The newest symbol of Pakistan-Sri Lanka defence cooperation is Exercise Shake Hands-II, launched on April 27, 2026, in Tarbela, Pakistan. The two-week exercise brings together Pakistan Army’s elite Special Services Group (SSG) and Sri Lankan Special Forces. The purpose of the drill is to enhance interoperability, exchange operational experience and improve professional capabilities in counter-terrorism scenarios.
The question India needs to answer is not whether to side with Washington or Tehran. That framing is itself a trap. The question is whether India has the political will to build the energy independence, the institutional credibility, and the diplomatic infrastructure that would make such a choice genuinely unnecessary.
Deforestation in Pakistan is a pressing issue with serious implications for wildlife and ecological balance. Habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, and ecosystem disruption are already evident, and the situation will worsen without decisive action. While initiatives like large-scale tree planting are a step in the right direction, they must be complemented by strong policies, effective enforcement, and community involvement.
South Asian states prioritise partners who can deliver immediately in times of economic and political uncertainty. Despite expanding economic ties with China, they continue to turn to India for vital supplies like diesel, LPG and crude oil. This is not only about proximity but rather reflects a level of trust built through repeated experience. China, in response to the crisis, chose to restrict exports of refined fuels such as gasoline and diesel to protect its domestic market.
The power plants, cement and fertiliser units, and chemical industries have to be encouraged to utilize the paddy straw for the production of manure, briquettes and ethanol. These units could be provided the responsibility and authority of cutting the paddy straw from the fields after paying a nominal fee to the farmers. The arrangement could be a win-win situation for the paddy growers as well as user industries
It is imperative that Infrastructural requirements like roads, bridges, tunnels, power plants and other industries should be weighed against their ecological impact by experts and their cost-benefit analysis undertaken before final decisions are taken. The damage done by man to nature can sometimes be irreversible and irredeemable.
This despite full knowledge that the BNP and its permanent ally Jamaat e Islami are aligned with China and Pakistan. During the earlier BNP regimes in Bangladesh, major state-supported anti-India terrorist camps were running in that country, mainly in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, which also had instructors from Al Qaeda and Pakistan’s army-ISI.
Any facet of the economy one might imagine has the army's hand over it as evidenced in 2016 when the Pakistan Senate reckoned that the army operated more or less 50 commercial entities. Between 2011 and 2015 the Fauji Foundation, which perhaps serves as a facade for the Pakistani military’s commercial wing, grew its assets by 78 per cent.
Setting aside all the hullabaloo about the much-debated National Educational Policy 2020, the latter has hardly anything to offer on improving the sexual and reproductive health of women in India. This was unexpected since NEP 2020 aimed at holistic education.
The global political and economic order is beginning to aggressively impact our region. It may effectively alter the balance of power and cordiality, especially within the South Asian neighborhood.
Given its strategic location blended with the old maritime silk route legacy, China places Sri Lanka in the pole position of its maritime strategy.
The EU recognises that emerging countries such as Bangladesh have a great need for cash for infrastructure development and it will be hard to turn these states away from Chinese influence unless they are provided with financial tools to meet that demand.
It is indeed intriguing to question how Nepal and India, despite similar cultural realities, have displayed contrasting interpretations.
The world may have witnessed a cricket match, but for Afghans, it was a moment of glory, pride, and unity. Afghanistan once again proves that it is more than just a country; it is a resilient and hopeful nation on the rise.
Against the backdrop of the very intimate Qatar-US relations and the US-led West supporting Israel, the charge against Indian naval veterans of spying for Israel is absurd.
In conclusion, it may be said that while South Asia, Central and West Asia and Pacific Asia showed improvement in sustainability indicators for environment and energy in 2020, they did not do so well in social and governance indicators.
The COVID-19 crisis has showcased global cooperation and a shared sense of humanity. Nations collaboratively navigated the pandemic, emphasizing a collective response and coexistence during challenging times
The imposition of draconian laws in Bangladesh and the government’s strenuous efforts to defend itself against the smear campaign and attacks against journalists and media persons reflect a familiar picture across South Asian nations like India and Sri Lanka where electronic surveillance and stifling dissent have become all too common
As Durga Puja approaches and the country's Hindu communities prepare themselves to embrace their beloved goddess, the leaders of the Bangladesh Hindu, Buddhist, and Christian Unity Council, a religious minority organisation, are concerned about a possible outbreak of communal strife in the nation.
