It is critical for India to make some uncomfortable choices to safeguard its strategic interests in Afghanistan, write Prashant Rastogi and Swati Sinha for South Asia Monitor
From Ecological Decline to Food Insecurity: Pollinator Loss has Long-Term Consequences for Pakistan Agriculture
The decline of pollinators in Pakistan is not an isolated environmental issue. It is a structural signal of imbalance within agricultural ecosystems. It reflects how modern farming practices, if not carefully managed, can inadvertently weaken the very systems upon which they depend. The danger lies not in sudden collapse but in gradual erosion that goes unnoticed until productivity begins to decline in visible and irreversible ways.
Gulf Crisis: Pakistan Hosts the Table; India Influences the Room (Part V)
India’s role in the Middle East crisis is defined not by presence at negotiation tables but by its ability to sustain stability around them.While Pakistan facilitates talks between the US and Iran in Islamabad, India underwrites the broader security architecture through its maritime presence, economic weight, and multi-aligned diplomacy.
Water Security and Regional Peace: Future of the Indus Waters Treaty in a Changing Climate
The Indus Waters Treaty has lasted more than 60 years, illustrating diplomacy's ability to handle one of South Asia's most sensitive resources. However, climate change and geopolitical tensions have called into question its significance. To guarantee that the treaty continues to prevent war and promote shared prosperity, Indian and Pakistani governments must update its provisions, invest in joint institutions, and view water as a shared strategic asset rather than a source of friction.
Iran at the Crossroads: In a Changing Region, Tehran’s Critical Choices Could Shape Change (Part IV)
Iran's demonstrated endurance to maintain its intrinsic rights to nuclear enrichment as an NPT state even under sanctions and its willingness to escalate without collapsing, is an important consideration for the Iranian regime. This issue was centre stage at the collapsed Islamabad negotiations. How Iran shapes its stand will be centre piece of future negotiations.
More on Spotlight
How far is India from a $5 trillion economy?
However, progress towards a USD 5 trillion economy has so far been elusive. The goalposts are also shifting. Even at the scorching pace likely in 2021-22, the economy will hit USD 5 trillion only in 2025-26, writes N Chandra Mohan for South Asia Monitor
Biden names China as main adversary, but silent on India, Indo-Pacific
Biden's predecessor Donald Trump had made the Indo-Pacific region, the main theatre of confrontation, a focus of his strategy on China with the Quad – US, India, Japan and Australia – as an emerging force there, an alliance of democracies bookended by the US and India, writes Arul Louis for South Asia Monitor
United calls for peace in Afghanistan: Taliban must stop daily killings
The first gathering of Afghanistan and Indian Islamic scholars was held at India Islamic Cultural Centre in New Delhi and held that the war in Afghanistan and targeting of civilian institutions was illegitimate and there is no religious justification for it, writes Sayed Ziaullah Hashimi for South Asia Monitor
Can Pakistan tide over credibility crisis over acquittal of Daniel Pearl's killers?
While peace in Afghanistan seems a long way off, and the two issues are not connected, the Pearl/Sheikh issue has emerged as a diplomatic hot potato, writes Mahendra Ved for South Asia Monitor
For India’s national security, time for civil and military synergy
The time has come for holistic civil-military integration and synergy in India to meet the challenges of a multi-polar, multi-domain world especially with a belligerent and hegemonistic China and its ally Pakistan in our immediate neighbourhood, writes Lt Gen PR Kumar (retd) for South Asia Monitor
Indian government and farmers: Is a prolonged deadlock on the cards?
The government might have been more accommodating if it is wasn’t jittery about the political impact of a retreat at a time when the BJP faces four crucial elections where its chances are not foolproof, writes Amulya Ganguli for South Asia Monitor
Nepal’s proposed international airport poses a threat to the environment
Nijgadh is planned to be the largest airport in South Asia in terms of area, covering 8,045.79 hectares. While a new international airport is needed, the Nijgadh dream comes with an environmental nightmare, write Harsh Mahaseth and Pranjal Risal for South Asia Monitor
Sino-Indian ties likely to remain a 'cold peace' in 2021: But keep communication lines open
Although it is unrealistic to have too high expectations for Sino-Indian relations in 2021, it is certain that the two sides would not want to make bilateral relations further worse, writes Siwei Liu for South Asia Monitor
Return of jackboots in Myanmar: Major implications for region
The army is upset with the NLD government for agreeing to take back from Bangladesh the Rohingya Muslim refugees in phases after a Chinese-mediated dialogue. Nearly 40,000 Rohingyas are expected to return in the first phase, writes Subir Bhaumik for South Asia Monitor
Afghanistan should not be turned into a nest of terrorism again
Biden needs to go through all the wrong decisions made by Trump and come out with valuable and healthy steps to maintain democracy in Afghanistan and to respect the blood its soldiers had shed, and end the war, writes Majidullah Rasooli for South Asia Monitor
Gandhi’s 73rd death anniversary: Remembering the apostle of peace in today's context
Gandhiji had a presence. That is a mark of a great soul and a very much evolved spiritual being. To Gandhiji spirituality came first; other things like politics, public life, etc. were by-products of his spirituality, writes Anil K Rajvanshi for South Asia Monitor
Growing Indo-Saudi Arabia ties will amaze the world
The contributions made by the Indian community in the development of Saudi Arabia have always been appreciated by the Saudi government. Keeping in view the contribution of expat Indians, the Saudi government, irrespective of their religion, treats every expat Indian equally like its own citizen, writes Asif Rameez Daudi for South Asia Monitor
Billionaire raj: Can India address its growing wealth disparity?
The massive and growing concentration of incomes is not good news for India's fragile social fabric as it can trigger a political backlash, writes N. Chandra Mohan for South Asia Monitor
Digitalisation as a policy priority: How South Asia compares with Southeast Asia
In South Asia, while digitalisation is of a high priority intervention, the other more basic issues such as enabling access to livelihood, health and education would need to be addressed and given a much higher priority so that inequalities in per capita consumption expenditure that prevail among households are addressed immediately, writes Partha Pratim Mitra for South Asia Monitor
