The mysterious case of the Bagram airbase The Statesman 15 Apr 2025There is an unconfirmed report that the US has redeployed in the Bagram airbase in Afghanistan. This base was the command centre for NATO and US forces throughout their occupation of Afghanistan. It was taken over by the Taliban after US withdrawal and collapse of the Afghan army. Bagram […]
75 years of Indo-China diplomatic ties The Excelsior 11 Apr 2025The Chinese embassy in New Delhi hosted an event marking the 75th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between the two nations last week. It came at a time when the US-China trade war had just erupted. The Indian foreign secretary, Vikram Misri, was the chief guest on the occasion. […]
Why India’s image is being sullied by global bodies The Statesman 08 Apr 2025In Mar this year the USCIRF (US Commission on International Religious Freedom) released its annual report. On India it recommended, ‘Designate India as a “country of particular concern,” for engaging in and tolerating systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations.’ It added, ‘Impose targeted sanctions on individuals […]
India and Bangladesh must understand each other Etv Bharat 06 Apr 2025Finally, after much suspense and without a formal announcement, the bilateral between Modi and Yunus finally took place in Bangkok. Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Adviser, Touhid Hossain had mentioned that Dacca had approached New Delhi for scheduling the same. India was expected to respond post observing Yunus’s Beijing visit, however […]
Changing US-Afghanistan ties The Excelsior 05 Apr 2025Afghanistan recently released a US citizen, George Glezmann, held by them for over the past two years. He was arrested while touring Afghanistan in Dec 2022, an arrest which the US declared illegal. The release followed months of negotiations between the US and Afghanistan involving Qatar.George was handed over to the US hostage […]
India is enhancing its drone and counter-drone capabilities ETv Bharat 02 Mar 2025 The Russo-Ukraine war continues to witness a UAV dominated battlefield compelling changing concepts of operations and tactics. A difference compared to employment of brute military power of yester years. Russia initially employed Iranian drones and moved on to develop its Lancet drones which carry a 40 Kg […]
Making foreign meddling a domestic poll weapon The Statesman 01 Apr 2025Vanessa Lloyd, chair of the security and intelligence threats to elections taskforce, mentioned recently at a press conference that India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran and China can subvert their national elections through sophisticated disinformation campaigns. The number of countries listed by her imply that Canadian elections have global significance however […]
Pakistan has few options The Excelsior 28 Mar 2025The last few weeks have witnessed a spurt of incidents involving various groups, battling Pak security forces, including the Baloch Freedom Fighters. Over 2000 attacks, including terrorist strikes and suicide bombings, have occurred in different parts of the country in the past year. After every incident, the Pak army announces success, on […]
The PLA is not China’s armed force but CCP’s ETv Bharat 25 Mar 2025Every nation has an armed force to defend itself from perceived threats, both external and internal. The expenditure to raise, sustain and maintain these forces flows from the national exchequer, paid for by the tax payer. Hence, the armed forces are subservient to elected authority, pay allegiance […]
Many complications in Ukraine peace talks The Statesman 25 Mar 2025Ignoring Europe and Ukraine, Trump spoke to Putin to determine a way forward for ending the three-year old conflict. The US handout read ‘the leaders agreed that the movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire.’ Talks on a ‘maritime ceasefire, full ceasefire and permanent peace’ will […]