Given the uncertainties and lack of consensus among SCO members, India must proceed cautiously on the issue seeking full membership.

The impasse over missile defence, CFE and NATO expansion has led to a stalemate in talks to reduce tactical nuclear weapons.

The paralysis at the Conference on Disarmament (CD) captures the state of affairs that has bedevilled the field of arms control/disarmament during the last 10 years.

After Lisbon, the next step for NATO and Russia should be addressing issues relating to deployments of arsenals and arms control.

The durability of the New START will depend largely on how both sides value it as a means towards disarmament rather than for strategic competition.

With Russia hosting three major world sporting events in the next eight years, it is hoped that there would be a massive infusion of capital to boost the country’s infrastructure and upgrade the transport and tourism sectors.

The Skolkova initiative is part of Russia’s attempt to develop a robust national innovation system and a knowledge based economy.

The much awaited NATO Russian Summit meeting is taking place on November 19-20, 2010 in Lisbon. Will it signify a major thaw in East-West relations, or will existing differences thwart a major rapprochement between the United States, Europe and Russia which could herald a new era in international relations.