China, Russia and the US, however, give little value to international laws. They accept them only if they suit their own interests. They reject them if they conflict with their interests.
India's Solar Moment: The Blazing Sun Presents an Energy Opportunity of Historic Proportions
The current crisis in West Asia offers us a window. In a world where oil routes can be disrupted overnight by wars India did not start, energy independence becomes a sovereign necessity. Every gigawatt of solar power installed is one step away from the Strait of Hormuz. Every electric vehicle on the road is a barrel of oil India does not have to import. Every rooftop panel is a small act of national self-reliance.
In Fragmenting Global Order, South Asia Needs Strategic Balancing, Regional Cooperation
South Asia’s problem is not that it lacks importance. Its problem is that it lacks collective strategy. Each country is trying to survive the new order separately. India seeks global-power status. Pakistan seeks strategic relevance and economic stability. Bangladesh seeks balanced partnerships and export security. Sri Lanka seeks recovery. Nepal seeks space between two giants. The Maldives seeks bargaining power. Bhutan seeks quiet sovereignty. Afghanistan seeks recognition and survival.
Engineering Threat Perceptions: TTP, ISI and Bangladesh’s Security Narrative
The sudden amplification of TTP-related narratives in Bangladesh appears strategically timed. Observers note that between August 2024 and February 2026, there were credible concerns regarding the facilitation—both overt and covert—of visits by Pakistan-linked militant actors into Bangladesh. Yet, these developments did not receive comparable international attention.
The Tragic Loop of Bangladesh Politics: Did the People Vote for Change or Replacement?
Bangladesh’s political future depends on whether the BNP can discipline its own networks before citizens conclude that elections only rotate predators. It must act against extortion, land grabbing, political violence, campus capture, and intimidation, not as public relations damage, but as regime-defining threats.
More on Spotlight
Sri Lanka's debt deal with China: Implications for the economy and India-Sri Lanka relations
India and China have long been strategic rivals in South Asia. China's significant economic footprint in Sri Lanka, through investments in infrastructure projects like the Hambantota Port and the Colombo Port City, has raised concerns in New Delhi about Beijing’s growing influence. The debt deal, involving China, adds another layer to this complex relationship.
The Arakan Army: A growing security threat to Bangladesh and region
The AA’s control over large swathes of territory in Rakhine State, including strategic border areas, increases the risk of arms smuggling, human trafficking, and other illicit activities. Bangladesh's geography puts it at the heart of three major Asian drug trade routes - the Golden Wedge, the Golden Triangle and the Golden Crescent. This makes the country a lucrative transit for the region's drugs, especially from Myanmar and India, undermining Bangladesh’s internal security.
Intelligence sharing between India, Sri Lanka imperative to curb mounting IS threat to South Asia
The arrest of four Sri Lanka nationals last month in Ahmedabad, India by Gujarat's Anti-Terrorism Squad caught the attention of Sri Lankan authorities. During interrogation, the four admitted to being closely involved with the banned NTJ and confessed they joined IS through Pakistani handler Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi.
In India’s changed polity, it is now clearly Narendra Modi versus Rahul Gandhi
Nearly 20 years Modi’s junior, Gandhi now has the opportunity to directly counterbalance a prime minister who for ten years since 2014 lorded over legislative actions because no opposition party had managed to win the required 10 per cent of the 543 parliamentary seats.
A politicised judiciary in Pakistan needs comprehensive reforms to restore trust
The judiciary in Pakistan is at a crossroads. The current trend, characterised by politicisation and inefficiency, jeopardises the basic foundations of justice and the rule of law.
The leak-ed scandal: Can the new law cure the pervasive malady of examination paper leaks in India?
The Act does not sufficiently address the root causes of paper leaks, such as systemic corruption and the involvement of organized networks. Without tackling these underlying issues, the Act risks becoming a reactive tool rather than a proactive solution.
Climate crisis is on us: World has little to lose on climate finance agreement
If the world is not to waste this opportunity to declare an all-out war on the looming climate crisis, climate negotiators need to ‘huddle together’ with urgency to save ourselves from the scorching temperatures, devastating wildfires, deadly floods and other climate extremes of the future.
The Reasi terror attack and the Pakistani deep state's failed stratagems
Despite Pakistan’s repeated deniability of its proxy wars it conducts against India, it is a known fact that the State’s idea of counter terrorism is to selectively crack down on some terror outfits while overlooking the actions of the ones it nurtures and aligns with on similar strategic objectives. In an effort to mollify its "iron brother" China, Pakistan has carried out heavy-handed operations against its citizens who are not supportive of China and its growing presence in Pakistani affairs.
Western support to Sikh separatists is damaging for bilateral ties
It would be helpful to understand the context and background behind support to the Khalistanis by five western governments that particularly stand out i.e. the US, Canada, the UK, Germany, and Australia.
Pakistan's Economic Advisory Council: Will conflict of interest of members stymie effective economic governance?
The inclusion of merchants with evident vested interests in the EAC exemplifies the ethical quandary at the heart of Pakistan's economic administration. Their close financial links to the industries they are supposed to supervise and advise on are a typical example of putting the fox in charge of the henhouse.
Sheikh Hasina’s India visit: Paving the way for bilateral advancements and strategic partnerships
India may in principle approve the supply of electricity from Bhutan to Bangladesh using its power grid. Bangladesh will seek smooth supply of essentials like wheat, sugar and onions from India.
Amid worsening Myanmar situation, pressuring Bangladesh to accept more refugees will deepen Rohingya crisis
As the situation in Rakhine state remains severe, with recurrent clashes between the Arakan Army and the Tatmadaw providing no apparent resolution, sustaining the lives of over 1.3 million Rohingya is a massive challenge for Bangladesh.
Bangladesh needs to move to a circular economy for sustainable development
By combining Bangladesh's strong readymade garment industry with the Netherlands’ circular economy knowledge, one can create a win-win situation.
Resurgence of terror in Jammu and Kashmir: India needs to face up to new realities
A temporary lull in militancy in Jammu and Kashmir a few months back was followed by spikes in killings with a sudden spurt last week as the ISI and the terror masterminds in Pakistan had been intending to thwart any attempts at peacemaking. They wanted to dispel any myth that the J&K situation had been resolved in favor of India.
