Ayesha Abdullah

INTRODUCTION:

The ongoing flare up in the West Asian region in the form of Hamas-Israel conflict could spread further and bring more geopolitical uncertainty. The action of Hamas in the present round of flare up is barbaric, inhuman and responsible for vitiating the already volatile situation. This has weakened the Palestinian cause to a great extent, if not entirely. While Hamas has weakened President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank region, it has opened a new assertiveness about its own existence. The ongoing Arab-Israel peace moves have also suffered a big setback which will only lead to more bloodshed and frictions.

 INTRODUCTION:

The India-Canada relations have touched its all-time low. It is not that big an issue except some war of words which will subside in couple of weeks. In reality, they had hardly any special relationship historically, nor anything special for future due to incompatibility. Carefully, the selective West has chosen Canada, a tail ender in the team, to be used in the game to test the pressure resistance threshold of India. This suits Canada as the Liberal Party is losing its popularity at home and for the West it is getting impatient about India’s neutral stand on Ukraine War.

MONALISA VERMA/MILITARY ANALYST

INTRODUCTION:

The recently concluded G20 event in India followed by a detailed Delhi Declaration document has come at a time when the world is getting divided into camps like the Cold War era. The declining powers and ascending powers need to find a middle path to resolve most of the pressing issues the world is facing today. This time it was visible that emerging economies and Global South have scored a victory. Truly, the economic balance and power dynamics is shifting within the G20, away from advanced economies of the West to emerging giants, particularly in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

                                    MONALISA VERMA/MILITARY ANALYST

INTRODUCTION:

The global order based on rules and precedents is fast collapsing due to conflicting interests pursued by top ranking powers like it happened just before the First World War and Second World War. The scenario may look slightly distinct from the past but the root cause is the same – the vested interest – jealously pursued by competing powers. Now, the US and the West are on one side and Russia-China are on the other side. This geopolitical competition could push the world into a nuclear quagmire the humankind may not have seen ever in its existence.

CASS-India Analyst

INTRODUCTION:

With the shift of global order for a new geo-strategic architecture in the world, it has created new impact on Asian continent. The South Asian region is going to be a new battleground for competition among top ranking powers in the world. While India is leading the charge, China-US-EU-Russia and Gulf nations are also trying to have their foothold to advance their political interests. The geo-economic interests are going to take over geo-strategic interests, although both are complementary in nature. But this will consume out some smaller players who will have to side with competing powers or perish.

 REMA MURLITHARAN/MILITARY ANALYST

INTRODUCTION: 

Series of global events in recent time have suggested that more turbulent time could be ahead due to lack of consensus among top ranking powers in the world. This is breaking institutions which were created in the post-World War-2 period to make balance of power intact and bring course corrections in regional and international politics to prevent disputes from turning into conflicts. This has clearly been failed. But what is the alternative. There is a need to reorganize global security and economic bodies responsible for maintaining peace and harmony. The UNO which was dedicatedly created for this purpose has already lost its relevance for decades.

 SUJIT BURMAN/MILITARY ANALYST

INTRODUCTION:

The Russia-Ukraine situation has once again proved how vulnerable is the peace in Europe despite having fought two World Wars in last Century and coming up with a massive socio-politico-economic bloc with a credible currency and enormous military power. While Euro is still the preferred currency for trading except energy, the NATO is a credible military power in Europe and elsewhere. But peace is still a distant dream. No doubt, the Russian aggression has caused death, destruction and disappointment in the entire Europe even if the war is restricted to Ukraine theatre so far. Yet the need for a new global order to maintain peace is more than necessary. The collective will and strong political commitment can achieve this fate.

ABDUL YUSUFZAI / MILITARY ANALYST

INTRODUCTION:

After the new Taliban interim government was announced, there are palpable signs of uneasiness how to govern Afghanistan and rescue its shattered economy in which its social mosaic can be restored by making the present government an inclusive one. But the Taliban 2.0 is a cinematic show of Pakistan which orchestrated the farce along with its iron fist brother - China. The Chinese were financing the Taliban’s forceful come back to power which aptly suited Pakistan’s own deep desire of a strategic depth goal. Now both of them are achieved without a strong fight and much bloodshed. But both the actors need to rescue Afghanistan’s perilous economy which is pushing millions into hunger and joblessness.

AYESHA ABDULLAH/ Strategic Analyst

INTRODUCTION:

The ongoing tragedy in Afghanistan having tremendous impact on the whole region is going to alter the geopolitical balance in Asia and in the whole world, even if Afghanistan is a small, poor and rugged country. The players behind the whole drama which is now engulfing the entire world with pain and sorrow are known but remains hidden behind the veil. The lies which are being fed as a natural catastrophe unanticipated before the troop withdrawal are well calculated game that is being played with a vision to serve their own interests at the cost of poor Afghan lives. For them, death and destruction are just a cycle which must earn them profit.

