Harsh V Pant

Harsh V Pant

Professor of International Relations at King’s College London and Director of Research at Observer Research Foundation (ORF), New Delhi.

India-France Relations: A New Phase of Strategic Partnership

India France

French President Emmanuel Macron’s India visit and the elevation of ties to a “special global strategic partnership” signal deeper convergence in defence, Indo-Pacific strategy, AI, and clean energy. The Horizon 2047 Roadmap aims to institutionalise long-term cooperation amid global volatility.

Bangladesh at a Crossroads: Democratic Transition and Strategic Balancing

Bangladesh

The 2026 general election in Bangladesh — the first electoral exercise after the 2024 student-led uprising that brought an abrupt end to Sheikh Hasina’s long and increasingly authoritarian tenure—marks a decisive inflection point in the country’s political evolution. What has emerged is not simply an alternation of power, but a reconfiguration of political legitima

India–US Defence Ties in the Trump 2.0 Era: Stability or Strategic Strain?

India-US Defence Ties in the Trump 2.0 Era: Stability or Strategic Strain

As technology, geopolitics and warfare evolve at breakneck speed, the new India-US defence framework provides a much-needed roadmap for bilateral security relations. However, its success will hinge on whether both sides can translate intent into shared innovation, trust and strategic depth.

How Trump’s 2025 Foreign Policy Shift Reorders the Indo-Pacific

Copy of Insights 4 1

The regional order is witnessing a shift as Asian countries hedge their geo-strategic interests against mixed signals from the US on its role as a security assurer by forging new deterrents and ties. India has also deepened its engagement with Southeast Asia, reflecting a proactive approach.

US Nuclear Testing and the Fragile Global Nuclear Order

US Nuclear Testing and the Fragile Global Nuclear Order

US President Donald Trump's recent announcement to resume nuclear testing is aimed at bolstering the US deterrence posture vis-à-vis an emerging threat landscape. Though the US later clarified that it was not planning to conduct nuclear explosions, Trump administration's approach so far on all matters nuclear has showcased a full spectrum, ranging from an inclusive proposal for arms reduction among the US, China and Russia to the latest resumption of nuclear testing.

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