Sri Lankan fishing boats in Bay of Bengal

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

US-Taliban deal: Pakistan emerges triumphant

Ending the long war in Afghanistan and getting the boys back would help President Trump’s bid for a second presidential term but he may be creating a bigger Frankenstein in the combined Af-Pak region that would come to haunt America in the future, writes Lt Gen PC Katoch (retd.) for South Asia Monitor

Why education was a game-changer in the Delhi elections

For years Delhi government schools were known for their indifferent pedagogy, rundown buildings, large dropout percentages and were synonymous with all that was wrong with the country's public-sector education system, writes Tarun Basu for South Asia Monitor

Trump visit: US can help India shore up its naval power

Just before the American  president  sets  course for India, a senior US official noted  that  the US wants an India that is strong with a capable military that supports peace, stability, and a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region, writes Cmde C Uday Bhaskar (retd) for South Asia Monitor 

Despite intense efforts, Pakistan remains on FATF grey list

Having understood the American game plan, India acted swiftly to minimise the danger by ensuring that Pakistan did not get off the 'grey list' till its compliance is fully confirmed, writes Brig Anil Gupta (retd) for South Asia Monitor

Trump visit may be high on optics, low on substance

The visit will be high on optics and low on substance as both Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi seek relief from domestic pressures and revalidation before their citizens, writes Arul Louis for South Asia Monitor

To win war against polio, Pakistan must first win war against extremism

The issue of polio eradication has taken a perilous form in Pakistan due to the deadly mixture of militancy and developmental issues, writes Sanchita Bhattacharya for South Asia Monitor

When Trump comes calling, tech collaboration should be high on agenda

Technology collaboration by removing tariff and non-tariff barriers, specifically in the high technology segment, could be great lever of strategic and public policy partnerships for both countries, writes Kumar Deep (@kumar_deep) for South Asia Monitor

Can India enhance foreign investor confidence?

India may have jumped the rankings in The World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business but foreign and domestic investors seek improvements in the ease of doing business on the ground, especially in the states, writes N Chandra Mohan for South Asia Monitor

Modi government balancing structural reforms with ideological commitments

The 'tax charter' ushers India into a new era where the rights of taxpayers in terms of imposition and payment of taxes are recognized for the first time, writes Arun Anand for South Asia Monitor

For India's growth to revive, needed deep-going structural reforms

India Inc’s confidence will certainly be boosted with a more transparent and non-adversarial tax regime and a business-friendly policy framework that improves the conditions for doing business on the ground, especially in the various states, writes N Chandra Mohan for South Asia Monitor 

For a place at the global high table, India’s maritime strength needs bolstering

The IN has been at the forefront in supporting the country’s security and diplomatic initiatives in the region through extensive bilateral and multilateral interaction, writes Cmdre Anil Jai Singh (retd) for South Asia Monitor

India should take the lead in regional connectivity and integration

If India has to progress towards deeper engagement under the ‘Neighborhood First’ policy, it has to integrate some of the genuine concerns of its strategic regional partners, writes Kumar Deep for South Asia Monitor 

India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy: Need to put money where its mouth is

The enthusiasm Modi has shown towards the neighbourhood, through his numerous visits has not got translated in overall policy during these years, writes Alakh Ranjan  for South Asia Monitor

Popular apathy towards elections a sign of institutional shortcomings in Bangladesh?

Fracturing political institutions like the Election Commission, Parliament and the Judiciary are also responsible for the popular apathy and political decay in Bangladesh, writes Akmal Hossain for South Asia Monitor

Delhi defeat is BJP's fourth successive state loss: Is there a lesson in it for PM Modi?

The BJP may have also harmed itself by its poisonous communalism which cannot but have put off some of the party’s own sensible supporters, not to mention the Left-Liberals, writes Amulya Ganguli for South Asia Monitor

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