Three days of dialogue, debate, and engagement in Dhaka reinforced a sobering reality: despite ongoing discussions about multipolarity, middle powers, and strategic autonomy, great powers continue to shape the choices available to smaller states.

It would be simplistic to assume that every retired general appointed as an ambassador is an instrument of Asim Munir's influence. It would be equally complacent to dismiss the wider institutional implications of placing so many former military officers in diplomatic positions across several regions.    

Arunachal Pradesh presents a particularly important dimension of the problem. China claims the northeast Indian state, refers to it as Zangnan, or South Tibet, and periodically challenges India's sovereignty through statements and the assignment of Chinese names to places within the state.

India and Japan should conduct regular stress tests involving scenarios such as disruption to an energy route, a cyberattack on logistics infrastructure, loss of an undersea cable or the unavailability of a specialized defense component. 

Sri Lanka’s Constitution gives Buddhism a special position under Article 9 while also protecting freedom of religion under Article 10 and related constitutional provisions. The government therefore has responsibilities both to protect Buddhist traditions and to ensure that the law is applied fairly across religious communities.

Some observers wrongly assume Europe's current crises will lead to a retreat from Asia. The opposite may occur. The EU's internal turmoil is accelerating a fundamental redefinition of its external priorities. South Asia is becoming increasingly important

Air power will remain central to national security. Whether India has enough of it, in the right form, and can afford it in scarce dollars, is still an open question. ACM Singh is to be commended for his distinguished service and stellar leadership – and more importantly – rendering objective professional advice to the apex leadership, an increasingly rare trait in the current times.

Under conditions of what is increasingly described as the "Great Fragmentation," Sri Lanka's geographic proximity to India should be viewed as a strategic advantage rather than a liability. Properly managed, this strategic reality could help transform Sri Lanka into a prosperous and stable nation.

The September 27 firing is therefore best seen as the beginning of a new phase in Pakistan’s naval modernization. The larger strategic question is still open. Whether Hangor changes the regional maritime balance will depend on what comes next

The Great Nicobar Island Development Project (GNIDP)  is a mammoth venture by India to strategically strengthen its presence in the Andaman Sea and Southeast Asia with its own transshipment hub. The mega-infrastructure project spans approximately166.10 sq km covering about 15% of the total landmass of Great Nicobar Island at the southernmost tip of the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago.

An Emirati airline, an Indian captain, Israeli passengers, and Saudi authorities all played a part. India, re-elected to the ICAO Council last year, is well placed to push these standards into global aviation rules. The best tribute to Captain Machchhar is making sure the next crew never needs a hero.

Canada hosts close to 1.9 million persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) and 3% of Canada’s population, one of the largest ethnic groups in Canada’s multiethnic and multicultural society. Although immigration policy of Canada has tightened in recent years, yet a lot of students who study in Canada prefer to stay back and work in Canada acquiring permanent residency and citizenship.

It would also explain why Pakistan is trying to preserve a distinction between supporting Saudi Arabia and fighting the Houthis. Pakistan has every reason to avoid another open-ended conflict in the Middle East. Its military is heavily committed to its own security challenges. Its economy cannot easily absorb the political and financial consequences 

EU and India could establish a regular EU–India-Middle East Consultative Mechanism involving foreign-policy officials and experts. Its purpose would be to coordinate positions before major international gatherings and meetings. 

For Sri Lankan politics, this is more than diplomatic sightseeing. It raises a fundamental question whether the JVP is developing a sophisticated strategy of balancing relations with India and China or is it gradually adapting itself to the organisational models of powerful one-party or dominant-party systems in China and India respectively?