Capt Smit Machchar

One Wounded Indian Pilot Was the Last Line of Defense; That Is the Problem

An Emirati airline, an Indian captain, Israeli passengers, and Saudi authorities all played a part. India, re-elected to the ICAO Council last year, is well placed to push these standards into global aviation rules. The best tribute to Captain Machchhar is making sure the next crew never needs a hero.

Reimagining India-Canada Relations: Towards a Mutually Beneficial Relationship for Wider Public Good

Canada hosts close to 1.9 million persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) and 3% of Canada’s population, one of the largest ethnic groups in Canada’s multiethnic and multicultural society. Although immigration policy of Canada has tightened in recent years, yet a lot of students who study in Canada prefer to stay back and work in Canada acquiring permanent residency and citizenship.

In Pakistan's and Turkiye's Military Commitment, the Mecca Pact Faces its First Litmus Test

It would also explain why Pakistan is trying to preserve a distinction between supporting Saudi Arabia and fighting the Houthis. Pakistan has every reason to avoid another open-ended conflict in the Middle East. Its military is heavily committed to its own security challenges. Its economy cannot easily absorb the political and financial consequences 

EU and India Should Cooperate Strategically on Middle East Stability

EU and India could establish a regular EU–India-Middle East Consultative Mechanism involving foreign-policy officials and experts. Its purpose would be to coordinate positions before major international gatherings and meetings. 

More on Geopolitics, Security and Strategic Affairs

A flute, a song, and a mango tree: Planting the seeds of harmony in a Pune 'peace garden'

Their vision includes a plan to graft mangoes from Bangladesh this year. These mango trees will bear ‘the fruit of unity’ with three distinct varieties in a few years - from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. They will be more than just a horticultural marvel - they will be a testament to the subcontinental people’s aspirations for peace and unity.

Nepal's political instability impacts India ties

Last month, after Indian Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra met his Nepali counterpart Sewa Lamsal in Kathmandu, a press note issued on this meeting mentioned the two sides discussed “multifaceted cooperation”. However, it did not reference PMP, which is by far the biggest bilateral power project conceived between the two sides.  

Acknowledging a 45-year-old 'injustice': The Bhutto hanging and Pakistan's 'doctrine of necessity'

“It shows that even popularly elected prime ministers can be humiliated, incarcerated and even sent to the gallows when the state desires it and that the legal system can be manipulated to suit the whims of powerful forces.”

Demography and skills: What South Asia has to offer to the EU

The EU therefore will need to depend on other regions to bridge the manpower gap and  South Asia could be an important source, but global partnerships in skilling will need to happen in a big way.

Patriarchy breeds deep-rooted misogyny across Bangladeshi society

Women have to take risks at every step while walking down the streets. In the vast area of Bangladesh, there is hardly any place where a woman can breathe safely. Hatred towards women is being spread at every level of society. 

Can India become an economic powerhouse?

The two major reforms in labor and land policies being politically sensitive will be a dampener if not implemented. These are political decisions much like the aborted advantageous farm reforms.

Challenges of securing the nation in the era of new wars

Building trust within our societies and institutions is paramount, as evidenced by the correlation between trust levels and resilience during crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Landmark judicial verdicts seek to preserve Indian democracy

What is of significance and runs parallel in both the above verdicts is the Supreme Court's innate concern for upholding democratic values in the Indian polity.

Is there a gradual shift in focus in US-Bangladesh ties?

The United States wants to keep the South Asian region stable, seeking to neutralize the overdependence of any nation on China. Bangladesh, because of its geostrategic position, is being lured to align Dhaka with Washington’s strategic objective for a free and open Indo-Pacific. 

Pakistan-Afghanistan border friction continues to be haunted by the divisive Durand Line

While the contentious Durand Line has become one of the main reasons for cross-border skirmishes between Afghanistan and Pakistan, the Taliban has turned from being seen as an ideological ally that can give Pakistan 'strategic depth' against India, to a troublesome neighbour that is now viewed with deep suspicion.

India should be prepared for a long war with China

Since 2019, China has been building 628 dual-use military villages (termed ‘Xiaokang’ or ‘well-off’ villages) along the southern border of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), including inside Bhutan and in Arunachal Pradesh, India.

Bhutan's new government should safeguard territorial integrity and uphold cultural pluralism

Diplomatic efforts must be intensified to address the ongoing border situation with China and safeguard Bhutan's sovereignty.  It is also imperative to address the unresolved Bhutanese refugee issue and protracted family separation among Bhutanese Americans.

Pakistan elections: A rebuke to the military establishment's policies?

The time has come to drastically curb the unchecked and ultra-constitutional powers of the army chief, subject the intelligence agencies to public scrutiny and accountability, and limit their influence over domestic and foreign policy. 

Are Manipur's warning bells going unheeded?

Much more violence could be expected in Manipur, with Meitei radicals waging all-out war against the Kuki-Zo, with Nagas fearing they would be the next target since the Arambai Tenggol alone outnumbers the tribals of Manipur hugely. 

A new 'great game' in the Maldives? Male's shifting sands a strategic challenge for Indian diplomacy

The Maldives has undergone a radical transformation. To see this as playing the India or China card would be a miscalculation. Indeed, the strategic narrative of what is going on is very different.