An investigation by Bangladesh's Prothom Alo has uncovered a troubling practice: Chinese content creators filming poor neighbourhoods in Dhaka while telling audiences they are watching life in India's capital. The deception raises serious questions about how India's image is being manipulated online. Imagine watching a livestream from what appears to be a poor neighbourhood in New Delhi. The streets are narrow, houses have tin roofs, drains run beside crowded homes, and peopl

How overground workers, terror financing and hidden support networks sustain Kashmir militancy—and why India's counterterrorism strategy must look beyond attackers.

Balochistan, a vast and resource-rich province, often finds itself at the heart of complex geopolitical debates. Its strategic location, abundant natural resources, and diverse ethnic composition make it a focal point for regional and international interests. But what exactly fuels the persistent unrest and challenges in this region? Today, I want to peel back the layers and demystify the tangled web of Balochistan's regional issues. This is not just about geography or politi

Beijing’s $336 million loan promises to modernise Bangladesh’s second-largest seaport. But the financial struggles of Pakistan and Zambia show why Dhaka must look beyond the promise of new infrastructure. Bangladesh has every right to develop its ports, attract foreign investment and choose its economic partners. Mongla Port, the country's second-largest seaport, needs modern facilities if it is to handle more cargo and compete effectively in regional trade. But the latest Ch

From youth protests and electoral disputes to questions about the economy, a series of recent reports by international news organisations has placed India under an increasingly negative spotlight. The concern is not simply what is being reported, but how individual controversies are being used to shape a wider image of the country. India has rarely been absent from international headlines. But the tone of some recent foreign-media coverage deserves closer attention. Over the

There are moments when a country must look beyond its immediate politics and ask a more uncomfortable question: why did we become a country in the first place? Bangladesh may be approaching such a moment. The politics of the last couple of years has pushed Bangladesh into an intense reassessment of the Sheikh Hasina era. That reassessment is understandable, but it should not become an erasure of history. Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League remain inseparable from one important

The most convincing misinformation does not always invent an event. Sometimes it takes two real events, removes the distance between them, and tells audiences they were one Two women were killed in Manipur. Houses were also burned, and security forces were present amid violence. Put those facts together in the wrong order and a completely different story emerges. That appears to be what happened on social media in September, when a disturbing claim began circulating that the

When an ordinary two-wheeler becomes the visual shorthand for a geopolitical summit, the question is not whether the photograph is real, but why that particular India is repeatedly chosen to represent the story. The 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi was not a minor diplomatic gathering. Leaders of an expanded grouping representing nearly half of humanity met amid wars, trade tensions, energy insecurity and growing demands for reform of global institutions. The summit concluded w

For India, the fight against terrorism is neither a new security concern nor a recent diplomatic priority. Few countries have engaged with the international terrorism debate with as much consistency and persistence as that of India. From repeatedly highlighting the dangers of cross-border terrorism and terrorist safe havens to raising the issue of terrorist financing, recruitment and radicalisation, India's position has evolved alongside the changing nature of the threat. Its

The Growing Protests and Their Significance Manipur has recently witnessed a surge in protests surrounding the slogan “No NRC, No Census.” Civil society organizations and segments of the public are demanding that the National Register of Citizens (NRC) be updated before the Census is conducted. As preparations for the Census move forward, protests have intensified, targeting training programs and government offices. At the heart of this campaign lies a genuine concern over de

When regulation of foreign money is portrayed as repression, the debate is no longer merely about compliance—it becomes a contest over sovereignty, influence and who gets to define democratic legitimacy. The Battle Over India’s Financial Sovereignty India’s Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act has increasingly become more than a domestic regulatory framework. It has turned into an international narrative battleground in which New Delhi’s attempts to regulate foreign funding

The India-China border remains one of India's most sensitive national-security issues. Arunachal Pradesh, in particular, has been at the centre of China's territorial claims and repeated attempts to challenge India's sovereignty. In such an environment, information circulating about Chinese military activity carries enormous public and strategic significance. This makes the recent spread of fake and misleading content claiming that Chinese troops have entered Indian territory

Introduction: The New Face of Information Warfare Conflict today extends beyond battlefields into the digital space, where public perception has become a strategic target. Social media platforms, artificial intelligence (AI), and coordinated online networks enable hostile actors to shape narratives, deepen social divisions, and influence international opinion. Rather than creating unrest from scratch, information operations increasingly exploit genuine domestic events to proj

On 13 July 2026, a single wire report set off a rare spectacle in international diplomacy: the commerce minister of one country and the ambassador of another, within hours of each other, publicly branding the same story false. Reuters had reported that India “rejected” a quick trade agreement with the United States and was “holding out for a better deal.” By evening, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal had called the report “completely false, baseless and misleading,” US Ambassado

पश्चिमी हिमालय क्षेत्र में, विशेष रूप से कालापानी, लिपुलेख और लिम्पियाधुरा के आसपास, भारत-नेपाल सीमा को लेकर लंबे समय से मतभेद रहे हैं। इस क्षेत्र की स्थिति ऐतिहासिक अभिलेखों, मानचित्र संबंधी साक्ष्यों और स्वतंत्रता के बाद से चली आ रही निरंतर प्रशासनिक व्यवस्था पर आधारित है। भारत का मत है कि ये क्षेत्र उत्तराखंड का अभिन्न अंग हैं और इनका प्रशासन हमेशा से इसी रूप में होता रहा है। भारत का दावा ब्रिटिश ईस्ट इंडिया कंपनी और नेपाल राज्य के बीच 1816 में हस्ताक्षरित सुगौली संधि की व

The India–Nepal boundary in the western Himalayan region, particularly around Kalapani, Lipulekh, and Limpiyadhura, has long been a subject of differing interpretations. The status of this region is grounded in historical records, cartographic evidence, and uninterrupted administrative continuity exercised since independence. The Indian position is that these areas are an integral part of Uttarakhand and have been consistently administered as such. The foundation of India’s c

Introduction: Securing Borders in a New Age India's borders stretch across some of the world's most challenging terrains, including the Himalayas, deserts, dense forests, riverine regions, and vast coastlines. Protecting these frontiers has always been a complex task, requiring constant vigilance against threats such as terrorism, illegal infiltration, arms smuggling, and cross-border crime. However, the nature of these threats is rapidly evolving. Traditional security measur

A bank transfer that once took days, multiple intermediaries and a fistful of fees can now be completed in seconds from a mobile phone. On June 6, India and Nepal operationalised the long-awaited linkage between India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and Nepal's National Payments Interface (NPI), allowing instant, low-cost person-to-person remittances between the two neighbours. The launch, performed jointly by External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and Nepal's Foreign

When India upgraded its “Look East Policy” to the more ambitious “Act East Policy” in 2014, the shift was intended to be practical rather than symbolic. The Northeast was no longer to remain a peripheral frontier region; it was to become India’s land bridge to Southeast Asia. More than a decade later, the policy’s impact is becoming visible not in conference halls or diplomatic statements, but in the border villages of Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur, and Tripura. The tra

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal for reducing fuel consumption, encouraging work-from-home arrangements, promoting carpooling and adopting austerity measures comes at a crucial moment for the country. At a time when global energy markets remain volatile and urban India continues to battle congestion, pollution, and extreme summer heat, the Prime Minister’s message goes beyond temporary savings. It presents an opportunity to fundamentally reshape how India travels, works,