MONALISA VERMA/MILITARY ANALYST

Introduction:  

The present round of US-China competition, best attributed as Cold War-2.0, for garnering geopolitical influences across the world and particularly in Asian geostrategic setting could bring immense benefits for regional powers whose bargaining capacity can increase many folds. To end the present stalemate and power status quo, which has been persisting since end of the Cold War-1.0, is increasingly becoming directionless and unnecessarily affecting the global order. China’s emergence into the global stage may have created a set of chaos but it is a necessary evil before one can witness rule of law and a new global order.

Gauri Srivastava

INTRODUCTION:

The Suez Canal crisis has once again drawn lot of attention in recent weeks when a ship blocked the global trade running into billions of Dollars of losses within a span of two weeks. This even led to close down of few energy industries, ancillary units and power projects. This has prompted the great powers in the world and Asia to reconfigure their present strategy. The US, Europe, Gulf nations, China, Russia, Japan and India have now realized that the Suez Canal which forms the main backbone global economy is indeed a key pillar of global geopolitics.

Gauri Srivastava

 INTRODUCTION:

Japan, the island country on the eastern edge of Asia, is one of the four developed nations of the largest continent. The cultural superpower is an important player in the Asian and world politics. It has outstanding bilateral ties with most Asian nations and is a part of the major regional multilateral organizations, apart from both economic and technological power. It is one of the top foreign aid providers in the world. But with the change of geopolitics in Asia with rise of China, Tokyo feels that it is time to revisit the pacifist policies and construct a new geopolitical paradigm for Japan.

Gauri Srivastava

INTRODUCTION:

After the announcement of US election results, there is a strong hope that the new Biden Administration is going to change a new policy framework for Iran and West Asian region. This might yet again witness a new round of geopolitical competition since China and Russia have already entered into West Asian theatre and are ready to challenge US policy. Indeed, Russia is particularly interested to consolidate its gains which Moscow has made in recent years. But China is also pushing its own interests in the region with a renewed vigor to challenge US monopoly and bring about a pro-Beijing image in the Arab world. All this is going to put pressure on US to look for softening of its position towards Iran.

CASS INDIAN ANAYLST

 INTRODUCTION:

The Corona Virus which has already created a panic with heavy death toll ever observed since the days of Second World War could upset the intermediate phase of stability in the present global order where nation neutrality will cease to exist. Now either a country has to support Chinese narrative or American narrative. Even the Corona Virus which has created havoc across the globe except Antarctica can change the geopolitical order which has become stagnant and directionless for quite some time since the end of Cold War in the 90s.

INTRODUCTION:

Sectarianism is often treated as the primary cause of conflict in states such as Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq where previously many political forces and tribes had their own loyalties to a particular affiliation. In Syria, the classic case is the present Assad Government which has the loyalty of the tribes of the Alawite sect, a large number of which originate from Syria’s Mediterranean coast—particularly Qardaha, the hometown of the Assad family. Now they provide highest number of recruits for Shia rule in Syria which is opposed by the Sunni Arabs. Now the Sunnis recruit sub tribes in Syria to fight the Syrian Government.

CASS INDIA ANALYST

INTRODUCTION

The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), currently being developed by HAL and DRDO in which Indian Air Force is a partner and a lone customer, should be given top priority for mass production and export. The LCA, which has taken enormous time and had undergone immense technological changes, is a potential platform for IAF. Therefore even if there are shortcomings and delays, the project should be taken to a logical conclusion.  Right from the beginning the project was facing complications as India had all the parameters to make a fighter jet except a credible engine. Now this engine component should be seriously pursued so that the LCA can be a world class fighter in its own segment and truly indigenous.

Egypt is burning. But the situation will not change forbetter dramatically in coming days. The country is passing through its mostdifficult time. Indeed, Morsi failed and the Army intervened. But the Egyptiansociety will get further divided and this will lead to violence. An unstableEgypt is bad for the whole region. Egypt is the only country in the region thatenjoys considerable influence in both Asia and Africa.

India is optimistic about the future of its relationshipwith Pakistan as 14 years ago it was under Nawaz Sharif’s rule both Pakistanand India had initiated the process of normalizing ties. This expectation isnot entirely idealistic, but the government should approach Pakistan cautiouslyas Sharif’s ability to strengthen ties with India will depend on hisrelationship with the military, which still makes decisions for Pakistan’sforeign policy