Anil Trigunayat

Anil Trigunayat

Former Indian Ambassador to Jordan, Libya, and Malta; Distinguished Fellow and Head of the West Asia Experts Group at the Vivekananda International Foundation.

Trump & Iran: Interpreting the Signals Behind U.S. Policy

In the ongoing war between two arch-rivals, Israel and the Islamic Republic of Iran, the death and destruction and the utter defiance of international law by both sides under the garb of ‘self-defence' have pushed the entire West Asian region and the world to the edge. Their conception of one another as an existential threat had played out mostly clandestinely in the past. However, in the last year and a half, their confrontation has been more direct, with the latest showdown shaping up to be a fight to the finish.

Syria’s Al-Sharaa, a former terrorist turned head of state, is gaining diplomatic momentum but faces a daunting challenge.

Perhaps for Ahmed al-Sharaa, aka al-Jolani, displacing Assad with exemplary speed may not have been as important as his being embraced by President Donald Trump during his visit to Saudi Arabia this month (May 13-16). Of course, this was done at the behest of Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), whose welcome to al-Sharaa, by extending the Arab embrace, has been strategic and far-reaching.

Turkey–India ties: Deteriorating for all the wrong reasons

I have often wondered what’s wrong with Türkiye. The symptoms of its principled anti-India stance are difficult to discern, even though there are plenty of examples and statements from its leaders—especially President Erdogan—that have sought to undermine India’s sovereignty, particularly in the context of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), which is an integral part of India. In a rush to prove their bonhomie with Pakistan, they conveniently forget history and the terror-breeding nature of that state. Frequently, Türkiye's own Islamic extremist outfits have been seen operating in India and have been openly called out.

Talk to Us