South Asia and Beyond

Surya Gangadharan

Thirty eight years in journalism, widely travelled, history buff with a preference for Old Monk Rum. Current interest/focus spans China, Technology and Trade. Recent reads: Steven Colls Directorate S and Alexander Frater's Chasing the Monsoon. Netflix/Prime video junkie. Loves animal videos on Facebook. Reluctant tweeter.

Trump’s India Visit: Trappings Intact, Big Ticket Deals Not Expected

NEW DELHI: “There’s always a problem between lakhs and millions.” With that, government sources steered the media away from questions regarding U.S. President Trump’s claim in Washington DC the other day that millions would welcome him on his forthcoming visit to India. In fact, the sources indicated “no big ticket announcements” during Trump’s 36-hour long […]Read More

As China Battles Coronavirus, Its India Envoy Fights Perception

NEW DELHI: “The (Coronavirus) epidemic is generally under control and the dawn is beginning to appear through our arduous efforts.” With those words (and a trifle optimistically), Sun Weidong, China’s Ambassador to India, held the first briefing for the Indian media on the virus which has severely damaged his country’s international standing and disrupted global […]Read More

5G Trials: How Ready Is India?

NEW DELHI: In about two weeks, India’s Department of Telecom (DoT) is expected to green-light the 5G trials by telecom operators involving world players Ericsson, Samsung, Huawei and others. The trials are being conducted at their cost, which is expected to work out to around Rs 60 crore each over the next year. StratNews Global learns […]Read More

‘Afghanistan Is Being Squeezed Out Of SAARC’

NEW DELHI: The suspension of the SAARC process owing to hurdles placed by Pakistan has had an unintended consequence. It cut off Afghanistan’s physical access to other SAARC members. The push for BIMSTEC and sub-regional cooperation has also accentuated Kabul’s sense of isolation within the South Asian fraternity, argues Nazir Kabiri of the Biruni Institute, a […]Read More

‘India Is Getting What It Wants, But What About Bangladesh?’

NEW DELHI: There is an anti-Indian perception in Bangladesh which flows from the view that India has benefited more from the relationship than Dhaka. Key Bangladeshi concerns remain unaddressed including its share of Teesta waters. The Citizenship Amendment Act is another issue with Bangladeshi civil society taking exception to comments by senior Indian leaders. StratNews […]Read More

From Myanmar To Pakistan, China’s Ambitious Gamble

NEW DELHI: Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Myanmar last week has left more questions than answers.  StratNews Global learns that only two agreements were signed and these were about shoring up the existing agreement on Kyuakhphyu deep-sea port in Rakhine state and the feasibility study of a railway line from Yunnan to Mandalay (feasibility […]Read More

‘We Are Broadening The Russia-India Dialogue’

NEW DELHI: The Valdai Discussion Club has for the last 15 years served as a platform to discuss some of the world’s most pressing issues ranging from connectivity to development. India joined the club last year, the aim being to take the India-Russia bilateral dialogue into a broader discussion area where many other countries are […]Read More

‘Deep Anti-China Sentiment Among Young People’

NEW DELHI: China’s tactics in dealing with the protests in Hong Kong appears to be working. It has given the demonstrators long rope, allowing for time and fatigue to take its toll on them.  Prof Daya Thussu of Hong Kong’s Baptist University, believes the worst maybe over for Hong Kong. In an exclusive chat with […]Read More

Eye On Access To Indian Ocean, Xi Jinping Visits Myanmar

NEW DELHI: India is closely monitoring Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Myanmar. It’s his first overseas visit in the new year, usually an indication or warning of strategic import. That was the case in 2017 when Xi was at the World Economic Forum in Davos and in 2018 when he flew into Tehran shortly […]Read More

Contemporary Global Issues Find Resonance At Raisina Dialogue 2020

NEW DELHI: At the inaugural session of the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar laid out three characteristics of India’s foreign policy. He said that it seeks to achieve a focus on key challenges, “a broad engagement with many parties and managing if not leveraging global contradictions. Advancing our interests in […]Read More

Can’t Keep Kicking The Can Down The Road: Jaishankar

NEW DELHI: “When I was in Jawaharlal Nehru University, there was no ‘tukde-tukde’ gang.” With that External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar dismissed questions about students and activists from the university being branded anti-national. As for the violence in the university on Monday night and the continuing protests over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Jaishankar used the […]Read More

Chinese Footprints In South Asia: The Debt Trap Strategy

Common sense tells us that while China’s Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) has great potential for trade, business and investment and could be a lifeline for South Asian states hungry for no-strings-attached funding, there are other implications. The pushback against BRI in parts of Southeast Asia and Africa along with the demand that BRI agreements […]Read More