Issue Briefs

Fall of Bashar Al-Assad: What it Means for the Region and India
The fall of Bashar al-Assad's government marks a significant turning point in the Western Asia region. Assad was overthrown by a quick onslaught by opposition troops commanded by Ahmad al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Julani, following more about 13 years of civil war and international sanctions.
Emergence of Terrorism in Central Asia: Roots, Drivers, and Implications
Central Asia, which includes Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, has always been regarded as a stable and safe region, but the recent incidents of terrorism, linked to this region and perpetuated by ISIS-Khorasan (IS-KP), have caused significant concern both regionally and globally.
How will Trump Impact Europe in his New Term?
The election of Donald Trump as the President of the United States of America (US) for the second time poses manifold challenges to the continent of Europe, which is already going through a major war, sluggish economic recovery after the pandemic and a myriad of issues from migration, to rise of the Far-Right.


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Bab el-Mandeb as the Next Possible Flashpoint: IMEC’s Role as a Strategic Hedge
Anubhuti Jain
Amid continuing US/Israel–Iran tensions, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait emerges as a new flashpoint threatening global trade, energy, and digital flows. India’s India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) offers a strategic hedge to mitigate these maritime risks.
From the Archives: Baluchistan and The Partition of India: The Forgotten Story
Baren Ray
This occasional paper examines Balochistan’s struggle for autonomy, from British colonial “Sandemanisation” to its forced 1948 accession to Pakistan. By highlighting the suppression of Kalat’s independence and the exploitation of regional resources, Ray illustrates how systemic marginalisation transformed a secular identity movement into an enduring conflict against centralised state authority.
Understanding Kargil’s Iran Connection
Zainab Akhter
Deeply rooted in 15th-century missionary history , Kargil has religious and cultural ties with Iran. The recent spontaneous popular response to Ayatollah Khamenei’s death shows the abiding spiritual and political contact between the people of Kargil and Iran.