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This issue brief examines how Afghanistan facilitates India's objectives vis-a-vis Central Asia and explores how engagement with Central Asia, in turn, could play a major role in furthering India's interests in Afghanistan.

Saeed Naqvi, Distinguished Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, traveled to Bahrain, Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, Baghdad, Najaf, Amman, Cairo, Jerusalem and Ramallah after the Arab Spring broke out. Earlier, he visited Tunisia, Iran, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan, Western Sahara and Libya. In this paper, he shares his first-hand experiences and discussions with leaders and diplomats, many of whom have requested anonymity. This paper follows

Little is known and even less understood about the 2,00,000-strong Bangladesh Army's corporate interests. The importance of the subject owes itself to the fact that the army has been a veritable power of stability in a country that has been dogged by decades of unending political turmoil. The fact that the Army had to step in to keep the country from slipping into a political abyss in 2006 underlines the criticality of its role in providing stabi

Over the past year, the European Union (EU) increased its efforts to develop a more holistic approach to its engagement with the Indo-Pacific. Specifically, the EU has signalled a more concrete intention to integrate defence and security considerations into the policymaking process, with the publication of a regional strategy of engagement in September 2021. This brief aims to tie existing threads of EU diplomatic, developmental, and security pra

Bhutan has historically maintained a neutral relationship with China, to its north, and a more special relationship with India, whose states border its west, east, and south. Over the past two decades, however, many factors are forcing Bhutan to settle its longstanding territorial disputes with China and diversify its relations. These factors include its own changing economy and transition from an absolute monarchy to a democracy, a gener

While West Asia is volatile, the Chinese are beginning to get more active in Afghanistan, retain their pre-eminence in Pakistan and strengthen ties with Iran. In fact, Iran is the third leg of China?s policy in our immediate western neighbourhood. The Chinese are obviously making preparations for the time when peace returns to the Arab world, which might leave a stronger Iran.

This paper examines the maritime infrastructure of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)--tracing the history of the development of its maritime organisation, infrastructure and strategy. The paper focuses on the salience of sea power as perceived by a violent non-state actor and provides a perspective on how non-state actors employ sea power in asymmetric conflicts

Understanding the importance of peace has been accorded high priority in many religions, such as Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism. In recent years, many economists have realized the monetary value of peace. Peace is a pre-requisite for the development of infrastructural facilities like education, health, roads, irrigation, power and communications.

Recent developments in Bhutan reflect India's growing foreign policy challenges in the Neighbourhood. They are a reminder that many of the traditional assumptions of India's regional policy are no longer sustainable.

This paper dissects the history and politics of Gilgit-Baltistan, a part of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), from the 1980s to the present day. It analyses the policies implemented by Pakistani leaders in the region and how successive political parties have attempted to justify Pakistan’s administrative control of it while disregarding any democratic, secular or moral principles in the ruling of its supposed subjects. The pap

Afghanistan fell to the Taliban in August last year and since then, serious security concerns have arisen for India. There is the spectre of terrorist groups in neighbouring countries gaining strength; there is also the threat of Indians travelling to Afghanistan to either live as civilians desiring a home under “Islamic rule”, or else fight alongside terrorist groups. Indeed, other South Asian countries such as Bangladesh are reporting that

‘Neighbourhood diplomacy’ has been prioritised for a long time by China, manifesting in the famous framework that big powers are the key; the peri

As India places the Mekong sub-region among its priorities under the country’s ‘Act East’ policy, the ongoing India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway project––currently the only land connectivity project between India and the Mekong countries and the wider Southeast Asian region––could prove to be a game changer. It is imperative to explore ways to ensure early completion of this strategic communication link. This paper focuses on

Among India's neighbours, Bangladesh occupies a special position not only because of India's role in its liberation but because geographically, too, it surrounds Bangladesh from three sides. The beginning of close economic relations between the two countries can be traced back to 1971. After its independence, Bangladesh's requirements of consumer goods, especially food, came from India. Over the years, the country has sought easier access to Indi

The Bay of Bengal region links South Asia and Southeast Asia, with the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) serving as a platform of trans-border cooperation. The BIMSTEC’s prime assets are the historical and cultural links between the nations, and their spirit of community. However, the lack of both a robust decision-making mechanism and a set of common rules have slowed down the growth of th

Executed properly, Aadhaar could become a central pillar of India’s ‘neighbourhood first’ policy.

