It is the agenda going forward that effectively puts a stamp over what the US assumes would be a Taliban-led, if not outright, Taliban government in Afghanistan, writes Shakti Sinha for South Asia Monitor
The Bay of Bengal: South Asia’s Emerging Maritime Security Challenge
The Palk Bay dispute illustrates a wider challenge for South Asian maritime governance. Coastal fishing communities frequently experience the consequences of strategic decisions without having equivalent opportunities to influence them.
India Should Keep Starlink Out of Its Sky: Lessons from Ukraine
If a state allows a foreign private satellite network to handle part of its communications, it is in effect outsourcing part of its security and will eventually pay the price during a crisis, when it will be too late to negotiate. Ukraine found out that resilience does not mean ownership.
The Strategic Implications of India's Association to Horizon Europe Programme: Major Step in Scientific and Technological Cooperation
Beyond funding opportunities, it indicates that Brussels and New Delhi increasingly see each other as long-term partners in shaping the technologies, standards and scientific solutions of the 21st century. The agreement therefore reflects not only stronger scientific cooperation, but also a broader convergence of strategic interests in an era of technological competition and geopolitical uncertainty.
Atma Jayaram: India’s Gentleman Spymaster who loved Sri Lanka
Recently declassified documents from the National Archives in Colombo have shed light on Jayaram's involvement in assisting Sri Lanka during the leftist guerrilla insurrection that engulfed the island nation. Acting on Jayaram's advice, 150 Indian Gurkha soldiers were reportedly deployed to protect Colombo International Airport.
More on Geopolitics, Security and Strategic Affairs
South Asia needs to reclaim its cultural ethos, revive SAARC
Although BIMSTEC has been gaining momentum in the recent past, it cannot be an alternative to SAARC, as it involves all the players in the region, including Pakistan, writes Samudrala VK for South Asia Monitor
Russia, India, China should cooperate to lead the Asian century
RIC, a troika of the three Eurasian powers, can work extensively on issues like counter-terrorism, transnational organised crime, illicit drug trafficking and climate change, writes Samudrala VK for South Asia Monitor
The Taliban, and Pakistan, have caught Trump in a duplicitous bind
What constituency Pakistan has in Capitol Hill is not known, but in putting up this deal, Pakistan has played its double game to the hilt, capitalizing on Trump’s pre-election promise of ‘bringing the boys home’, writes Lt Gen P C Katoch (retd) for South Asia Monitor
US-Taliban deal will only boost Trump’s electoral prospects and Pakistani influence
The requirement of a seven-day ‘reduction in violence’ for signing the deal was a joke that demonstrated abject surrender to the Taliban, writes Lt Gen PC Katoch (retd) for South Asia Monitor
For Trump facing re-election India was the 51st US state!
If the adulation of Trump and the rally made it seem like India was the 51st state in Trump's re-election campaign, it may be because Modi bets on the re-election of a tough, right-wing hardliner with whom he shares some characteristics, writes Arul Louis for South Asia Monitor
To ‘Act East’ effectively requires India to ‘Learn East’
In order to effectively “Act East” we must first try to “Learn East” once again to rediscover the opportunities for prosperity that lie therein, writes By Amb Sarva Chakravarti (retd) for South Asia Monitor
A Bollywood film that got Trump's attention and sends out a social message
The LGBT issue is far from gaining social acceptability in a diverse and conservative society that India and much of South Asia is. But things are changing, writes Mahendra Ved for South Asia Monitor
The Indus Waters Treaty: Enduring agreement provides security in strained India-Pakistan ties
Today’s dispute (between India and Pakistan) is now less about Kashmir and Kashmiris and more about a river system with its headwaters in Kashmir writes Anuttama Banerji for South Asia Monitor
US-Taliban talks: Peace is still elusive
The present peace accord is fragile as there are several forces which are against the peace, and they may try to disrupt the agreement, writes Jai Kumar Verma for South Asia Monitor
Delhi riots have dented Modi’s image
For, what happened in the capital during the two days of the Trump visit, especially on the last day, was no less damaging to the Prime Minister’s reputation than the electoral setback, writes Amulya Ganguli for South Asia Monitor
Popular dissent in India threatens the government's idea of domination
The women of Shaheen Bagh at Delhi and their sisters at innumerable other locations all over India have changed the narrative of dissent... causing utter confusion of thought as well as action at the level of the Indian government, writes Dr Udai Vir Singh for South Asia Monitor
Bangladesh has a tradition of religious harmony: American senator’s remarks cause outrage
There is no incident in Bangladesh that can prove that any Bangladeshi has been persecuted by the government for his or her religious beliefs, writes Swadesh Roy for South Asia Monitor
Modi and Trump are different, but together they can make a difference
The second largest and the fourth largest emitter of the green house gases are standing in the cusp of the most critical decade of the 21st century when they meet on 24-25 Februrary 2020 when the world is on the cusp of environmental havoc due to climate change, writes Rajendra Shende for South Asia Monitor
Is Pakistan headed for Lal Masjid 2.0? Maulana’s return may trigger another crisis
When Nawaz Sharif was Prime Minister, Aziz had hailed and justified the terror attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar, where scores of students and teachers were killed, writes Mahendra Ved for South Asia Monitor
