South Asia and Beyond

‘Onus On Politicians If Disillusioned Maldives’ Youth Take To Radicalisation’

NEW DELHI: For a fledgling democracy that the Maldives is, political turmoil within the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) leading to personal accusations and abuses is a symbol of unhealthy politics and may push disillusioned youth towards religious fundamentalism, says policy analyst & commentator N. Sathiya Moorthy. Speaking to StratNews Global Associate Editor Amitabh P, […]Read More

Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh Making Haste, Slowly

NEW DELHI: Three years ago, on August 5th, 2019, the Modi government made a dramatic announcement of the removal of Article 370 which gave the state of Jammu and Kashmir a special status. The move not only stripped away the special status of the erstwhile state, but the Central Government also split the state into […]Read More

J&K And Ladakh: Three Years After Article 370

NEW DELHI: Three years have passed since the central government did away with Article 370 of the Constitution that gave special status to Jammu & Kashmir and bifurcated the state into two union territories. How have things changed on the ground? Have people’s aspirations been met? What more needs to be done? In this episode […]Read More

Pelosi’s Taiwan Visit: China Stops Climate, Military Talks With U.S.

In the midst of conducting military exercises close to Taiwan as retaliation for U.S. Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to the island, China has said it was stopping climate cooperation and military talks with the United States. Cooperation on returning illegal immigrants, criminal investigations, transnational crime, illegal drugs and climate change will be suspended, the Chinese foreign ministry […]Read More

World Bank blocks $335 Million Loans To Pakistan

The World Bank has cancelled or withheld a $335 million concessionary loan quota for Pakistan after Islamabad failed to empower the debt office and could not harmonise sales tax and property valuation procedures. The Washington-based lender’s decision has put a question mark over the ability of Pakistani policymakers and bureaucrats, who have not been able to […]Read More

Pak Govt To Limit Imports For Three Months: Finance Minister

Pakistani Finance Minister Miftah Ismail has said that the government would control imports for the next three months even if it came at the cost of slower growth. “I will not allow imports to increase for three months and, in the meantime, we will come up with a policy. I understand that growth will be reduced for […]Read More

Myanmar Junta Charges Japanese Filmmaker With Incitement

Japanese documentary filmmaker Toru Kubota faces charges of incitement and violations of visa and immigration rules for his alleged connections with anti-regime protesters, according to the Myanmar junta’s information ministry. The 26-year-old was detained on Saturday in South Dagon Township, Yangon, along with two protesters, while documenting an anti-regime rally against the executions of four […]Read More

Had No Information Zawahiri Was In Kabul: Taliban

Days after President Joe Biden announced that top al-Qaeda terrorist Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed in a U.S. drone strike on a residential house in downtown Kabul, Taliban said that they have no information about Zawahiri’s arrival and stay in the city. U.S. officials have said the 71-year-old Zawahiri was staying at the home of a top […]Read More

A Guide To Contemporary China

Focus On Degrees With “High Employment Rate”   A provincial higher education plan to not offer existing majors that have lower employment rates has raised questions over its fairness amid a looming job crisis. Education authorities in the eastern Anhui province ordered universities to “halt enrolment” for majors with employment rates below 60% for three consecutive […]Read More

‘India First’ Trumps ‘India Out’ Campaign: How Will Maldives Ruling Party Dirt, Division Affect Ties?

New Delhi: On ‘Talking Point’, N. Sathiya Moorthy, Policy Analyst & Commentator and Dr Gulbin Sultana Associate Fellow, South Asia Centre, Manohar Parrikar Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses(MP-IDSA) in conversation with StratNews Global Associate Editor Amitabh P. Revi. The panel discusses Maldives President Ibrahim Solih’s third visit to India since he was elected in 2018, Malé’s ‘India First’ and Delhi’s ‘Neighbourhood […]Read More

Bridging The Language Divide On The Indian Internet

NEW DELHI : With Bhashini, India has launched an audacious project to democratise its digital economy. This platform will collate the available technology to accelerate Internet access, both in text and voice, in local languages. At present, access to the internet is mostly in English, though only 10% Indians are proficient in it. Undoubtedly, it […]Read More

‘Nancy Pelosi’s Taiwan Visit A Slap On The Face Of China’

NEW DELHI: The aggressive measures announced by China against Taiwan in response to Nancy Pelosi’s visit are an attempt to recover its lost face and credibility, says Dr Lai Yi Chung, President, Prospect Foundation, Taiwan. There’s no indication yet that China is moving towards seizing some outlying Taiwanese island but we need to watch out […]Read More

Iran Nuclear Deal Or No Deal, Is More West Asia Confrontation Likely?

New Delhi: On ‘The Gist’, Dr Trita Parsi, Executive Vice President, Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft and Author, ‘Losing an Enemy: Obama, Iran and the Triumph of Diplomacy’ & ‘Treacherous Alliance: The Secret Dealings of Iran, Israel and the United States’ and the 2010 recipient of the Grawemeyer Award for Ideas Improving World Order in conversation with StratNews Global Associate Editor Amitabh P. Revi. Dr […]Read More

Pelosi’s Visit & China’s Escalation: The View From Taiwan

NEW DELHI: Defying warnings from China, Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, did arrive in Taiwan on Tuesday evening local time. Pelosi, the first U.S. Speaker to visit China in 25 years, was accorded a warm welcome. China reacted by imposing sanctions against several Taiwanese exports to the mainland and announced that it […]Read More

Rights Of Afghan Women, Minorities: ‘World Should Stop Dictating Policy’

NEW DELHI: Allegations that the government of Afghanistan is systematically targeting individuals associated with the former administration are unfounded, says Abdul Qahar Balkhi, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Speaking to StratNews Global Associate Editor Amitabh P. Revi on ‘The Gist’ about girls being denied secondary education, he insisted that Afghanistan had the right to enact laws […]Read More

‘India-Trained Cadets Will Be Inducted Into Afghan Security Forces’

NEW DELHI: Afghan cadets who return home after receiving military training in India will be integrated into the Afghan security forces, says Abdul Qahar Balkhi, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Speaking to StratNews Global Associate Editor Amitabh P. Revi on ‘The Gist’, Balkhi revealed that the Afghan government and India are exploring infrastructure projects […]Read More