Latest Articles about India
Why are Indian Security Officials Talking to Taliban Leader Khairullah Khairkhwa?
With the exit of U.S. and NATO troops from Afghanistan and the Taliban seizing ever greater amounts of territory, Indian officials have reportedly begun talking to Taliban leaders (Times of India, June 23). Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Khairullah Khairkhwa and Shaikh Dilawar are among the... MORE
Mufti Amir Hamza Fuels Bangladeshi Extremism Through ‘Wa’z Mehfils’
Introduction On May 5, Bangladeshi police arrested Mohammad Shakib and Ali Hasan Osama, two members of the al-Qaeda-linked Ansar al-Islam terrorist group. They were arrested for “planning and instigating” an attack on the National Parliament (also called the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban) in the capital Dhaka.... MORE
Pakistan Stream Gas Pipeline: Russia’s Key to South Asia?
Russian Energy Minister Nikolai Shulginov and Pakistan’s ambassador to Moscow, Shafqat Ali Khan, signed a revised agreement on May 28 that initiates the construction of the planned Pakistan Stream Gas Pipeline (PSGP) (Minenergo.gov.ru, May 28). Formerly known as the North-South Gas Pipeline, this infrastructural mega-project... MORE
New Transport Routes in Central Asia and Caucasus Trigger Intra-Regional Competition
Perhaps not surprisingly, the development of railways in Central Asia and of shipping routes and pipelines across the Caspian Sea are routinely characterized as elements of geopolitical competition among major outside powers, including Russia, China, Turkey, the United States, Iran and India (see EDM, February... MORE
Indian Counter-Insurgency Operations and COVID-19 Limit Maoist Insurgency
Introduction Once considered the biggest internal security challenge for the Indian state, Maoist militants, also known as Naxalites, have witnessed a steady decline over the last decade. The insurgency covered almost all central and eastern Indian states and is often referred to as the “Red... MORE
Myanmar Militant Opposition Divided in Fight Against Tatmadaw
On June 22, soldiers backed by armored vehicles clashed with fighters of the recently-formed People’s Defense Force (PDF) in Mandalay, Myanmar’s second largest city. This was the first time that the PDF has engaged the Tatmadaw, as the Myanmar military is known, in a major... MORE
Beijing Boosts its Position as a “Himalayan Hegemon” Through Hydropower
Introduction China’s building of ambitious hydropower and water diversion projects, and increasing focus on the Himalayan ecosystem as a critical developmental resource, has increased tensions with its regional neighbors, particularly India. The Chinese state contractor PowerChina in November 2020 announced plans for a 60-gigawatt dam... MORE
The Pulwama Suicide Bombing and Youth Radicalization in India-Administered Kashmir
Introduction On April 2, Indian forces launched a counter-terrorism operation in a village in the Pulwama district of India-administered Kashmir, killing three people. They were allegedly involved in the murder of a policeman guarding the home of a local politician from India’s ruling party in... MORE
Islamic State’s Easter Sunday Attacks in Sri Lanka: Assessing the Government’s Response Two Years On
Two years ago, on April 21, 2019, eight suicide bombers affiliated with the Islamic State (IS)-linked local jihadist groups National Towheed Jamaat (NTJ) and Jammiyat-ul Millathu Ibrahim (JMI) carried out deadly terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka, targeting luxury hotels and Catholic churches. The synchronized attacks... MORE
Pakistan’s Dual Counter-Terrorism Challenges: Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan’s Merger and Cross-Border Campaign from Afghanistan
On February 26, Nooristan, known as Hasan Baba, was killed by Pakistani security forces. He was a commander of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), who had been involved in the murder of more than 50 security forces personnel since 2007. His death represented one of Pakistan’s... MORE