Image: Blue Winged Teal. Source: Wikimedia Commons

Okay Ducks, here are your links from South Asia and Beyond!

• Marshal Mohammad Qasim Fahim, the Vice President of Afghanistan, has died of natural causes at age 57.  Marshal Fahim fought along side the Lion of Panjshir, Ahmad Shah Massoud, during the Soviet Occupation.  After Massoud’s assassination, Fahim led the Northern Alliance against the Taliban during the American invasion in 2001.  He became the Defense Minister in the transitional Afghan government under Karzai.  Human rights advocates frequently labeled him as a “notorious warlord,” but the Government of India at least viewed him as a close friend and ally.
• Swapan Dasgupta asks, “Will Narendra Modi be painted as India’s Putin?” (The post itself is rather stupid but provides some insights into Hindu nationalist thinking/fantasizing.)
• India, the world’s biggest arms importer, is still talking about creating its own weapons systems. Oy vey!  Didn’t they read Cohen and Dasgupta?
• Despite starting from a very low base, Japan is looking to increase its bilateral trade and investment in India.
• The anti-corruption Aam Admi Party (AAP) of India has inspired a party by the same name in Pakistan.  (Of course, neither party will actually make much dent in corruption, which (to paraphrase Akhil Gupta) is the force that binds the branches of the state and bureaucracy together.)

• Active Learning in Political Science reminds us to take Father Guido’s words to heart.
• Finally, why isn’t the Duck of Minerva talking about the show “Vikings“?  Come on’ Duckaroos … you’ve got norm diffusion, anarchic encounters, and shield maidens! What more do you want??  (I’d do it but I am too lazy… and still have to finish season 1)