EU and India meeting

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. 

Sri Lanka’s Ruling Marxists-Leninists on Delhi, Beijing Visits: Embracing Diplomatic Pragmatism?

For Sri Lankan politics, this is more than diplomatic sightseeing. It raises a fundamental question whether the JVP is developing a sophisticated strategy of balancing relations with India and China or is it gradually adapting itself to the organisational models of powerful one-party or dominant-party systems in China and India respectively?

Continuing Kuki-Naga Conflict is a Threat to Northeast India's Security

The ongoing civil war in Myanmar has caused an influx of armed cadres (Meitei, Naga and Kuki) into Manipur's border tracts like Kamjong district, further squeezing finite land resources and aggravating historical territorial disputes. What began as a localized dispute under the state's newly elected government in February 2026 has escalated into intense, multi-district armed warfare. 

An Ilish Fest Becomes a Test of Diplomacy in Strained India-Bangladesh Ties

Hamidullah’s tenure has been marked by promotion of Bangladesh's soft power, with the envoy going around the country underlining the deep roots of people-to-people ties. 

More on Geopolitics, Security and Strategic Affairs

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

US ends a 20-year-war in Afghanistan in confused retreat: Is Taliban now an enemy turned partner?

A Taliban-run Afghanistan that eschews support for international terrorism and global Islam and follows a Sharia regime like that of US ally Riyadh – in effect an oil-less Saudi Arabia – and, as it happened this week, both cooperating to fight common enemies may be Biden's dream scenario, writes Arul Louis for South Asia Monitor

Afghan refugees crisis: Collective international action need of the hour

The Afghan conflict has already turned shelterless a massive number of people, and it will not end until a morally inclined humanitarian intervention takes place, write Azeemah Saleem and MD. Imtiyaz for South Asia Monitor

Lessons from the Taliban: Only a secular democracy can keep India integrated

Implications for India are more worrisome since the Taliban now has overt support of China and Russia apart from its patron Pakistan, writes Brig Deepak Sethi (retd) for South Asia Monitor