Aditi Malhotra & Usama Nizamani Global division following Russia’s war in Ukraine has rekindled the public debate on ‘strategic autonomy’ in South Asia. According to S. Kalyanaraman, “strategic autonomy denotes the ability of a state to pursue its national interests and adopt its preferred foreign policy without being constrained in any manner by other states.” This… Continue reading Strategic Autonomy: Comparing India and Pakistan
In this month’s ‘In Dialogue’, we invite Sankaran Krishna and Aditi Malhotra to examine India’s position within the current geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific. For many, India fails to receive the kind of attention generated by China, Russia or Japan when it comes to the region, which may, in part, be due to New Delhi’s careful… Continue reading In Dialogue: India’s Presence in the Indo-Pacific
It has been over two months since the Russia-Ukraine War began, and the conflict shows little signs of slowing. Beyond the immediate devastation of the war, the fighting in Europe has once again highlighted the strategic dilemma of foreign dependence for military preparedness. The ongoing strategic and diplomatic conundrum faced by Indian decision-makers perhaps best… Continue reading Russia-Ukraine War: Military Modernization and Operational Challenges for India
Last February, a suicide bombing on an Indian security force convoy on the Jammu-Srinagar highway—considered the deadliest attack ever carried out in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K)—killed 44 Central Reserve Police Force personnel and triggered a crisis between India and Pakistan. As the crisis unfolded, the mainstream media of both countries worked overtime to cover the events and shape the… Continue reading Toeing the line: Media behavior and public messaging during the Pulwama/Balakot Crisis
The Quint The President of Seychelles, Danny Faure, is currently on a state visit to India, marking his first official bilateral visit to the country. The six-day trip has grabbed attention largely because it comes on the heels of growing uncertainty about the Indian naval base in Assumption Island. This state visit marks the beginning… Continue reading India-Seychelles Keep Friendship Afloat Amid Assumption Island Row
The Quint When PM Modi visited Seychelles in March 2015, New Delhi and Victoria had agreed to develop a military facility in the Assumption Island. India’s planned investment of USD 550 million included the development of an airstrip, jetty, and housing infrastructure for the Seychelles Coast Guard. The joint project intended to enhance Seychelles’ ability… Continue reading As Indian Ocean Heats Up, India Sees a Ripple in Seychelles
South Asian Voices Twenty years ago this month, India and Pakistan conducted nuclear tests in Pokhran (Rajasthan) and Chagai (Balochistan) respectively. Expectedly, the tests sparked international opprobrium, followed by sanctions on both countries. Since then, India and Pakistan have embarked on ambitious nuclear trajectories, characterized by steadily growing nuclear stockpiles and improved delivery systems. The introduction of new technologies such… Continue reading Twenty Years into Nuclear South Asia: Mitigating Dangers Together
South Asian Voices The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, through its Doomsday Clock—the metaphorical clock whose hour hand is set to midnight, representing nuclear armageddon—has assessed the current global nuclear situation to be the most dangerous since 1953, the year both the United States and the Soviet Union successfully tested the hydrogen bomb. This is not surprising considering geopolitical tensions… Continue reading SAV Review: Evaluating the Normative Utility of the NWPT in South Asia
The Quint On 26 January 2018, New Delhi will roll out the red carpet for the heads of all Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) states. This will be a first for any Republic Day celebration, which is marked by a grand display of India’s cultural heritage and military potential. 2017 marked 50 years of… Continue reading Revisiting Indo-ASEAN Relations & India’s Push to ‘Act East’
China-India Brief #107 Centre on Asia and Globalisation, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy On January 26, 2018, New Delhi will host the leaders of all ten Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries as chief guests of India’s annual Republic Day celebrations. Traditionally, the chief guests are chosen after careful consideration and are… Continue reading India-China Relations and ASEAN: A Role Theory Explanation
Aditi Malhotra 