Centre for International Relations and Strategic Studies

Bangladesh’s Indo-Pacific Outlook is a Missed Opportunity for building a Grand Strategy

By – Nivan Bagchi (Research Fellow) In April 2023, just before Sheikh Hasina’s tri-nation visit to Japan, US and UK, Bangladesh unveiled its Indo-Pacific Outlook (IPO). The short document with 15 points, aiming at attaining the status of a developed nation by 2041, envisages a ‘free, open, peaceful, secure, and inclusive Indo-Pacific for the shared […]

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Russia – India – China Relationship: Dogmatic, Pragmatic or Something Beyond? 

The 20th century led to a complex scenario in the South – Asian continent, where three nations got caught up in a complicated web of geopolitics and, while fending for themselves, they came together or against each other to strengthen their regional and global dominance.

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Rise of India and Its Vision for a New World Order

The last three decades have paved a seismic shift in the world economy, one that’s led not by the global north but by the global south, a journey that’s laying the foundation for a new world order to emerge, one that’s based on equality and inclusion away from the dominance of few1. This emergence stemmed from the exit of the United States from countries like Afghanistan, China’s rising economic and military power to regional wars such as the Russia-Ukraine war, to the arrival of more inclusive global platforms like BRICs for regional and international negotiations on trade and security 

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India’s Tryst with ‘State’ of Palestine

Spain, Ireland and Norway’s decision to recognize Palestine as a state, announced on May 22, 2024, represents a significant shift in the international stance towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This decision by a Western nation reaffirms the Palestinian quest for statehood, challenging the global diplomatic equilibrium. Concurrently, it prompts a re-evaluation of other nations’ positions, notably India’s, which has undergone substantial evolution over the decades. This essay examines India’s historical support for Palestine, its current diplomatic balancing act between Israel and Palestine, and the strategic imperatives shaping its foreign policy.

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Electoral Resilience: How Taiwan fought off Chinese Disinformation Campaign

INTRODUCTION Amidst the rising tensions between China and Taiwan, the recent Taiwanese election had brought to light the Chinese disinformation campaign that was employed during the electoral process. This campaign aimed at distorting the political landscape and manipulating public opinion in Taiwan. By spreading false information and using deceptive tactics, the Chinese government attempted to

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C-295: A Step towards Make-in-India

India is a growing nation in every sector from commercial to defense and requires a strong fleet for its protections. Transportation plays a vital role in nation building and security. On 30th October 2022 Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of C-295 tactical transport aircraft with the aim to build Indian defense manufacturing industry

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Project 15B – Imphal Bolstering Indian Navy

India has a coastline of about 7,500 km and an exclusive economic zone of over 2 million sq km. It is endowed with abundant oceanic wealth, including a large number of island territories and vast seabed area. Over 97% of the country’s trade is carried by sea, making a strong navy essential for national security.

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JF-17: Ageing Gracefully or Falling Behind?

JF-17 is a lightweight single-engine, all-weather multirole aircraft developed under the joint venture of “Pakistan Aeronautical Complex” and “Chengdu Aircraft Corporation”. JF-17 was initially designed to replace ageing fleets of third-generation fighter jets and a successor to the US-made F-16 in the Pakistan Air Force. JF-17 can carry various ordinances, including air-to-air, air-to-surface, anti-ship, guided, and unguided

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The Episode of the Red Sea Crisis

The essence of the Red Sea for its resources, from being the busiest globalized maritime street to the rivalry of attempted over-agency between Saudi Arabia and Iran for more influence over the waters, among other regional security ruptures, can be written without footnotes in honour of the sea’s branching relevance.  But what’s been adding more

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Australia and Japan Naval Defense Program

Introduction In April 2022, Japan, for the 9th time in a row, had presented its budget with a major focus on its defence, particularly naval force wherein it presented its goal of boosting its capabilities within the next 5 years. This particular budget and policies adopted by the Japanese Government could have been inspected through a wider

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