Courtesy: FB / @The Statesman

30 April 2026

Legacy and new issues with India-Sri Lanka

India’s Vice President C. Radhakrishnan visited Sri Lanka from April 19-20, reaffirming Colombo’s importance in India’s Neighbourhood First Policy and MAHASAGAR vision. While ties remain stable, legacy issues persist: Tamil demands for devolution, illegal fishing disputes, and the stalled Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement. The hope is for these to be resolved within Sri Lanka; till then, the unresolved challenges will continue to test the depth and durability of the bilateral.

Courtesy: Reuters

23 April 2026

India’s Neighbourhood First policy needs a reboot

BY Rajiv Bhatia

Outcomes of the Neighbourhood First policy (NFP) are often mixed, shaped by actions on both sides. Recent engagements with Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Nepal suggest an opportune moment to recalibrate NFP, enhance its effectiveness, and bridge perceptions of India as an “elder brother” rather than a “big brother.”

Courtesy: News on Air

8 January 2026

2026: India’s foreign policy challenges

BY Rajiv Bhatia

In the shifting sands of contemporary geopolitics, terms such as ‘fluid multipolarity’, ‘multiplexity’, ‘tripolarity’, and ‘bipolarity with multipolar characteristics’ are replacing the old dogmas and orders. But what is driving the world today? How does India plan to protect its vital interests in the current age of ongoing polycrisis? The road ahead is challenging, marked by risks and uncertainty.

Courtesy: Brookings Institution

2 August 2023

Myanmar’s Decade of Hope and Gloom: Implications for India

BY Rajiv Bhatia

Two years on since the military coup in 2021 and the continued absence of security and stability has only worsened the political and economic situation in Myanmar has only worsened in the absence of security and stability. India's long-standing strategic and economic interests in Myanmar will not be achieved if it doesn't proactively step up now to prevent the from becoming a flawed polity or a dependent of China.

Courtesy: Shutterstock

22 June 2022

Understanding Pakistan’s China Debt Problem

BY Amit Bhandari

Pakistan’s latest economic survey reveals the extent of the country’s indebtedness to China. High-interest Chinese loans, reckless multilateral borrowing, and ever-increasing defence budgets have deleteriously impacted Pakistan’s finances. Any lasting solution to these problems will have to involve China.

Courtesy: Government of Uttar Pradesh

2 December 2021

The SCO’s shared Buddhist legacy

BY Sifra Lentin

On November 26, the first flight took off from Kushinagar Airport in Uttar Pradesh, set up to help Buddhist pilgrims reach the Mahaparinirvana Temple, where Lord Buddha attained nirvana. Promoting India's Buddhist legacy can lead New Delhi's effort to revive diplomacy between the SCO's eight member nations.

Courtesy: MEA/Flickr

27 February 2020

BIMSTEC or SAARC?

BY Rajiv Bhatia

South Asia’s speedy economic development depends on the level of integration between countries in the region. The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) have lost their momentum. But both platforms have their uses and can be revived creatively

Books

Gateway House's research on Chinese investments in India's Neighbourhood. Researched by Amit Bhandari and Chandni Jindal.

Courtesy: Gateway House

12 March 2018

Chinese Investments in India’s Neighbourhood

BY Amit Bhandari and Chandni Jindal

India and the world have watched China’s growing investment in Asia and beyond with a mix of awe and apprehension. The unprecedented scale of these investments are reshaping political arrangements around South Asia.