Kolkata, India — India’s Home Minister P. Chidambaram offered a Christmas bonanza to Maoist insurgents on Dec. 22, telling them that if they would abjure violence, he was ready to talk. He added that he was not asking them to lay down arms. Chidambaram has termed his way of tackling insurgency “quiet diplomacy.”

Seoul, South Korea — North Korea is likely to conduct another nuclear test next year in an attempt to boost itself as an atomic power and shore up the regime’s legitimacy at home as the hermit kingdom prepares for a dynastic power transfer, South Korea's state-run think tank warns.

Kolkata, India — Extremist groups using the Internet to recruit young people to radical Islam is not new. But with stronger policing in the West, extremist groups are taking advantage of the not-so-tech-savvy Internet policing in South and Southeast Asia and using online social networks to radicalize the youth of the region.

Hong Kong, China — China has procured from Russia 12 Kilo class submarines and four guided missile destroyers since 1993. These vessels are all due for repairs and upgrading, but China does not wish to trust its naval equipment to Russian technical experts and has not yet acquired this capability on its own.

Seoul, South Korea — North Korea has threatened to fire shells into waters around South Korea's border islands, in a move analysts say is aimed at pressing its demand for a peace treaty with the United States.The North's navy on Monday declared waters along its disputed sea border a "firing zone."

Kolkata, India — Pakistan’s Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani proclaimed that the army had ended its offensive against the Taliban in South Waziristan and was shifting its focus to Orakzai. Does this mean the Taliban strongholds in South Waziristan have been demolished and the army has a new destination? Not quite.

New Delhi, India — The Sri Lankan government decided in 2008 to fight the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam with all its military might and in early 2009, eliminated the terrorist organization. This achievement by a democratic nation is unparalleled. But Sri Lanka must now protect the innocent, weak, women and children.

Seoul, South Korea — The interception of North Korean weapons at Bangkok airport on Saturday shows that the defiant country is seeking to diversify its items and clients to boost arms sales despite a U.N. embargo, officials and analysts in South Korea say. Thai authorities seized more than 35 tons of North Korean weaponry.

Seoul, South Korea — Senior U.S. envoy Stephen Bosworth ended a three-day trip to North Korea with no pledge from the communist state to end its boycott of the six-nation nuclear talks. But South Korean officials say it will return to negotiations, as it needs aid to combat economic woes, a swine flu outbreak and food shortages.

New Delhi, India — A year has passed since the terror attacks on India’s financial capital of Mumbai killed 163 people, including many foreigners. Internal security has become a major debating point in the country; many security analysts believe that India cannot prevent the recurrence of another Mumbai-type attack.

Tokyo, Japan — Growing fears in Japan about North Korea’s nuclear threat are prompting calls to introduce U.S. nuclear weapons into Japanese territory. This idea is based on lessons from Cold-War Europe. But the situation today is starkly different and the European example is not a good precedent.

Washington, DC, United States — Former Pakistani intelligence chief Hamid Gul has resurfaced as de facto minister of propaganda for the Taliban. On television Gul said the Taliban has 88,000 troops and 35,000 police in Afghanistan ready to take over when U.S. and NATO forces leave. U.S. estimates say 20,000 to 30,000, many of them jobless youth.

Kolkata, India — The Indian Army conducted a “routine” military exercise close to the Indo-China border last week, surely aimed at sending a message to Beijing, which has stepped up anti-India rhetoric. It’s high time for India to stand up and show its strength in the face of China’s muscle flexing in the region.

Kolkata, India — Reports of a nuclear leak at the Kaiga nuclear power plant in the Indian state of Karnataka on Nov. 24 were misleading, as there was no radioactive release. Instead, a water cooler was contaminated by an insider who poured heavy water into it, affecting 50 employees who drank the water.

Helsinki, Finland — "In the end China went her own way as if the Americans had never come." This is the last sentence of historian Barbara W. Tuchman's book about Joseph Stilwell's failed efforts to train Chinese forces. There was no American solution to the problem. Likewise, there is only an Afghan solution for Afghanistan.

Manipal, India — The wisdom of awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to U.S. President Barack Obama is likely to be judged by his success or failure in Afghanistan. So far Obama has been unwilling to change his predecessors’ tactics. If Afghanistan therefore falls to the Taliban, Pakistan, China and India may pay a heavy price.

