Pakistan Diplomacy

Pakistan’s Mediation Mirage: Strategic Posturing in a Fractured West Asia

Pakistan’s attempt to position itself as a peace broker in the Middle East may generate headlines, but it does little to advance the cause of stability. If anything, it underscores a larger truth: in high-stakes geopolitics, perceived neutrality without proven credibility is not an asset—it is a liability.

With Global Stability at Risk, India Must Initiate Efforts to De-escalate US–Israel–Iran Conflict

India’s leadership in global forums such as BRICS and the G20 further enhances its ability to bring together diverse stakeholders. Simultaneously, its role as a prominent voice of the Global South enables it to advocate for peace without appearing aligned with any specific 

War Against Iran Enters Second Month: Whither Global Leadership?

Expanding the arc of aerial/missile destruction  to the Bab el-Mandeb would irreparably threaten the last viable option for  Gulf oil exports and a regional war will soon cascade into an ‘epic’  global crisis. Ironically, the tally of death and destruction is barely mentioned and the war sanitized to a daily video ritual. Scroll and move on. Sagacious global leadership  is absent  when it is most needed  and a discerning global civil society has been  paralyzed by the unending Trump  theatrics. 

A New Dawn in Kathmandu: India Must be the First Responder to Nepali Needs

Given that Nepali citizens enjoy national treatment in India, greater enrolment in higher education institutions across Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal should be encouraged. India must remain the first responder to Nepal’s needs at all times. Sustained cooperation and mutual trust can help realise the vision of “Viksit Nepal” alongside “Viksit Bharat.” Regional frameworks such as SAARC, BBIN, and BIMSTEC should be leveraged to strengthen Nepal’s alignment with India across international platforms.

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Russia holds the key to India’s Eurasian policy

India is one of the few powers that sit at crossroads of Continental Eurasia and the Indo-Pacific --- the two regions that will define this century and to which India's development and security are inextricably linked, writes Lt. Gen. (Dr) Yash Malhotra (retd) for South Asia Monitor

Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan are no more LDCs - but COVID-19 casts a shadow over their graduation

For Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal, the opportunities for growth include trading more with one another – with India as the pivot – with better water, road and rail connectivity, writes N Chandra Mohan for South Asia Monitor

Modi visit to Bangladesh: A new turn to South Asia's complex geopolitics

The leadership on both sides has ushered a new chapter in India-Bangladesh relations. India is well-positioned geographically and industrially to play the role of a near-shore partner for its allies like Bangladesh, writes Dr Indu Saxena for South Asia Monitor

Western pullout from Afghanistan's 'forever war'; Kabul's future a strategic challenge for India

Biden, who is trying to draw India closer on the strategic front in the Indo-Pacific also wants to increase its involvement in Afghanistan, writes Arul Louis for South Asia Monitor  

Whither Afghan peace? Taliban throws the gauntlet to Washington

Walking out from the US-proposed intra-Afghan talks in Turkey, Taliban has cocked a snook at Capitol Hill indicating it will commence attacking foreign troops next month, writes Lt Gen Prakash Katoch (Retd) for South Asia Monitor

Pandemic's devastating impact on education in South Asia: Need for intra-regional cooperation

The digital economy gives a strong option for all countries of South Asia to connect not only within themselves but also globally, writes Partha Pratim Mitra for South Asia Monitor

Dark clouds over India-Pakistan trade: Will politics continue to mar prospects?

The upshot is that there is only one direction that bilateral trade between India and Pakistan can now go due to politics. This entails a huge loss in potential opportunities, writes N Chandra Mohan for South Asia Monitor

Bangladesh facing an increasingly violent Islamist ecosystem

Hasina, now basking in the glory of having led Bangladesh to phenomenal economic and human development progress in the golden decade of development, has her task cut out, writes Subir Bhaumik for South Asia Monitor

La Perouse: Quad emerges as strategic fulcrum of like-minded nations

Over the last year, both UK and Germany have also indicated that they propose to send their naval units to the IOR periodically for joint exercises, given the salience now accorded to the Indo-Pacific as a region, writes Cmde C Uday Bhaskar (retd) for South Asia Monitor

Is India turning its back on its benevolent past to shut doors on immigrants?

This is another aspect of the ‘Idea of India' on which the ruling party differs from the views of its opponents who swear by India’s multicultural society against the “one nation, one people, one culture” concept of the Hindu right, writes Amulya Ganguli for South Asia Monitor

The overseas Indian and the false notion of Indianness

It is simplistically assumed that no matter what, the overseas Indian considers himself/herself to be, first and foremost, Indian. When the person does not conform to such expectation, there is a sense of betrayal and of feeling let down, writes Amb Amit Dasgupta (retd) for South Asia Monitor 

Pakistan’s 1971 war debacle: A Bengali judge's report lies buried with little accountabilty

The five-year effort of Justice Rehman and two high court chief justices, and their damning indictment, seem to have made no impact either on the political class or the military in Pakistan in the long run, writes Mahendra Ved for South Asia Monitor 

Can the UAE bring India and Pakistan back on dialogue path?

Had the Pakistan government had the moxie to act on recent thawing developments on the trade front, it could have given a golden opportunity for both nations to start discussions and dialogue, opening new doors to enhance bilateral, social, political, and economic relations, writes Asif Rameez Daudi for South Asia Monitor

South Asia needs strategic integration for closer economic cooperation

The COVID-19 pandemic which has brought about a common set of challenges to all countries of the South Asia region necessitates the need for developing and strengthening a common agenda for trade and economic cooperation, writes Partha Pratim Mitra for South Asia Monitor

Kathmandu’s deteriorating air quality: Nepal should seek compensation from China, India

Nepal has all the right to claim compensation from its two neighbouring countries – China and India - two of the world’s biggest polluters, write Jivesh Jha & Alok Kumar Yadav  for South Asia Monitor