The sense of losing everything - after a quarter-century of modernization and social progress - seems to have broken the Afghan women's fear of confronting the Taliban, writes Shraddha Nand Bhatnagar for South Asia Monitor
Top EU Diplomatic Visit Signals Reassessment of Pakistan's Strategic Value
By recognising Pakistan’s role in the Iran crisis, Brussels is signalling that influence in today's international system is increasingly distributed across multiple actors, not concentrated solely in Washington, Beijing, or Moscow. This fits with the EU’s broader effort to develop a more autonomous and flexible foreign policy in a more multipolar world.
Regional Geopolitical Powerplay a Challenge for Improved India-Myanmar Relations
China is a major defence exporter for Myanmar, but it has been arming both the Tatmadaw and the rebel forces. China’s aim is to secure its strategic highway through Myanmar to the Bay of Bengal and counter American and Indian influence in the region, including Myanmar and Bangladesh.
The Quad Is Here to Stay: It Survives Because It Is Not Over-Institutionalised
On all these fronts, the Quad is more consequential, based on geography, capability, necessity and the absence of any better alternative. AUKUS’ scope is seen as too narrow, while Camp David is too regional, and the Squad is too limited. Bilateral alliances are too fragmented, while the Quad is seen to have the scale, reach and flexibility to connect the Indian Ocean and Pacific theatres into one strategic framework
Rajiv Gandhi Assassination: Grim Reminder of Historic Mistake 35 Years Later
History offers a different lesson now: had India’s proposal been accepted, the war might have ended with far fewer casualties. Instead, the LTTE’s miscalculation culminated in Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination—driven by fears that his return to power would bring back the Indian Peace Keeping Force. The belief that opposing India could achieve a separate Tamil state proved catastrophic.
More on Geopolitics and Strategic Affairs
South Asia's cricket rivalry: Is the Indian pace battery a notch-up on Pakistan's feared pace attack of the last century?
The difficulty level the current Indian pacers had to overcome to achieve consistency and success in top-flight international cricket is substantially higher than what their counterparts from Pakistan had to surmount decades back, writes Sirshendu Panth for South Asia Monitor
Augury of a 'failed' Afghanistan: Global sympathy should be with the Afghan people
So, what the future looks like for Afghanistan? In one word: hopeless, writes Anondeeta Chakraborty for South Asia Monitor
India must shed its diffidence on a full-fledged FTA with UK
If India seeks greater market access, it must also allow the UK to sell more of its goods and services, writes N. Chandra Mohan for South Asia Monitor
With Europe caught in divisive politics, Afghan refugee women face a bleak future
The existing Afghan population in Europe is already facing a compassion deficit in Europe due to the rise in anti-immigrant parties threatening to fracture the bloc further, write Dr. Manasi Sinha, Pratyush Bibhakar and Vishal Rajput for South Asia Monitor
Nutrition literacy, greater market infrastructure investments must for ensuring healthy, sustainable diets in South Asia
To design sustainable food systems for healthy diets within the South Asian region, one needs to take local realities and contexts into account and develop a strong collaboration among all stakeholders at the grassroots, national, regional and global level, write George Cheriyan and Simi T.B. for South Asian Monitor
Deja Vu in Kabul: 25 years on Taliban-India dynamics see a familiar re-enactment
Knowledgeable observers, including diplomats who have served there, feet that no Afghan government could ignore India in the long run, because Islamabad could never give what Kabul received from India, something built on the foundation of strong historical, cultural, and people-to-people bonds, writes Tarun Basu for South Asia Monitor
Bangladesh and Nepal should tap both bilateral and multilateral routes to maximize gains from ties
India, Nepal and Bangladesh should have a holistic diplomatic approach to bolster their connectivity project, writes MD. Pathik Hasan for South Asia Monitor
Power of advocacy: How women’s groups, leaders led international efforts to pressurize Taliban to let people leave Afghanistan
Given the Taliban's growing need to be recognized, and to receive international aid, this time around the US and the international community, backed by the World Bamk, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the United Nations are in a much better position to together pin down the Taliban on its assurances and also hold it accountable, writes Nisha Sahai Achuthan for South Asia Monitor
End of the road for economic liberalism in Sri Lanka?
Neither SLPP nor SJB has a major reform agenda to breakout from Sri Lanka’s endemic economic problems, which are deeply rooted in the country’s inability to earn enough foreign inflow to sustain itself and to bring in sound fiscal policies, writes Indika Hettiarachchi for South Asia Monitor
Lessons from Afghanistan disaster: US not to 'remake other countries'
The question will be what kind of “consequences” the US can impose on those it considers veering off from the democratic path Biden and his supporters set, writes Arul Louis for South Asia Monitor
India should team up with friendly countries to stay relevant in Afghanistan
India’s approach towards Afghanistan should be dictated by its economic and strategic interests and it needs to judge the Taliban by its actions while being flexible enough to leave room for numerous divergences, writes Tridivesh Singh Maini for South Asia Monitor
Of Afghan Snow, Kabul street dancers and fabled Kabuliwalas once upon a time!
For India and Indians, one of the most enduring Afghan connections that developed, rather accidentally, was in the form of “Afghan Snow”, the first beauty crème, writes Mahendra Ved for South Asia Monitor
India should keep open communication channels with Taliban to protect its Afghanistan interests
After all, how can a major political and military force like India stay on the sidelines when the US, the Chinese, of course, the Pakistanis, and even the Russians begin talks, open business and prepare for collaborations with the Taliban? writes Jagdish Rattanani for South Asia Monitor
Can sports be the harbinger of a new dawn in India-Pakistan relations?
Amid the thorny political and diplomatic issues, sports can act as the much-needed balm to remove distrust and promote understanding between India and Pakistan, writes Sirshendu Panth for South Asia Monitor
