Indus Waters Treaty

Water Security and Regional Peace: Future of the Indus Waters Treaty in a Changing Climate

The Indus Waters Treaty has lasted more than 60 years, illustrating diplomacy's ability to handle one of South Asia's most sensitive resources. However, climate change and geopolitical tensions have called into question its significance. To guarantee that the treaty continues to prevent war and promote shared prosperity, Indian and Pakistani governments must update its provisions, invest in joint institutions, and view water as a shared strategic asset rather than a source of friction.

Iran at the Crossroads: In a Changing Region, Tehran’s Critical Choices Could Shape Change (Part IV)

Iran's demonstrated endurance to maintain its intrinsic rights to nuclear enrichment as an NPT state even under sanctions and its willingness to escalate without collapsing, is an important consideration for the Iranian regime. This issue was centre stage at the collapsed Islamabad negotiations. How Iran shapes its stand will be centre piece of future negotiations. 

The Strait as Leverage: Hormuz the New Geometry of Power? (Part III)

Iran’s role in this transformation is central. Its ability to influence the Strait has reshaped strategic thinking across the region and beyond. External powers must now operate within constraints that did not exist before. For the Gulf states, the implications are immediate and tangible. Their economic lifelines pass through this narrow corridor. Any disruption affects not only revenue but also national security.For the broader international community, the lesson is clear. 

Nepal’s Gen Z Government Faces a High-Stakes Test

Nepal’s Gen Z government is not just an experiment in youth-led politics—it is a high-stakes test of whether disruption can evolve into governance. The same streets that once roared with revolutionary energy can just as easily erupt again in frustration. If this new leadership fails to translate momentum into meaningful change, the cycle of instability will repeat itself

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Can India China-proof its telecom sector?

India’s dependence on China in the telecom sector is unlikely to reduce in the foreseeable future, writes N Chandra Mohan for South Asia Monitor 

India should explore expanding scope of 'two plus two' dialogue by including more countries, ministries to meet global challenges

While forging these dialogues, India should not forget Bangladesh as the interests of the two neighbors are increasingly converging in recent times, writes Shubham for South Asia Monitor

Pakistan’s energy sector is going through a paradigm shift: A greener electricity production portfolio is a policy imperative

The Pakistan government has set a target of generating at least 20 percent renewable energy by 2025 and at least 30 percent in the next five years, writes Haris Mushtaq for South Asia Monitor

India must come out in support of the rights of women in Afghanistan

It is in India’s strategic interest to continue its engagement with the Taliban, but withhold any official recognition, and continue to wait and watch to see if the regime’s assurances are matched by its deeds, writes Nisha Sahai Achuthan for South Asia Monitor

Engagement with Taliban provides Pakistan strategic depth, opportunity to create pan-Islamic axis up to the Gulf

Engagement with the Taliban and the latter’s return to the driver’s seat in Afghanistan allows Pakistan to bring the Afghanistan issue to the forefront of the ‘South Asia regional security architecture’, writes Anuttama Banerji for South Asia Monitor

Bangladesh needs to be supported in thwarting Beijing's hegemonic designs

China’s growing investment and expanding economic activities in Bangladesh do not necessarily enable it to influence Dhaka’s foreign policy decisions, or seize infrastructure if loans are not repaid, or even potentially secure its support in a regional conflict, writes Rupak Bhattacharjee for South Asia Monitor

US policy paralysis at critical moments in region working to China’s advantage

The bond between US intelligence agency CIA and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is well known and recently declassified British documents reveal MI-6 connived with Pakistan and Taliban in Afghanistan, writes Lt Gen P. C. Katoch (retd) for South Asia Monitor

South Asian government needs to relax fiscal austerity, promote high-skill, high value-added sectors

The most important challenge for South Asia is to revive livelihoods, which the crisis has devastated across the region, writes Partha Pratim Mitra for South Asia Monitor

Mahatma Gandhi and India@75: Fabricated news making a mockery of Gandhi's quest for truth

Paradoxically, but not surprisingly,  over the last six decades, the collective commitment to truth as a principle to be adhered to with Gandhian conviction has been diluted progressively, writes Cmde C Uday Bhaskar (retd) for South Asia Monitor 

Mantra of development should be spirituality with high technology – the Gandhian way

Gandhi believed in all-inclusive growth and felt that India can only become a great nation when its teeming and impoverished rural masses become better off, writes Anil K. Rajvanshi for South Asia Monitor

Global efforts, moral discourses and educational awareness must for combating terrorism

Terrorists and extremists need discourses in the inculcation of eternal moral values and practicing of yoga and meditation that can contribute immensely to attaining a perfect and balanced personality as described in ancient Indian classical texts, writes Prof. Sudhanshu Tripathi for South Asia Monitor

Lata Mangeshkar, at 92, plans to croon again: The music legend's singing truly defies attitudinal and technological changes

If Lata’s ‘Allah, Karam Karna’ and ‘Allah Reham” are popular among the Muslims, two of the Indian cinema’s best bhakti (devotional) songs, “Allah Tero Naam Ishwar Tero Naam” and “Prabhu Tero Naam”  are sung six decades after she rendered them in Hum Dono, writes Mahendra Ved for South Asia Monitor

Will Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Tamil diaspora shake hands?

A section of the diaspora has taken a line that it needs to bury the past and open a line with India, which many blame for the plight of the Sri Lankan Tamils, writes M.R. Narayan Swamy for South Asia Monitor

Will the Indian government’s move to use tech to fix agriculture enthuse its farmers?

But will this productivity-driving initiative really take off when the most prosperous farmers belonging to the vanguard agrarian regions of Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh firmly remain on the path of agitation against government efforts to fix agriculture through reform? writes N. Chandra Mohan for South Asia Monitor

Can a Japan-India-Russia-China-South Korea coalition cement the Indo-Pacific?

Examining new paradigms and alternate formulations often leads to game-changing events,  writes Lt Gen PR Kumar (retd) for South Asia Monitor