Amid strategic challenges from Beijing in Bangladesh, New Delhi cannot separate border management with foreign policy. New Delhi should hold high-level dialogue with Dhaka and develop a cooperative roadmap to facilitate the identification and repatriation of undocumented migrants from India.
The visit therefore should not be viewed simply as another bilateral defence engagement. It represents an attempt by New Delhi to institutionalise India's security relationship with Sri Lanka, while simultaneously reassuring Colombo that India's expanding security interests need not threaten Sri Lankan sovereignty.
Belgium views India as an opportunity to reduce its economic dependence on China and limit vulnerability to developments in the United States. India offers scale, growth, industrial capacity and ambition, while Belgium offers technology, specialised expertise, logistics and access to the European market.
India has its own legacy of maternal peacebuilding, from Jijabai to the Meira Paibi. What we lack is the language to celebrate and institutionalize these contributions. Recognizing mothers as peacebuilders is not just a cultural insight; it is a practical necessity for societies striving for harmony.
A growing area of cooperation between India and the UAE is agriculture. UAE has committed to setting up three food parks in India - in the states of Haryana, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh - at an estimated cost of $2 billion to address the issue of food security as both countries had also agreed to set up a food corridor.
It is undeniable that although the movement was initially for quota reform, it later took the shape of a movement to overthrow the government. It was an attempt to taste power through undemocratic, back-alley, violent means. An attempt was made to create a "Bengali Spring: in Bangladesh in the style of the Arab Spring.
The inclusion of the military dimension in India-Saudi Arabia relations is of great strategic significance which is expected to gain more momentum in the future.
Bangladesh's triumph in off-grid renewable energy, epitomized by the SHS program, serves as a global benchmark. The collaborative efforts of government, private sector, and public entities have ushered in a new era of sustainable energy.
Pakistan's climatic catastrophe requires a global response. Developed countries must fulfill their pledges to provide financial and technological assistance to developing countries like Pakistan so that they can effectively mitigate and adapt to climate change.
Quite unequivocally, strategic autonomy would be a hallmark of India’s foreign and security policy allowing it to oscillate between strategic proximity and strategic distancing depending on the circumstances and need of the hour. New Delhi would certainly not be guided by the script the US, or its Western allies prescribe.
Madrassas in Pakistan and Afghanistan, often funded by Gulf states, have spread extremist ideologies. Saudi-financed madrasas in Pakistan taught Wahhabism, fostering a transnational network of militants using Afghanistan as a base. The U.S. and Saudi Arabia provided substantial aid and funding to these madrassas and the Mujahideen, promoting jihad against the Soviets.
Pakistan's continuous political turbulence, characterised by infighting and power rivalries, poses a serious threat to the country's economic development.
The violent conflicts have caused infrastructure damage, supply chain disruptions, and industry closures that have cost Bangladesh billions of dollars in lost revenue and negatively impacted essential industries like clothing, steel, ceramics, and pharmaceuticals. Its ramifications went beyond short-term financial losses.
The whole Baloch nation has faced the worst form of oppression by the Pakistani State: they have been abducted, received mutilated bodies of their loved ones, confronted illegal raids, illegal detention, and bogus cases. They have not been allowed peaceful protests; they have been totally censored by mainstream media.
It is crucial for India and Pakistan to establish new confidence-building measures (CBMs) to mitigate the potential destabilizing effects of advanced technologies. Key elements of effective CBMs include robust communication channels, bilateral discussions on emerging technologies and their implications for regional peace, and strict adherence to missile test notification protocols.
In this newly revived spirit of amity, PM Gunawardena travelled from Jaffna to Kilinochchi by road. There were no protests and he was received at both venues with warmth and cordiality.
Hasina sees no contradiction in maintaining equity in ties with China and India as she is able to adeptly navigate the conflicting interests of China and India. Analysts feel that Dhaka will continue to have a balanced approach to ties with Beijing and New Delhi since Bangladesh depends on both for stability and growth.
The Moscow meeting was to understand each other's priorities and concerns according to the evolving geopolitics and reassure each other of their commitment to deepening their relationship in the coming years.
A credible, viable, and sustainable foreign and security policy needs to see relationship building, collaboration, and cooperation as part of its education policy and driven by an aspiration for global good and human welfare.
