While driven by a shared interest in responding to a shifting US foreign policy, the deep structural competition and distrust mean that a fundamental realignment of relations may not yet be on the horizon
Punitive measures intended to discipline India only accelerate its determination to diversify dependencies, deepen coalitions with Europe, Japan, and ASEAN, and invest in sovereign levers of economic and technological strength
America has never looked so confused, insecure, and dumbfounded as it did when, in the name of tariffs, it pushed away a friendly nation that was supposed to be the cornerstone of its 21st-century Indo-Pacific strategy
Car rides, like other forms of informal diplomacy, provide a key chance for leaders to share lighter moments with their counterparts minus the highly structured formal diplomatic setups
India, Egypt, and Greece can take an initiative in building a new regional architecture that links oceans and continents to emerge not as territories where great powers interact but as players in shaping the common future
Regardless of who wins or loses elections in America, the ‘Brahmin’ as a bogeyman seems destined to remain, for now
India’s strength in the RIC and SCO lies not in conformity but in carving space, turning every summit into leverage, every contradiction into opportunity, and every forum into a force multiplier of its own rise
The worrying part for Israel is the increasing condemnation and resultant diplomatic isolation and trade and arms embargoes by the European countries, hitherto mostly allies and sympathetic to the Jewish state
The SCO Summit definitely comes at a critical time in the context of Trump’s tariffs. However, hoping for an immediate reset in India-China relations would be expecting too much
For New Delhi, the symbolism lies in refusing to vacate a space dominated by Beijing. Its presence affirms that decisions about Eurasia and the wider Asian region cannot bypass India
A reading of the statements issued by New Delhi and Beijing indicates a thematic mistrust lying in the background
The prime minister’s visit to China is the continuation of a long-term, carefully calibrated strategy aimed at normalising relations, managing border and economic issues, and ensuring regional stability, and is not a reactionary policy
To truly experience the ancient heritage of the Malwa region, one needs to drive north of Ujjain to Mandsaur
In Japanese culture, ‘ikebana’—the art of flower arrangement—symbolises patience, balance, and beauty nurtured over time, much like the India-Japan partnership built on the philosophy of ‘jikan wo kakete sodateru’ meaning nurturing growth through time
The Trump factor has altered dynamics in India-China ties but has not necessarily led to a strategic thaw
It is difficult to reconcile India’s strategic culture with persistent obnoxious behaviour from the Americans
The current global trend is forcing India’s hand to choose between nations and blocs, where again there is visible confusion and ruptures, however temporary
Four-and-a-half years after the junta retook control, Myanmar appears to be a collapsed state
While the American media highlighted that the US measures against India could backfire by driving up inflation on everyday essentials, European publications described the additional tariffs as strategic self-harm by Washington
The India-Japan relationship has always carried potential; today, it carries responsibility. The future of the Indo-Pacific will, in no small measure, depend on how effectively Delhi and Tokyo can turn congruence into action
While US President Donald Trump may claim that he has ended the decades of conflict in Congo and would want American companies to take advantage of DRC’s huge mineral wealth, the recent developments question the claim
If Trump continues to rely on advisers like Navarro—a proven manipulator who once invented an ‘expert’ to validate his theories and now advances the fiction that Ukraine is ‘Modi’s war’—the damage to Bharat-US relations could be lasting and irreversible
To counter any Chinese misadventures, which remain localised and likely, the Indian armed forces need to restructure themselves into theatre commands at the earliest
This trip of the prime minister amid strained India-US ties reflects India's complex strategy of balancing its rivalry with China and strengthening its partnership with Japan
India must remain cautious of China’s overtures and step up its strategic and diplomatic engagement in Afghanistan
If Washington persists with its ‘America First’ trade stance, New Delhi may be compelled to adopt an ‘India First’ realpolitik approach — ensuring its defence preparedness remains uncompromised
For India, engaging with new Brics members is more than expanding alliances — it is about redefining global governance
Addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a complex and deeply challenging issue with no single, agreed-upon solution
Donald Trump’s has highlighted the decades-old pro-Pakistan bias ingrained in American foreign policy
Donald Trump’s 50 per cent tariffs on Indian imports threaten US consumers first, but India under Narendra Modi is ready to respond with resilience, strategy and renewed global partnerships