A nation's power today is judged not just by its military or economy but also by the credibility, speed, and resonance of its narrative. As adversaries evolve their hybrid warfare strategies to target public opinion, social trust, and international perception, India must develop a narrative response architecture that is anticipatory rather than reactive
Flashforward from 1971 to 2025 to a Pakistan facing almost the same kind of problems that it was facing in 1971: same intrusions of military in public affairs, same hopelessness, same corruption, same or more inflation and, most importantly, the same threat of rebellion.
The warm reception given to Pakistan's Army Chief in Washington is more than symbolic. It indicates Washington's strategic calculation—that India, despite its rhetoric, is becoming a more problematic partner. Washington, while not forsaking India, is hedging its bets. Its embrace of Pakistan is a backup plan.
India’s states play an outsized role in public spending accounting for nearly +/- 60% of total government expenditure. However, their fiscal health varies greatly across pan India. As someone closely observing both macroeconomic trends and grassroots governance models, I notice a growing divide between states that follow prudent fiscal practices and those still trapped in populist spending cycles.
On October 21, 2023, India launched ‘Project Udhbav’ during the inauguration of the Indian Military Heritage Festival to synthesize ancient wisdom with contemporary military practices, forging a unique and holistic approach to address modern security challenges. It is tempting to draw a correspondence between India’s and China’s initiatives just 17 days apart.
India has 24 nuclear reactors in operation in 8 nuclear power plants with a total installed capacity of 8,180 MW nuclear power produced a total of 48 TWh in 2023, contributing around 3% of total power generation in India. Due to earlier trade bans and lack of indigenous uranium, India has uniquely been developing a nuclear fuel cycle to exploit its reserves of thorium. India is actively pursuing the development of nuclear energy using thorium as its primary fuel source
Since the Colombo Process Ministerial Consultation in Bali, 2005, member states have taken concrete steps to improve the management of labour migration. There has been significant progress in areas of revised policies and regulations. There is greater cooperation between Colombo Process countries and key destination countries. Several initiatives are now in place including awareness-raising campaigns, orientation training, recruitment drives, remittance investment and welfare programmes.
India’s rise provides positive ripple impact to the region and the world, from economic and trade spillover effects to the larger equation of helping to secure and preserve the rules-based order that has been the main bedrock of global trade and maritime capacity, maintaining the sanctity of international law and global norms, and in securing the freedom of navigation and overflight in international waters
Economic considerations surrounding media ownership in South Asia amplify the difficulties of conducting value-neutral journalism. People and businesses with a strong desire to keep things amicable between governments and public institutions own a lot of big media outlets. Journalists are unable to objectively critique powerful entities due to their reliance on advertising, government contracts, or political patronage.
China’s pervasive and growing economic (finance, infrastructure, trade, and energy sectors), diplomatic, and overt/covert military influence, in Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, India’s northeastern states, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Maldives, and back to Gwadar in Pakistan is amply evident. The recent bonhomie between Bangladesh and Pakistan, both under China’s influence, raises fresh challenges for India’s security.
While a Chinese-backed coal power project in Sri Lanka is being carried out without opposition, Adani’s eco-friendly energy project, which the world is looking to as the energy of the future, is being opposed.
South Asia, home to nearly two billion people, stands at a crossroads as Trump’s policies reshape regional dynamics. India’s growing prominence within the QUAD strengthens its strategic position, but smaller economies like Bangladesh face vulnerabilities.
The mass deportations - which will potentially affect hundreds if not thousands of South Asians - are not logistically or financially possible and have been pared down by his nominees, limiting it to criminal migrants.
A number of leading universities and institutes around the world have initiated net-zero hubs in their campuses but India is the first country to initiate a collaborative national movement supported by government and industry. Integrating 23 IITs in this movement will be a groundbreaking concept that can elevate India as the world leader in clean technologies and of skilled human capital.
Imran Khan’s political journey in Pakistan highlights the transformative power of cyberspace in a liquid modern world. Initially dismissed by critics, Khan leveraged social media to build a narrative of hope and change. Khan’s PTI has consistently outperformed traditional parties in digital engagement, mobilizing urban youth and the diaspora.
If one analyzes the contemporary South Asian legal landscape, one can still see the influence of colonial-era laws and these laws are largely being used to oppress the common people. In Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan one has seen some colonial laws and their oppressive acts being changed and, in some instances, more oppressive ones taking their place.
It was an extraordinary speech delivered in the midst of a crisis that had brought India to the precipice of insolvency. Laying out an exhaustive prescription for how he would go about fixing a sick economy, Dr. Singh was sensitive enough to give it a highly optimistic and sanguine touch.
The practices of wearing vermillion on her forehead, a ‘mangalsutra’ (auspicious thread worn by married women in their husband’s name) around her neck, a ‘laal bindi’ (red dot sign that a woman is married) and changing her name to include the name and/or the surname of her patriarch. The claims of patriarchal superiority thus come to embodied in her body, identity, entity, and space.
The Supreme Court’s decision reaffirms the pivotal role of the military in Pakistan’s national security framework. While civilian authorities are crucial, the military is often seen as the protector of the nation, especially during times of instability. The Court’s ruling underscores the importance of the military’s involvement in ensuring swift justice for those involved in anti-state activities, particularly when national security is at stake.
