We are back to the 1971 moment with both China and the US supporting Pakistan, asserts Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
China sailed through the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz relatively unscathed even as the impact of its steps shielded other consuming nations from having to pay high crude oil prices.
Gwadar is viewed as a critical pearl in China's maritime strategy as it would give a permanent logistical footprint near an important choke point - the Strait of Hormuz and the oil rich Persian Gulf, explains Commodore Venugopal Menon (retd).
Former Army chief General Manoj Naravane asserted that while India's immediate attention is on Pakistan due to terrorism, China will be New Delhi's primary long-term competitor across political, economic, trade, and military domains, necessitating a strong military deterrence alongside dialogue.
China and Pakistan have jointly proposed a five-point peace plan to address the ongoing conflict in West Asia, focusing on de-escalation and safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
Former Pakistan hockey players have expressed deep concern over the national team's poor performance at the World Cup, advocating for an immediate injection of fresh talent and a focus on the upcoming Asian Games. They attribute the sport's decline to cricket's dominance and a failure to adapt to modern hockey, urging the federation to prioritise competitive success to regain public interest.
The joint statement was issued during Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's recent visit to China.
The FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 is set to begin on August 15, with India featuring in both the men's and women's tournaments. Here is the complete India schedule, fixtures and squad details for the World Cup.
Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch has uncovered a Rs 1.5 crore WhatsApp fraud, leading to the arrest of two key SIM and OTP suppliers in West Bengal. The investigation revealed a sophisticated international cybercrime network spanning China, Pakistan, India, and Hong Kong, operating a "boss scam" and utilizing a "Cybercrime as a Service" model. Police recovered a significant portion of the defrauded amount and secured thousands of devices.
Hangors are effectively 'dead-on-arrival' with Pakistanis saddled with deadweights that displace around 3,000 tons. Last time it was near Vishakhapatnam. This time, barnacles will clog the Hangors in Karachi port itself, points out Dr Abhishek Puri.
Security forces in Jammu recovered a suspected drone near the Line of Control in the Akhnoor sector. The drone, believed to be from Pakistan, bore 'Made in China' markings, prompting a search operation and investigation.
Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir has described militants operating in Balochistan as 'foreign-sponsored proxies' actively working to destabilise the province and obstruct its development.
The Asian Cricket Council has announced that India will play arch-rivals Pakistan in the Women's T20 Asia Cup on September 5 in Dubai. The tournament, featuring eight teams, will run from August 28 to September 13, with India being the most successful team in its history.
The Indian sub-junior boys' hockey team secured dominant victories against arch-rivals Pakistan (7-3) and hosts Oman (10-1) at the FIH Youth Hockey5s Asian Championship. Meanwhile, the Indian sub-junior girls' team fought hard but lost 3-6 to China in their Elite Pool match. The tournament also serves as a qualifier for the inaugural FIH Youth Hockey5s World Cup.
India has attracted foreign direct investment (FDI) worth approximately 4,896 crore across 29 projects since May, following the government's relaxation of norms under Press Note 2 of 2026. The revised rules permit investment without government approval from entities with up to 10 per cent non-controlling ownership by land-bordering countries.
A new Pew Research survey reveals that a significant majority of Indians (54%) consider Pakistan their greatest geopolitical threat, while 43% of Pakistanis view India as theirs, highlighting deep-seated distrust between the two nations.
Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Moscow would not interfere in the "delicate" bilateral relations between India and China, expressing confidence in their ability to resolve border disputes amicably. He also discussed Russia's independent partnerships with both nations, touched upon India-Pakistan ties, and highlighted ongoing and proposed defence cooperation with India, including the BrahMos missile and a potential Su-57 fighter jet project.
The Indian sub-junior men's hockey team secured the gold medal at the FIH Youth Hockey5s Asian Championship by defeating arch-rivals Pakistan 3-1. This victory also ensured their qualification for the inaugural FIH Youth Hockey5s World Cup. The Indian women's team also earned a silver medal, and Hockey India announced cash rewards for both squads.
China has confirmed providing on-site technical support to Pakistan during last year's conflict with India, according to official media reports.
