South Asia and Beyond

UN Report Blows Lid Off Rights Abuses In Afghanistan

A new report from the UN Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) released this week bears testimony to the erosion of basic human rights across the country since the Taliban took over in August last year, pointing out they bear responsibility for extrajudicial killings, torture, arbitrary arrests and detentions, and violations of fundamental freedoms. The ‘de facto’ […]Read More

At 71, Ousted NLD Chief Minister Gets 29 Yrs In Jail

Myanmar’s junta has sentenced ousted Mandalay Regional chief minister Dr Zaw Myint Maung to an additional three years in prison. The 71-year-old now faces 29 years in prison. A prison court in Mandalay sentenced him under electoral fraud charges, according to the defendant’s legal team. “This is the final charge against him. We are now […]Read More

Pakistani Passport The Fourth Worst In The World

The Pakistani passport continues to be the fourth worst in the world, not changing its position from a year ago and providing access to only 32 destinations, according to the Henley Passport Index for 2022. The index is a ranking of all the world’s 199 passports according to the number of destinations their holders can […]Read More

Sri Lanka Made ‘Dumb Bets’ On China: CIA Chief

The chief of Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has held China responsible for Sri Lanka’s economic collapse, saying Colombo’s “dumb bets” on high-debt Chinese investment have led to the catastrophic outcomes. “The Chinese have a lot of weight to throw around and they can make a very appealing case for their investments,” CIA Director William Burns […]Read More

A Guide To Contemporary China

Nobel Prize Winner Says Some Works In His Name Are Not His Chinese literary circles were left shocked after Nobel Prize Laureate Mo Yan recently published an article on his WeChat account, clarifying that many poems and articles apparently signed with his name online were actually not his works. Apart from a 32-second video, which […]Read More

Biden & Putin In West Asia: Iran, India, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Russia & China

New Delhi: On ‘Talking Point‘, Dr Deepika Saraswat, Associate Fellow, West Asia Centre, Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses(MP-IDSA), New Delhi and Author, ‘Between Survival and Status: The Counter-hegemonic Geopolitics of Iran’ and Alex Vatanka, founding Director, Iran Programme, Middle East Institute(MEI), Washington, D.C. and Author, ‘The Battle of the Ayatollahs in Iran: […]Read More

“Ladakh Was A Planned Operation by Chinese PLA”

NEW DELHI: Former Indian Ambassador to China, Mr Gautam Bambawale said that the Eastern Ladakh clash in 2020 was different from past clashes, in that, the clash of the patrols was not accidental but a well-thought-out, well-planned, well-simulated and well-carried out operation by the Chinese PLA. “China violated many of the agreements signed earlier between […]Read More

Process For S-400 CAATSA Waivers, ‘INFRUS’ & Alternatives To Russian Military High Tech

NEW DELHI: On ‘The Gist‘, Jeff M. Smith, Research Fellow, South Asia, Asian Studies Centre at The Heritage Foundation and Author/Editor of ‘Asia’s Quest for Balance: China’s Rise and Balancing in the Indo-Pacific’ and of ‘Cold Peace: China-India Rivalry in the 21st Century’ in conversation with StratNews Global Associate Editor Amitabh P. Revi. Jeff Smith […]Read More

I2U2 Or The West Asia Quad: Intensifying Engagement & Building Bridges Across The Gulf

New Delhi: Ambassador Navtej Sarna, Former Indian Envoy to Israel, UK, the U.S. and Ambassador Navdeep Suri Former India Envoy to UAE, Egypt, Australia in conversation with StratNews Global Associate Editor Amitabh P. Revi. The panel discusses U.S. President Joe Biden’s visits to Israel, Palestine and Saudi Arabia, the first I2U2(Israel, India, UAE, USA)hybrid summit […]Read More

Understanding India’s National Security Architecture

NEW DELHI: What does it take to secure a country as big and diverse as India? What is the chain of command, the key players involved and the scope and function of each of them? In the inaugural episode of ‘Ask Nitin’, our interactive show which will be aired every Saturday on a predetermined topic, […]Read More

Lanka Ex-PM Mahinda Rajapaksa Barred From Leaving Country

The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has restrained former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and former finance minister Basil Rajapaksa from leaving the country without the court’s permission until July 28. The interim order was issued in response to a Fundamental Rights petition filed against the duo as well as former finance secretary SR Atygalle and […]Read More

Kabul Asks Afghan Soldiers Studying In India To Return

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Interior Affairs has asked all military students who are in India and other countries to return home. Ministry spokesman Abdul Nafi Takor told Tolo News that these students will be assigned to the country’s security and defence institutions based on their expertise. “Afghan soldiers in India are assets of Afghanistan, we hope […]Read More

Junta Red Tape Sparks Medicine Shortages In Myanmar

The prices of pharmaceuticals in Myanmar have increased by 5 to 10 per cent and some medicines are out of stock because of red tape in the application procedure for import permits, industry insiders say. Medicines for diabetes, antibiotics for lung problems and supplements for babies are said to be almost out of stock. Previously, […]Read More

Panel To Mull Treason Proceedings Against PTI Leaders

Pakistan’s Cabinet has formed a special committee to consider whether treason proceedings can be initiated against the PTI leadership under Article 6 of the Constitution. This comes a day after the Supreme Court released a detailed judgement explaining why it dismissed former National Assembly deputy speaker Qasim Khan Suri’s controversial ruling on the no-trust move […]Read More

Baloch Insurgents Kidnap, Kill Pak Army Officer

The body of a Pakistani army officer kidnapped by insurgents earlier this week has been found in the southwestern province of Balochistan. Lieutenant Colonel Laiq Baig Mirza was travelling with his family from the town of Ziarat, 100 kilometers from Quetta, when his cousin and he were taken away by the assailants on Tuesday. While […]Read More

A Guide To Contemporary China

Lockdown Breeds Economic Inequality Many Chinese people have emerged from lockdown in a pessimistic mood. Anxious about their personal finances, the precarious state of the economy, and the prospect of further lockdowns, they are making deep cuts to their household budgets and saving as much as they can. That is not surprising. Lockdowns have accentuated […]Read More

Gotabaya Quits As Sri Lankan President; Parliament To Meet Tomorrow

NEW DELHI: Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has finally resigned, capping days of dramatic developments in the island session that saw mobs overrunning key government buildings, including the presidential palace. Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena confirmed the resignation this morning, saying the constitutional procedure of appointing a new President will now be activated. Till the […]Read More

Xi May Deal With India Border Impasse After Re-election: Ex-Aussie PM Rudd

New Delhi: On ‘Talking Point‘, from Brisbane, Kevin Rudd, twice Prime Minister of Australia, Author of, ‘The Avoidable War: The Dangers of a Catastrophic Conflict Between the US and Xi Jinping’s China’, President & CEO, Asia Society and President, Asia Society Policy Institute in conversation with StratNews Global Associate Editor Amitabh P. Revi. Underlining “there […]Read More