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

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.

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 

Prolonged West Asia Conflict: US Loss of Credibility, Enormous Cost to the World

Here is something that is perhaps not widely reported. According to this account, Iranian forces were able to destroy a significant part of the logistics infrastructure supporting these large carrier operations. They struck the central logistics hub in Bahrain very early in the conflict.

More on Geopolitics, Security and Strategic Affairs

India and the European Union: Growing partners in technology

Both DPI and AI are data-driven and integral to future human development. In 2024, India and the EU are looking to formulate a unified approach towards these two cutting-edge aspects of technology.

Victory of independent candidates: A new message in Bangladesh's electoral politics

The large number of independent candidates winning in this election has shown new thinking in Bangladesh's politics. And the time may have come for political parties to rethink their candidate selection process.

The long march to Islamabad: Pakistan's persecuted Baloch community hit the road for justice

The judiciary, media, human rights activists and Baloch nationalist parties have almost exhausted their efforts in trying to persuade international institutions to intervene and end the sustained atrocities against the people of Balochistan.

The worsening water crisis: Need to adopt innovative water technologies

India’s mainland is endowed with a long coastline of over 5500 km. All the areas situated near this coastline can get clean drinking water through dew condensation.

Terrorism is a tactic of war; yet it defies a uniform definition

State-sponsored terrorism is often employed by smaller or weaker states to weaken bigger or stronger nations as it is more cost effective than traditional war. One of the most prominent examples of this could be the Kashmir issue between India and Pakistan

With non-state actors altering geostrategic realities, Underwater Domain Awareness is a strategic imperative for region

The drone attacks in the Arabian Sea recently are an indication of the high-tech means available to the non-state actors and it won’t take much time for them to acquire deadly underwater drones with explosives to carry out unimaginable attacks in a politically volatile IOR

What South Asia can learn from the ASEAN integration experience on labour mobility

The South Asian region has much to learn from the ASEAN experience in integrating investment, trade and movement of labour which includes a skilled workforce

Sand to sustainability: Dubai’s historic COP28

The word ‘just transition’ is not just about the historic climate injustice done to developing countries, but it also secures the rights and livelihood of workers working on old energy systems that would change to new systems

Why climate financing for green-energy transition imperative for Bangladesh, developing nations

Bangladesh and other low-income industrialised nations shouldn't be forced to transition to a non-carbon (net zero) economy on the same timelines. The international community should give Bangladesh, the country most affected by climate change, a high priority in receiving financial resources for both adaptation and mitigation.

The untold story of electric rickshaws in India

Even today the situation is no different. Most of the manufacturers make the rickshaw bodies here and fit them with imported motors, etc. from China.  This is how e-rickshaw manufacturing has proliferated in India.

The inverted world of global espionage– where no one talks the walk

There is an interesting development of note in the US, which casts a shadow on free speech and political asylum in the Western world, with a direct bearing on the alleged covert intelligence operations by India in the North American continent. 

Bangladesh's elections will impact regional security and connectivity

The upcoming election will also define Bangladesh’s relations with great powers, namely the USA, India, and China

Water security in South Asia: Need for ratification of UN water convention

No other country in the world comes close to the hydro-hegemony that China has established. From Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to Myanmar’s troubled Kachin and Shan states, China has widened its dam building to disputed or insurgency-torn areas despite local opposition.

Nuclear power is the future for Pakistan

Germany's experience with nuclear energy serves as a valuable lesson, prompting Pakistan to intensify its pursuit of nuclear energy as a practical avenue for its energy needs

Chronic water scarcity in South Asia increasing children’s vulnerability

In 2022, an overwhelming 45 million children lacked access to basic drinking water services in South Asia, according to UNICEF