Category Center for International Relations and Strategic Studies

Strategic Ambiguity and Proxy Warfare: The Middle East Crisis

July 31 was the casting date for a much-feared escalation in the Middle East as Israeli leadership acknowledged killing of the Hezbollah leader Fouad Shukr (July 30) but keeping enigmatic silence on the killing of the Hamas top leader and negotiator Ismael Haniyeh in Tehran under the nose of the almighty Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC). It happened when the new reformist- conservative Iranian President Dr Pezeshkian was just sworn in who hoped for some improved relationship even with the West. Iranians obviously were livid not only that Haniyeh was killed but killed in Tehran violating their sovereignty. They concluded Israeli hand and vowed revenge including by the 3Hs- Hezbollah, Hamas and Houthis and add the Shia militias in Iraq to the list, which makes a powerful and potent mix of resistance groups so called “Axis of Resistance” against their wily enemy -whose very existence is an anathema for them. Major powers came into action.

Zelensky’s Criticism of India’s Russian Oil Purchases: A Case of Double Standards?

Zelensky criticises India’s purchasing of Russian oil while ignoring that his own benefactors in Europe have been buying billions of dollars of gas from Russia

It appears that two hugs by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to President Volodymyr Zelensky in Apulia and Kyiv have been weighed lightly compared to the one given to Russian President Vladimir Putin. President Zelensky had invited and hosted PM Modi and has been asking India, along with other Western leaders, to leverage its influence with President Putin to end the conflict. Hence PM Modi used his personal diplomacy and credit with Putin in July to find a reasonable solution through dialogue, diplomacy, and respect for the UN Charter.

The China-Xizang Initiative: Consolidating Power and Shaping the Trans-Himalayan Region

The delegates invited, the agenda unveiled, and the larger context, indicate China’s efforts to convert Tibet (renamed recently as Xizang) into the fulcrum of sub-regional initiatives as well as to expand China’s influence in the neighbourhood.

QUAD Foreign Ministers’ Meet 2024: Strategic Agreements and Future Directions

QUAD, also known as the ‘Quadrilateral Strategic Forum’ is an informal strategic forum which aims for an open, free, prosperous and more inclusive Indo-Pacific region. It comprises four democratic countries and market economies, namely India, USA, Japan and Australia.

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