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The Second Bengal Renaissance
Or how to make Kolkata (Calcutta) the centre of Asia again. An AI-modified version of a painting by Sheikh Muhammad Amir; India; ca. 1840; Opaque watercolor on burnished paper. Soon after independence in 1965, Singapore's founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew used Calcutta (Kolkata) as a benchmark, aiming for Singapore to eventually exceed the standard of the bustling, established city. While he admired its historic role, his later, often-quoted sentiment was that he intended
Mediator or Something Else?
In this article, Prof. (Dr.) Manoj Panigrahi analyzes Pakistan’s self-styled mediation in the United States–Iran conflict, highlighting key inconsistencies and geopolitical stakes. US Vice President JD Vance arrived in Islamabad for talks with Iranian officials on April 11, 2026 (in picture: JD Vance with Pakistan's Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshall Asim Munir, Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Raza Naqvi and Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and
A new start to Nepal politics: How must India progress?
A new shah in Nepal. (Photo from Balendra 'Balen' Shah's official profile.) A month ago, snap elections in Nepal were held with much hope and curiosity. The results were expected yet surprising. The Rashtriya Swatantra Party (RSP) formed in 2022 won a complete majority, something that Nepal had not seen since the Nepali Congress’s win in 1999. Not only that. Balendra Shah, the rapper turned mayor turned prime minister won nearly 70,000 votes, highest ever in Nepali history, i
How China rose, why the US won’t let India rise like that, and what India should do
A new age of competition demands new rules.(AI generated image.) US Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau’s recent statement at the Raisina Dialogue in Delhi —“We won’t repeat the China mistake with India”—signals that Washington views its past openness to China as a strategic error, one it intends to avoid with New Delhi by imposing stricter reciprocity, technology safeguards, and market protections in any deepening partnership. This shifts the terms under which India can leve
Nepal – from the streets to the ballot
On October 29, 2025, Nepal’s Supreme Court Constitutional Bench declined to issue an interim order against the formation of the government led by Prime Minister Sushila Karki and the dissolution of the House of Representatives, paving the way for elections scheduled on March 5, 2026. This followed the September 12, 2025, dissolution of Parliament and the appointment of an interim administration amid widespread unrest, including student-led Gen Z protests that highlighted mas
Changing India’s neighbourhood gaze using two Ts
In this essay I use two examples from two extremities - Tamil Nadu and Tripura - to try and examine how India can significantly enhance its regional influence and unlock substantial economic possibilities by strategically leveraging the unique strengths and geographical advantages of its federal states.
New horizons in India-Saudi Arabia relations
India and Saudi Arabia have shared a complex relationship over the decades, marked by economic cooperation, cultural exchanges, and...
China's great leap forward
The Great Leap Forward was an attempt by the chairman of the CCP, Mao Zedong, to maintain his ideological and political dominance in the...
China’s neocolonialism in Africa
China's engagement with Africa, often characterised through its economic diplomacy, has sparked considerable debate and analysis among...
India and the US Presidential Elections
The United States Presidential Elections are a globally significant event, closely watched by countries around the world, including...
Contemporary South Asia’s Political Economy
"Autonomous domestic politics and robust national institutions can combine in a virtuous circle with economic policies to create economic...
Securing the Red Sea and the global supply chain
Drone attacks in recent days on merchant ships in the Red Sea represent a significant threat to global supply chains, impacting not just...
China’s provocations in the South China Sea
The recent escalations and provocations by China in the South China Sea are a matter of significant concern for the entire region, and...
Bangladesh’s search for responsible politics
In the complex political terrain of Bangladesh, recent events have underscored the challenge the nation faces in achieving stability and...
COP28: India's role in shaping the global fight against climate change
COP28, the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), is a pivotal event in...
Bharat: The ascending colossus in global power dynamics
In the 21st century, the global geopolitical landscape is witnessing a profound transformation. At the forefront of this seismic shift is...
China's strategic manipulation of UNHRC: A threat to global human rights
In a recent development, diplomats based in Geneva representing 11 nations, including delegates from Pakistan, Belarus, Nicaragua,...
How climate change is impacting some of your favourite Indian tea
In the northeastern state of Assam, global warming is having an adverse impact of the region's sprawling tea gardens. A tea garden worker...
The Matarbari Port and its strategic importance in the Indo-Pacific
India and Japan are collaborating to develop of the Matarbari port in Bangladesh off the coast of the Bay of Bengal. The deep seaport is...
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