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Connectivity facilitates economic growth, social development, and people-to-people interactions. Recognising the imperative of connectivity in regional engagement, the Bay of Bengal Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) in 1997 declared ‘transport and communication’ as one of its sectors of cooperation. In 2018, BIMSTEC drew up its Master Plan for Transport Connectivity, and subsequently updated the plan at the fifth BIM

Mohamed Muizzu was sworn in as the seventh president of the Maldives in November 2023 after intense electoral competition with seven other candidates and a highly competitive second round. However, his administration’s five-year term will not be without challenges. Muizzu’s rise to power comes at a time when the archipelago is experiencing significant domestic and strategic challenges. As the Maldives gears up for parliamentary elections in l

China’s role in reshaping the political milieu in many countries is causing a sense of unease

The Smart Cities Mission in India, launched in 2015, is a unique experiment undertaken with the aim of improving people’s quality of life in cities. It bypasses traditional institutional approaches and employs innovative methods to achieve its targets. This brief provides an overview of the work initiated under the mission since its inception and explores the gains so far. It documents sectoral reforms and conducts a critical appraisal of the m

King Gyanedra¿s decision to give audience to the various political parties in early January 2004 preferred the ray of hope that the continuing political deadlock in Nepal might end soon.

The group’s big challenge is to define the security dimension of its agenda more robustly even as economic talks get underway

This sudden acceptance of the concept of foreign fighters by some Western States and analysts reeks of opportunism and double standards.

As India joins the SCO, it must keep in mind certain geopolitical realities.

Will Trump succeed where previous US presidents have failed?

While the opposition and his coalition partners will keep Imran Khan in check, Pakistan’s Army will call the shots

The US slipped from producing nearly 40% of the world's chips to just over 10% in the last three decades. By allocating $53 billion towards the enhancement of US semiconductor manufacturing, R&D and the augmentation of its skilled workforce in the domain, the Act sought to change China's comparative advantage

As liberal democracies struggle to deal with their domestic crises, China is finding it opportune to fill the gap in global leadership. China’s economic growth in four decades—called by many analysts as a “miracle”—has made its “state-controlled capitalism” model attractive especially to countries facing massive development challenges. More importantly, President Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) have their ey

America’s leader has signalled the continuity of its China policy but Indo-Pacific countries aren’t yet sure of it

Unlike in 2017, U.S. support for India at a time of confrontation with China is much more pronounced this time around.

US is now the quintessential revisionist state, economic leverage driving its foreign policy.

The changing distribution of power and the Chinese challenge to US primacy demands that countries like India and Australia bear larger responsibility for security. The future of the Indo-Pacific can't be tied solely to the twists and turns of the dynamic between Washington and Beijing.

In Geneva UNHRC session, while West resolution against Sri Lanka, that satisfied none - possibly starting with the movers and shakers of the world that the US and Europe think they are - managed to muster 23 votes, those 'not in favour' added up to a higher 24, comprising 12 against and 12 'abstentions'

It is said of the US that it comes to the right course of action after making all the mistakes. Unfortunately, it is others who end up paying the real price. And that includes Pakistan too. Ukraine looks to be the next candidate.

Hanoi's decision in granting oil blocks to New Delhi could make China uneasy as Chinese foreign policy, especially towards the South China Sea and the East China Sea, has undergone a major shift in the last few years.

If the BJP has a long-term economic vision for India, it needs to shun acting in a purely transactional manner in the near term.

The state’s monopoly of violence is accepted only if it follows the rule of law; if it doesn’t, it justifies the breaking of its monopoly by individuals, mobs and insurgents.

Why was there no Big Bang change in the Budget? After all, the Modi government had the full mandate to do so. Why was the FM playing with Lego like blocks instead of huge building blocks? It could be because the time was short and the Budget was put together in a hurry.

The US may have lost interest in Iraq, but in Syria if it truly desires a diplomatic solution, then Iran has to be brought on board. This is what even the French are telling them. But will the US take the extended hand.

The electoral bonds scheme defeats the purpose of improving transparency and accountability in political funding.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the end of the World War-II. This day should have been used to reflect on the pain inflicted by the war. Unfortunately, this anniversary appears to be degenerating into a political battle, that could have a critical impact on Japan's diplomacy and reputation, especially in Asia.

PM Modi’s only problem is that he lacks a political aide with sufficient heft to take the conversation on Kashmir forward.

The solution is simple in concept but difficult to implement. Judicial administration will have to be separated from the administration of justice. A separate class of court administrators, reporting to the presiding officer but not having to take orders from him, may have to be formed.

What was not acceptable to Karnataka have been made acceptable to Sikkim now. Naturally, advocates in Sikkim too would not want to have a judge, allegedly tainted by misdemeanour, to be their Chief Justice.

The focus on broadband expansion in the Union Budget is timely to take the IT revolution to the next level: social inclusion, e-commerce, media, and distance education for India?s small towns and rural pockets.

डेमोक्रॅट्सने मध्यावधी निवडणुकांमध्ये रिपब्लिकन ‘रेड वेव्ह’ टाळल्याचे दिसत असले तरी, काँग्रेस मात्र दुभंगलेली आहे.

As India and Armenia advance their partnership, currently anchored in defence ties, the economic dimension requires greater attention from both sides. With Armenia seeking to diversify its diplomatic and economic partners, and India expanding its footprint in Eurasia, both countries stand to benefit from building greater economic ties through value-added economic partnerships. This brief outlines a blueprint for advancing cooperation across six k

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) was formed to foster socio-economic cooperation between its seven member nations – India, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. The group signed a free trade agreement (FTA) in 2004, but the pact is still not operational due to the lack of consensus on certain key issues. Some members like India are keen to finalise the terms of t

The killings in Kashmir suggests that the terror eco-system has been taking its cue from Pakistani army chief with an eye towards bringing back some international attention to the conflict

Narendra Modi is a post-Partition Prime Minister who has no family history linking him directly to the event. This could work to his advantage if he chooses to take a less emotional and more logical approach to the Indo-Pak relationship.

Separatism, extremism, and terrorism originating in Afghanistan compelled the neighbouring countries to form the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in 2001. However, instead of presenting a united front, the SCO is rife with disagreements. Increased divergences and mistrust among the members have helped the Taliban regain power in Afghanistan and strengthen its influence in the heart of Eurasia. The Taliban have taken advantage of the trust

When two top American diplomats speak out in quick succession about the international system, the world will take note. The op-ed by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice in the Washington Post titled "The Promise of Democratic Peace," and the policy speech four days later by Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns at the European Institute titled "A Renewed Partnership for Global Engagement" fall into this category.

People living far away from zones of global conflict may underestimate their stake in the violence but it’s important to learn from the current moment of reckoning faced by the West.

Pragmatism has finally taken root in Delhi and Kathmandu — project implementation will be the test

In February 2004, President George Bush outlined his new nuclear non-proliferation approach, in his ¿seven points¿ speech at the National Defense University. It include the setting up of proliferation security initiative which will control and monitor not only shipments and nuclear transfer of material/technology but also will be empowered to take direct action against the violators of the law.

The first few weeks of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's tenure has seen a flurry of diplomatic activity. The steps taken by him in the foreign policy domain give a clear indication of the new government's priorities.

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic hastened the widespread adoption of digital technologies across the globe. The pace of digitalisation—from the micro levels of education and e- commerce to the macro levels of supply chains and production networks—has galvanised governments to advance digital regulations. The tightrope walk of creating policies that enable digital innovation and ensure regulations are in the larger public interest have led t

India is ready to take on a larger global role by being more nimble than ever in playing the great power game.