Most recent articles by Ronald Meinardus
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Gas resources in the Eastern MediterraneanDetente between Greece and Turkey?
Ever since natural gas deposits were discovered in the eastern Mediterranean, Greece and Turkey have been mired in a fierce dispute over their exploitation. Now both sides are making a new attempt to resolve the conflict diplomatically. However, deep-seated enmity and age-old stereotypes make political rapprochement difficult, reports Ronald Meinardus from Istanbul
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Turkish views on Erdogan's feud with Macron"Religion is the President's last resort"
Relations between Ankara and Paris have reached a new low, with presidential communications contributing to the escalation. To describe recent bilateral exchanges as undiplomatic would be the height of diplomacy. By Ronald Meinardus
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Escalation or mediation in the Eastern Med?Turkey and Greece at loggerheads over maritime sovereignty
Will German attempts at mediation avert the Eastern Mediterranean crisis? Greece has accused Turkey of conducting illegal explorations for shale gas close to the Greek islands. Yet Ankara maintains that the waters are part of the Turkish continental shelf. Ronald Meinardus reports from Istanbul
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Mask diplomacy and power politicsErdogan's foreign policy in the shadow of coronavirus
In the age of corona, Ankara's regional power strategy is twofold: on the one hand, Turkey is engaged in a charm offensive to revamp its political image, which has suffered lately in certain quarters. On the other, President Erdogan is pursuing a tough policy of interests backed up by military force. By Ronald Meinardus
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India′s new hajj policyEmpowering minorities?
While the Hindu-nationalist government led by Narendra Modi has withdrawn the hajj subsidy to Muslims, public grants to members of the Hindu majority making pilgrimages remain in place. By Ronald Meinardus
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Islam in IndiaTriple talaq: Goodbye and good riddance
India′s Supreme Court recently declared the Islamic practice of "instant divorce" to be anti-constitutional. The judges argued that since ″triple talaq″ is not an integral part of the Muslim faith, it is not subject to protection under the principle of religious freedom. Ronald Meinardus reports from New Delhi
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India's resistance to the appeal of ISNo traction
In the international statistics documenting terror attacks inspired or orchestrated by the IS terror militia, India is nowhere to be found. And this despite the fact that owing to its demography and socio-economic conditions, the country with its 180 million Muslims should be fertile ground for foreign-controlled Islamist terrorism. By Ronald Meinardus in New Delhi
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Muslim talaq law in IndiaDivorce by email
India's Supreme Court is currently considering the Muslim practice of instant divorce. The family law allows Muslim men to end their marriages by simply repeating the word "talaq" (Arabic for divorce) three times. But there is growing opposition to the practice. Ronald Meinardus reports from New Delhi
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Islamic divorce law in IndiaTrouncing triple talaq
Victims of what they regard as archaic family law, many of India's Muslims are fed up. With their cause now being championed, rather ironically, by the Hindu nationalist BJP, they are hoping for an end to what critics refer to as "religious apartheid″. By Ronald Meinardus
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India and PakistanUnable to bury the axe
Following the latest attack on an Indian military base in Kashmir, India and Pakistan have yet again locked horns over the disputed region. Now the Indian government says it wants to isolate its Islamic neighbour as a terrorist state. Report by Ronald Meinardus in New Delhi
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India and Islamic StateEverything under control?
India, the country with the largest Muslim minority, is forever issuing assurances that it remains unaffected by the deadly threat posed by IS. Only time will tell, however, whether the escalating confrontation seen by many as a symbolic struggle between the West and Islam continues to give the subcontinent a wide berth. An essay by Ronald Meinardus
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Hindus and Muslims in IndiaWhy census data is a priority political issue
Years later than planned, the Indian government has finally released census data on religious affiliation. The published figures could be exploited by the country′s political parties for their own ends, thereby further straining relations between Hindus and Muslims. By Ronald Meinardus