Pakistan firing from Hangor-class submarine

Pakistan’s Hangor-Class Fires Its First Missile. Can It Shift the Maritime Balance in South Asia?

The September 27 firing is therefore best seen as the beginning of a new phase in Pakistan’s naval modernization. The larger strategic question is still open. Whether Hangor changes the regional maritime balance will depend on what comes next

India Strategically Transforming Bay of Bengal Islands Into a Major Trade, Logistics and Military Hub

The Great Nicobar Island Development Project (GNIDP)  is a mammoth venture by India to strategically strengthen its presence in the Andaman Sea and Southeast Asia with its own transshipment hub. The mega-infrastructure project spans approximately166.10 sq km covering about 15% of the total landmass of Great Nicobar Island at the southernmost tip of the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago.

One Wounded Indian Pilot Was the Last Line of Defense; That Is the Problem

An Emirati airline, an Indian captain, Israeli passengers, and Saudi authorities all played a part. India, re-elected to the ICAO Council last year, is well placed to push these standards into global aviation rules. The best tribute to Captain Machchhar is making sure the next crew never needs a hero.

Reimagining India-Canada Relations: Towards a Mutually Beneficial Relationship for Wider Public Good

Canada hosts close to 1.9 million persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) and 3% of Canada’s population, one of the largest ethnic groups in Canada’s multiethnic and multicultural society. Although immigration policy of Canada has tightened in recent years, yet a lot of students who study in Canada prefer to stay back and work in Canada acquiring permanent residency and citizenship.

More on Geopolitics, Security and Strategic Affairs

Why Indian money rules world cricket

Millions of Indian cricket fans across the globe are the real foundation of the Indian cricket board's financial power, writes Qaiser Mohammad Ali for South Asia Monitor

In India's hijab row, Muslim girls' education trapped between extremists of both religions

The Hindu rightwing gets its due provocation from Muslim communalism and extremism. Is there any role of Muslim communalists in fueling the hijab row?, writes Ram Puniyani for South Asia Monitor 

Nepal power: Caught between Chinese capital and Indian market

Nepal will be permitted to export power to Bangladesh via India at a later time in order to fulfill the expanding energy demands of that country, writes Benedict B. George for South Asia Monitor 

After Beijing, its destination Moscow for Pakistan PM Imran Khan: Can Russia take Islamabad at its word?

Russia is well aware of how Pakistan has been facilitating the movement of ISIS cadres from Iraq-Syria into northern Afghanistan at the behest of the US, writes Lt Gen P.C. Katoch (retd) for South Asia Monitor 

An adrift Congress in India is a serious problem for democracy

It takes no great political intelligence to point out that a tumultuous democracy like India desperately needs a credible national counter to Modi’s BJP, writes Mayank Chhaya for South Asia Monitor

Growing presence of women in India’s armed forces: An issue that should not be politicized

One major reason the Indian Army has not allowed women officers in fighting arms and would not like to do so is that it does not want them captured by the enemy, writes Col Anil Bhat (retd) for South Asia Monitor

The interplay of caste and politics in India's most populous state

The recent trends in elections have shown undeniable evidence that women no longer remain passive voters, writes Shraddha Nand Bhatnagar for South Asia Monitor

Bangladesh has stake in peace and stability in India's Northeast

Connectivity and infrastructural development with Bangladesh will also open up new routes to India's Northeast, Bhutan and Nepal, writes Benedict B. George for South Asia Monitor

India’s intangible heritage: Its composite, living culture carries a multidimensional message in trying times

Such recognition by UNESCO, whether of Durga Puja or Srinagar as a Creative City, helps to underline that India’s culture is a living culture, writes Amb Bhaswati Mukherjee (retd) for South Asia Monitor

The Nightingale has fallen silent: Lata Mangeshkar's music had universal appeal

Numbers have defied easy recording, whether Lata sang 25,000 songs or 30,000, for an estimated 1,000 films, writes Mahendra Ved for South Asia Monitor

India must not politically or economically appease China

The fact remains that as long as India, Nepal and Bhutan do not protest Chinese aggressive moves because of political compulsions China will keep having its way, writes Lt Gen P. C. Katoch (retd.) for South Asia Monitor

Sri Lanka will come out of its present crisis stronger

With heightened external geopolitical fissures in the region, balancing infrastructure diplomacy between China, India and the US is indeed a daunting challenge for Sri Lanka, writes Sugeeswara Senadhira for South Asia Monitor

Why does Pakistan lag far behind Bangladesh?

Although Bangladesh was a part of Pakistan, it has already surpassed Pakistan in almost all socio-cultural and economic indicators, writes Jebeda Chowdhury for South Asia Monitor

Appropriating Subhas Chandra Bose: He was equally critical of both Muslim and Hindu communal streams

Bose was very clear that in independent India equal opportunities should be thrown open to all, irrespective of caste, creed or religion, writes Ram Puniyani for South Asia Monitor 

Can Air India become world class again? Can Tatas live up to expectations?

What is the future of civil aviation and Air India? The immediate outlook is that it will take beyond 2022-23 to return to any semblance of pre-pandemic normalcy, writes N. Chandra Mohan for South Asia Monitor