Latest Articles about India
The Taliban Takeover of Kabul and Implications for the India-Iran-Afghanistan-Uzbekistan Transit Corridor
The port of Chabahar—located on the Makran coast of Iran’s Sistan and Baluchistan Province, near to the Gulf of Oman and at the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz—is the only Iranian port with direct access to the Indian Ocean. Thanks to its strategic position... MORE
South Caucasus States Keen to Cash in on China’s, India’s Transportation Expansion
With the emergence of China and other manufacturing powerhouses in Asia that constantly seek access to new markets, the Caucasus has become attractive as a transit route for the movement of goods between the two parts of the Eurasian continent. Georgia (and by extension Armenia)... MORE
Russian-Style Multilateralism: Decorative and Ineffectual
Amidst the ongoing turmoil in Afghanistan, Russia has been convening or partaking in unusually numerous multilateral forums. President Vladimir Putin, aware of the strong emphasis by the Joseph Biden administration on reinvigorating the United States’ ties with allies and building a coalition of democracies, resorted... MORE
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