The ongoing diplomatic engagement between Iran and the United States has revived the possibility of de-escalation after a prolonged period of tensions. While the talks remain limited and fragile, they reflect a mutual recognition of the risks associated with continued confrontation.
Wars, whether they are slow and protracted or short and intense, seldom end without leaving a mark. Under extreme circumstances, they may be able to redefine geographical boundaries, upset demographics, or break alliances as the world order tries to preserve some facade of balance. The Russia-Ukraine War is no different. As one of the longest-ongoing European wars since World War II, with intensive use of emerging technology in modern history, it has undoubtedly etched itself into history.
The Kashmir dispute remains the central fault line of South Asian security, with periodic crises underscoring its unresolved political, humanitarian, and strategic dimensions. The May 2025 Pakistan-India hostilities once again demonstrated that Kashmir is not a frozen conflict, but a deeply destabilising issue with direct consequences for regional peace, strategic stability, and human security.
uch of the Western discourse on Artificial Intelligence (AI) has lately focused on establishing safeguards and installing guardrails against powerful new AI systems, algorithmic bias, collusion of governments and tech oligarchs, and rising environmental costs related to AI ecosystems. The growing backlash in the West against the adverse effects of AI is labelled as ‘Botlash’ in the most recent commentary by Marietje Schaake. This commentary refers to various anti-AI movements that have gained tractions in the recent past including ‘QuitGPT’, ‘Resist and Unsubscribe’, and ‘Stealing Isn’t Innovation.’ While ‘botlash’ may be an apt description of how AI is now being perceived in the developed countries, the story for the Global South is completely opposite where AI is being viewed as some magical cure for poor governance, corruption, and weak economic development. Countries in the Global South are yet to undergo indigenous AI governance, development and deployment. Therefore,
The ongoing war between the United States, Israel, and Iran has brought several critical questions to the fore: What lies at the root of the grievances that triggered a protest movement in Iran earlier this year, exploited by the US and Israel? How widespread are the sentiments of resentment towards the regime among the Iranian population? How did Iranian society not collapse, and what prevented the sanctions from incapacitating the Iranian economy, thereby preserving Tehran’s ability to resist today? How Sanctions Work: Iran and the Impact of Economic Warfare effectively answers these questions from different angles. It is written
The ongoing war between the United States-Israel, and Iran has emerged as a defining crisis of the modern world, with significant implications for regional security, global energy markets, and the evolving geopolitical order. While the primary confrontation involves direct and indirect exchanges between these actors, Gulf and Arab states have become increasingly central to the conflict’s dynamics. Hosting U.S. military assets and located in close proximity to key theatres of escalation, these states face growing security risks, including spillover
The ongoing war between the United States, Israel, and Iran has brought several critical questions to the fore: What lies at the root of the grievances that triggered a protest movement in Iran earlier this year, exploited by the US and Israel? How widespread are the sentiments of resentment towards the regime among the Iranian population? How did Iranian society not collapse, and what prevented the sanctions from incapacitating the Iranian economy, thereby preserving Tehran’s ability to resist today? How Sanctions Work: Iran and the Impact of Economic Warfare effectively answers these questions from different angles. It is written by Narges Bajoghli – an anthropologist with expertise in media, power, and military dynamics, Vali Nasr – a political scientist
At the beginning of Operation Epic Fury, US Space and Cyber Commands launched a coordinated campaign against Iranian satellite communication and navigation systems. Three days later, General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, publicly admitted what analysts suspected; these commands had been the ‘first movers’. Although space has received less media coverage than the air campaign or the naval dimension, it has enabled multi-domain operations. Broadly, there are four major dimensions which have defined the role of space in this war. The first dimension is satellite intelligence, particularly the evolution of commercial Earth observation into what analysts call a "glass battlefield." Accessing satellite
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The ongoing conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan is also rooted in colonial divides and the incomplete American project in Afghanistan. The 2640 km long Durand line, between the two states, has a long history ingrained in political contention and geographical challenges. However, the solution to this contention lies beyond historical shadows and conventional tactics of border management. The legal foundation of the Durand Line is based on the agreement reached between the representative of the Imperial British colony in the subcontinent, Sir Mortimer Durand, and the Emir of Afghanistan, Abdur Rahman Khan, on 12 November 1893. However, the legal foundation faced contention from the Afghan side in 1947, as soon as the Radcliffe award announced the contours of the decolonised state of Pakistan. The
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