Courtesy: PTI
The visit of Bangladesh's foreign minister Khalilur Rahman to Delhi was an intermediate stage in the journey towards a full India-Bangladesh reset. The two countries have much to gain through deeper cooperation and more to lose if they drift. It’s time to focus on a common future by initiating bold trade and economic policies and linkages to counter vested interests that work to keep them apart.
Courtesy: Gateway House
Following the U.S.–Iran ceasefire and partial reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, energy flows may resume, but uncertainty persists. Robin Mills, CEO of Qamar Energy, and Amit Bhandari, Senior Fellow on Energy, Investments and Connectivity, Gateway House, note that Iran will retain leverage and will continue influencing prices and supply chains. Natural gas shortages will further disrupt fertiliser production and fuel inflation world-wide.
Courtesy: Finland in India
Amid the fast-changing geopolitical landscape, European Union (EU) member states seem to have rediscovered the value of close cooperation with India, an Asian power with greater ambitions. India, too, finds that growth in partnership with the EU and the UK is a source of strategic comfort. Both sides are propelled to deeper mutual policy proximity by the pressures generated by the Trump 2.0 presidency in the U.S.
Courtesy: Gateway House
India’s proposal to link the digital currencies of the BRICS nations could alter how emerging economies settle trade deals. It is necessary to examine the reasoning behind such a move, its effort to reducing dollar dependence, and the benefits that accrue to India.
Courtesy: Gateway House
Once central to global strategic discourse, the Indo-Pacific and Africa have been sidelined amid the “Age of Polycrisis,” as attention shifts to crises in Europe and West Asia. While India has long expressed goodwill toward Africa, recent regional tensions have pushed the continent off its strategic radar. Renewed India–Africa cooperation is essential to advancing the agenda of the Global South and strengthening South–South partnerships.
Courtesy: Gateway House
Early indicators of the ongoing war in West Asia point to a conflict trajectory from the rapid decision to the controlled escalation to distributed strike capacity, advanced military integration and mounting regional exposure. Much like Johann Goethe’s Sorcerer’s Apprentice, conflicts initiated based on assumptions of control can acquire a momentum of their own.
Courtesy: Bloomberg
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to India from February 27 to March 2, though sandwiched between the AI Impact Summit and the outbreak of the U.S.-Israel war against Iran, produced concrete outcomes with long-term impact. The visit announced a multidimensional roadmap aligning India’s ‘Viksit Bharat’ vision with Canada’s ‘Build Canada Strong’, to ensure the bilateral relationship does not drift apart again.
Courtesy: Gateway House
The assumption that the Iranian public will rise up against its religious and political leadership, seizing the opportunity provided by Israel and U.S. strikes against Iran, may not prove true. Iran’s civilisational structure is resilient, and its educated population may not like being dictated to by the West. Raja Karthikeya, a former international civil servant based in Tehran, examines the escalating U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, its regional and domestic implications and the tenacity of Iran’s political system amid external pressure.
Courtesy: Gateway House
Tarique Rehman has been elected as the new Prime Minister of Bangladesh following the recent elections. Nayanima Basu, Adjunct Fellow at Gateway House, visited Bangladesh and shares her on-ground impressions of the country and its people, the continued influence of student movements, concerns over minority rights, and the resurgence of Jamaat-e-Islami. The future of India-Bangladesh ties must be closely watched as a new chapter begins, underscoring the need for a recalibrated, trust-based bilateral approach.
Courtesy: Indian Navy
Over the last two decades, the Indian Navy has taken a quantum leap in modernising its fleet with stealth frigates, warships, submarines, and fighter planes. Its goal is to be the net security provider and first responder securing Sea Lines of Communication in the region. But it is still lagging behind its Indo-pacific naval partners and most important, its regional rival, China.