In post-colonial South Asia, the British who ruled and plundered the region also sowed the seeds of ‘divide and rule’, dividing the people along Hindu-Muslim or Sinhala-Tamil lines. Partition of the subcontinent was also a result of the same policy.

With India's pluralist traditions coming increasingly under question under a Hindu majoritarian dispensation, and a vicious call-out culture directed insidiously against Muslim stars and their films from Bollywood, the overwhelming popular response to the film - with social media images of people dancing in the aisles and in front of the screen across cinema theatres -  has given a resounding thumbs-down to the growing cancel culture and redeemed the country's secular credentials that the world has long known and admired.

The Jaipur Literature Festival has also had a significant influence on Indian politics. The festival has provided a platform for political leaders, activists, and academics to discuss important political issues, such as democracy, human rights, and social justice. This has helped to raise awareness about these issues and promote greater political engagement and participation among the Indian public.

But the elaborate plan of the Pakistani military hierarchy to engineer “strategic depth” in Afghanistan has backfired badly. Shehbaz Sharif is in a pitiable position – a wobbly zebra kowtowing to the army; Imran Khan continuing to stoke political problems; pockets are empty; energy crisis is aggravating; and snakes bred to attain strategic depth are climbing his legs demanding rule of Sharia.

ONDC is a novel initiative that has still not been attempted anywhere else in the world. However, looking at the potential value that this initiative can generate, its success will be greatly beneficial for the digital economy of the country. 

In the last two years, both countries have had 18 bilateral visits; Bangladesh sent 7 delegations to the US while the US sent 11 delegations, including the latest visit of Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu.

With constant attacks on CPEC projects and Chinese workers, protests breaking out across the nation against economic hardships, and an increase in internal terrorism, Islamabad is being forced to ramp up its military even while it is being spread thin due to increasing crisis points requiring its attention.

Afghanistan is important to India’s continental economic aspirations, including closer ties with Central Asia and Iran. These goals are currently hampered by Pakistan’s blockade of Indian access to the region.

Between 2008 and 2021, the sectoral economic transition witnessed in most countries in South Asia - and in other parts of Asia - has  reduced the sectoral share of GDP in agriculture  and also the  employment burden on agriculture  in most countries.  This trend, however, changed in the wake of Covid -19  when the share of agriculture in GDP in countries rose along with share of employment.

As of December 2022, the total dues to developing countries by developed countries stand at about USD 1 trillion whereas only about USD 10 billion have been disbursed through Green Climate Fund till now.

Bangladesh always has had good terms with the US and is one of the largest recipients of US government and private aid. But as the geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific region becomes heated, it has brought in its wake  diverse interests that Bangladesh is not ready to cater to as yet.

The question is whether Adani, also the world's third richest man, is also sensing shifting political sands in India and is preparing to stabilize himself so as not to trip if such an eventuality comes to be. The answer will unfold over several months until 2024.

With the Communists back in power in Kathmandu, China will be able to push its own agenda, as well as that of Pakistan, in Nepal. It has cross-border ramifications for India at the tactical level, as well as larger ones at the strategic level when seen in concert with Chinese moves in Bhutan and Myanmar.

As Bhutan celebrates 50 years of introducing Gross National Happiness to the world, it has had a sizable impact on the political, social, environmental, and economic aspects of Bhutan. It is time for the world to give the concept more importance and conduct research on it.

Delhi views Munir as a hardliner; so it is expected the COAS may use all resources against India to tarnish India`s image through information warfare or other means to perpetuate friction.