That Hindus and Muslims have co-existed in India for centuries is an indisputable historical fact, but Pakistan’s founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah didn’t think so. In 1940, while delivering the All India Muslim League’s presidential address in Lahore, he argued that Hindus and Muslims “belong to two different civilizations which are based mainly on conflicting ideas and conceptions” [Emphasis added]. He […]

On April 8, 2023, the Assam Police arrested three active suspects linked to the banned Islamist radical Popular Front of India (PFI) and its student wing, Campus Front of India (CFI), from the Barpeta District of Assam. The arrestees were identified as PFI ‘state secretary’ Zakir Hussain, PFI cadre Abu Sama, and CFI National Treasurer Shahidul Islam. INR 150,000 in […]

Uncertainty arose over their proposed power supply to Bangladesh after the Hindenburg Report imploded the Adani empire. Kolkata-based Adani Group executives, however, had always maintained that there would be no problem with power going to Bangladesh from the Godda plant in Jharkhand. In fact, this has happened, although a little delayed, 450 MW of electricity went to Bangladesh from Godda […]

Bangladesh, India and Japan are going to hold an event in Tripura of India on April 11-12 on connectivity initiatives to harness the commercial potential of the region. Asian Confluence, a think tank from North East India, is organising the meeting in collaboration with India’s Ministry of External Affairs, according to India-based news outlets. Bangladesh State Minister for Foreign Affairs […]

The recent search for Amritpal Singh, a self-styled Sikh preacher in Punjab who has been declared a “fugitive” by India’s police following his escape after a car chase earlier this month, has raised the specter of militant violence again in the province. Throughout the 1980s, the cause for an independent Sikh homeland – Khalistan or “land of the pure” – […]

India continues to be wary about military alliances despite having multiple international military cooperation projects The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), comprising countries from Europe and North America, has informally sought a partnership with India in an expanded effort to contain Russia and China. Apart from 32 full members (including Finland), NATO has 40 partners around the world in Asia, […]

The Islamic State, in its 23rd issue of Voice of Khorasan magazine published last month, has trained its focus on the Southern part of India. In a message entitled “a message to the inhabitants in the land occupied by cow and mice worshipping filths,” Islamic State has claimed responsibility for failed attacks in Coimbatore (Tamilnadu) and Mangalore (Karnataka), which occurred […]

In 2017, a military standoff between India and China took place in the Doklam Plateau, which is claimed by both China and Bhutan. During the standoff, Bhutan maintained a firm stance against China, with India providing support to Bhutan. However, in recent years, Bhutan’s stand on Doklam has shifted, causing concern in India about the future of India-Bhutan relations. The […]

When Russian assault troops landed at Hostomel Airport near Kiev in February 2022, few could have anticipated how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine would alter geopolitics in Europe. Yet it has the potential to do the same in Asia. Moscow’s failure to score a quick military victory over Ukraine has made Russia increasingly reliant on China and India to not only […]

The BJP is threatening to abolish reservations in jobs and educational institutions for Muslims if voted to power in the 2023-24 elections. With elections due for State Assemblies and parliament in 2023-2024, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has put into operation its time-tested tactic of sharpening the communal divide to reap electoral rewards. The idea is to further marginalize the […]