Taken together, these developments should ring alarm bells. The convergence of foreign military-industrial interests, Islamist political forces, and great-power rivalry risks turning Bangladesh into an epicenter of proxy competition and ideological confrontation. For a nation that has paid dearly for its independence and pluralistic identity, the cost of such entanglements may prove far higher than the short-term gains promised by arms deals and infrastructure projects.
Sri Lanka's case highlights the central weakness of the ICC’s complementarity principle. The Rome Statute grants jurisdiction only where states are unwilling or unable genuinely to carry out the investigation or prosecution. Sri Lanka maintains functioning judicial institutions, conducts some prosecutions, and has established reparations frameworks, thereby technically satisfying the ability threshold while systematically failing to deliver accountability for conflict-related crimes.
If Davos had a clear centre of gravity this year, it was technology—not geopolitics. The tech industry arrived in force, underscored by high-profile appearances from Elon Musk and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. The message was unmistakable: this is where attention, ambition, and capital are converging. With extraordinary sums being poured into artificial intelligence, unease among lenders and investors is understandable. Yet many executives were keen to reassure markets that fears of an AI bubble were overstated.
Strategically, these developments underscore the importance of regional counterterrorism cooperation and rigorous monitoring of cross-border arms flows. The proliferation of foreign-supplied weapons into Pakistan not only strengthens terrorist organizations but also threatens regional stability. Each attack executed with U.S.-origin rifles or advanced tactical gear reinforces the need for Pakistan’s zero-tolerance policy against militancy while exposing the organized external support networks that continue to embolden groups like the TTP.
The panorama of the political landscape will change in as much that the BJP as a party may be more in focus than the persona of PM Modi. BJP, while keeping progressive policies and development on track, should use this opportunity to emerge from being a Modi-centric party.
China, however, continues with its efforts to restrict India in the South Asian region. Pakistan is virtually China’s colony and in recent years China has redoubled its infamous endeavours to rope in Bangladesh in its area of influence.
The partnership between India and Bangladesh may get a lot of attention since it demonstrates a dynamic and evolving collaboration that goes beyond basic infrastructural assistance. A healthy and stable relationship serves both countries' interests and promotes peace and prosperity both regionally and globally.
It is therefore no surprise that in the recent general elections the people of Manipur voted for Congress for all three Lok Sabha seats. This was also because the Modi government kept painting a rosy picture of normalcy in Manipur and the prime minister, who is generally omnipresent across India, did not visit Manipur even once or even mention it.
The voters' message was widely seen to be against the "excesses" of the Modi era -- just like it was against Mrs Gandhi 47 years ago.
Bangladesh's journey in UN peacekeeping stands as a testament to unwavering dedication, professionalism, and sacrifice. The nation's commitment to global peace and security is evident in its consistent troop deployments and active participation in the international discourse on peacekeeping.
In many ways, once the final figures are certified, the 2024 election will be remembered as one where India’s hundreds of millions of ordinary people, a large percentage of them in grave economic distress, voted to create a stronger opposition of the kind they would like against an out-of-control prime minister.
India is the origin of Sanatana Dharma (later Hinduism) philosophy, which also gave birth to Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism. India, since millennia, has absorbed Zoroastrianism and Judaism. The other two Abrahamic religions Christianity and Islam came to the shores of India within decades of their founding in the Middle East and took root. With such pluralistic beliefs and one culture, India needs to debate religions to make societies aware of their evolution.
Interestingly, a comparison was drawn by Israel between the October 7 attack and the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack in the hope that there would be an unqualified understanding of Israel’s action. What this supposed comparison fails to recognize is that there is a significant difference.
This judgment not only addresses the immediate concern of protecting the GIB but also provides a strategic framework for balancing ecological conservation with sustainable development.
Apart from the substantial loss in revenue, international students, especially from India who are aspiring to study abroad, are seeking out alternative destinations that are more welcoming, such as Germany, Japan, Ireland, Israel and Russia.
Just twenty years ago, India's neighboring countries, apart from Pakistan, were solely dependent on India. But now all the small countries except Bhutan are trying to identify themselves as neutral countries in the India-China rivalry.
Even so, Bhansali’s project has evoked considerable interest in Pakistan since the word went out that he was once considering casting Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan, two of the top stars who have acted in Bollywood films. “Then, politics entered,” one of them rued.
Despite the myriad challenges faced by Western journalists in covering South Asia, maintaining journalistic integrity is non-negotiable. This entails a rigorous commitment to fact-checking, corroborating information from diverse sources, and challenging ingrained biases.
India and China represent the future, America (West) the present, and Europe the past; Islam has a long way to go.
