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India-Bangladesh ties have entered an era of consolidation and expansion. Trade figures have gone up to $7 billion, though the adverse trade balance remains an issue.

Doval’s Riyadh visit and I2U2’s steady progress demonstrate a nimble, pragmatic and business-like foreign policy.

Soft power's importance has increased in the context of globalisation and the growing disquiet over the use of military power for achieving foreign policy objectives. This paper focuses specifically on soft power in India's foreign policy

A big election win for Modi lifted India’s confidence in tackling a changing global order and challenging its critics

India’s ties with Bangladesh have not been smooth and faced turbulence despite India supporting Bangladesh in its liberation.

A Pakistani nuclear deal would suggest that the US is determined to maintain good ties with both India and Pakistan. Those in India, who expected that Washington's unhappiness with Islamabad would result in undivided attention to New Delhi, will be disappointed. But, the US is following the logic of its geopolitical interests.

Pakistan is facing an imminent energy crisis. Hydroelectric projects like Kalabagh, or coal-based ones like the Thar have failed to address the nation's growing energy needs adequately.

Terrorism and the use of nuclear weapons could be taken up for consideration for inclusion in the International Criminal Court's purview. Effective participation by India, even as an observer, could influence the evolution of the ICC in the course of such discussions.

If one really wishes to get a better appreciation of how the Indian Navy plans for an upsurge in naval rivalry with Beijing, the best thing to do is to carefully parse the refreshingly sanguine words of India's naval chiefs on the matter.

It is now a well-known fact that how Pakistani terrorists and ISI operatives exploited the visas in plotting terror attacks against India. And, it is a matter of serious concern that there are 7,000 Pakistanis still in India after their visas had expired.

India lacks an institutional infrastructure for advancing the cause of democracy as a soft power.

Does this “new direction” in the United States Afghan strategy mean that India should start to re-evaluate its approach on Afghanistan and take a more active role?

India’s relationships with Bangladesh, Myanmar and China hang in the balance.

India is developing appropriate capabilities to tackle the new and emerging space security challenges in outer space.

There will soon be two important changes in the Nepal and India diplomacy, which are of significant importance to both the countries. Nepal's ambassador to India, Rukma Shumsher Rana, has been recalled while the Indian envoy to Nepal Rakesh Sood will be replaced by another career diplomat.

The national identity of Pakistan is rooted in the ‘two-nation theory’—the very basis of the creation of the country—which says that the Hindus and Muslims of the subcontinent were two different nations and therefore, the Muslims were entitled to a separate homeland where Islam would be practiced as state religion. Does Pakistan’s quest for identity, however, mean neglecting the non-Islamic culture present in the country? This brief cal

One can draw a range of parallels in the political discourse prevalent in the US and India. In this article, an attempt has been made to find parallels in the narratives that dominated the Indian general election of 2014, with the ones currently dominating the U.S. presidential election in 2016.

Singapore’s centrality in India’s Southeast Asia outreach is reflected in the two countries’ cooperation in multilateral forums

The recent face-off between Indian and Chinese patrols in Asaphila area on June 26, 2003 evoked considerable media interest and political debate in the country. It overshadowed and almost neutralised the Prime Minister's visit to China, which took place after a decade long gap and, more significantly,

India’s border dispute with China, which goes back to the 1950s, primarily owes to the absence of an internationally accepted boundary between them, and of an agreement on where runs the Line of Actual Control. The border, as a result, is patrolled and managed by the military forces of both sides. After initial efforts to resolve the dispute failed, the two sides signed a set of agreements aimed at stabilising the LAC and normalising their rela

Given the state of bilateral relations between India and China, New Delhi is doubling down on its efforts regarding strategic border infrastructure.

Improved infrastructure has a critical role in enabling a nation to apply military power. On the India-China border, there is a clear military imbalance-not just in terms of equipment and forces on the border but also in terms of the physical infrastructure. This paper will compare the infrastructure as it exists today, while identifying the gaps.

This paper looks at the recent Chinese infrastructural developments along the Sino-Indian border, including building of highways, road links and oil pipelines that have improved the country's force deployment and sustenance capabilities. The paper also assesses India?s infrastructure initiatives on the border front and argues that they are inadequate, especially in light of the Chinese developments.

Myanmar remains hugely important for India. The naval visit last week again focused attention on the role of India and China in the Southeast Asian state, even though New Delhi’s weakness lies more in non-security realms.

In the ongoing contest between China and India for influence, New Delhi has made some gains in the Maldives and Sri Lanka.

As competition intensifies in the Indian Ocean Region, India loses touch with Sri Lanka and solidifies relations with the Maldives.

With help from the Belt and Road Initative, China strives to compete with India for influence throughout South Asia

The already tenuous effort by both sides to manage their ties has been further complicated by contemporary developments.

China’s growing economic might and its aggressive military posturing have provided India, Singapore and Thailand strategic rationale to combine their efforts.

The summit has shown the world that China and India may have troubled relations, but their leaders also have the maturity to recognise when things are going out of hand.

Meetings have been taking place, but if China seeks to use the lack of precision of the Line of Actual Control to keep India off balance, little will change

India’s robust economy has tremendous potential. But for sustained economic growth, it needs direct access to the Eurasian markets, backed by reliable, resilient, and diversified supply chains. Indeed, enhanced connectivity with Central Asia and the wider Eurasia is essential to promote regional stability and unlock economic opportunities for all countries in the region. This paper analyses the status of the key connectivity projects in the reg

The past decade has witnessed the proliferation of small satellite technology in various domains including the military, academe and commerce. is paper explores the idea of utilising small satellites technology (of the order weighing less than 150kg) for specic aspects of India's space security interests. It will describe some of the programmes and missions of global leaders in space security, and examine specic applications of small satellite te

As India starts moving on its path of making its hundred odd cities 'smart', it could take a few cues from the experience of China, another developing country and India's immediate neighbour. Though in many parameters, the Chinese cities do quite well, they too have shortcomings, when looked from some indicators.

Social marginalisation in urban India can be overcome by identifying committed non-State individuals/institutions, and supporting them so that they are able to successfully contribute to the government's reform process.

Urban inequality is a blight experienced by many cities, even in the developed world.In developing countries like India, these social and economic inequalities become even morepronounced, with living conditions in certain populations crossing the line to the abysmal. Inthese cities, agencies responsible for addressing welfare concerns are unable to do so, as theythemselves grapple with a host of challenges. This paper argues that any positive tra

Hate speech, law and order, and mass panic are realities India's states have been living with for years. It would appear that, in dealing with free expression on the internet, India's politicians seem to err on the side of control. Perhaps the next election is not just about the economy, but equally about the Indian citizens freedom of expression and freedom from control.

Social mobility reveals the degree to which an individual’s starting point in life determines their chances in the future, and therefore the extent to which talent is rewarded with opportunity. A stronger association between one’s starting point and their outcomes in adulthood, indicates lower social mobility and less meritocracy. For India, realising the potential of its population will be a key driver of progress and growth. This brief expl

Social protection is crucial in tackling extreme poverty and ensuring equitable development, thus catalysing the transition to a more stable and robust economy. About 50 percent of India’s economy hinges on its informal workers, who comprise 90 percent of the country’s total workforce. Yet, these informal workers continue to be excluded from current social-protection schemes, leaving them with no social or financial safety net and trapping th