img042 Courtesy:
2 January 2025

The days of the real Jackals

The current global focus on terrorism and the threats from nation-states, seem as it is a recent phenomenon. In fact terrorism has been present for the last century, still has the capacity to return and to shock with its brutality. India is no stranger to these acts and Germany has just suffered another attack on a Christmas market. A new book recalls the terrorism of 50 years ago and identifies how it became entangled in the politics of the Cold War.

Screenshot 2024-11-13 at 9.36.20 AM Courtesy:
14 November 2024

Israel once again in Beirut

The Israel-Hezbollah war has become the dominant event in the Middle East. The Israeli army has entered southern Lebanon, and Israel’s air force is targeting selected Hezbollah strongholds in Beirut. The year-long Israel-Hamas war is now a regional conflict, with international actors from the Gulf monarchies to Iran, the U.S., Europe, and the UN, trying to influence the course of events towards a ceasefire.

bdesh Courtesy:
8 August 2024

Strategic implications of Bangladesh’s regime change

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's forced resignation on August 5 came amidst prolonged and violent anti-government protests. Lt Gel S L Narasimhan, the Adjunct Distinguished Fellow for China and National Security Studies, Gateway House, analyzes the role of the army and external actors, and the strategic and security implications for India.

india china Courtesy:
18 July 2024

Narrowing the military gap

Comparing India and China’s defence forces reveals that it is more than just a numbers game. Increased defence spending and modernization with AI and quantum computing has given China a substantial edge over India’s military capability. India is working to close the gap with an energetic focus on indigenous procurement and expanding international exercises.

Biden-Middle-East-peace-deal-Israel-Palestine-GettyImages-1731160260 Courtesy:
27 June 2024

The hanging Hamas Deal

The May 31 ceasefire deal proposed by U.S. President Joe Biden is the best on offer for Hamas and Israel. Hamas has delayed its response to the deal, demanding Israeli withdrawal from Gaza first. This absolutist and maximalist position allows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to conveniently evade his responsibility towards the U.S., a ceasefire deal, and his own people.

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16 May 2024

Why insurgents struggle as governments

South Africa has just celebrated the 30th anniversary of its epic elections in 1994 which marked the end of apartheid rule. President de Klerk and Nelson Mandela avoided the expected bloodbath but, since then, the ruling African National Congress has not done well. Because the very qualities which make insurgent groups and liberation movements successful, are not the ones that make effective national governments.

Balochistan Violence Courtesy: The Hindu
18 April 2024

Spiraling violence in Balochistan

Long treated by Pakistan as a colony, Balochistan has seen several high-profile attacks by locals against Chinese interests. The growing unrest in the region reflects Islamabad’s failure to address key development issues. With less than 10% of this year’s federal budget earmarked for development, it appears that the only means of quelling the violence is more repression.

MauricioPiece2 Courtesy: India Today
29 February 2024

Middle East demands new frontiers of diplomacy

Just as September 11, 2001 unfolded a new chapter of the world order, as December 17, 2010 awakened the "Arab Spring," so October 7, 2023, has become a date that has unforgettably changed the Middle East's foreign policy and geopolitical dynamics. The existential paradigm of Israel and Palestine has adopted a war axis without turning back but has necessitated reevaluating diplomacy and recalibrating priorities.

israel-hamas Courtesy: CivisDaily
17 January 2024

Israel-Palestine: two states … or one?

The Oslo Accords’ two-state solution for Palestine-Israel, visualised Gaza and the West Bank as self-governing entities under the Palestinian Authority. That political hope existed in an expanding global economy led by the U.S. and secured by American armies, with the promise of capital flows and investments to develop Palestine on its way to statehood. All this changed in the 2000s, as both Israelis and Palestinians became significant regional actors.