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BRICS-India
India and BRICS: Between Strategic Autonomy and China’s Ambitions


Imran Khurshid

India’s engagement with BRICS reflects its pursuit of strategic autonomy, diplomatic leadership and reform of global governance while strengthening the voice of emerging economies. At the same time, New Delhi seeks a genuinely multipolar order in which the rise of BRICS does not simply lead to a greater concentration of power in China.

Macca Pact
Saudi-Houthi Confrontation: The First Test of the Mecca Pact


Murad S. Sadygzade

The Mecca Pact faces its first crisis as Saudi Arabia confronts the Houthis. Its survival depends on whether Turkey and Pakistan can balance defensive commitments with political caution, shaping the alliance’s credibility and future relevance.

India-Bangladesh
Testing Waters: Will India-Bangladesh Reset Work?


Ankita Sanyal

India and Bangladesh cautiously recalibrate ties under Tarique Rahman, balancing pragmatism, sovereignty, and regional pressures, as Hasina’s shadow and border disputes test the promise of renewed cooperation.

Issue Briefs

Indus Water Treaty
Water, Terror, and Transborder Realities: Reassessing the Indus Waters Treaty


Imran Khurshid

This issue brief analyses the strategic obsolescence of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty against the backdrop of Pakistan's cross-border terrorism, severe climate stress, and domestic water mismanagement. It highlights the immense developmental costs borne by Jammu and Kashmir, justifying India’s decision to condition future hydro-cooperation on regional security and ecological realities.

Iran-USA
The Iran-US Memorandum of Understanding: Prospects for Peace and the Challenges of Implementation


Mohmad Waseem Malla, Faiza Rizwan

The technical negotiations at the Lake Lucerne Summit in Switzerland, which commenced on 21 June 2026, mark a critical operational step in translating the historic Iran-United States Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) into a permanent security framework. Led by US Vice President JD Vance and Iran’s Chief Negotiator Muhammad Bagher Ghalibaf, these talks aim to establish concrete mechanisms for the 14-point MoU signed on 17 June.

India-EU Partnership
India’s European Pivot: From Engagement to Structural Alignment


Harsh Pandey

Modi’s 2026 European tour deepened India–Europe ties through landmark technology, trade, and green energy partnerships. Building on recent FTAs, these engagements embed India into Europe’s strategic architecture, making the relationship more resilient and positioning New Delhi as a pivotal actor in shaping the next international order.