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Modi and Tarique Rahman

Downturn in India-Bangladesh Relations Needs Deft Handling: Dhaka's Alienation Has Security Fallouts for India

Rather than relying solely on high-level political rhetoric, India can employ a combination of economic diplomacy, institutional de-escalation, water-sharing agreements, and people-to-people engagement to rebuild trust and stabilize relations with Bangladesh. 

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Wakhan Corridor

Ghost Communities of the Wakhan: How an Imperial Buffer Zone Became China’s Next Frontier

The Wakhan Corridor has become a possible trade road for China's economic expansion. The corridor provides China with strategic advantages. First, it offers potential overland access to Afghanistan and on to Pakistan and the Arabian Sea

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Iran and the Strait of Hormuz Blockade

Iran and the Strait of Hormuz Blockade: Why Tehran did not Close the Strait Earlier

Before the mid-2020s, Iran lacked the specific low-cost tactical capability (drones, missiles and tech int) required to hold SoH against the US military. Today, the newly acquired capabilities allow Iran to enforce an effective, sustainable, and lethal denial-of-access corridor at a much lower cost.

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Xi Jinping with Sri Lankan President

Beijing's Subtle Power Play in South Asia: Is China’s Governance Model Influencing Democratic Nations?

China’s growing influence on small countries thus extends far beyond trade and infrastructure. It shapes debates on governance, challenges democratic norms, and pressures sovereign states to align with Beijing’s priorities. For nations like Sri Lanka and Nepal, the dilemma is stark