence agencies.

'India wants to pump in terrorists into Pakistan'

'India wants to pump in terrorists into Pakistan'

Rediff.com11 Nov 2010

Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has alleged that it is not Pakistan that is carrying out a proxy war against India in Afghanistan, but the other way around, with the Indian consulates in Kandahar and Jalalabad, veritable offices of the Indian intelligence, the Research and Analysis Wing, to foment terrorism in Pakistan.

How Obama turned his visit into a historic one

How Obama turned his visit into a historic one

Rediff.com10 Nov 2010

Karl F Inderfurth, who was Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs in the Clinton administration, and Nicholas Burns, who was Under Secretary of State in the Bush Administration, told rediff.com that Obama's endorsement during his address to a joint session of Parliament thus made his visit to India transformational too in a sense as had the trip by Clinton in March of 2000 and Bush in March 2006.

'Obama's UNSC message wasn't a last minute thing'

'Obama's UNSC message wasn't a last minute thing'

Rediff.com17 Nov 2010

Confirming rediff.com's scoop of October 15 on how United States officials wanted US President Barack Obama to endorse India's bid for permanent membership in the United States Security Council, advising him it could make his India visit truly historic, Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs Robert Blake said Monday, that even though the President's announcement of support for India's candidacy during his address to Parliament came as a surprise to many people,

US defends Pak's actions against terror groups

US defends Pak's actions against terror groups

Rediff.com16 Nov 2010

When Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs was challenged as to what action against terror groups, including the Lashkar-e-Tayiba, the US had been able to elicit from Pakistan and that President Obama's statements that Pakistan providing safe havens to these groups being unacceptable was said in India to pacify Indians, he defended the actions taken by Islamabad thus far.

'Time ripe for Obama to back India's UNSC bid'

'Time ripe for Obama to back India's UNSC bid'

Rediff.com18 Oct 2010

"I believe it would a great thing if the president were to do this during his visit," Karl Inderfurth, professor of international relations at George Washington University, told Rediff India Abroad

Exclusive: US Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake speaks to Rediff.com

Exclusive: US Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake speaks to Rediff.com

Rediff.com14 Jun 2010

In an exclusive interview to Rediff.com, US Assistant Secretary of State Robert O Blake speaks about President Obama's trip to India, the recent US-India Strategic Dialogue and the fate of the nuclear liability bill.

Must give Sri Lanka another chance: US

Must give Sri Lanka another chance: US

Rediff.com14 Jun 2010

The US and India are in sync with their foreign policy toward Sri Lanka, particularly over the repatriation of the remaining 40,000 plus internally displaced persons after the government's victory over the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in the Tamil-populated northern province, said Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs Robert O Blake.

Padma Shri recipient Phillips Talbot dies

Padma Shri recipient Phillips Talbot dies

Rediff.com6 Oct 2010

Veteran diplomat and author Phillips Talbot, a Padma Shri recipient who experienced first-hand the power of Mahatma Gandhi's non-violent movement and was one of the few Americans present during India's partition, has died in New York at the age of 95.Talbot's death on October 1 was announced by the Asia Society, where he served as the president between 1970 and 1981.He was United State's assistant secretary of state for near eastern and south Asian affairs.

US not to intervene in Indo-Pak water tussle

US not to intervene in Indo-Pak water tussle

Rediff.com2 Apr 2010

Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs Robert Blake said Pakistan had frequently raised the controversial and contentious water issue with India during his recent trip to Islamabad, but added that the US had no intention of intervening in the bilateral issue.

India, US eyeing an ambitious agenda: Expert

India, US eyeing an ambitious agenda: Expert

Rediff.com24 Jul 2009

Karl F Inderfurth, former assistant secretary of state for South Asian affairs in former United States President Bill Clinton's administration and a foreign policy adviser in the Barack Obama presidential campaign, says Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit to India was 'continuity plus', vis--vis the growing strategic partnership between Washington and New Delhi.Inderfurth said, "This visit was filled with areas to promote even closer cooperation."

Four policies that can help US change Pak mindset

Four policies that can help US change Pak mindset

Rediff.com1 Dec 2009

An expert on South Asian affairs has said that the US can pursue, support and encourage Pakistan in its transition from tolerating to fighting the various militant groups on its territory, with the help of four policies.

'The US should support India's UNSC bid'

'The US should support India's UNSC bid'

Rediff.com27 Feb 2009

Former Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs, Karl F Inderfurth, has told the US Congress that Washington should publicly support India's bid for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council, arguing that the India's case has never been stronger.

too much is being read into Obama's statements

too much is being read into Obama's statements

Rediff.com22 Nov 2008

Inderfurth, currently professor of international relations at George Washington University and, according to insiders, either the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs in the next administration or the next United States ambassador to India, says too much is being read into Obama's recent remarks on Kashmir.

'The US is making a mistake in Pakistan's case'

'The US is making a mistake in Pakistan's case'

Rediff.com8 May 2009

An acute equipment shortage and an army that has only been trained to fight against India has left the Pakistani army highly ineffectual in its counter-insurgency efforts against the Taliban, said South Asia expert Stephen Cohen.

'All of us are Indians'

'All of us are Indians'

Rediff.com1 Dec 2008

Karl 'Rick' Inderfurth, foreign policy advisor on South Asia for United States President-elect Barack Obama's campaign, who is expected to play an influential role in the Obama administration's policy on the subcontinent, says, "It was said immediately after the 9/11 attack that 'we are all Americans'. Now, in the wake of the Mumbai tragedy, it is right for all of us to say 'we are all Indians.'

US Congressman condemns Mumbai terror attack

US Congressman condemns Mumbai terror attack

Rediff.com28 Nov 2008

Congressman Joseph Crowley, a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the United States House of Representatives and the former chair of the Caucus on India and Indian Americans, has condemned the terror attack on Mumbai.

Obama nominates SL envoy to succeed Boucher

Obama nominates SL envoy to succeed Boucher

Rediff.com25 Apr 2009

United States President Barack Obama has nominated US ambassador to Sri Lanka Robert O Blake, who has also served as the Deputy Chief of US Mission in New Delhi, as the Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs. If approved by the US Senate, Blake would replace Richard Boucher, who is currently Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs. However, the communique did not mention Central Asia being part of Blake's portfolio.

When George met Jay

When George met Jay

Rediff.com3 Oct 2008

Contributing Photographer Jay Mandal was at the Oval Office for a shoot recently when its resident took charge of the proceedings

Not enough time in US Congress to pass deal

Not enough time in US Congress to pass deal

Rediff.com9 Jul 2008

'It certainly doesn't have to be accomplished at the end of the year. It will not turn into a pumpkin after some days! The next president and next Congress can take this up,' says expert K Alan Kronstadt.

Interview  with US think tank Lisa Curtis

Interview with US think tank Lisa Curtis

Rediff.com28 Feb 2008

US think tank Lisa Curtis talks about the Pakistan polls and its aftermath.

Pakistan pledges to implement gas project

Pakistan pledges to implement gas project

Rediff.com19 Jun 2007

Pakistan says it will go with the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline despite skepticism over the project from the United States.