India, Australia Def Ministers meeting in New Delhi

India and Australia Enhance Strategic Relationship, Prioritise Maritime Domain Awareness to Secure Indo-Pacific

A significant factor that emerged after India launched Operation Sindoor against Pakistan in May 2025 was the strain in the India-US relationship under the Trump administration, driven by aggressive tariff disputes and policy friction. This indirectly accelerated India’s push to diversify partnerships, prompting New Delhi to lean more pragmatically into closer economic and strategic ties with middle powers such as Australia.

The Reopening of Nathu La and a Pragmatic India-China Compact: Opportunity for Both Countries to Move Beyond Symbolism

India and China need not share identical geopolitical visions to agree that a stable border, prosperous border communities and transparent rules are preferable to uncertainty. The most useful measure of Nathu La’s success may therefore be not how many tonnes cross the pass, but how routinely two neighbouring systems learn to work together.

Hasina’s December Gamble: Will it Become a Moment of Confrontation or Reconciliation?

December could therefore become much more than Victory Month. It could become a test of whether Bangladesh's next chapter will be written through democratic accommodation or another round of political vengeance. The danger is that a leader returning to face her past could inadvertently reopen the country's deepest wounds. 

Russia’s Bid for a Larger Asian Role; Will Be Closely Watched by Beijing

Russia wants to use the Far East to diversify away from the West, but it risks becoming excessively dependent on China. That is why Southeast Asia, India, Japan and other Asian partners matter to Moscow as they provide Russia with a wider Asian field and fallback and reduces the risk that Russia’s entire eastern pivot becomes a one-way dependence on Beijing.
 

More on Geopolitics, Security and Strategic Affairs

With some nimble diplomacy, US and Bangladesh seek to move beyond sanctions irritant

In the last two years, both countries have had 18 bilateral visits; Bangladesh sent 7 delegations to the US while the US sent 11 delegations, including the latest visit of Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu.

Pakistan's mounting TTP threat and India overtures

With constant attacks on CPEC projects and Chinese workers, protests breaking out across the nation against economic hardships, and an increase in internal terrorism, Islamabad is being forced to ramp up its military even while it is being spread thin due to increasing crisis points requiring its attention.

Tensions in Pak-Afghan relations: Lessons in it for India?

Afghanistan is important to India’s continental economic aspirations, including closer ties with Central Asia and Iran. These goals are currently hampered by Pakistan’s blockade of Indian access to the region.

Sectoral economic transition in South Asia: Emerging trends and opportunities

Between 2008 and 2021, the sectoral economic transition witnessed in most countries in South Asia - and in other parts of Asia - has  reduced the sectoral share of GDP in agriculture  and also the  employment burden on agriculture  in most countries.  This trend, however, changed in the wake of Covid -19  when the share of agriculture in GDP in countries rose along with share of employment.

50 Years of climate negotiation: Two daydreams and seven nightmares sum up COP-27

As of December 2022, the total dues to developing countries by developed countries stand at about USD 1 trillion whereas only about USD 10 billion have been disbursed through Green Climate Fund till now.

Need for more transparency in US project funding in Bangladesh

Bangladesh always has had good terms with the US and is one of the largest recipients of US government and private aid. But as the geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific region becomes heated, it has brought in its wake  diverse interests that Bangladesh is not ready to cater to as yet.

Is Gautam Adani, India's richest man, hedging his political bets?

The question is whether Adani, also the world's third richest man, is also sensing shifting political sands in India and is preparing to stabilize himself so as not to trip if such an eventuality comes to be. The answer will unfold over several months until 2024.

China's forked tongue amid sinister regional agenda

With the Communists back in power in Kathmandu, China will be able to push its own agenda, as well as that of Pakistan, in Nepal. It has cross-border ramifications for India at the tactical level, as well as larger ones at the strategic level when seen in concert with Chinese moves in Bhutan and Myanmar.

Bhutan's GNH concept can be a guiding light for South Asia

As Bhutan celebrates 50 years of introducing Gross National Happiness to the world, it has had a sizable impact on the political, social, environmental, and economic aspects of Bhutan. It is time for the world to give the concept more importance and conduct research on it.

Gen Asim Munir as Pakistan's COAS: Will there be a re-evaluation of his predecessor's policies?

Delhi views Munir as a hardliner; so it is expected the COAS may use all resources against India to tarnish India`s image through information warfare or other means to perpetuate friction.

Is the US-led West double-timing India over China?

The US would love an India-China war - India becoming the Ukraine of the Indo-Pacific. The US administration would be ready to sell any amount of weaponry to India – nothing gratis of course.

Human security remains at risk in Sri Lanka

The human security status of Sri Lanka has depreciated due to deep-seated and pervasive issues linked to the country's economy and politics. To overcome pressing challenges related to human security, the government needs to have a well-designed policy framework in place.

Dangerous nexus between right-wing forces and terrorism in Bangladesh

The right-wing and Islamist political forces that have always maintained connections with violent extremist forces are exerting their influence in Bangladeshi society. This is an ominous sign in this part of the world.

Maldives: Is ruling MDP heading for a split threatening island's stability?

The political events, including those inside the once monolith MDP, are playing out at a time when Defence Minister Mariya Didi claimed that the recent raids, arrests and explosives seizure in capital Male and southern Addu City related to the "most dangerous terror-plot" in the country.

India's inter-state tensions send out wrong signals to the world

There is a simple but fundamental truth – good relations, trust and cooperation are critical among neighbours, both within India's borders and across it.