Kolkata, India — As India marked the anniversary of the terror attacks that devastated the financial capital of Mumbai one year ago Thursday, experts refuted the administration’s claims that the country is “ahead of the curve” in fighting terrorism. In fact, the experts say, little has changed.

New Delhi, India — The 21st century is witnessing a titanic struggle of asymmetric warfare – the focused, intelligent application of force by a weaker power against a superior enemy. On land, sea and air the high-tech applications of superior powers are being countered by low-tech responses from non-state adversaries.

New York, NY, United States — During his meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama last week, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao requested that the United States ease its restrictions on high-tech exports to China. U.S. controls are causing a huge loss to U.S. companies and an enlarging deficit with China in high-tech trade.

Kolkata, India — The Indian government seemed to be pursuing a firm policy against insurgency and terrorism with its decision to deploy the Indian Air Force to subdue Maoist insurgents. But on Oct. 14, the home minister proposed talks with separatist groups in Kashmir without the condition of laying down their arms.

Washington, DC, United States — After eight years of war and huge expenditures of national treasure, is the United States really serious about succeeding in Afghanistan and Pakistan? Or, given the seemingly intractable nature of these conflicts, are the United States and its allies embarked on a mission that is unwinnable by most definitions?

Hong Kong, China — A Russian military delegation has harshly criticized Pakistan for copying Russian weapons systems. An investigation reveals that the technology for these systems was transferred to Pakistan from China, which apparently obtained them from Russia without authorization.

Seoul, South Korea — An exchange of naval gunfire took place Tuesday between North and South Korea along their disputed sea border in an incident possibly timed by the North to coincide with U.S. President Barack Obama’s upcoming trip to the South. The brief skirmish ended with at least one North Korean sailor reportedly killed.

Cop Sullivan, Afghanistan — The dominant feature of the counterinsurgency war in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province is the improvised explosive device, bombs planted to cause casualties, erode troop morale and cow the local population. IEDs cause the majority of deaths among U.S. service members in Afghanistan.

New Delhi, India — The Indian state is engaged in an internal war, which it is refusing to fight with full force. The enemy is an armed group that believes in the political philosophy of Mao Zedong. These Naxalites, or Maoists, have long maintained a loose network but now have formed a much more cohesive organization.

Kolkata, India — Indian strategic planners often talk about the country’s area of privileged interests extending from the Persian Gulf to the Strait of Malacca. India sources most of its oil from the potentially unstable Persian Gulf region, and so has been raising its military profile there.

Seoul, South Korea — North Korea has ratcheted up tensions once again by announcing it has produced more plutonium to make additional nuclear bombs, in an apparent bid to put pressure on the United States to quickly accept its demand of direct talks.

New Delhi, India — Recent years have seen a flurry of orders for aircraft carriers by Japan, India, Australia, South Korea, Russia and China. The sudden focus on air capability at sea represents a paradigm change in the thinking of these states. Is this a harbinger of a new cold war in Asia?

Kolkata, India — It is well known that China’s army is building up its cyber warfare capabilities and is modernizing its military program to fight high-tech wars. What was not known until recently is that China has built extensive technological capabilities not only to wage a cyber war but also to dominate cyberspace.

Seoul, South Korea — South Korea has decided to dispatch troops to Afghanistan to bolster its alliance with the United States, the key to deterring nuclear-armed North Korea. Seoul will send more civilian aid workers and some 300 troops to protect them, in a move that could rekindle anti-U.S. sentiment in the country.

Manipal, India — A week ago, Afghan TV viewers watched a press conference in Kabul chaired by a confident U.S. Senator John Kerry while a woebegone President Hamid Karzai stood to the side, an unwilling participant. Such insensitivity strengthens the perception that Afghanistan is occupied by NATO – and strengthens the Taliban.

Seoul, South Korea — Can South Korea achieve the ambitious target of cutting back 30 percent of its estimated greenhouse gas emissions in 2020? The Korea Forest Service is taking the lead in a campaign to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and cut consumption of fossil fuels.

Seoul, South Korea — The United States pledged Thursday to provide conventional forces and missile defense on top of its nuclear umbrella to shield South Korea from North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. In return, South Korea will expand its support for the U.S.-led mission in Afghanistan.

