The voters' message was widely seen to be against the "excesses" of the Modi era -- just like it was against Mrs Gandhi 47 years ago.
Downturn in India-Bangladesh Relations Needs Deft Handling: Dhaka's Alienation Has Security Fallouts for India
Rather than relying solely on high-level political rhetoric, India can employ a combination of economic diplomacy, institutional de-escalation, water-sharing agreements, and people-to-people engagement to rebuild trust and stabilize relations with Bangladesh.
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
More on Geopolitics, Security and Strategic Affairs
Bangladesh's stellar role in UN peacekeeping must not be undermined
Bangladesh's journey in UN peacekeeping stands as a testament to unwavering dedication, professionalism, and sacrifice. The nation's commitment to global peace and security is evident in its consistent troop deployments and active participation in the international discourse on peacekeeping.
India's election seen as a moral defeat for Modi despite his alliance’s victory
In many ways, once the final figures are certified, the 2024 election will be remembered as one where India’s hundreds of millions of ordinary people, a large percentage of them in grave economic distress, voted to create a stronger opposition of the kind they would like against an out-of-control prime minister.
India should not shy away from public debate on religion
India is the origin of Sanatana Dharma (later Hinduism) philosophy, which also gave birth to Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism. India, since millennia, has absorbed Zoroastrianism and Judaism. The other two Abrahamic religions Christianity and Islam came to the shores of India within decades of their founding in the Middle East and took root. With such pluralistic beliefs and one culture, India needs to debate religions to make societies aware of their evolution.
Where comparisons end: How Hamas could be winning a war it should have lost
Interestingly, a comparison was drawn by Israel between the October 7 attack and the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack in the hope that there would be an unqualified understanding of Israel’s action. What this supposed comparison fails to recognize is that there is a significant difference.
Saving the Great Indian Bustard: Landmark judgement can be leveraged for stronger climate change legislation
This judgment not only addresses the immediate concern of protecting the GIB but also provides a strategic framework for balancing ecological conservation with sustainable development.
Are migration fears driving curbs on international education? Pent-up demand will create new student markets
Apart from the substantial loss in revenue, international students, especially from India who are aspiring to study abroad, are seeking out alternative destinations that are more welcoming, such as Germany, Japan, Ireland, Israel and Russia.
Sri Lanka's coming presidential election has implications for region; India better watch out
Just twenty years ago, India's neighboring countries, apart from Pakistan, were solely dependent on India. But now all the small countries except Bhutan are trying to identify themselves as neutral countries in the India-China rivalry.
An Indian TV series ignites cross-border cultural discourse over a romanticised bygone era
Even so, Bhansali’s project has evoked considerable interest in Pakistan since the word went out that he was once considering casting Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan, two of the top stars who have acted in Bollywood films. “Then, politics entered,” one of them rued.
Western media biases colour South Asia coverage: Need for greater journalistic empathy and objectivity
Despite the myriad challenges faced by Western journalists in covering South Asia, maintaining journalistic integrity is non-negotiable. This entails a rigorous commitment to fact-checking, corroborating information from diverse sources, and challenging ingrained biases.
Clash of Civilizations: Which will be the best-placed to lead the world?
India and China represent the future, America (West) the present, and Europe the past; Islam has a long way to go.
Is Pakistan playing with fire by aligning clandestinely with the ISK?
The growing camaraderie between Pakistan’s military and the ISK poses a threat to the entire South Asian region.
The Rohingya tragedy and global inaction: How much longer can Bangladesh carry the burden?
The encampments in Cox's Bazar have metamorphosed into hotbeds of militant activities, underpinned by the infusion of funds from the Middle East, Pakistan, and other nations, which are cynically utilized to perpetrate a nexus of militancy within these precincts.
How the Russian connection insulated India from oil shock and brought economic stability
The revival of trade relations with old friend Russia is the turning point in India’s oil dependency on the Arab world. This has strengthened India’s resilience to oil shock to a considerable extent.
Indian elections: Is BJP paying for its overconfidence?
All in all, the issues on the agenda are very different from the issues that the BJP thought would be on the agenda. The finals could go down to the wire and there will be many lessons learned once the votes are counted and the results are declared.
