National Security

The Durand Line Reimagined

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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Security

India’s Foreign Policy Hits a New Low

India’s recent diplomatic engagement with Israel marks a striking departure from decades of its carefully balanced foreign policy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel on February 25 came against the backdrop of intense global scrutiny on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding his government’s actions in Gaza and rising regional tensions. The visit signals a shift away from India’s long-standing neutrality and non-alignment, raising serious questions about the country’s foreign policy independence, strategic autonomy, and moral stance on major global issues.
Historically, New Delhi has played a calibrated and neutral role in West Asia. It not only supported Palestinian sovereignty

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On BJP’s Foundation Day: How India Drifted from Its Founding Ideals

India projects itself as one of the most vibrant democracies in the world, but its rankings in global risk indices present a fundamentally different picture. Notably, in 2025, India ranked fourth among 168 countries at risk of future mass killings of civilians, behind Myanmar, Chad, and Sudan.
One is compelled to ask: How did a country, founded on the Gandhian principles of non-violence and the welfare of all, lose its moral direction? And how, if at all, can these ideals be rebuilt?
6 April, the foundation day of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), offers

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National Security

The Missing Tejas

In the world governed by the nation-state system, Air power is considered to be an eminent symbol of national pride. The ability of a nation-state to develop air power by indigenous means signifies technological superiority of a state. In this context, India has ardently been promoting the self-construed narrative of indigenous defence production. The aim of this narrative propagation is two-fold: firstly, to promote Indian defence exports, and secondly, to immunise India from excessive dependence on foreign defence imports. However, the narrative seems to be falling upon its own foundations, reflected in the absence of Tejas in the Republic Day Parade of 2026.
The Republic Day Parade is a national symbol for the glorification of the defence and military capabilities of any state. Indian Republic Day Parade

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National Security

The Most Consequential Midterm Elections of the US

The US midterm elections will be held in November 2026, which can prove to be one of the most consequential midterms in the US history. The outcome of these midterms will influence the US economic strategies, domestic policies, as well as the global markets and geopolitical alliances. Being held amid escalating international tensions and deep domestic divisions, the result of these midterms will, therefore, carry considerable impacts extending far beyond Washington.
In the electoral process of the US, midterm elections are carried out near the midpoint of the four-year presidential term. During midterms, all 435 seats of the House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate seats are up for election. Thus, the results of these elections determine who gets to control the Congress. Since Congress influences everything, from legislation, spending, and oversight

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Pax Judaica and the Unravelling of the International World Order

Israel’s aggressive settlement expansion and blatant disregard for international law have contributed towards the fragmentation of the international rules-based order. In the midst of this upheaval, Tel Aviv has cemented itself as the dominant power in the Middle East, creating what commentators term “Pax Judaica”. This regional order is dominated by Israeli perceptions of security threats which it must eliminate for the preservation of the Jewish state.

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The High Stakes of India’s Military Modernisation Drive

New Delhi’s recent defence budget announcement for fiscal year (FY) 2026-27 represents more than just a budgetary jump; it carries important implications for South Asian stability, warranting closer reflection. The allocation of USD 85 billion to defence, with capital expenditure rising by 22 per cent compared with a 17 per cent increase in revenue expenditure, clearly reflects the government’s prioritisation of accelerated military modernisation over routine operational sustainment.

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Diplomatic Détente, Strategic Competition: The Recent Reset In India-China Ties

On 1st September, 2025, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Modi met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, China, and mutually agreed to forgo their historical rivalry in favour of a partnership. To signal the transition to this new phase, both states announced the resumption of direct flights after a five-year hiatus, as well as the restoration of tourist visas.

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Politics of Pageantry

On 26 January 2026, India commemorated its 77th Republic Day, the day when New Delhi officially became a republic through adoption of the constitution. The Republic Day parade was projected as the celebration of India’s progress and national pride. Yet, beyond the spectacle, the parade intended to convey a calibrated strategic and political signal by manufacturing an image of self-reliant and confident India amid regional uncertainty.

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National Security

Pakistan’s Sovereign Victory: Beyond the China Spectre

In an annual bid to review U.S.-China relations, the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission’s (USCC) report for the year 2024-25 has overplayed the role of China in the Indo-Pak conflict of May 2025 to play down Pakistan’s Sovereign victory.

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