Sri Lanka's JVP delegation meet BJP national president

Sri Lanka’s Ruling Marxists-Leninists on Delhi, Beijing Visits: Embracing Diplomatic Pragmatism?

For Sri Lankan politics, this is more than diplomatic sightseeing. It raises a fundamental question whether the JVP is developing a sophisticated strategy of balancing relations with India and China or is it gradually adapting itself to the organisational models of powerful one-party or dominant-party systems in China and India respectively?

Continuing Kuki-Naga Conflict is a Threat to Northeast India's Security

The ongoing civil war in Myanmar has caused an influx of armed cadres (Meitei, Naga and Kuki) into Manipur's border tracts like Kamjong district, further squeezing finite land resources and aggravating historical territorial disputes. What began as a localized dispute under the state's newly elected government in February 2026 has escalated into intense, multi-district armed warfare. 

An Ilish Fest Becomes a Test of Diplomacy in Strained India-Bangladesh Ties

Hamidullah’s tenure has been marked by promotion of Bangladesh's soft power, with the envoy going around the country underlining the deep roots of people-to-people ties. 

Mounting Instability in Pakistan: Consequences for Regional Security

India must also recognise that Pakistan's internal security crisis has wider regional implications. Escalating Pakistan–Afghanistan tensions could create additional uncertainty along the western frontier, while attacks on Chinese projects could affect regional connectivity and investment.

More on Geopolitics, Security and Strategic Affairs

US -Taliban peace deal: Peace for whom?

How much the talk of sharing power with the Taliban is realistic - that raises doubts, as it is impossible for the Taliban to be diverted from their ideology, writes Monira Nazmi Jahan for the South Asia Monitor

Nepal needs to show social solidarity in coronavirus lockdown

We, the people of Nepal should understand that if an unfortunate incident can befall one, it can befall others too. That’s why we all need to stand together, writes Jivesh Jha for the South Asia Monitor

India needs to brace for another lockdown

While the South Korean model of aggressive and maximum testing has proved successful; the world is also studying and appreciating the Indian model wherein a densely and an overpopulated nation with limited resources and a not very advanced health infrastructure has been able to control the exponential spread of the pandemic, writes Brig Anil Gupta for the South Asia Monitor

SAARC is back, but only to fight COVID-19

The question whether India’s initiative will develop into a SAARC minus Pakistan or lead to a revival of SAARC itself remains open,  writes Amb T P Sreenivasan (retd) for South Asia Monitor

Only a Biden presidency can strengthen Indo-US ties

This inability to get any meaningful trade agreement in place speaks volumes about India’s potential future relations with the US with Trump as president, writes Frank F Islam for South Asia Monitor

Time to review lockdown to stop economic shutdown

Lockdown cannot be an option to exercise indefinitely. We need to progressively lift it so that the economic costs will not overwhelm us, writes Mohan Guruswamy for the South Asia Monitor

55 years later, India returns favour to US, emerges as humanitarian force

It wasn't only a favour to the US, Brazil or Israel. India also decided to send HCQ  “to all our neighbouring countries who are dependent on our capabilities” and “some nations who have been particularly badly affected" by the pandemic, writes Arul Louis for South Asia Monitor

Is 'temporary' release of prisoners enough to halt spread of COVID-19?

In South Asia, India has, on the directives of its Supreme Court, constituted High Powered Committees in each state to define criteria for release of both sentenced and unsentenced prisoners, writes Madhurima Dhanuka for the South Asia Monitor

India could be staring at a human security catastrophe

India has about 450 million workers in the informal sector and about a third of them are in the migrant cluster. Even if it is estimated that half of this workforce is grappling with hunger, the numbers are mind-boggling, writes C Uday Bhaskar for South Asia Monitor

Pakistan's fate in FATF once again hangs in balance

In order to save itself from being put under a blacklist, Pakistan has to work at least on papers with respect to various terror organisations to address ‘strategic deficiencies', writes Dr. Sanchita Bhattacharya for South Asia Monitor

Kashmiri youth being misled: Myth about 'demographic changes'

Who will benefit from the new rule? It would be the wards of West Pakistan refugees, Balmikis, Gorkhas, Punjabis and migrant labour in the newly created union territory, writes Brig Anil Gupta (retd) for South Asia Monitor

South Asian countries cannot make the same choices as developed nations

The biggest challenge for governments in South Asia is to fight this pandemic like a first-world country but with the limited resources of a third-world country, writes Dr. Jitender Bhandari for the South Asia Monitor

Post-COVID 19: Needed a brave new world, not chasing shadows

The world community reacted tardily and instead of shoring up the defenses, it is now dousing the fires. The world in the future would warrant systems that are more alert to impending pandemics and crises, better prepared and strong leadership writes R Adm Vineet Bakhshi (retd) for South Asia Monitor

Unorganised workers in India: The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted their utter neglect

The legislation enacted way back in 2008, known as The Unorganised Workers'Social Security Act (mentioned as the Act hereafter) which entered the statute book on December 31, 2008, if implemented seriously, could have come to the rescue of the unorganised workers, which stand to lose enormously both in terms of livelihood opportunities and social security at the present juncture due to the health pandemic, writes Partha Mitra for South Asia Monitor

Leaving Afghanistan's fate to the Taliban

It would not be surprising if American troops are also attacked after part withdrawal has taken place, with blame, apportioned to Islamic State, as was done in the case of the recent attack on Kabul gurdwara, while China and Pakistan laughed all the way home, writes  Lt Gen P. C. Katoch (retd) for South Asia Monitor