Violent clashes in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK)

PoK Polls Expose A Deeper Faultline: Widening Gap Between Official Narratives and Ground Realities

Any further instability in the region carries security implications for both countries. Escalating unrest along an already sensitive frontier can heighten tensions and reduce the already limited space for dialogue between New Delhi and Islamabad.

Asymmetric Warfare via Migration: What India Can Learn from Spain’s Ceuta Crisis

Rightly, India is now treating mass irregular Rohingya migration as an engineered, hybrid national security threat that requires a coordinated border guarding, diplomatic, and legal response.

India's Pakistan Policy Needs Communication, Not Talks

Ultimately, sustainable peace between India and Pakistan cannot be built merely through meetings or declarations. It requires a fundamental transformation in Pakistan's approach towards terrorism, regional stability and bilateral relations. Until that happens, comprehensive dialogue is unlikely to produce meaningful outcomes. 

China’s Criminal Footprint in Sri Lanka has Regional Security Implications

When a Chinese company won the contract to establish hybrid wind and solar energy projects on three islands off the northern Jaffna peninsula—just 45 km from Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu—the security implications extended far beyond economics. Against this backdrop, India’s concerns are entirely justifiable. Sri Lanka faces a pressing question: how will the nation confront the infiltration of Chinese global criminal networks? Since Mahinda Rajapaksa’s tenure, Chinese presence in Colombo has steadily increased, with Sri Lanka positioned as a partner state in Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative.

More on Geopolitics, Security and Strategic Affairs

Bangladesh's participation in EU's Global Gateway Summit sends out a clear message

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. 

Same-sex marriage: Caught in debate between judicial overreach and judicial restraint in India

It is indeed intriguing to question how Nepal and India, despite similar cultural realities, have displayed contrasting interpretations. 

Afghanistan: A nation torn by war; united by cricket

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.

Qatar's death-sentencing of eight Indian naval veterans a fallout of Israel-Hamas war?

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.

Sustainable Development: South Asia in the Asian perspective

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.

Global community should realise futility of war: Usher in era of coexistence and conflict management

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

Quelling press freedom in Bangladesh: Democratic downslide an ominous trend across South Asia

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

Communal violence mustn't be employed as a weapon in Bangladesh's election

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.

Will IMEC be a potential game-changer for India and South Asia?

For India, IMEC is a strategic move to lessen dependency on its traditional trading partners while opening up a horizon of opportunities in markets ranging from technology to energy. Also, India is poised to countervail growing Chinese influence in South Asia if successful implementation of IMEC becomes possible. 

Nepal's regional diplomatic balancing demonstrates its non-aligned foreign policy

Nepal’s participation in bilateral infrastructure projects with China exemplifies its aspiration for mutual economic growth. Yet its decision to distance itself from the GSI indicates its commitment to remain neutral, given its deep-rooted ties with India.

How Indian expertise and BIMSTEC's traditional knowledge can transform underwater domain awareness for regional benefit

The talent pool that exists in the BIMSTEC - in countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Thailand - can be channelized across areas of data analytics, underwater domain (acoustic signal processing) and for field deployment.  Indian talent is known globally for its data analytics skills, and coupled with the underwater domain expertise, can work on the MSP-based digital transformation for the region.

Bangladesh's march towards energy security - with a little Russian help

The successful operation of the  Rooppur plant will underscore the commitment of Bangladesh to responsible and secure nuclear energy utilization

Pakistan needs to reshape priorities: Trim high defence budget, build positive ties with India

History has shown that whenever Pakistan sought peaceful relations with India, India responded positively. This held true during democratic governments and even during dictatorships in Pakistan.

With China tightening hold on South Asia, Maldives a wake-up call for India

Muizzu’s regime in the Maldives in conjunction with Pakistan could be potentially sitting on China’s lap for decades, along with a pro-China government in Nepal, and Myanmar annyway drawn into China’s strategic sphere since the military coup in Nay Pyi Taw in February 2021.

Islamic State's expanding footprints pose grave security threat to Pakistan and South Asia

While Pakistan continues to blame India for the bombings in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,  it fails to introspect on its own internal crisis stemming from its policies against its citizens and the military/political support being given to certain radical outfits or groups.