In a region increasingly shaped by competition and coercion, such collaboration strengthens security without confrontation, builds capacity without dependency and promotes order without domination, points out Dr Kumar.
'The unexpected turn of events and assertion of sovereignty by the Taliban has baffled the Pakistan security establishment.'
The question is no longer whether the war will expand. It has. The next few days will tell us whether the war stabilises around Hormuz or whether the Strait itself becomes the trigger for a far larger rupture. What to watch for over the next 48 hours is simple: Any move by the US toward direct naval control of the Strait; any credible Iranian attempt to disrupt or mine shipping lanes and, critically, whether energy infrastructure in the Gulf continues to be targeted.If those lines are crossed in tandem, the war will no longer be containable within the region.
'Was the five-day pause ever meant to hold, or was it simply another instrument of signaling, of positioning, of buying time in a war where even the pauses are tactical?' asks Prem Panicker in his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
President Droupadi Murmu will fly in the indigenously developed Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) 'Prachand' at the Jaisalmer Air Force Station. She will also attend the IAF's mega firepower demonstration 'Vayu Shakti' at the Pokhran Field Firing Range.
A suicide bombing at a checkpost in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has resulted in one death and 19 injuries, including security personnel. The attack, claimed to be targeting civilians by the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), has prompted a security response and condemnation from the Chief Minister.
For weeks, the war skirted the edge of catastrophe without tipping over. Missiles flew, there was much destruction, commanders were assassinated, cities across the Gulf and even in Israel struggled to absorb the shock. But one line held: Energy infrastructure, the arteries of the global economy, remained largely untouched. That is no longer true. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
'The next two to three weeks will not be decided in Washington.' 'They will be decided in Tehran, in whatever calculation Iran makes about the costs of continued resistance against the costs of appearing to have yielded.'
A joint attack by the United States and Israel on Iran has triggered a massive military confrontation in the Middle-East.
The Pakistan Army intercepted and destroyed Afghan Taliban drones targeting civilian areas, resulting in injuries. This incident has further strained relations between the two countries, with Pakistan reiterating its commitment to combating terrorism emanating from Afghanistan.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is well-known for donning saris that speak as powerfully as her budget speech. Each Budget Day, she selects a drape that pays tribute to India's amazing textile heritage and the mastery of its artisans.
A UN Security Council report indicates that Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) was reportedly linked to a terror attack on the Red Fort in New Delhi. The report also highlights JeM's activities, including the establishment of a women-only wing and its presence in the region.
A Delhi court has requested further information from the investigating officer in the child custody case involving Viktoriaa Basu, a Russian woman accused of illegally leaving India with her child.
'We need to give Pakistan something serious to think about on its eastern front -- that is the only way to actually help Afghanistan right now.'
In a significant victory for the government's anti-Naxal efforts, 108 Maoists, including 44 women, surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Bastar district, citing disillusionment and the appeal of rehabilitation programs. The surrender also led to the recovery of a large cache of weapons and valuables.
Major General Amir Hatami, commander-in-chief of the Iranian Army, condemned the attack on the vessel, one of the country's newest warships, which occurred while it was returning from a military exercise.
'Nehru was an idealist, he was certainly a visionary in one way, but Mao Zedong was not. Mao Zedong was a very down-to-earth strategist. He wanted to take Tibet, to take the plateau, to take the rivers, to take the minerals.'
By appearing to privilege ideological affinity over strategic balance, India risks eroding the trust painstakingly built across West Asia. Once the perception takes hold that India's friendship is conditional and transactional, rebuilding credibility will be difficult, warns Amberish K Diwanji.
Indian security agencies have continued efforts to reinforce the Siliguri Corridor through improved infrastructure, faster mobilisation capability and diversified connectivity routes to the north east.
The Centre and the Union Territory of Ladakh administration have accused jailed climate activist Sonam Wangchuk of attempting to instigate Gen Z for protests, drawing parallels to unrest in Nepal, Bangladesh, and the Arab Spring.
Make the effort for Boong, Mayur Sanap insists. Watch it, and experience its quietly heart-aching beauty.
India has strongly condemned Pakistan's airstrikes on Afghanistan, calling them a flagrant violation of international law and hypocritical given the civilian casualties during Ramzan.
Iran is fighting a different war: Older, slower, and in some ways more dangerous. Iran doesn't need to shoot down an F/A-18. It only needs to make the Strait of Hormuz feel dangerous long enough for insurance markets, shipping companies, and oil futures traders to do the rest. Prem Panicker continues his must-read daily blog on the war in the Middle East.
'Without ground troops the US will not be able to oust the Iranian Islamic regime. Political change does not happen just by using bombs or planes.'
Security forces have established a new camp in the Karregutta Hills along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border, a former Naxal stronghold, following a major anti-Naxal operation.
Heavy snowfall in the Kashmir Valley and Jammu region disrupted traffic and air services, leading to the closure of the Jammu-Srinagar highway and cancellation of flights. Rescue and road clearing operations are underway.
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) rescued 60 people, including 40 soldiers, stranded in a snowbound area of Doda district, Jammu and Kashmir. The BRO also restored connectivity to strategic roads in the Rajouri district after heavy snowfall.
'China continues to perceive its relations with India through the prism of India-US relations, with the US using India to counter balance against China in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.'
Israel and the United States had a plan. Iran punched back. And now the Gulf is reeling, the world is beginning to feel the pain and, as on date, no one in Washington or Tel Aviv appears willing to admit that the punch has landed, notes Prem Panicker, continuing his must-read blog on the war in the Middle East.
Sensitive issues remain. Water sharing of the Ganga and Teesta rivers. Treatment of minorities, particularly Hindus. Border management. Trade imbalances. Connectivity projects.What happens next will shape not just bilateral ties, but the balance of South Asia itself, points out Ramesh Menon.
'Should China's interest in the Teesta River projects be approved, it would likely result in heightened Chinese presence near the Siliguri corridor.'
India has joined over 100 countries and global organizations in condemning Israel's "unilateral" decisions and measures aimed at expanding its "unlawful presence" in the West Bank.
'I suspect that Bangladesh being given permission stuck in India's official craw, and this story was an attempt to balance the scales by giving the impression that a similar waiver had been given to India as well.'
'After the Galwan clash, the rules of engagement changed with the army commanders allowed to use any means at their disposal as they deem fit for tactical operations.'
'This move acknowledges that unresolved internal borders can be just as disruptive as external ones.'
'The BNP's election manifesto lists grievances against India, mirroring the attitude of past BNP governments.' 'Political parties have been careful not to say bad things about China.'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks focusing on rebuilding bilateral relations, emphasizing border peace and addressing cross-border terrorism.
The Madhya Pradesh government promoted 60 police personnel for their role in anti-Naxal operations, celebrating the state's success in eradicating Maoist influence.
The policy unveiled by the home ministry is based on seven key pillars to counter the terror threats emanating from India or abroad -- prevention, responses, aggregating internal capacities, human rights and "Rule of Law"-based processes.
India has lodged a strong protest with China for carrying out construction activities in the Shaksgam Valley, asserting its claim over the territory and rejecting the China-Pakistan boundary pact of 1963.
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