Bangladesh is one of the larger and populous countries in South Asia, with its geostrategic location in the Bay of Bengal and an impressive economic growth from its booming textile industry. So restoring political stability and defeating the rise of Islamist forces is of utmost importance not only for Bangladesh but the whole region.
Perhaps the most significant damage inflicted by PTI's recent protests has been the toll on Pakistan's fragile economy. Pakistan's economy is already struggling with inflation, unemployment and a mounting fiscal deficit. PTI's protests, which have led to mass shutdowns in key cities like Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Lahore, have worsened the economic crisis.
The repeal of Article 370 not only changed the political map of Jammu and Kashmir, but also introduced a new wave of promising economic growth. While challenges remain, the steps taken by the Indian government to increase investment and improve infrastructure indicate great potential for J&K to become one of the hubs of economic development in India.
Germany is not just about holocaust, beer, football, cars or high-end technology. There are lots of things to explore and exploit, in the good sense of the term. Similarly, India has moved way beyond Bollywood, chicken curry or Holi and Diwali. There is much more to explore. By shying away from doing so, the myths will persist, the stereotypes will continue, the fears will enhance.
Direct maritime connectivity between Karachi and Chittagong will be crucial to the growth of trade and commerce between the two nations and beyond. They may significantly cut down on the time and expense of shipping products between them and will potentially be crucial in forging connections with other Middle Eastern, Central Asian and East Asian nations, including Russia and China.
Even among the practitioners, some have been over the years lauded as hawks for playing tough with their subcontinental rivals and some derided as doves for seeking reconciliation and understanding only to be rebuffed. But one thing that Pakistan experts in India agree on, be they former diplomats, security officials, academics, or strategic analysts, is that the one single barrier to conciliation and friendship was the all-powerful Pakistan Army which, in the words of Stephen Cohen, who had authored a book on the Pakistan Army, "imposes its own vision of a Pakistani nation.”
Even though prices of solar and other clean energy are falling rapidly, the level of global electricity production from coal and gas has not changed significantly. Countries that attended COP28 in Dubai returned after making history. Countries attending COP29 in Baku may end up wondering about the future of that history.
Militant groups are proliferating at an alarming rate. The last U.N. report on Afghanistan named scores of militant groups setting up house in Afghanistan, destabilizing an already fragile region. Well known among them is the Islamic State and the Tehrik -e-Taliban Pakistan as well as scores of lesser known militant groups. These groups are populated by militants with a grudge against China, Pakistan, the United States, Russia and India.
The problem with the payment started following the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government in August. Amid economic and political instability, forex-starved Bangladesh was paying around $20-40 million against a monthly bill of $90-100 million. This impacted Adani’s ability to procure coal for power generation and make obligatory payments. Adani had warned Dhaka to settle the bills
With almost all the senior politicians out of the poll arena, this election represents a generational shift in Sri Lankan politics with a surge of young leaders and a voting population increasingly vocal about breaking free from established political figures and their entrenched practices. The results of the election will likely set the stage for a broader transformation of Sri Lanka’s governance, reflecting the growing demand for new political dynamics led by the country’s younger generation.
The trip - coming as it does on the heels of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's visit to New Delhi with a large delegation - is a reflection of Europe's increasing desire for greater collaboration with India. And growing Indo-Spanish trade and economic ties may expand further cooperation in commerce, investment, research, technology, education, defense, and security between Europe and India.
Money is an integral part which ensures criminalisation of the political space remains dominated by many such non-state actors without much criticism and conflict. Corruption and the flow of money into politics, therefore, becomes codependent enabling a seamless structure that is vulnerable to uncontrolled hegemony and unlawful domination.
A new narrative then emerges and multiculturalism starts to be perceived as a disruptive force with a contrary ideology that poses a credible threat to the Western worldview. Immigrants are perceived as foreigners, who are disrespectful of the prevailing cultural unity by asserting – even imposing – an alien way of thinking and behaving.
The Biden administration has taken a relatively low-key approach compared to Canada, but it will continue to be an irritant in India-US relations and could balloon in a Harris administration.
In India, HT's message poses particular risks. India has a sizable Muslim population which exceeds 200 million, and around 47 percent of it consists of a young population under the age of 19. Socio-economic challenges of the community make the youth population vulnerable to the group's radical propaganda. This is especially concerning as India grapples with its own extremist threats.
It is estimated that about 37% percent of the world’s 1.1 billion multi-dimensionally poor people live in South Asia. And an estimated 272 million poor people in the region live in households with at least one undernourished person.
For India, its adoption of The Kazan Declaration represents yet another significant turning point. The Kazan Declaration is anticipated to support the BRICS countries' joint endeavours to tackle global concerns, ranging from security to economic development, and to demonstrate the group's increasing global clout.
The broader message of the Sino-India pact is clear: the world is moving toward a multipolar order where the dominance of Western powers is increasingly being challenged by the rise of nations like China and India. This agreement exemplifies the ability of non-Western nations to resolve their conflicts without Western interference
