NATO Headquarters in Brussels (NATO photo)

Why the NATO summit in Ankara matters for South Asia

The NATO summit can indirectly transform India from a regional power into a West Asia stakeholder by integrating India into maritime security frameworks, supporting connectivity projects, strengthening intelligence ties, reinforcing India’s role as an alternative to China. The long-term outcome is that India could emerge as a pillar of stability linking Europe, the Gulf, and the Indo-Pacific

India–Japan Summit: Strategic Convergence in a Changing Indo-Pacific Order

Japan has also proposed developing a Bay of Bengal–Northeast India Industrial Value Chain aimed at transforming the region into an integrated industrial zone. As part of the Free and Open Indo-Pacific vision, this includes strengthening cross-border connectivity with Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal and Bhutan. 

China and the Emerging Scenario in the Bay of Bengal

China's expressed interest in modernising and upgrading both Chattogram and Mongla ports suggests the emergence of an interconnected infrastructure network linking the Bay of Bengal with southwestern China through Myanmar. If realised, such connectivity would enhance trade flows, improve regional logistics and deepen China's economic footprint across the Bay of Bengal littoral, while simultaneously increasing Bangladesh's importance as a regional transit and connectivity hub.

Colombo to Kathmandu, China Seeks to Counteract US Moves Across South Asia

While Washington and New Delhi seek to strengthen bilateral ties with Colombo, Beijing has strategically engaged with the political forces that control the government. By engaging directly with actors at the core of Sri Lanka’s governance, Beijing appears to be signalling its strategic intent—projecting influence and reinforcing ideological ties. 

More on Geopolitics and Strategic Affairs

Nepal urgently needs mechanism for compliance of court orders

The non-compliance of court orders would not only lower the public confidence on the judiciary in Nepal, but it will also pose threats to judicial credibility and rule of law, writes Jivesh Jha for South Asia Monitor

South Asia: Finding trade options to boost regional economic ties

South Asian nations would see a bilateral advantage in establishing trade and economic relationships with each other and the formal association of economic cooperation - SAARC-  which they have set up would gain strength by giving each other more trade access and tariff concessions to their goods and services, writes Partha Pratim Mitra for South Asia Monitor

Education policy: Why is RSS running scared of English

It is clear that in the subcontinent, colonialism is a convenient bogey for the anti-English lobby, writes Amulya Ganguli for South Asia Monitor

What the Kamala Harris nomination means for the US and ties with India

For the kind of person she has shown to be in the little time she has shot into prominence, Senator Harris will be a leader in her own right pushing for the national interests of America, not of any other country, writes Dr. Sridhar Krishnaswami for South Asia Monitor

Agriculture sector in Pakistan: An orphaned child of the government

In the pandemic period while the Pakistan government is providing temporary relief to many sectors in the country why is this key area of agriculture being ignored, writes Muhammad Abbas Khaskheli for South Asia Monitor 

Quad needs to be a more binding arrangement to deter China

While Pacific and South China Sea are important, the Indian Ocean remains fundamental for India, writes Lt. Gen (Dr) Yash Malhotra (retd) for South Asia Monitor

Indian needs to develop a strong strategic culture

India has major power ambitions. A strong strategic culture must be developed to guide India to fulfill such ambitions, writes Aneek Chatterjee for South Asia Monitor

Rajapaksas should erase impression that it is family rule in Sri Lanka

The Rajapaksas have  entertained several projects with Chinese support and money, which is bound to cost Sri Lanka its sovereignty dearly in the coming years, if corrective steps are not taken, writes N.S.Venkataraman for South Asia Monitor

It is time for India to change the narrative with China

It is high time the Chinese political and military leadership are made to realise that chronic hegemonism and doggedness in constantly trying to crawl and clutch Indian territories are not going to work anymore and that the LAC must be clarified, writes Anil Bhat for South Asia Monitor

Should India continue to engage with the RIC?

For India, however, questions arise whether the RIC fits New Delhi’s objectives as it increases its strategic engagement with the United States, Japan, and Australia which goes against the RIC’s objective to undermine a growing American presence in the Indo-Pacific, writes Shantanu Roy-Chaudhury for South Asia Monitor

Time to reset the Indo-Sri Lankan relationship

Given Sri Lanka’s strategic location in the Indian Ocean, India seeks to exert all its influence to rebalance the island nation away from the dragon’s embrace, writes N Chandra Mohan for South Asia Monitor

Democratisation of road spaces: Cycling, pedestrian tracks must be integral to smart-city infrastructure

Changing our transport behaviour is therefore the need of the hour. It becomes imperative that cycling and pedestrian walking is fully integrated with our existing public transport systems, writes Pankaj M Munjal for South Asia Monitor

Ram Temple was necessary to re-establish traditional Hindu values

The struggle for building a Ram Temple should be seen as a clash between civilizational values, writes Arun Anand for South Asia Monitor 

India in the South China Sea: Need for counterweight to China in the region

India’s current policy reorientation suggests that for it to overcome its continental and regional challenges vis-à-vis China’s increasing assertion, it must also involve itself in Beijing’s geographic neighborhood, writes Don McLain Gill for South Asia Monitor

Will India become a Hindu rashtra?

Is the Hindu rashtra already here, marking the end of Nehruvian secularism? Just as Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan is said to be keen on reviving the Islamic Ottoman empire, forsaking Kemal Ataturk’s secularism, is Modi leading India towards the pre-Muslim period of ancient India?, writes Amulya Ganguli for South Asia Monitor