Parul Chandra, Author at StratNews Global

South Asia and Beyond

Parul Chandra

Professional newshound, have navigated through typewriters, computers and mobile phones during my over three-decade-long career working in some of India's finest newsrooms (The Times of India, Financial Express). Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan are my focus, also Sri Lanka (when boss permits). Age and arthritis (that's a joke) have not dimmed the thrill of chasing a story. Loves music, animals and pasta.

Ties With Nepal: A Reality Check For India

Parul Chandra January 22, 2020

NEW DELHI: The inauguration of an Integrated Check Post at Biratnagar on the India-Nepal border saw Prime Minister Narendra Modi ooze charm and goodwill when he said via a video link to Kathmandu: “I wish that with your cooperation and support in the new year, we take our relationship to a higher level.” He hoped […]Read More

India To Invite Pak For SCO Summit, Will Imran Attend?

Parul Chandra January 17, 2020

NEW DELHI: Will he, won’t he? That’s the big question after India on Thursday said Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan will be invited for the summit of heads of government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in New Delhi, later this year. Raveesh Kumar, Spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs, said: “As per established […]Read More

Amazon’s Proposed Billion Dollar Investment No Great Favour To India: Commerce Minister

Parul Chandra January 16, 2020

NEW DELHI: The world’s richest man and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has been on a charm offensive during his three-day India visit—from donning a kurta pyjama and paying obeisance at Gandhi’s samadhi in Rajghat (like any head of state) to flying kites (literally) with children. He also promised to invest a billion dollars in India over […]Read More

430 Indian Cities Saw Protests Over Soleimani Killing, Claims Iran Foreign Minister

Parul Chandra January 15, 2020

NEW DELHI: It was a monologue rather than the conversation it was billed to be. But Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif didn’t disappoint the packed hall at the Raisina Dialogue in Delhi, alternating between contrition for the downing of the Ukrainian passenger aircraft by his military and lashing out at the U.S. for killing Quds […]Read More

Chinese Footprints In South Asia: Bid To Sway Nepal’s Domestic Politics

Parul Chandra January 13, 2020

NEW DELHI: In September last year, barely three weeks before the bilateral visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Nepal, cadres of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) participated in a training programme conducted by members of the Communist Party of China (CPC). It wasn’t just any training programme but one focused on the rather ponderously […]Read More

U.S. Waiver For Chabahar: Will Gulf Tension Play Spoiler?

Parul Chandra January 9, 2020

NEW DELHI: India is keeping its fingers crossed in the wake of heightened U.S.-Iran tensions, concerned it could impact its plans for the development of Chabahar port in Iran. The U.S. recently granted India a “narrow waiver” from sanctions for the port’s development. The waiver is significant as it’s been given in writing for the […]Read More

With Gulf On Knife Edge, India Waits For Zarif

Parul Chandra January 8, 2020

NEW DELHI: The Persian Gulf teetered closer to war with Iran firing ballistic missiles at two U.S. bases in Iraq—Irbil in the north and Al Assad in the west. Iran’s state TV said 80 “American terrorists” were killed in the 15 missiles that were fired. But U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted “all is well” and […]Read More