International Relations and Policy – Page 8

The Bloodiest War: Tragedy in the Tigray

Abstract The conflict in Tigray constitutes the single largest humanitarian crisis currently raging. The outcome of the conflict will determine the future of Ethiopia, and the Horn of Africa at large, since Ethiopia is the largest country in the region. A unilateral government triumph will decimate the civilian population of Tigray, while a successful Tigrayan secession…
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Understanding the Belt and Road Initiative under the realm of Maritime Security

Ever since the Global Financial crisis (2008), China has made repeated forays into utilising economic means to define maritime security. Initially, this came around through stray efforts at naval modernisation to defend and enhance Chinese connectivity abroad until President Xi Jinping proposed the Belt and Road initiative. Since then the subsequent benefits and pitfalls of…
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Uncle Sam Plays His F-16 Card Once Again

In a move that was earlier blocked, the Biden Administration approved a $450 million upgrade to Pakistan’s existing fleet of F-16 fighter aircraft. In the aftermath of Trump’s decision to stop selling new F-16s to Pakistan, the deal has raised questions about the possibility of a renewal of the US-Pak relationship and what it means…
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Reviewing the Rise of India as a Global Soft Power

India is witnessing phenomenal economic growth while its political aspirations are on a greater level. The administration is attempting to extend its global influence by utilising soft power resources and instruments. Using its rich culture and returning to its traditions, India is rediscovering this art. References to religious pluralism and democratisation are an additional effective…
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More the Merrier: Why India May Need Another Aircraft Carrier

Should India build another aircraft carrier? Analysing the question through various perspectives, this article looks at the historic and geopolitical implications of owning an aircraft carrier.
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The Unseen Annihilation: A New Narration of the Threats facing South Asia – II

This is the second part in a two-part series about the need for a new narration for crises. The previous piece used the medium of fictional foretelling in order to reliably convey the probable devastation caused by the climate crisis, job insecurity and food scarcity in South Asia. This one shall focus on the remaining…
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The Impact of the Galwan Clashes on the character and nature of Sino-Indian relations

Much of mainstream research on the recent clashes between Indian and Chinese soldiers at Galwan has exerted an undue focus on assessing the incident as a bigger version of previous clashes, without paying attention to what actually marks it as a landmark event in defining how both nations approach bilateral ties. This is a dilemma…
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Standing Up Against the Dragon

The Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi’s recent visit to Taiwan has caused a major furore among diplomats and political commentators. Her visit which comes against the backdrop of the deteriorating US-China relationship has riled up the latter to such an extent that China imposed sanctions and conducted military operations near Taiwan…
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The Unseen Annihilation: A New Narration of the Threats facing South Asia – I

Not just the states, but South Asia as a region is facing an existential crisis. The urgency of these threats is underplayed by the gradual nature of their onset. Leaving them unresolved entails doom yet little urgency is observed in tackling them. There is a need for a new language which communicates the urgency of…
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Critical Review of the Basis of China’s Objections to the UNCLOS Tribunal as an Attempt to Delegitimise the 2016 South China Sea Dispute Verdict

This article aims to examine the UNCLOS’s effectiveness and relevance, with a specific emphasis on the case of the South China Sea and the UNCLOS Arbitral Tribunal’s 2016 ruling on the issue. The article contends that, while China’s disregard for the ruling and the Philippines’ subsequent undervaluation of it harms the UNCLOS’s reputation as international…
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Multi-alignment: How Nations are Navigating the present era

With the post-cold war “order” gone for good, and no alternative order in place given the flailing multilateral forums like the UN, something akin to pre-1991 Bloc politics seems inevitable. However, developing nations are playing these cards to their benefit and skillfully so.
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Sweden, Finland and Türkiye: The New Dispute Triangle

The Ukraine-Russian war has forced Sweden and Finland, two historically neutral countries, to apply for NATO membership as a measure to prevent future aggression. While all expected the induction process to be fairly simple, Türkiye, an important member of the Western alliance, expressed its displeasure at the expansion and threatened to veto the move unless…
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