History offers a different lesson now: had India’s proposal been accepted, the war might have ended with far fewer casualties. Instead, the LTTE’s miscalculation culminated in Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination—driven by fears that his return to power would bring back the Indian Peace Keeping Force. The belief that opposing India could achieve a separate Tamil state proved catastrophic.
Trump’s demand for Pakistan to recognize Israel threatens to trigger serious domestic backlash inside the country. Public sentiment in Pakistan overwhelmingly supports the Palestinian cause, while religious and political groups strongly oppose normalization with Israel without the creation of an independent Palestinian state.
Chinese social media reactions to Rubio’s visit also reflected a degree of skepticism and criticism towards India. Several commentators focused on developmental and infrastructural contrasts between India and China. Discussions surrounding traffic congestion, pollution, aging infrastructure, and even the extreme summer temperatures in northern India were used by some online voices to project what they described as a “dismal” picture of India.
The Putin–Xi meeting, therefore, should not be interpreted as the birth of a fixed anti-American alliance. Rather, it reflects a flexible alignment whose cooperation is strongest where grievances overlap, but weakest where ambitions collide. Putin and Xi are united more by pressure than by trust. They are aligned in opposing American dominance, but not necessarily in supporting each other’s long-term rise.
There is little doubt that the whole of last year when the virus first appeared was spent in theatrical exercises based on a personality cult instead of strengthening the medical infrastructure so that the country would not be caught unawares when a second wave struck, writes Amulya Ganguli for South Asia Monitor
The withdrawal of the US forces will increase India's concern about the recapture of power by the Taliban and the use of Afghanistan’s territory as a safe haven for terrorists, writes Indu Saxena for South Asia Monitor
It’s high time for the people and the government to come together in devising a robust mechanism for the implementation of the constitutional provisions, for the republic, deserves to realize the cherished goals envisioned under the preamble, write Jivesh Jha and Dr Alok Kumar Yadav for South Asia Monitor
While carbon neutrality will be the pitch during the summit, PM Modi should use climate diplomacy not only to remind the developed countries about common but differentiated responsibilities and their past commitments, but also to institutionalize the mechanism and alliance jointly with USA, for tracking the climate finances to developing countries and mainstream climate justice, writes Rajendra Shende for South Asia Monitor
Amid the divergent claims by the US and the Indian governments, it is important to delineate the correct position of international law on the military activities in the EEZ, writes Aftab Alam for South Asia Monitor
Since there is little chance of the BJP desisting from its pursuit of religion-based politics which places the surmises, predilections and objectives of the party’s Hindu followers above those of the minorities, the country will have to brace itself for a prolonged period of Hindu-Muslim confrontation, writes Amulya Ganguli for South Asia Monitor
India is one of the few powers that sit at crossroads of Continental Eurasia and the Indo-Pacific --- the two regions that will define this century and to which India's development and security are inextricably linked, writes Lt. Gen. (Dr) Yash Malhotra (retd) for South Asia Monitor
For Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal, the opportunities for growth include trading more with one another – with India as the pivot – with better water, road and rail connectivity, writes N Chandra Mohan for South Asia Monitor
The leadership on both sides has ushered a new chapter in India-Bangladesh relations. India is well-positioned geographically and industrially to play the role of a near-shore partner for its allies like Bangladesh, writes Dr Indu Saxena for South Asia Monitor
Biden, who is trying to draw India closer on the strategic front in the Indo-Pacific also wants to increase its involvement in Afghanistan, writes Arul Louis for South Asia Monitor
Walking out from the US-proposed intra-Afghan talks in Turkey, Taliban has cocked a snook at Capitol Hill indicating it will commence attacking foreign troops next month, writes Lt Gen Prakash Katoch (Retd) for South Asia Monitor
The digital economy gives a strong option for all countries of South Asia to connect not only within themselves but also globally, writes Partha Pratim Mitra for South Asia Monitor
The upshot is that there is only one direction that bilateral trade between India and Pakistan can now go due to politics. This entails a huge loss in potential opportunities, writes N Chandra Mohan for South Asia Monitor
Hasina, now basking in the glory of having led Bangladesh to phenomenal economic and human development progress in the golden decade of development, has her task cut out, writes Subir Bhaumik for South Asia Monitor
Over the last year, both UK and Germany have also indicated that they propose to send their naval units to the IOR periodically for joint exercises, given the salience now accorded to the Indo-Pacific as a region, writes Cmde C Uday Bhaskar (retd) for South Asia Monitor
