Atma Jayaram (1915-1990)

Atma Jayaram: India’s Gentleman Spymaster who loved Sri Lanka

Recently declassified documents from the National Archives in Colombo have shed light on Jayaram's involvement in assisting Sri Lanka during the leftist guerrilla insurrection that engulfed the island nation.  Acting on Jayaram's advice, 150 Indian Gurkha soldiers were reportedly deployed to protect Colombo International Airport.

Managing India--Border Tensions - and the 'New Normal'

It is an  elegantly worded statement and impossible to disprove. It turns a dispute about differing LAC perceptions,  acknowledged since 1993,  into a story of Chinese compliance and Indian deviation.  This is the new China that India must manage, not the old one.  

India's BRICS Legacy: Did 2026 Produce Something More Durable?

India achieved this in a group that has changed a great deal. BRICS now has 11 members and 10 partner countries, with very different political systems and, at times, sharply different views. In May 2026, a meeting of BRICS foreign ministers in New Delhi ended without a joint statement because of differences among members over the conflict in West Asia.

Is India-Pakistan Peace Possible? Need to Erase Religious Differences, Embrace Common Humanity

We must approach peace in the same way: One school screening, one honest history lesson, one interfaith friendship, one community conversation, and one courageous act at a time. We cannot change the past, but we can decide what we pass on to the next generation

More on Geopolitics, Security and Strategic Affairs

Pakistan: The cost of being Shia

Though, the Pakistan government does not officially support discrimination against Shias, it is failing to efficiently counter the influence of extremists and bring an end to violence against the community, writes Sanchita Bhattacharya for South Asia Monitor

Kra Canal project cancellation will upset Beijing’s plans in IOR

Had the Kra Canal come up, China would have taken control of it in all probability like the Hambantota Port in Sri Lanka giving it a tremendous strategic advantage, writes Lt Gen P. C. Katoch (retd) for South Asia Monitor

New education policy will make India global education destination; will attract students from South Asia

With the setting up of world-class education at low cost India will begin to attract students from neighbouring countries like Bangladesh, Maldives, Afghanistan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka for whom it is the first choice of destination when it comes to studying abroad, writes Dr. Sheenu Jain for South Asia Monitor

Rafale induction and the make-believe brigade: India should focus on hard techno-military realities

The Ambala media extravaganza ought to encourage an internal review by the Modi government about strategic communication and related signalling in matters military. Carry a big stick but talk softly is an adage that has not lost its relevance, writes C Uday Bhaskar for South Asia Monitor

US-India-Sri Lanka triad will be beneficial for IOR and Indo-Pacific

Trade instruments like the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) and the Indo-Sri Lanka Free Trade (ISFTA) agreements are some of the gainful tools with which the US can use to access South Asia’s consumer markets, write Srimal Fernando and Vedangshi Roy Choudhuri for South Asia Monitor 

Child marriages go up in Bangladesh during COVID-19: Need to strike at root causes

It is high time that the child marriage rate - gone up during the pandemic - should be brought down drastically and for this, the Bangladesh government, NGOs, and society at large should work together to put an end to this menace, writes  Sarmin Akter for South Asia Monitor

Nepal-India cultural and social ties hit hard by border sealing

Cross border marriage, i.e., matrimony between Nepali son/daughter and India’s son/daughter, is very common in bordering districts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. This is the reason why Nepal's Madheshis treat Indian soil as their relatives’ home, not a foreign land, write Jivesh Jha & Roshan Kumar Jha for South Asia Monitor

It's going to be a long eyeball-to-eyeball standoff with China: But India is well prepared

The Chinese had realised that not only were they outnumbered but totally outflanked, making their position untenable. Any armed clash hereafter would have been suicidal, writes Anil Bhat for South Asia Monitor 

China’s nationalism and global aspirations: India can turn a challenge into an opportunity

India has tremendous goodwill and support from the international community which will influence Chinese future manoeuvres against India, writes Lt Gen PR Kumar (retd) for South Asia Monitor

The Congress rebellion that never was: India's political parties lack internal democracy

Though the party crisis seems to have blown over, for the time being, the future of the Congress does not appear to be bright. And it has nothing to do with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), writes Vinod Aggarwal for South Asia Monitor

Ironing out the bumps in India-Bangladesh ties

India-Bangladesh relations have grown deeper and wider in scope in the past decade. But irritants and hitches can develop between neighbours with even the best of ties, writes Shubha Singh for South Asia Monitor

Indian Americans set to wield greater influence in US politics

It can safely be concluded that 2020 is the year the Indian American community has become relevant in American politics, writes Frank Islam for South Asia Monitor 

Cancer and chronic disease patients bear a heavy burden during COVID

Oncologists across the world have expressed concern over the probability of rising cancer mortality and morbidity, not because of the coronavirus pandemic per se, but because of the inability of the healthcare system to treat cancers as it normally should, writes Dr (Col) R Ranga Rao for South Asia Monitor

Will Shringla's visit reshape the complex relations between Bangladesh, India and China?

Bangladesh takes a neutral position to whatever happens between the two Asian giants, but Chinese President Xi Jinping's growing influence and strong defence ties with Bangladesh are making India concerned, writes Sarmin Akhter for South Asia Monitor

Bangladesh's controversial digital security act: A weapon to silence independent media?

Using the controversial Act as a tool the Bangladesh government has tried to keep surveillance on journalists, and also to repress and muffle the independent voices in social media and traditional mass media, writes Aashish Kiphayet for South Asia Monitor

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