(By Ayesha Mahnoor) Introduction: A Political Earthquake in the South In one of the most dramatic electoral upsets in modern Indian political history, Tamil Nadu has witnessed the end of a decades-long duopoly. Actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay, known to millions as Thalapathy, has led his newly formed Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) to win 108 seats…
(By Khalid Masood) I. Introduction: The Distance of Twelve Months A year has elapsed since the Indian government, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, authorised Operation Sindoor—a military strike against Pakistan that was intended to project strength but instead delivered the most consequential strategic reversal in modern Indian history. The passage of twelve months affords the…
(By Khalid Masood) “We are well connected, we have all these documents. But what about the people who don’t have those connections?”— Suprabuddha Sen, 88, Kolkata, whose name was deleted from voter rolls despite submitting pension records, graduation certificates, and an expired passport In the world’s largest democracy, the right to vote is being audited…
(By Faraz Ahmed) I. The Spark: A Reshare, Not a Statecraft On 22 April 2026, US President Donald Trump amplified a third-party podcast excerpt on Truth Social containing the phrase “hellhole” in reference to India and China—within a domestic American debate on birthright citizenship. Crucially, Trump did not author the remark; he reshared it. Yet…
(By Khalid Masood) I. Introduction: The Islamabad Signal The announcement that senior Iranian and American delegations would convene in Islamabad to negotiate an end to a 44-day regional conflict triggered a pronounced reaction across Indian media outlets and political circles. Headlines questioned diplomatic exclusion, prime-time debates dissected the geopolitical implications, and parliamentary statements framed the…
(By Quratulain Khalid) I. Introduction: The Gap Between Rhetoric and Reality In the glossy brochures of New Delhi’s propaganda machine, India is portrayed as an emerging superpower—a “Vishwaguru” (World Teacher) destined to lead the Global South. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government frequently touts a $4 trillion economy, digital supremacy, and military self-reliance. Yet, in mid-March…
(By Khalid Masood) Introduction: The Quiet Coup In the world of geopolitics, there are two ways to make headlines.Method A: Shout loudly, move troops, and break things.Method B: Invite everyone over for tea, close the door, and whisper until everyone agrees to stop shouting. Recently, Pakistan chose Method B. While the world was busy watching…
(By Khalid Masood) In the treacherous and ever-shifting sands of West Asian geopolitics—where alliances dissolve like mirages under a scorching sun and trust is rarer than mercy in a battlefield—India has proven itself the epitome of fickle self-interest. For decades, Iran extended a hand of genuine brotherhood to New Delhi, shielding it from diplomatic humiliation,…
(By Quratulain Khalid) In a time when the world rightly shuns Israel for its brutal actions in Gaza—actions that have claimed over 75,000 Palestinian lives and drawn accusations of genocide from international bodies—Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s decision to visit Tel Aviv on 25-26 February 2026 reeks of opportunism and moral bankruptcy. While principled leaders…
(By Khalid Masood) The India AI Impact Summit 2026 (being held February 16–20 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi) was promoted as a landmark event to cement India’s role in the global AI landscape. With over 70,000 attendees, high-profile guests including French President Emmanuel Macron, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Google’s Sundar Pichai, OpenAI’s…
