Opinion News - Page 3
‘Ceasefire over’: Trump’s Iran predicament shows the twilight of American hegemony in West Asia
It’s supreme folly to assume that a bombing campaign that hasn’t worked for more than 100 days will magically work after a brief pause
Canada’s Nijjar miscalculation: When narrative outran evidence
Countries have diplomatic channels for sensitive disputes. They do not casually turn unresolved intelligence claims into parliamentary spectacle
Jokes Apart | When Trump saw red without knowing what a red card was
All sport is beautiful, and full of glorious uncertainty. What makes sport beautiful are the rules of the game, which are sacred. Once you literally start moving the goalpost, the game loses meaning.
PM Modi’s Indonesia visit redraws the Indo-Pacific strategic map
More than a bilateral summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit signals the emergence of India-Indonesia ties as a cornerstone of the Indo-Pacific order
The dictator’s paradox: Xi Jinping’s purges betray his fear
Xi Jinping’s sweeping military purges in China reveal not the confidence of an unchallenged ruler, but the insecurity of a dictator haunted by the fear of betrayal
BrahMos effect: How India is becoming Asia’s new defence supplier
India is not just selling missiles to Southeast Asia; it is building defence partnerships with a region that has seen Indian weapons proven in combat and now values what India can deliver
Head-on | America at 250: An empire showing its age
The United States, which celebrated 250 years of independence, is the inheritor of the British Empire – and all its imperial warts
Digital India at 11: Time to move from scale to sustainability
Eleven years on, Digital India has built world-class digital infrastructure. The next decade must focus not on building more pipes, but on what flows through them
The Art of the Steal: Trump’s ‘America First’ arrives on football pitch
US national team should be banned with immediate effect; UEFA & others must push for Infantino’s resignation if the beautiful game has any chance of survival
The end of certainty: The post-war world order is unravelling
Ambassador Rajiv Dogra’s book 'How Nations Fail and the Unmaking of America’s World' examines the unravelling post-war order amid US overreach, China’s rise, and fading global ideologies. Below are edited excerpts from the book
The Indus Treaty didn’t fail Bharat, the Nehruvian state did
The suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty has reignited an old debate: did the treaty fail Bharat, or did the Indian state fail to use it in the hope of an elusive peace with Pakistan?
India’s big fat wedding playbook goes global
If the Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce wedding proves anything, it's that the Big Fat Indian Wedding is no longer just India's cultural signature—it's becoming the world's aspirational wedding template
The Teesta gamble: Bangladesh’s China bet risks repeating Pakistan’s strategic mistakes
Bangladesh has every sovereign right to pursue investments that advance its national development. The real question is whether Beijing's involvement will build Dhaka's own technological capabilities and institutional strength—or lock it into long-term dependence
AI can teach facts, but not critical thinking
The classroom after artificial intelligence will matter because it can teach what machines cannot: analysis, doubt, responsibility and judgement – the same skills that firms will prioritise while hiring consultants
Bangladesh’s descent from cyber jihad to caliphate flags on its streets
When a jihadist banner flies over the birthplace of a secular republic, the message is not addressed to any politician. It is addressed to millions of people
Ayatollah Khamenei's funeral: How India balanced strategic interests amid global pressure
The high-level delegation's presence was intended to show the importance India places on maintaining stable relations with Iran. At the same time, the non-attendance by PM Modi or even by Jaishankar was aimed at avoiding direct friction with key Western and Middle Eastern partners
Iran war shatters US prestige in West Asia
President Trump’s embarrassing surrender to Iranian mullahs has made a deep and long-lasting dent in the US’s credibility, which is certainly going to further erode its diplomatic heft and stature
Talks? What talks? When it comes to Pakistan, one marvels at Indian elites’ limitless folly and affinity for self-laceration
Terrorism against India is not an aberration of Pakistani policy that ‘better diplomacy’ might address. It is the very instrument of that policy, embedded in the institutional worldview of the army that governs the country through a civilian proxy
China’s new law escalates Beijing’s strategic assault on the Tibetan Buddhist world
Beijing aims to sinicise Tibetan Buddhism and the Tibetan language. Such developments pose a serious threat not only to Tibet itself but also to the wider Tibetan Buddhist cultural world
India’s strategic university: The next frontier of educational transformation
For an aspiring global power like India, building world-class universities is no longer an educational imperative alone; it is a strategic national necessity
Dinesh Trivedi’s Dhaka posting reflects India’s high-stakes diplomatic bet
Dinesh Trivedi’s appointment to Dhaka reflects India’s belief that political experience, at this juncture, may prove more valuable than conventional diplomacy in resetting ties with a key neighbour
How AI turns citizens into auditors of power: Document forensics for everyone
Artificial intelligence makes that capacity available to millions rather than a handful of institutions. Governance will increasingly be shaped by how states respond to citizens who can finally read the fine print
From China to Assumption Island: The hurdles before India-Seychelles ties
Despite these challenges, the bilateral relationship remains highly resilient. India continues to support Seychelles successfully through alternative, demand-driven partnerships rather than heavy-handed strategic acquisitions
UNICORN: Japan-India relations built on trust, not caged by a treaty
While the Arms Trade Treaty membership carries symbolic and legal significance, it is not the only mechanism through which responsible defence cooperation is governed
India-Japan partnership is transforming Northeast: Where historic ties meet the future
Japan’s role in Northeast India is unmatched in depth, longevity, and trust, with India opening this sensitive border region more than to any other partner. From roads and bridges to water systems, it is evolving into a strategic compact placing the Northeast at the centre of a Bay of Bengal economic zone and a China-resilient supply network
Pakistan is bombing Afghans for its own failures
Escalating Pakistan-Afghanistan tensions are raising fresh security concerns and carrying significant strategic implications for India
Don’t let Modi and Takaichi’s geniality fool you; Japan and India are fusing a potent economic and security partnership
From UNICORN stealth system deal, AI, cybersecurity, energy, supply chain resilience to naval drills, the shadow of China is everywhere
India should join the UN Refugee Convention on its 75th anniversary
Time has shown the old reasons for eschewing the Refugee Convention were mistaken; New Delhi should rectify that mistake
The ‘Sons of Saraswati’ have a shared destiny: Sanae Takaichi’s visit signals a new Bharat-Japan era
The Delhi summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart, Sanae Takaichi, is more than diplomacy; it is the resurgence of a civilisational partnership between the two ‘Sons of Saraswati’
The Indus Waters Treaty: Why India rejects the Hague’s juridical leap
As the Indus Waters Treaty enters a new phase of uncertainty, India has firmly challenged the legitimacy of the Hague-based Court of Arbitration’s intervention