China’s Xi Jinping meeting with North Korea's Kim Jong Un

Xi Jinping’s Loosening Leverage Over North Korea Amid Shifting Indo Pacific Security Dynamics

China in recent times has elevated some of its key bilateral relations, Vietnam, Pakistan, North Korea, to the level where they are now considered by Beijing as  consequential to regional and global peace and stability. China’s foreign and 'grand strategy' is aimed at realizing a shared destiny for mankind and nurturing a new type of great-power relations within a multipolar world. This requires a strategic alignment between China’s strategy and others.

Bangladesh's 'Red Telephone' Breach: More to it Than Meets the Eye?

More importantly, the alleged sabotage occurred during a period of political transition following the developments of August 2024. Institutional loyalties, political rivalries, and competing networks of influence continue to shape Bangladesh's political landscape. In such a context, any breach involving the Prime Minister's secure communications infrastructure deserves careful examination.

Between the Melody Moment and the Hard Work Ahead: Modi's Europe Tour Outcome Will Depend on Delivery in Coming Years

India's MSME sector, the backbone of its export economy, remains largely unequipped to navigate European standards and certification requirements. As ABC Live noted, the next stage will be tougher than negotiation: India must now prove that its exporters, MSMEs, regulators, ports, testing labs, and state governments can actually use the agreement. A framework signed in Gothenburg means nothing to a textile exporter in Tiruppur who cannot get a product certified to EU standards.

Why India and Pakistan Must Move From Rivalry to Responsibility: In Fragmenting Global Order, South Asia Cannot Afford Internal Paralysis

The central lesson is simple: unresolved India-Pakistan hostility weakens South Asia from within. It prevents trade, blocks institutions, raises nuclear risk, politicizes water, militarizes borders, and diverts attention from human development. Both countries will continue to disagree on major issues. But disagreement does not require permanent hostility. Strategic maturity means building rules to manage conflict before conflict manages the region.

More on Geopolitics and Strategic Affairs

Bravehearts of Killer Squadron: Recalling Indian Navy’s 1971 valour

The Killer Squadron traces its genesis to the 1971 war when it took part in operations that enabled the Indian Navy to dominate the Arabian Sea, crippling the Pakistan Navy, writes Col Anil Bhat (retd) for South Asia Monitor

India's outreach to Central Asia: Afghanistan factor gives it added importance

India, as also Eurasia – Russia and the Central Asian Republics (CARs) - have a common adversary in terrorism and need to make it a common goal to work on, writes Mahendra Ved for South Asia Monitor

Growing income disparities in India can upset social equilibrium

How does India compare with the South Asian neighbourhood? The World Inequality Lab database indicates that regional disparities are less than India’s, writes N. Chandra Mohan for South Asia Monitor 

Why winning the ‘water game’ in India requires team effort

With some 600 million Indians facing high to extreme water stress, ‘games’ offer vital insights for expanding self-governance to help people manage water more sustainably, write Ruth Meinzen-Dick and Pratiti Priyadarshini for South Asia Monitor

India-Bangladesh ties headed for a 'golden phase', with enhanced connectivity creating new opportunities

The two countries’ leaders have brought Delhi and Dhaka closer and can together bring economic prosperity to South Asia, writes Pathik Hasan for South Asia Monitor

Celebrating a unique 50-year relationship: India and Bangladesh are development partners with worrying challenges

The foremost geostrategic challenge for India vis-à-vis Bangladesh is to counter the machinations of the China-Pakistan axis, writes Amb Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty (retd) for South Asia Monitor 

US has paid a heavy price for condoning the Bangladesh genocide in 1971

As a result of the Nixon-Kissinger folly that made it an accomplice of the Pakistani crimes in Bangladesh, Washington is now facing a formidable rival in China, writes Arul Louis for South Asia Monitor

Gwadar's 'Haq Do' movement has altered the region's political paradigm

The movement in Gwadar under the leadership of Maulana Hidayat Ur Rehman Baloch has attracted a massive number of people across Balochistan, especially from the Mekran region, writes Nizam Hassan for South Asia Monitor

Peace propels development in Bangladesh's once-troubled Chittagong Hill Tracts

The development of tribal people in the Chittagong Hill Tracts is much better than any remote region of Bangladesh, writes Hafizur Talukdar for South Asia Monitor 

Of marriages and separations across the Pakistan-India border: Visa issues keep brides and grooms apart

This is the story of Ganpat Singh from Pakistan’s Sodha Rajput community. Like him, each member of this half a million strong community has matrimonial linkages across the border in Rajasthan, India, writes Beena Sarwar for South Asia Monitor 

Iran should not support the formation of Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan

The Taliban will soon face internal strife; the Haqqani network and extremist and fanatical factions will revolt against the moderates, splitting the Afghan nationalist struggle, writes Dr Ruhollah Eslami for South Asia Monitor

Western Australia should renew protagonist role in Australia-India bilateral

A stronger relationship with India is undeniably in Australia’s – and Western Australia’s – interest, writes Andrew Hunter for South Asia Monitor

Bhutan must be rewarded for battling climate change

Bhutan contributes little or zero to the climate crisis. Yet, it has not been justly rewarded for its noble and invaluable sacrifices, writes Rinchen Kinzang for South Asia Monitor

India-Bangladesh ties: A role model for neighbouring countries

India and Bangladesh can show the world how neighbouring countries can become all-weather friends, writes Jubeda Chowdhury for South Asia Monitor

Indian farm bill repeal: Setback to reforms, betrayal of poor farmers

The repeal of the farm bill stretches the plight of poor farmers and hurts the potential growth of food processing in the country, writes S. Majumder for South Asia Monitor