By Owen Jollie The concept of devolving power to India’s states to foment competition is once again in vogue. There is growing sentiment in India that recently passed labor law reforms in Rajasthan are indicative of the new competitive dynamic,…
By Heigo Sato — In April 2014, the second Shinzo Abe administration announced new principles for the transfer of defense equipment and technologies. These new principles are a departure from a decades-long ban on arms trade, which prohibited virtually all…
By Satoru Nagao — Recently, Japan appears to be engaging in balancing behavior to counter China’s assertiveness. Japan’s security relations with the United States and Australia have become closer. Japan is planning to donate patrol ships to Vietnam and the…
This week we discuss the global reaction to the passing of Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew with CSIS Sumitro Chair Senior Fellow Murray Hiebert. Hiebert describes Lee’s legacy, explains what Lee and the Singaporean people have accomplished, and assesses whether Singapore’s politics will be more…
Timor-Leste’s new prime minister Rui Araujo assumes control of an economy that is rich in fossil fuels but has thus far been unable to distribute the benefits of those resources to most of its people. Along with former prime minister…
By Sunita Kambhampati Since winning the Lok Sabha elections last year, the ruling BJP has set its sights on winning state elections. Controlling state governments is critical for carrying out legislative reforms, as it will allow the party to strengthen…
By Daniel Mitchell Prime Minister Hun Sen on March 6 announced Cambodia’s first Industrial Development Policy (IDP), nearly a year after setting the goal for Cambodia to reach upper middle income status, as defined by the World Bank, by 2030.…
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has set out to attract more investment to Indonesia’s manufacturing sector and infrastructure projects. This includes creating a better business environment and drastically upgrading the country’s ports, roads, rail, and other support infrastructure. But upon taking…
By Murray Hiebert & Phuong Nguyen Vietnam boosted its military spending by 113 percent between 2004 and 2013, the largest increase among Southeast Asian countries. Defense spending has accounted for around 2 percent of the country’s gross domestic product since…
By Ernest Z. Bower Early this morning, the founder and spiritual leader of Singapore, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, passed away with his family, citizens of Singapore, and people around the world literally and figuratively at his bedside, wishing him peace…
By Phuong Nguyen & Nigel Cory Lee Kuan Yew was no ordinary man. Dubbed the founding father of Singapore, his passing at the age of 91 is a seminal moment for the city state, which celebrates its 50th anniversary of…
This week we discuss the U.S. reaction to China’s new infrastructure bank, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). Simon Chair Deputy Director Amy Studdart describes the bank’s origins, explains why Washington’s critique of its allies for joining AIIB has proven…
