Posts in South Asia
The Rohingya exodus: South Asia’s predicament

Written by Sreeradha Datta

Consolidated subnational efforts can enable safer ground conditions that would end the discrimination and persecution faced by the Rohingyas and would allow them a future that is not tainted by violence and hostility and the possibility to live with dignity and safety.

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India and Sri Lanka: The subnational diplomatic dynamics

Written by Andrea Malji

China’s increasing presence in Tamil Nadu’s backyard reflects the quickly changing regional security environment but also draws attention to the tangled web of subnational, regional, and international diplomacy in South Asia.

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States in action: Federalism and foreign policy in India

Written by Chirayu Thakkar

Expats interested in returning to their roots are important tourists to places of religious and cultural significance. The inbound remittances and heritage tourism support both states as well as the centre.

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India’s new consulates and sub-national diplomacy in South Asia

Written by Constantino Xavier and Nitika Nayar

As the region’s predominant power with a history of interventionism, India’s sub-national missions must be able to balance their sub-national outreach, especially to minority groups, with the security concerns of the host country’s central authorities.

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The prospects for China’s engagement in Afghanistan

Written by Jeremy Garlick

Beijing will look to ensure first and foremost that Uygur separatists do not gain support from the Taliban. In return, they will dangle some promises of investment for the sake of generating goodwill.

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Tracking India’s Act East Policy

Written by Man Mohini Kaul

While India’s Act East Policy may sometimes appear to fall short in the implementation of specific projects, there is a resurgence marked by the convergence of strategic and security interests and a mutual desire for greater economic engagement.


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Hazaras in Afghanistan face genocide post-US withdrawal

Written by Jumakhan Rahyab and Meena Yakobi

The international community must not allow the Taliban leadership’s overtures in Doha — about their plans to observe the international conventions — to cloud their thinking. The Hazaras need international support, and they need it immediately.

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Will China get embroiled in the graveyard of empires?

Written by Velina Tchakarova

It will be interesting to follow how China will navigate this playground, as Beijing is likely to be the next great power to try and fill the void. Perhaps that is exactly why the US is pulling out now — the move could possibly become an American trap if China enters the Afghan quagmire and fails.

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Negotiation and negation: India’s post-Galwan diplomacy vis-à-vis China

Written by Jagannath Panda

India’s current and future plan to support, launch and take forward the Supply Chain Resilience Initiative with Australia and Japan points to New Delhi’s approach of building a stronger narrative that poses challenges to China’s economic moves and strategic motives.

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Indian Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region: Security and stature

Written by Chirayu Thakkar

By shouldering the vital responsibility of maritime domain awareness through the dissemination of critical information, India is gearing towards enhancing the stability of the high seas and raising its global stature.

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At 50, Bangladesh perfects an India-China 'balancing act'

Written by Rudabeh Shahid and Arafat Kabir

If China responds to Bangladesh’s urgent call for help, it will only reinforce the established trend. For now, Dhaka has learned to keep faith in Beijing, which is most evident in Bangladesh’s reluctance in joining the Quad Security Initiative.

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India and the EU: Small steps through summits

Written by Chirayu Thakkar

Even though there would remain a considerable gap between the EU’s policy commitment to the Indo-Pacific and actual maritime efforts, India should appreciate and build upon the moral strength that the policy brings to multilateral efforts.

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Eyeball to eyeball at Pangong Tso: Why Sino-Indian tensions will continue

Written by John Pollock

The continuing presence of the PLA throughout Ladakh, with the pressure being applied on the Depsang Plains and the refusal to withdraw from Gogra and Hot Springs, indicates Beijing is not yet finished eroding India’s tactical position in the Himalayas for its strategic gain.

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Indo-Pakistan relations: A reset on the horizon?

Written by Claude Rakisits

Militarily, this is an agreement that India needed more than Pakistan, especially following last year’s military confrontation with the Chinese in Ladakh (which is part of the greater Kashmir area). Caught on the backfoot, Delhi could not afford, in military and budgetary terms, to have two active fronts to worry about on its northwest border, particularly given that Pakistan and China are strategic allies.

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How Buddhist nationalism is shaping Sri Lanka’s domestic and foreign policy

Written by Andrea Malji

The trade relationship between Myanmar and Sri Lanka has flourished. In addition, both countries have signed several agreements and MOU’s over the past decade, signalling important growth between the two countries. It is unclear how the recent coup in Myanmar will impact bilateral relations though some analysts worry Sri Lanka is following a similar path.

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Myanmar coup: What happens to the peace process now?

Written by Angshuman Choudhury

All these signs point to a dark reality — the peace process as we knew it has collapsed and national reconciliation is no more a viable prospect. Needless to say, this forebodes a fresh spurt of armed conflict around the country. The situation, of course, could abruptly change if somehow the coup fails and a civilian government comes to power. At the heart of this unravelling is a historical lack of trust between the Tatmadaw and Myanmar’s many ethnic minorities.

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India’s great divergence: Liberal economics and illiberal politics

Written by Indrajit Roy

The Indian government’s attitude towards the protesting farmers betrays its illiberal instincts. The legislations were passed based on a voice vote rather than an appropriate parliamentary procedure. Since November, over 30 farmers unions have mobilised their members to sit-in peacefully at protest sites on Delhi’s borders.

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Why India and China should go back to the package border deal

Written by Kunal Singh

Demarcation of the Line of Actual Control and hence the border in the western sector will not be easy but both sides should be willing to make some adjustments because the larger strategic gains accrued exceed, by a big margin, minor territorial losses. While a package deal may not be on the table or even on the mental radars of the leadership in each country, it should be, as it is the only thing that makes sense for everyone.

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