Issue Briefs

From Protest to Power: Can JNP reshape Bangladesh’s Political Future?
The Jatiya Nagorik Party (JNP)— born out of the Students Against Discrimination (SAD) movement, that steered the July 2024 uprising in Bangladesh— is seeking to break the decades-long dominance of the Awami League and BNP, and advocating for a Second Republic through constitutional reform and centrist, pluralist governance. As it navigates entrenched power structures and competing opposition forces, it faces both great promise and uncertain challenges in its quest to reshape the nation’s political future.
Indonesia’s Balancing Act : Between Contestation and Cooperation with China
Indonesia, Southeast Asia's largest economy, balances economic ties with China while asserting its sovereignty amid tensions in the South China Sea. China's maritime claims and illegal fishing in Indonesia's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the....
Impact of Pakistan’s Internal Dynamics on China-Pakistan Cooperation
The Issue Brief examines how Pakistan’s internal dynamics impact its cooperation with China, particularly through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), launched in 2015. It traces the evolution of Sino-Pak relations, highlighting their strategic....


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From Assertion to Deference: How the Iran War and Shifting Power Dynamics Redefined Trump’s China Visit
Imran Khurshid
The visit was defined more by symbolism than substance, where Beijing projected confidence while Washington appeared strategically constrained. The Trump–Xi meeting in Beijing highlighted shifting power dynamics, with China setting the terms of engagement across key geopolitical issues.
Terrorism, Trust, and India-Pakistan Relations: Peace Remain Elusive
Afroz Khan
Pakistan's state-sponsored terrorism has pushed India toward aggressive, kinetic retaliation, weakening Islamabad's nuclear deterrence and making genuine bilateral rapprochement impossible without visible, credible actions against extremist networks.
Divided Commands and Fragmented Lenses: Reconciling American Regional Policy with Indian Interests
Imran Khurshid
US regional strategy operates through fragmented command structures that elevate India and Pakistan in different theatres, producing enduring contradictions. These structural inconsistencies continue to shape—and often complicate—India’s security calculus in South Asia and the Indo-Pacific.