क्या देश को मिला नया नेतृत्व तुर्कमेनिस्तान में वो बदलाव

Pakistan is often accused of being a state sponsor of terrorism. This article bases itself in the belief that though the problem of ?Jihadism? may well have originated from some of Pakistan?s security paranoias, it is now assuming proportions far larger than Pakistan itself. At this stage, Jihadism will be a problem for Pakistan itself as much as for the rest of the world. At the same time, the ability of the Pakistani state to counter this pheno

Sri Lanka, which in the 1970s was being hailed as a development success story for a low-income nation, is now mired in a financial and economic disaster, its worst yet since independence in 1948. Despite notable investments in infrastructure projects, and a largely stable growth rate from 2013 to 2019, the Sri Lankan story was marred by a series of untimely and mismanaged economic measures that led to the current meltdown. External factors have c

संयुक्‍त राष्‍ट्र महासभा में भारतीय विदेश मंत्री ने अपने भाषण में दुनिया के समक्ष भारत का समग्रता का दृष्टिकोण रखा. उन्‍होंने भारतीय विदेश नीति की बुनियादी सिंद्धांतों �

The crisis in the South Asian neighbourhood is quite alarming, but India stands as a bright star in the region and on the global stage, despite inflat

संयुक्त राष्ट्र सुरक्षा परिषद के अध्यक्ष के रूप में भारत

In a groundbreaking speech in August this year, US President Donald Trump laid out his government’s policy for South Asia, authorising more American troops to Afghanistan and insisting that Pakistan must either “do more” to restrain Islamist militants, or face consequences. Indian and Afghan governments have welcomed the new US policy approach. The major components of Trump’s Afghanistan strategy — recognising Pakistan’s role in provi

This brief is largely based on several discussions organised at Observer Research Foundation over a period of time. These discussions were enriched by the presence of some of the well-known experts on water issues in the country, like former Union Minister for Water Resources, Dr. Suresh Prabhu, current High Commissioner of Bangladesh, Tariq Ahmad Karim, Mr. Sunjoy Joshi, Director, Observer Research Foundation, Ms. Clare Shakya, Senior Regional C

Friendly Indo-Bangla relations will play a major role in securing peace and prosperity in the South Asia and these can be achieved with sincere initiatives by the government in resolving outstanding issues. India's Bangla policy could be a for the new government in dealing with other countries in the Neighbourhood.

By rushing relief at first signs of rains in Sri Lanka, India demonstrated the political will to reach out to its neighbourhood in the hour of distres

The country won’t have the resources required to modernise and equip the armed forces, or the wherewithal to project power in its neighbourhood and beyond.

As India tries to shape the global agenda through G20, it needs Bangladesh’s support to translate many of these ideas into action in its neighbourho

Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit and accompanying independent agreements with Maldives and Sri Lanka, on undefined maritime issues and cooperation, have the potential for causing greater concern not only in India, but in the shared neighbourhood and beyond.

पश्चिम से बढ़ते दबाव के बावजूद यूक्रेन संकट पर भारत अपने �

चीन एक अरसे से दावा करता आ रहा है कि ताइवान उसका हिस्सा है और वह शांतिपूर्ण उपायों से उसे अपने में मिला लेना चाहता है, लेकिन जरूरत पड़ने पर बलप्रयोग करने भी वह हिचकेगा नहीं.

अग्निपथ योजना कागज पर संभव प्रतीत हो सकती है लेकिन व्यवह�

पाकिस्तानने अफगाणी कट्ट्रवाद्यांविरोधातील आपले युद्ध �

तालिबान के ख़िलाफ़ विरोध के नये ठिकानों का उदय हो रहा है. �

वैसे तो भारत ने तालिबान सरकार को मान्यता नहीं दी है लेकिन

तालिबान के बढ़ते दबाव के बीच अफ़ग़ानी महिला पत्रकारों के

भारत और अमेरिका- दोनों देश अफ़ग़ानिस्तान के मुद्दे पर सह�

तालिबान के विनाशकारी शासन के छह महीने पूरे होने के बावजू�

ऐतिहासिक डूरंड लाइन अब भी एक चुभते हुए कांटे की तरह है क्य

अफ़ग़ानिस्तान में महिलाओं के अधिकारों के उल्लंघन के साफ

अफ़ग़ानिस्तान पर तालिबान द्वारा क़ब्ज़ा किये जाने की पह�

विदेशी मुद्रा भंडार तक अफ़ग़ानिस्तान के केंद्रीय बैंक (ड

अफ़ग़ानिस्तान में तालिबान की हुकूमत को व्यवहारिक रूप से

दशकों से अफ़्रीका के सियासी तजुर्बे में बार-बार तख़्तापल

‘वैक्सीन रंगभेद’ के बाद रूस के यूक्रेन पर आक्रमण के बाद स