Mecca Accord Courtesy: Gateway House
23 September 2026

Essay: Mecca Accord re-engineers regional security?

The sustainability of the Mecca Accord is determined by its response to three geopolitical challenges represented by India, Iran, and Israel. The India test centres on preventing the export of South Asian conflicts to the Gulf, the Iranian test rests on institutionalising sustainable deterrence beyond formulas of perpetual clash, and the Israeli axis tests the mechanisms for reshaping Saudi ties with American security and the future of regional normalisation.

Website articles  (13) Courtesy: Gateway House
5 March 2026

The geometry of attrition: Iran-Israel-U.S. theatre

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.

the influence of phil in the UN  (1) Courtesy: Debarpan Das
5 February 2026

Influence of philanthropies in the UN

Over the last few decades, countries have stopped, delayed, or withheld their UN dues. The UN’s increasing financial needs have led to the acceptance of “voluntary” contributions. Those which come from any entities or individuals and are now its largest income stream. The biggest of these donors are the global philanthropies, which often have differing agendas from the UN’s responsibilities. This report studies these contributions and examines the linkages between donor priorities and UN mandates.

2 (6) Courtesy: Gateway House
5 February 2026

Influence of philanthropies in the UN

On January 7, 2026, the U.S. government announced its withdrawal from 31 UN organisations. This is a shock to the UN system. Several other countries have halted or only partially paid their dues over the years, creating a major funding gap. To cover for it, the UN has turned to “voluntary contributions” which come from philanthropic and private actors. Their misaligned mandates are distorting UN priorities.

News on Air (3) Courtesy: Gateway House
29 January 2026

Iran: away from the Thucydides trap?

Iran has often stood at the crossroads of social and political metamorphosis and regional geopolitical recalibration, from the Islamic Revolution of 1979 to the attrition of the Iran-Iraq War. The current landscape reflects the convergence, once again, of internal pressures and sharper deterrence postures, that the social compact—from a Lockean and Rousseauian perspective—needs a new edition, and that timely diplomacy to prevent escalation is required.

Website articles  (3) Courtesy: AFP
13 November 2025

Pax Fragilis in Gaza: rupture and repair

The arc of revolutions has two acts: rupture - upending the status quo - and the craft of repair. Often, the second is as hard as the first. Today's Pax Fragilis in Gaza is narrow, given the continuing humanitarian crisis, regional reactiveness, limited scope of de-escalation channels, multiple actors' motivations for a permanent ceasefire, and the capabilities of Israel and Palestine to build a pathway with certainty.

National Security Advisors' Meeting Courtesy: Observer Research Foundation
24 August 2023

Jeddah is the ‘new’ Vienna

In West Asia, nations such as Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries are starting to understand their pivotal geopolitical positioning in world affairs – and are making calibrated and strategic moves to preserve or recover global stability. It’s welcome at a time when more than two dozen conflicts are ongoing, when geopolitical rivals have hardened their positions, and diplomacy has failed to de-escalate in the primary contests.

sco meeting pngf Courtesy: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kazakhstan
4 August 2022

A fruitful SCO foreign ministers’ meet

The SCO foreign ministers met in Tashkent in July to plan for the all-important SCO summit in September. New additions and old issues remain, but the SCO is now growing into a significant grouping, with importance to India

G20Saudi Courtesy: Shutterstock
3 December 2020

G20: What all did Riyadh achieve?

Saudi Arabia hosted the G20 Summit on 21-22 November, this year. A strategy to protect the global economy, which is the heart of the G20’s existence, was reflected in the updated G20 Action Plan, a clear by-product of the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. Beyond the immediate, is the plan for a resilient and long-lasting recovery.