The Muslim News Courtesy: The Muslim News
24 December 2025

How the West cheered Dhaka’s collapse

On December 18, Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent leader of the 2024 student-led uprising, was assassinated. What began as protests against civil service quotas became a leaderless uprising. As Western powers celebrated a “democratic dawn”, Bangladesh slid into structured anarchy. Dhaka now faces two futures with terrifying clarity: one with elections skewed by military advantage and Islamist mobilisation, and the other by acknowledging that democracy cannot be airlifted.

Gateway House (2) Courtesy: Gateway House
24 December 2025

Bangladesh economy spirals downwards

Bangladesh’s economy, already weak at the time of the August 2024 coup, has been on a downward spiral since. Banks are insolvent and cannot lend, business confidence is low, and investors are staying out. These issues will worsen the ongoing radicalisation, extremism and violence in the country. 

@narendramodiX Courtesy: @narendramodi/X
18 December 2025

Ethiopia is a key ally in Africa

Ethiopia's importance as an African country that has played a vital role in advancing the vision of African unity and integration, and as a nation that killed its own demons of dictatorship to emerge as a successful democracy, is remarkable. In this upgraded frame, Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Addis Ababa is significant, with India as a partner offering economic and technological engagement.

9feb9c42-5bb4-16f6-4358-f21cbb0992ff Courtesy: Gateway House
11 December 2025

Ambedkar the forgotten internationalist

As global conflicts intensify and global leadership falters, it is time to look back 75 years to Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar - not only the father of India’s Constitution but also an internationalist whose foreign policy vision remains overlooked. He warned against aligning with China, upheld Tibet’s sovereignty, advocated U.S. ties, rejected non-alignment, and championed India’s UNSC seat. How different would the scenario have been if Ambedkar had led India’s foreign policy?

Getty (2) Courtesy: All India Radio News
9 December 2025

Putin’s visit sends a signal

India and Russia have a time-tested relationship, which was evident during President Putin's state visit to New Delhi last week. Its success lay in the warmth the leaders of the two countries share and in its timing: geopolitically, just after discussions of the U.S. and China as the G2, and commercially and strategically, at a time when India’s needs match Russia's capabilities.

Getty Courtesy: Getty Images
4 December 2025

Myanmar’s important election

Myanmar heads to the polls in December amidst a festering conflict, now running on five years. At home, the balance of power is constantly shifting between the military and the anti-junta forces. Internationally, there is a growing fatigue with resolving the conflict. However, for the ruling military this election is strictly about putting the derailed train of ‘limited democracy’ back on track.

61XgnQBhwiL._SY425_ Courtesy: Amazon India
27 November 2025

Indo-Pacific Strategic Churn: Challenges and State Responses

Rajiv Bhatia explains how this book brings together perspectives on the geostrategy, geopolitics, and geoeconomics of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Edited by Chintamani Mohapatra, it features 16 essays by experienced yet young academics. It highlights how the world changed after 2020, the ‘Age of Polycrisis’, COVID-19, conflicts in West Asia and Europe, and other global flashpoints. The book offers analysis that seeks to reposition the Indo-Pacific as vital to India’s strategic interests.

Themba HadebeAP Courtesy: Themba Hadebe/AP
27 November 2025

Johannesburg G20 summit: advancing amidst anxiety

The G20 Summit in Johannesburg ended on a widely-shared sense of satisfaction and achievement, with the Global South’s perspective well-articulated, but divergent from some in the Global North. Now the G20's challenge is to restore its unity and credibility by working toward reconciliation with its next president, the U.S. Can India enhance its credibility and influence as a North-South bridge-builder?

Reuters Courtesy: Reuters
27 November 2025

Japan and China row over Taiwan

China’s attempt to discipline Japan over Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi’s statement on a Chinese attack on Taiwan threatening Japan’s security, may instead strengthen the very alliances Beijing hoped to fracture. By using symbolic economic instruments, invoking the UNSC, and amplifying nationalist messaging while avoiding mass public mobilisation, China signals displeasure without risking internal instability. Yet these same measures push Japan ever deeper into U.S.-aligned networks.