International Border between Bangladesh and West Bengal

Bangladesh–West Bengal Relations: Beyond ‘Islamisation’ and ‘Hinduisation’

Neither Bangladesh nor India — including West Bengal — is likely to fully concede its position. The future instead lies in pragmatic compromise, where domestic political constraints are balanced against the imperatives of regional cooperation. Ultimately, the trajectory of India–Bangladesh relations will depend less on identity politics and more on whether both sides can align economic necessity with political will.

Strait of Hormuz: More than a Regional Flashpoint; Prolonged Instability Could Ripple Across Continents

The broader reality is that even if a political understanding emerges, restoring confidence in the Strait may take far longer than restoring a ceasefire. Shipping markets operate as much on perception of risk as on military realities. Tanker operators, insurers, charterers, and energy traders require predictability — and that predictability is currently absent.

Trump-Xi Reset Could Leave India Strategically Exposed

New Delhi now occupies an awkward middle space: not fully trusted by the West, yet no longer fully aligned with the broader Global South consensus either. That ambiguity becomes riskier if Washington and Beijing move into even a temporary phase of strategic stabilisation.

Renewing Ties with Bangladesh: An Agenda for the new Indian High Commissioner

The major bilateral issue is border security and management. While India claims that millions of Bangladeshis enter India illegally, reside and work here, Bangladesh dismisses that contention outright, saying that as their per capita income was higher than India’s, there was no reason for economic migration from Bangladesh to India. 

More on Geopolitics and Strategic Affairs

Pakistan’s National Security Policy: Old thoughts in new packaging

The NSP tosses a heads-I-win-tail-you-lose option for India; it announces its intent of seeking peace but leaves the onus on India, writes Mahendra Ved for South Asia Monitor 

Bringing peace to India's Northeast: Greater engagement with Bangladesh and Myanmar holds the key

Using the Army to control insurgency in the Northeast has failed as a model, writes B.L. Vohra for South Asia Monitor

Bangladesh has a key role in combating maritime threats in Bay of Bengal

The US, Sri Lanka, India, the Maldives and others can work together with Bangladesh to deal with regional maritime problems, writes Jubeda Chowdhury for South Asia Monitor

India’s export of Brahmos missiles to the Philippines has larger geopolitical significance

The Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme that began in 1983 under the stewardship of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is an island of Indian perseverance and quiet success, writes Cmde C. Uday Bhaskar (retd,) for South Asia Monitor

Why Pakistani media now lavishes praise on Bangladesh

While the Pakistani media is now asking its government to follow the Bangladesh model, it remains a sore point that Bangladesh was an exploited colony of Pakistan, writes Pathik Hasan for South Asia Monitor

In a changing South Asia, India, Pakistan must reach middle ground to converge mutual interests

NGOs like South Asia Peace Action Network (SAPAN) and Aaghaz-e-Dosti deserves mention for relentlessly trying to end enmity and distrust between the two countries, writes Anondeeta Chakraborty for South Asia Monitor

Why Gotabaya is battling a crisis no Sri Lankan leader has faced

As Sri Lanka descends deeper into economic chaos, the popularity of the President and his government have declined to levels never seen before for any political regime reaching midterm, writes Indika Hettiarachchi for South Asia Monitor

In the intricate web of the Islamist terror network, growing calls for jihad against China

In the face of jihadi threats against it, it remains to be seen how China responds; or will it continue to fund and support nations like Pakistan that are the terror factories of many jihadist designs? writes Aparna Rawal for South Asia Monitor 

India urged to act to help Tamils live in dignity in Sri Lanka: Can Modi pressure the Rajapaksas?

It is open to speculation what and how much India can do for the minority Tamils vis-à-vis Colombo, which is slowly again extending a hand of friendship to New Delhi after trying to prop up China as a counter, writes M R Narayan Swamy for South Asia Monitor

Maldives needs to be wary of the Chinese debt trap

Beijing will try its level best to lure Maldives more into its debt trap and wean it away from India, writes Lt Gen P. C. Katoch (retd) for South Asia Monitor

Political alignment and networked economy boosts India’s conglomerate capitalism

Scarcely a day passes without news of a big-ticket acquisition or investment by Reliance or Adani biting into every lucrative business venture in India and South Asia, writes N. Chandra Mohan for South Asia Monitor

2022 holds little promise for Afghanistan; India must maintain informal contacts with Kabul

Chances are that the churn in Afghanistan may end up singeing those who take an intrusive interest in its affairs, writes Amb Rajiv Dogra (retd) for South Asia Monitor

India: A nation in disharmony with its philosophical and constitutional values

The values that are glorified today ironically are those that were always held anathema by classical Hindu society - majoritarianism, intolerance, hatred, and revanchism, writes Tarun Basu for South Asia Monitor 

A success story turns sour: Rise and fall of a Sri Lankan strongman

Amid shortages of even essential goods and runaway inflation, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s image has taken a solid beating, writes P. Jayaram for South Asia Monitor

Now Bangladesh to aid Kabul beat hunger and disease

Bangladesh – which has in recent times extended loans to Sri Lanka and the Maldives – is also home to about 1.1 million forcibly displaced Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, writes Samina Akhter for South Asia Monitor