The development of tribal people in the Chittagong Hill Tracts is much better than any remote region of Bangladesh, writes Hafizur Talukdar for South Asia Monitor
Why the Afghanistan-Pakistan Border Keeps Burning: Keys to Peace Lies With Group Whose Loyalties Answer to No One
The borderland TTP now exploits is the same terrain that Pakistan's own security establishment worked for decades to create as "strategic depth." The world of proxy-war infrastructure seldom remains directed towards where its architects have aimed.
India and Australia Enhance Strategic Relationship, Prioritise Maritime Domain Awareness to Secure Indo-Pacific
A significant factor that emerged after India launched Operation Sindoor against Pakistan in May 2025 was the strain in the India-US relationship under the Trump administration, driven by aggressive tariff disputes and policy friction. This indirectly accelerated India’s push to diversify partnerships, prompting New Delhi to lean more pragmatically into closer economic and strategic ties with middle powers such as Australia.
The Reopening of Nathu La and a Pragmatic India-China Compact: Opportunity for Both Countries to Move Beyond Symbolism
India and China need not share identical geopolitical visions to agree that a stable border, prosperous border communities and transparent rules are preferable to uncertainty. The most useful measure of Nathu La’s success may therefore be not how many tonnes cross the pass, but how routinely two neighbouring systems learn to work together.
Hasina’s December Gamble: Will it Become a Moment of Confrontation or Reconciliation?
December could therefore become much more than Victory Month. It could become a test of whether Bangladesh's next chapter will be written through democratic accommodation or another round of political vengeance. The danger is that a leader returning to face her past could inadvertently reopen the country's deepest wounds.
More on Geopolitics, Security and Strategic Affairs
Of marriages and separations across the Pakistan-India border: Visa issues keep brides and grooms apart
This is the story of Ganpat Singh from Pakistan’s Sodha Rajput community. Like him, each member of this half a million strong community has matrimonial linkages across the border in Rajasthan, India, writes Beena Sarwar for South Asia Monitor
Iran should not support the formation of Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan
The Taliban will soon face internal strife; the Haqqani network and extremist and fanatical factions will revolt against the moderates, splitting the Afghan nationalist struggle, writes Dr Ruhollah Eslami for South Asia Monitor
Western Australia should renew protagonist role in Australia-India bilateral
A stronger relationship with India is undeniably in Australia’s – and Western Australia’s – interest, writes Andrew Hunter for South Asia Monitor
Bhutan must be rewarded for battling climate change
Bhutan contributes little or zero to the climate crisis. Yet, it has not been justly rewarded for its noble and invaluable sacrifices, writes Rinchen Kinzang for South Asia Monitor
India-Bangladesh ties: A role model for neighbouring countries
India and Bangladesh can show the world how neighbouring countries can become all-weather friends, writes Jubeda Chowdhury for South Asia Monitor
Indian farm bill repeal: Setback to reforms, betrayal of poor farmers
The repeal of the farm bill stretches the plight of poor farmers and hurts the potential growth of food processing in the country, writes S. Majumder for South Asia Monitor
Pakistan needs to apologize for the 1971 genocide
The 1971 massacre of innocents in to be Bangladesh by Pakistan was one of the most heinous and barbaric genocides in world history, writes Farabi Bin Zahir for South Asia Monitor
Bangladesh and Bhutan can build on their PTA to diversify cooperation
Sheikh Hasina and Lotay Tshering have agreed on building the necessary infrastructure to avail the maximum benefits of the PTA signed between Bangladesh and Bhutan, writes Pathik Hasan for South Asia Monitor
Glasgow and South Asia: Questions on transition towards net-zero economy
Carbon finance is expected to play a critical role in leveraging private sector finance for flourishing regional power trade between Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal, writes Partha Pratim Mitra for South Asia Monitor
Don’t trust Pakistan on wheat to Afghanistan; Iran option can be explored
As Pakistan may play dirty with Indian aid to Afghanistan transiting its territory, India could consider the Iran route, writes Lt Gen P. C. Katoch (Retd) for South Asia Monitor
The unprecedented rise of the Indian-American CEO in corporate America
There’s no doubt we will see a growing number of Indians leading companies in America and around the world. And we hope that more of these leaders will be women, writes Raj L Gupta for South Asia Monitor
CPEC: A harbinger of utopia or misery for the people of Gwadar?
The success of the CPEC project, which is dubbed as a “game-changer” for the region, will be in question if the concerns of the people of Gwadar are not dealt with practically by the Pakistani establishment, writes Nizam Hassan for South Asia Monitor
Pakistan exploiting Gwadar in the garb of CPEC
Disregarding Gwadar in particular and forsaking Balochistan in general is causing a sense of alienation among the people, writes Mannan Samad for South Asia Monitor
Why Ghani failed Afghanistan: Culture of corruption, mismanagement and disrespect
Many competent and high qualified individuals refused to work in Ghani's administration and quit their jobs in frustration, writes Qudratullah Karimi for South Asia Monitor