India's men's and women's cricket teams are set to begin their Asian Games campaigns in Japan, both seeded directly into the quarterfinals. The teams, led by Shreyas Iyer and Harmanpreet Kaur respectively, are strong contenders for gold, having dominated the previous edition. The women's final is on September 22, and the men's on October 3.
India's men's cricket team, along with Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, has secured direct entry into the knockout stage of the 2026 Asian Games, with preliminary rounds set for other nations.
Officials from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and China are meeting in Urumqi to discuss regional security concerns and potential confidence-building measures.
India's Neeraj Chopra will face reigning Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan and Sri Lanka's Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage in a highly anticipated men's javelin clash at the Commonwealth Games, as India aims to surpass its previous medal tally in athletics.
After the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire and expressed hope for lasting peace, Pakistan took much of the credit for playing mediator between the two countries. However, Jonathan Schanzer, Executive Director at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies and former US Treasury counterterrorism analyst, said Pakistan is deeply indebted to China.
China is mediating talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan to address their ongoing military conflict, following Pakistan's operation against terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan and UN reports questioning Pakistan's evidence of militant presence in Afghanistan.
A Chinese official stated that India and China should view each other as cooperative partners and opportunities for development, not rivals or threats. This statement came in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's comments on the independent and strong ties Russia maintains with both nations, emphasising non-interference in India-China relations.
US Vice President JD Vance and Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a phone call to discuss expanding the India-US comprehensive global strategic partnership, focusing on trade, defence, energy security, emerging technologies, and critical minerals. The discussion comes amidst rising tensions in West Asia and recent regional realignments, with both leaders reaffirming their commitment to strengthening cooperation.
A search and rescue operation is underway for at least 10 climbers, including renowned Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja, who are missing on Pakistan's Broad Peak following a suspected avalanche on Thursday.
The Indian sub-junior boys' hockey team secured impressive victories against Pakistan and Oman in the FIH Youth Hockey5s Asian Championship. The girls' team also performed strongly, drawing with China and achieving a dominant win over Uzbekistan, showcasing India's emerging talent in the sport.
New Delhi must look for formal, institutional statements issued directly from Washington rather than rely on casual pronouncements meant for local audiences, notes Ambassador Rajasekhar.
Eight bodies have been recovered from the deadly avalanche on Broad Peak in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, including that of veteran British-Nepalese mountaineer Nirmal Purja, with rescuers still searching for the remaining two members of the 10-member expedition team.
'We won not (only) because we were able to carry out long-range precision strikes.' 'That is, of course, one of the reasons but we had better situational awareness about what's happening than Pakistan.'
Suspected insurgents have abducted four policemen and their official vehicle in Gwadar, Balochistan, a sensitive region vital to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. A search operation is underway, with initial investigations suggesting the police were involved in illegal detentions. The incident occurs amidst ongoing anti-terror operations and recent attacks in the province.
Pakistan's top table tennis players are dismayed after the national federation asked them to arrange their own funds for participating in the upcoming Asian Games in Japan, citing a lack of grants from the Pakistan Sports Board.
India defeated arch-rivals Pakistan 4-3 in a thrilling FIH Pro League match in London, extending their decade-long unbeaten streak against them in international hockey. Despite Pakistan taking an early lead, India rallied with goals from Abhishek, Nilakanta Sharma, Sukhjeet Singh, and Rajinder Singh. Pakistan mounted a late comeback in the final quarter, but India held on for a crucial victory, moving up to seventh in the standings.
The final contours of the theaterisation process could involve the establishment of two integrated theatre commands to counter Pakistan and China, along with a third maritime theatre command.
China has urged Pakistan and Afghanistan to engage in direct talks to resolve their ongoing conflict, offering to mediate and calling for a ceasefire.
In its annual report to Congress on Tuesday on 'Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China 2025', the US Department of War said the People's Liberation Army (PLA) is actively considering and planning for additional military facilities.
Pakistan and China have submitted a joint bid at the UN Security Council to designate the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its suicide wing - Majeed Brigade - as a terrorist entity under the Council's 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee.
Operation Safed Sagar is prime purpose may be to honour IAF warriors but it is an inadvertent reminder of how we went from a nation of Jung na hone denge to Ghar mein ghus ke marenge, observes Sukanya Verma.