Seoul, South Korea — With the U.S. defense chief in Seoul for security talks, scholars and retired military officials have called for a redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons in South Korea. Some fear the U.S. nuclear umbrella is not enough to shield South Korea from nuclear-armed North Korea.

Kolkata, India — The deadly suicide bomb attack in Iran on Sunday has triggered another round of the blame game with Pakistan, the alleged mastermind and villain. The incident also makes it more difficult for the United States, seen as Pakistan’s supporter, to kick start negotiations with Iran.

Kolkata, India — India and the United States are conducting two ongoing joint military exercises in India this month. Apart from sharing expertise, the exercises also serve as a venue for the United States to showcase its defense technology to Indians looking to diversify their sources of military equipment.

Vienna, Austria — Something deeply alarming is under way on the roof of the world. Suddenly, as when one loose rock triggers a mountain landslide, a handful of small developments in the vast Himalayas are combining to produce a highly volatile situation with potentially disastrous consequences.

Tokyo, Japan — Japan's new government, led by Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, has said it will expose any secret agreement that might have allowed U.S. nuclear weapons to sneak into Japanese territory. Successive governments led by the Liberal Democrats, now in opposition, have denied such a secret deal.

Toronto, ON, Canada — Every conflict that the United States fought in the last 50 years has given its soldiers a bad name. This is not good for the morale of the country whose brave soldiers won many battles in the Second World War. Are Americans now afraid to die on the battlefield? Are they afraid that their leaders are misleading them?

New Delhi, India — The new Asian century has commenced with the three largest economies - India, China and Japan - building maritime capabilities in both the civil and military spheres. Although globalization has been the growth engine for their economies, a large part of their success is due to the rise of their maritime capabilities.

Sydney, Australia — The United States and South Korea recently agreed on a contingency plan should the North Korean government collapse. It includes joint military operations to control the influx of refugees and secure the North’s nuclear weapons. It also outlines the reunification of Korea with the cooperation of China.

Seoul, South Korea — North Korea watchers in Seoul were puzzled when their communist neighbor surprisingly test-fired five short-range missiles off its east coast on Monday, in a move that contradicted its recent series of peace overtures. The missile launch came just hours after South Korea proposed two rounds of talks.

Kolkata, India — Given India’s longstanding paranoia over China’s spying abilities, based on its technological prowess, it is no surprise that the government has raised the “red scare” yet again. The Department of Telecommunications has requested domestic telecom companies to refrain from buying Chinese telecom equipment.

Tokyo, Japan — Those who advocate nuclear armaments, and are now raising their voices in Japan and elsewhere, should take a look at an objective analysis by U.S. scientists. Their studies show that Chinese or U.S. nuclear missile strikes would be devastating to both sides, no matter who struck first.

Kolkata, India — Asia is witnessing a new game of swords and shields, which is taking players to ocean depths as well as outer space. China and India have taken the lead in this, with Japan seriously contemplating deploying systems it has been developing. The focus is on anti-access strategies and nuclear deterrence.

Beijing, China — The grand military parade Beijing conducted on Oct. 1 to mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China produced both positive and adverse effects. It seems to have stirred patriotism at home, but raised fears abroad that China’s military prowess will make it more aggressive.

Toronto, ON, Canada — China spent 20 years, from 1950 till 1971, confronting the United States. From 1959 to 1990 it remained at loggerheads with the Soviet Union. Now it finds itself with a 3 million-strong military and no enemy in sight. It is looking to create a new one, preferably in its neighborhood, and India fits the bill.

Hong Kong, China — Beijing’s military parade on Oct. 1, to mark the 60th anniversary of the rule of the Chinese Communist Party, showcases China’s ambition to seek global hegemony. This is also shown in new concepts put forward by the People’s Liberation Army, including expanding the “national interest frontier.”

New Delhi, India — The Indian Navy recently placed an order for 40 Kaveri marine gas turbines for its naval warships with the country’s Gas Turbine Research Establishment. By placing an additional order for 40 gas turbine generators, it has taken a quantum leap in using “Made in India” hardware rather than buying overseas.

Kolkata, India — India last conducted underground nuclear tests in 1998. But the country’s strategic community continues to witness periodic fissions of its own, with the latest initiated by noted scientist K. Santhanam, who has questioned the capacity of India’s thermonuclear bombs.