The Indo-Pacific has indeed been relatively more stable compared to many other geopolitically contested regions. The QUAD plays a role in deterrence and in norm setting, but its impact is partial. India, through its constellation of policies—Act East, SAGAR, IPOI, MAHASAGAR, etc.—contributes significantly to that peace
The convergence of instability in Myanmar, fragility in Bangladesh, and external meddling by China and Pakistan threatens to form a volatile arc along India’s eastern flank. The challenge for New Delhi is not to pick sides in Myanmar’s internal war but to manage outcomes—to stay present, relevant, and nimble while others overreach. Because when the last ballot is counted, Myanmar will likely look the same: weary, divided, and ruled by men who mistake fear for order. The generals will call it normalcy; the world will call it tragedy.
As China continues to invest beyond what its economy can absorb, unproductive spending—much of it debt-financed—has expanded far faster than GDP. A decade ago, total debt was about twice the size of the economy; now it is roughly triple. The debt-to-GDP ratio has reached around 300 percent, alarmingly high for a developing economy.
While China’s model may not be directly replicable in a democratic setup like India, the emphasis it places on institutional adaptability, long-term strategic planning, and coordinated governance holds enduring relevance. India’s path will be different—but learning from China’s successes and failures can help shape a more inclusive, resilient, and forward-looking developmental trajectory.
China’s strategy for building a regional order in Central Asia converges with its playbook in sub-regions across the Global South, like Latin America, Africa and South Asia. The substance and optics of its Latin America Summit and Xi Jinping’s tour of Southeast Asia in the last few months reflect this strategy.
Contrary to the longstanding popular expectation that the Dalai Lama could announce an interim successor until a reincarnation is determined after his death, he has chosen the option that sets the stage for a long-term conflict between Beijing and the institution of the Dalai Lama. It is clear now that the next Dalai Lama will be from outside China and Tibet.
While SCO saw ministers invoke "mutual trust" and “overall development” in public, Chinese actions reveal a twin-track approach toward India—maintaining diplomatic channels and economic engagement in public, while simultaneously tightening its grip on sectors where India remains dependent.
China's geographic proximity and growing power remain the core reasons ASEAN clings to its long-standing hedging and neutrality strategy. Fear of retaliation—whether economic or military—has deterred ASEAN from adopting a firm position against Beijing, which could compromise the region’s economic survival.
The Chinese making inroads into Pakistan for a while now may also be a significant factor behind President Donald Trump not taking an unambiguously supportive position towards India. Trump’s comments have been calibrated to achieve equivalence between India and Pakistan and quite strikingly handed Islamabad some bragging rights by offering to intervene in resolving the Kashmir issue.
Over the past 40 years, the U.S. has transitioned from an industrial to a consumption-driven economy. Manufacturing, which contributed about 25% to GDP in 1970, now accounts for just 10%. The outsourcing of production to China, Mexico, Vietnam, and others has led to the loss of nearly 5 million factory jobs between 2000 and 2020 alone.
A landmark event in 2023 was the MoU with Japan’s Rapidus Corporation to establish semiconductor manufacturing in India. Backed by Japanese giants like Sony, Toyota, Kioxia, NEC, NTT, and MUFG Bank, this move could be a game-changer for India’s electronics ecosystem, which currently lacks indigenous chip production.
The Pahalgam tragedy, coupled with Pakistan’s public admission of its role in fostering terrorism, presents such a moment. China must rise to the occasion—not by choosing sides, but by choosing peace. It must move from silence to strategy, and from passive balancing to active peace-building.
In this context—marked by fresh US scrutiny of tariff offenders—India has a unique opportunity to step in as a more reliable and less controversial partner for the US in supply chain manufacturing. A complementary—not adversarial—partnership with China could also benefit India in tapping the US market, especially since India has incurred a relatively lower tariff increase of 27 percent
While the opportunity is vast, the risks are real. Without transparency, environmental safeguards, and strong domestic ownership, the Dhaka-Beijing river cooperation could backfire. A 50-year master plan must be rooted in Bangladesh’s ecological realities, ensuring local participation, sustainable practices, and equitable governance. Otherwise, well-intended cooperation could become a boomerang, undermining long-term water security.
A multilateral maritime engagement with African countries, AIKEYME, is an initiative to enhance interoperability with the region's navies. The maiden edition of the six-day exercise being co-hosted by Indian Navy and Tanzania Peoples’ Defence Force (TPDF) will be conducted off Dar-es-Salaam in mid-April 2025 and will include participation from Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles and South Africa.
Although much has been said and perceived about China’s growing military competition in closing the power gap, this move to unveil the ruthless and fearful F-47 and the other assets is meant to checkmate Beijing’s ambitions in the Indo Pacific and demoralise other enemies who still doubt America’s long-term military and economic resilience.
The elephant is not just an animal, it is a symbol of power, royalty, and diplomacy in the pages of history. Myanmar’s gift of six elephants to Russia is not just a simple gift, but an important strategic move in regional and global politics.
Beijing - and therefore Xi - by virtue of his being in complete control of all affairs in the country have long been known to be determined to pick their own successor to the Dalai Lama, a portent that is profoundly troubling for some six million Tibetans inside Tibet and over 100,000 in exile outside, mainly in India.
Providing the ASHA workers employment would have a multiplier effect, especially through their empowerment. Imagine the extraordinary impact if a collaborative project, supported by both the Australian and Indian governments, were to train one million ASHA workers in India, using the online platform! It would be a true reflection of partnership and an unparalleled public diplomacy initiative.
