(By Khalid Masood) From the bustling streets of Islamabad to the war-torn valleys of Kashmir, one name evokes a storm of controversy: Narendra Modi. As India’s Prime Minister, Modi has cast a long shadow over South Asia, his policies and rhetoric fueling tensions with Pakistan and minorities within India. To many Pakistanis, Modi is not…
(By Khalid Masood) In a landmark contribution to South Asian geopolitical analysis, the Pakistan-China Institute (PCI), a premier non-governmental think tank founded by Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, has released a groundbreaking report titled “16 Hours that Reshaped South Asia: How Modi’s Miscalculation Led to Pakistan’s Primacy.” Launched on May 24, 2025, in Islamabad, this 25-page…
(By Khalid Masood) 1. The India-Israel Nexus: Historical and Strategic Foundations India and Israel have cultivated a robust strategic partnership since establishing full diplomatic relations in 1990s, driven by shared security concerns, counterterrorism imperatives, and complementary defence needs. This “nexus” is rooted in mutual perceptions of hostile neighbors—Pakistan and China for India, and Iran and…
(By Khalid Masood) India’s much-publicized acquisition of 36 Rafale fighter jets from France—at a staggering cost of approximately $8.7 billion—was heralded as a game-changer for the Indian Air Force (IAF). Yet, the events of May 7, 2025, during Operation Sindoor, have cast a long and damning shadow over that narrative. The downing of three IAF…
(By Khalid Masood) Although ostensibly part of a broader American fiscal package, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” uses economic tools—remittance taxes, trade barriers, and immigration restrictions—as levers of domestic enforcement, carrying serious unintended consequences for global South economies. For countries like Pakistan and India, the bill is not just financial legislation—it is a geopolitical…
India’s 2016 agreement to purchase 36 Rafale fighter jets from France’s Dassault Aviation for $9.3 billion has become a symbol not of military modernization, but of deep-rooted corruption and political favoritism in Indian defense procurement. Far from being a transparent transaction aimed at enhancing national security, the deal reflects systemic weaknesses and raises serious questions…
In the fragile tapestry of South Asian geopolitics, April 2025 marked a dark and unsettling chapter. The delicate peace that had, for a fleeting moment, seemed within reach between India and Pakistan was violently torn asunder by a tragic attack in Pahalgam, nestled in Indian-administered Kashmir. The blood of 26 innocent civilians—mostly hapless tourists—stained the…
(By Khalid Masood) The rise of religious nationalism, epitomized by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has transformed India from a secular democracy into a majoritarian state marked by Hindu supremacist ideology, anti-minority violence, and democratic backsliding. The RSS’s century-long project of establishing a Hindu Rashtra (Hindu nation) has fueled communal tensions, undermined pluralism, and escalated…
(By Khalid Masood) India’s recent threats to restrict the flow of rivers into Pakistan, particularly following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, 2025, have escalated tensions in an already volatile region. These threats challenge the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), a 1960 agreement that has historically governed water sharing between India and Pakistan, surviving wars…
(Khalid Masood) Despite suffering a clear defeat in the recent conflict, India’s leadership under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is refusing to acknowledge reality. Instead of introspection or a path toward reconciliation, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has chosen to cloak its defeat in a spectacle of nationalism. On May 13, the BJP launched the “Tiranga…
