Courtesy: Gateway House

15 May 2025

The New Geopolitics and South Asia’s Trade Architecture – What Next?

Geopolitics is increasingly intertwined with the economic destiny of South Asia. Even before the U.S. tariffs were rolled out, growing polycrises had hit the global economy, which has been struggling since the pandemic. South Asia seems a relatively bright spark of regional trade and growth. This paper analyses South Asia’s trade architecture in the backdrop of a sluggish world economy in the 2020s, and makes recommendations for closer regional economic integration.

Courtesy: Gateway House

15 May 2025

U.S., Global Emperor of Sanctions

BY Deepika Narayan

Over two centuries, the U.S. has amassed vast economic powers across the globe during and after the two World Wars , and sanctions slowly became an effective tool it used to achieve its foreign policy goals, becoming the global emperor of sanctions.

Courtesy: PTI

9 May 2025

Three messages from Operation Sindoor

BY Lt Gen S L Narasimhan

Operation Sindoor conveyed three messages: First, to Pakistan that it will have to bear the consequences of continuing to support terrorism. Second, to terrorists, that Bharat will inflict the same pain, if not more, than they inflict on Indian citizens. Third, to the world, that Bharat is resolute in responding to terrorism in a “measured, non-escalatory, proportionate, and responsible” manner.

Courtesy: Agence France-Presse

8 May 2025

Pakistan’s clash of ideology and identity

BY Sumeer Bhasin

The on-going India-Pakistan tensions have obscured the grave issues Pakistan is facing on its western frontier with Afghanistan. The resurgence of Pashtun nationalism, the long-running Baloch insurgency and the growing resentment over Punjabi dominance is challenging Pakistan’s identity and ideology as protector of Islam. The Taliban under the Emir in Kandahar holds far greater moral authority than any general in Rawalpindi.

Courtesy: Agence France-Presse

8 May 2025

How China can assist Pakistan post Pahalgam

BY Lt Gen S L Narasimhan

India-China relations, undergoing a thaw since October 2024, have been slow to mend. In this scenario it is worth examining what assistance China can give Pakistan in case of military action by India, post Pahalgam. The state of play on the India-China border will also have a major implication for this.

Courtesy: Khyber News

24 April 2025

Post Pahalgam, India’s choices

BY Nayanima Basu

The horrific attack on April 22 on tourists in Kashmir has exposed its stark and violent reality. Kashmir remains tumultuous even after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. Before confronting Pakistan, India must first address its internal challenges and deliver on its election promises to achieve enduring progress.

Courtesy: Investopedia

27 February 2025

The Dhaka gold squeeze

BY Amit Bhandari

The Bank of England was in the news because of the ‘gold squeeze’- traders moving gold from London to New York to profit from the price arbitrage. An informal version of this is taking place between Bangladesh and India.

Courtesy: President of Russia-Events website

30 January 2025

LNG: winners and victims

BY Amit Bhandari

Europe has reduced its reliance on Russian gas following the war in Ukraine, and its chief supplier Russia is mired in western sanctions. What does it mean for Russia? It has certainly changed the fortunes for American gas to be sold to Europe: as of 2023, the US had become the world’s top exporter of gas.

Courtesy: Bloomberg

9 January 2025

Energy crisis in Bangladesh and way forward

BY Amit Bhandari

Bangladesh faces an energy crisis due to increasing prices, depleting foreign exchange reserves and political instability. Amit Bhandari, Senior Fellow, Energy, Investment and Connectivity, Gateway House, speaks with Rayhan Rashid on an episode of the South Asia Democratic Forum’s podcast on challenges affecting Bangladesh’s energy sector and potential solutions such as diversification of energy sources, a shift toward low-carbon energy production, and regional integration.

Courtesy: Business Standard

19 December 2024

India’s oil strategy in the Trump era

BY Amit Bhandari

The advent of the pro-oil Donald Trump in the U.S. and the strong pushback by developing countries to the unsatisfactory COP29 proposals, has opened opportunities for India in the energy sector. Instead of investing in overseas oil facilities, India will be better served as a financial investor in listed companies in large economies. This approach will help forge closer ties with strategic partners.