aizawl Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
29 June 2023

Mizoram in transition

Mizoram is one of India's most beautiful states, whose people high literacy rates in India. Yet a lack of employment opportunities and inadequate infrastructure have significantly hindered its progress. The recent investments in connectivity projects and the tourism industry can help Mizoram transition into being a model for growth in India's North East.

modi website Courtesy: Mint
29 June 2023

Russian views on Modi’s U.S. visit

The Russian reaction to the highly successful visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Washington D.C, has been largely balanced. Russians appreciate India’s need for top technology and investments, but also note that Delhi has done so without compromising its strategic autonomy.

ZelenskyRamaphosa-GettyImages-1258743603 Courtesy: Foreign Policy
21 June 2023

Africa seeks peace dividend

Last week, an African peace delegation travelled to Kyiv and Moscow, presenting them with a 10-point plan for peace. While the plan received mixed reactions, the African initiative was a courageous step towards peace. The effort coincides with India proposing the AU join the G20, and South Africa’s entry into the troika of G20 presidencies next year.

myanmar military 1 Courtesy: Reuters
2 February 2023

The quest for hope in Myanmar

February 1, 2023 marks the second anniversary of the military coup in Myanmar. The country is now in a dire situation with a deteriorating economy, rising poverty and high unemployment. ASEAN, the UN and India continue to work with the Myanmarese military leadership, which is the only player able to provide solutions to alleviate the distress.

Pashtuns Devasher Courtesy: HarperCollins Publishers India
10 January 2023

Tangled history: the Pashtun

Tilak Devasher's book The Pashtuns: A Contested History delves into the Pashtun tribe, highlighting its geopolitical significance and far-reaching consequences in the South Asian region. Reviewer Tim Willasey-Wilsey says the book brilliantly explains how the Pashtuns were strong-armed into joining Pakistan and why the prospect of Pashtun unity poses a threat to security in Pakistan and the entire region.

ASEAN-PIC Courtesy: Khem Sovannara/AFP/Getty Images
17 November 2022

ASEAN: Congruity with contradiction

Cambodia’s chairmanship of ASEAN exposed the grouping’s inherent incongruities and cleavages, despite its best intentions. To be taken seriously by its partners, ASEAN needs to first take itself seriously and adhere to the core of its charter.

Stalemate in Myanmar Courtesy: Ye Aung Thu/AFP
10 November 2022

The continuing stalemate in Myanmar

Nearly two years after the military coup in Myanmar, tensions remain, with no domestic or international solution in sight. Despite these setbacks, the Myanmarese people's commitment to democracy has not faltered. As they did a decade ago, the Myanmar elite and leadership of both camps must once again use resilience and pragmatism to craft a way out of the current crisis.

Pashtun Book 12 Courtesy: HarperCollins Publishers India
3 November 2022

The Pashtuns: A Contested History

Tilak Devasher’s book on the Pashtuns brings out the dynamics of the Pashtun, their code, their relationship with Islam and with Pakistan. It contextualizes the current geo-political challenges in South Asia, making it required reading for those who want to understand not only the Pashtuns but regional strategic and security dynamics.

Moutai PNG Courtesy: The Economic Times
27 October 2022

China’s new corporate top dogs

A quick look at the list of top Chinese companies shows that the vaunted private sector has receded and the state-owned giants now dominate. Under the new Xi Jinping regime, they are unlikely to relinquish their position. What does this mean for China – and for India?