Asia & the Pacific

For more than two decades, I worked to strengthen military and diplomatic ties with China, alongside scores of other U.S. and allied officials, all of us sincere in our belief that China could be encouraged to join the principled, inclusive network that has served as the backbone of regional security since the end of World War II - and thus the Asian miracle. It is easy for me to imagine having used my time as Secretary of Defense to solidify those ties and bring China into closer partnership with the United States and the other participants in the network. 

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi traveled to Washington last week, making his fourth trip to the United States since taking office just two years ago. India and South Asia Program Fellow, Ronak Desai examines the strategic approach to India's relations with the United States.

In this installment of “Conversations in Diplomacy," the Future of Diplomacy Project's Executive Director, Cathryn Clüver, speaks with Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin,India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

Maleeha Lodhi,   In this installment of “Conversations in Diplomacy," the Future of Diplomacy Project's Executive Director, Cathryn Clüver, speaks with Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi, Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog has certified Tehran’s compliance with the terms of a nuclear accord the United States, Iran and other world powers reached in April 2015. The historic agreement is aimed at curtailing Iran’s controversial nuclear program, and paves the way for longstanding sanctions against Tehran to be lifted. Sanctions targeting Iran, and particularly its lucrative energy sector, have crippled the country economically and isolated it diplomatically.

Ronak Desai examines what the lifting of Iran sanctions mean for India.

In this piece, Professor Burns presents one simple idea--President Obama has a second chance with Indian Prime Minister Modi's visit to the White House this week to get India right--to make it a priority in the Asia Pivot strategy and for the future. There is a clear Washington consensus among Republicans and Democrats that India will be one of our most important 21st century global partners.

On the other hand, Obama has every reason to push Modi to adopt more responsible Indian policies on global trade, climate change, Russia and Iran.

The first speaker of this year’s “South Asia Week”, Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani, the Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States, delivered a public address entitled “Pakistan-India Relations, The Way Ahead."

A conversation with Nisha Biswal, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, led by Professor Nicholas Burns.

"I am an optimist when it comes to the relationship. That, if nothing else, explains my frequent involvement with it."

Ronak Desai explains India's abstention from the recent UN Human Rights Council vote on a resolution in favor of establishing an investigation into alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka.