South Asia and Beyond

Nitin A. Gokhale

Left to himself, Nitin A. Gokhale would rather watch films and sports matches but his day job as a media entrepreneur, communications specialist, analyst and author, leaves him little time to indulge in his primary interests. Gokhale in fact started his career in journalism in 1983 as a sports reporter. Since then he has, in the past 41 years, traversed the entire spectrum across print, broadcast and digital space. One of South Asia's leading strategic analysts, Gokhale has moved on from conventional media to become an independent media entrepreneur running three niche digital platforms—BharatShakti, StratNewsGlobal and Interstellar—besides undertaking consultancy and training workshops in communications for military institutions, corporates and individuals. Now better known for his conflict coverage and strategic analyses, Gokhale has lived and reported from India’s North-east for 23 years between 1983 and 2006, been on the ground at Kargil in the summer of 1999 and also brought us live coverage from Sri Lanka’s Eelam War IV between 2006-2009.    An alumni of the Asia-Pacific Centre for Security Studies in Hawaii, Gokhale now writes, lectures and analyses security and strategic matters in Indo-Pacific and travels regularly to US, Europe, Australia, South and South-East Asia to take part in various seminars and conferences. Gokhale is also a popular visiting faculty at India’s Defence Services Staff College, the three war colleges, India's National Defence College, College of Defence Management and the IB’s intelligence school.

Sri Lanka Invites Adani Group To Discuss East Container Terminal Deal

NEW DELHI: India’s Adani Group has been invited by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) to discuss the terms of a proposed agreement to develop the East Container Terminal of Colombo Port. Sri Lankan sources have told StratNews Global that in keeping with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s assurances to port trade unions, the terminal will remain […]Read More

Free, Secure Indo-Pacific ‘Article Of Faith’, Says India, Seeks Partners In Japan & France

NEW DELHI: Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla has underscored India’s role as a net security provider, saying “We have sought security and freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific by becoming a net security provider–for instance in peacekeeping efforts or anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden. Sharing what we can, in terms of equipment, training […]Read More

Friendship Treaty Needs Tweaking, Says Nepalese Foreign Minister

NEW DELHI: Nepal has once again urged India to make changes in the 1950 India-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship, with its foreign minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali saying that it “needs to reflect current realities” and to “mirror the changed context of the 21st century”. He also drew attention to the report of the Eminent […]Read More

In Talks With India, Nepal’s Foreign Minister Rakes Up Border Row

NEW DELHI: India bluntly told Nepal that any discussion on its so-called claims to Kalapani can only take place under a separate mechanism for settling boundary disputes. Nevertheless, Nepal’s foreign minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali raised the boundary dispute when the two sides met here on Friday for the sixth Joint Commission meeting. There was no […]Read More

India’s Vaccine Diplomacy: Balancing Act between Domestic Needs, Neighbourhood Requests

NEW DELHI: India faces a delicate task in ‘vaccine diplomacy’, of balancing domestic requirement for Coronavirus vaccine with growing demand worldwide for the same. The chorus, especially from neighbours, is particularly sensitive and in keeping with India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, Delhi has promised to prioritise vaccine availability for them. A case in point is Nepal. […]Read More

‘India Needs A New Policy Paradigm For Nepal’

NEW DELHI: Against the backdrop of political turmoil in Nepal, a former Indian ambassador to Kathmandu has offered a grim prognosis of India’s eastern neighbour. Ranjit Rae, in an exclusive conversation with StratNews Global’s Parul Chandra, noted that Prime Minister Oli had dissolved Parliament simply because he had lost support within his own party and […]Read More

‘Chinese Intentions Pretty Clear’, Says French President’s Advisor During India Visit

NEW DELHI: Strategic dialogues between nations are by their very nature confidential but Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic advisor to French President Macron, acknowledged that Thursday’s talks with India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval covered “strategic opportunities and our defence and security relationship”. He elaborated at a webinar organised by the Vivekananda Foundation in Delhi the same […]Read More

India To Push UNSC Reform As Member Of Apex Security Body

NEW DELHI: India began its two-year term as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC) on New Year’s Day. It hopes to give renewed thrust to the long-standing demand for reform of this key UN agency even though negotiations have stagnated for a decade. StratNews Global learns that during its tenure, India will […]Read More

Oli-Prachanda Feud Turns Ugly, Nepal Heads For Instability & Elections

NEW DELHI: The shock dissolution of Nepal’s House of Representatives with elections scheduled for April-May 2021 has underscored the bitter struggle for power between Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Prachanda. The view in Kathmandu is one of foreboding with warnings of prolonged instability. “It’s an unpopular move. After three decades of instability, the Nepalese […]Read More

Australia Backs India On LAC Stand-Off, Says Unilateral Actions Can Escalate Matters

NEW DELHI: Australia does not support the Quad becoming a Nato-style military alliance! That’s the word from Barry O’Farrell, Australia’s high commissioner to India. In a wide ranging and exclusive conversation with StratNews Global’s Parul Chandra, he gave reasons why his government felt that way. He also offered an insight into why the Australian authorities […]Read More

India, B’desh Renew Old Bonds As They Look To The Future

NEW DELHI: On March 26th early in the new year, Prime Minister Modi will grace celebrations in Dhaka marking 50 years since the liberation of Bangladesh from Pakistan’s yoke. Ahead of those celebrations Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina inked seven documents during a virtual summit on Thursday. They also jointly inaugurated the newly […]Read More

Modi-Hasina Virtual Summit To Mark Liberation, Focus On Challenges Ahead

NEW DELHI: A mix of nostalgia and realism will mark the virtual summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina on Thursday. Nostalgia, since this is the 100th birth anniversary of Bangladesh’s founder and Sheikh Hasina’s father, Mujibur Rehman. Also, next year will be 50 years of Bangladesh’s independence. The realism […]Read More

Sea Access in Mind, Uzbekistan Seeks Trilateral Meet On Chabahar

NEW DELHI: India has been pushing for the use of the Iranian port of Chabahar port, being developed with its assistance, to the five ‘stans’ of Central Asia for long. Now, Uzbekistan has become the first one to seek a trilateral meeting on Chabahar. The first trilateral working group meeting between India, Iran and Uzbekistan […]Read More

With A Nudge From China, Pak Army Set To Wrest Control Of CPEC

NEW DELHI: In the next few days, Pakistan’s National Assembly will pass an Act setting up the CPEC (China Pak Economic Corridor) Authority. The Act formalises the Army’s already existing hold over CPEC since its head will be the current chairman and former ISI chief Lt-General (retd) Asim Saleem Bajwa. The controversial ‘The China Pakistan […]Read More

Mending Fences: Now BJP Reaches Out To Oli

NEW DELHI: After the diplomatic and military outreach to Nepal has come the political outreach. On Thursday, Vijay Chauthaiwale who heads the foreign affairs department of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) called on Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli and the newly minted finance minister Bishnu Poudel in Kathmandu. This outreach is significant not merely […]Read More

As Aid Agencies Point Fingers, B’desh Relocates Rohingya Refugees To Bhashan Char

NEW DELHI: “The 13,000 acres island has all modern amenities, year-round fresh water, beautiful lake and proper infrastructure and enhanced facilities. These include uninterrupted supply of electricity and water, agricultural plots, cyclone shelters, two hospitals, four community clinics, mosques, warehouses, telecommunication services, police station, recreation and learning centers, playgrounds, etc.”– These words are not from […]Read More