To Hedge or De‐hyphen?

Pakistan’s foreign policy has long been defined by a delicate balancing act between two global giants – the United States and China. Over the decades, this engagement has shifted from periods of close cooperation with Washington to an increasingly strategic partnership with Beijing. Historically, Islamabad has oscillated between leveraging U.S. military support and cultivating economic…

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Hindutva and RSS-BJP Nexus

The rise of extremist ideas in Indian domestic politics under the Modi government has shaken New Delhi’s constitutional foundations and its manifestations in the country’s foreign relations. The arrival of Modi in Indian politics as Prime Minister augmented the role of religion in the country’s politics based on the fanatical ideological configurations of the Bharatiya…

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Modi’s India

The United States knew twentieth century India through Mother Theresa who served the sickly in an ocean of poverty or through a Hollywood’s terrifying Tantric named Mola Ram, from the Indiana Jones universe. India came close to declaring sovereign default in 1991 with foreign reserves of just US$1 billion. Dr. Manmohan Singh, an economist of…

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The Afghan Reversal

In the ever-evolving chessboard of South Asian geopolitics, Pakistan finds itself at a critical juncture, grappling with the unintended consequences of its once-vaunted alliance with the Taliban. What was envisioned as a strategic triumph – a friendly regime in Kabul and a buffer against Indian influence – has morphed into a complex web of challenges….

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The Geographical Rationale

Lord Palmerston, a British statesman and Prime Minister is often quoted to have said that there are no permanent enemies, and no permanent friends but only permanent interests in international relations. He was primarily correct because Britain did not have land borders contiguous with any other nation but Ireland. However, for countries with neighbours geographically…

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Future of Gaza

Context In the post-October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, the geopolitics of Middle East is fast evolving. This has been accompanied by the loss of Hezbollah leadership in Lebanon and the fall of the Assad regime in Syria in December 2024. The inauguration of President Trump on January 20, 2025 has presented unique threats…

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Twenty Years

The American war in Afghanistan lasted for two decades and a substantial number of books were written by western military men, diplomats, politicians, and journalists. They provide an outside perspective, and no Afghan has written about the experience of their nation. Twenty Years by Sune Engel Rasmussen is unique as it gives experience of several…

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State – Society Conflict in Pakistan

The state-society interaction in Pakistan has a direct connection with the country’s political stability, governance structure, and economic development. This interaction has resulted in a multifaceted conflicting scenario in which the country’s political and social landscapes are passing through critical phases. The leading academic surveys from diverse directions of international intellectual communities have emerged, they…

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