Happymon Jacob on India-Pakistan Relations, the Line of Control, and Track-II Dialogues
In this new series, SAV talks to scholars and practitioners to understand the trends and potential inflection points in South Asian security. In an interview […]
National Security
Afghan Security Forces in Crisis: A Fixable Problem?
There is no denying the fact that Afghanistan is challenged by a deteriorating security situation. With the Taliban maintaining a presence in 70 percent of […]
Afghan Presidential Elections: Could Deferral Help the Peace Process?
Late last month, in a surprise move, the Independent Election Commission (IEC) of Afghanistan announced that next year’s presidential elections will proceed as planned on […]
Pakistan’s Consolidating Conventional Deterrence: An Assessment
Before the overt nuclearization of South Asia in 1998, three major wars between India and Pakistan highlighted the latter’s struggle to bridge the conventional imbalance. […]
Strategic Drift: India’s Conventional Military Strategy Lacks Purpose
India’s military threat landscape today consists of territorial and resource-related disputes with Pakistan in its west and northwest and with China in the east and […]
Talking to the Taliban: At What Cost?
The peace talks with the Afghan Taliban have apparently reached a high note with U.S. President Donald Trump declaring that the United States is in […]
Andaman and Nicobar Islands: India’s Strategic Linchpin in the East
Often seen as India’s outpost in the east, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANI) have increased in strategic value in recent years. Situated just 140 […]
Most recent
Gearing up for Drones in India’s Maritime Space
Recently, India issued regulations on the operation of drones or Remotely Piloted Aircraft, incorporating them into its civil aviation regulatory framework effective December, 2018. Drones […]
Counterterrorism and Peacebuilding in Pakistan: Responsibility of Great Powers
In September, the United States confirmed that it was cancelling security assistance to Pakistan over its “lack of decisive actions” against militants. This decision came months […]
Bilateral Security Agreement: Addressing US-Afghanistan Divergence?
Amidst debates over whether U.S. President Donald Trump’s South Asia Strategy is working, the security situation in Afghanistan has become increasingly volatile. Over 513 Afghan […]
India-Russia S-400 Deal: Regional Implications
Three years ago, in December 2015, India approved the purchase of the Russian-made S-400 Triumf air defense system, an anti-ballistic missile, anti-aircraft system, with the […]
Evaluating Trump’s Strategy in Afghanistan: Achieving National Security Goals?
President Trump, in August 2017, outlined his Administration’s strategy for Afghanistan and South Asia, noting that, “we have inherited a challenging and troubling situation in […]
Trump’s South Asia Strategy, One Year On: A Debacle for Afghanistan
Announced on August 21, 2017, U.S. President Donald Trump’s new strategy for Afghanistan and South Asia was warmly welcomed in Afghanistan, with the hope that […]
Better the Alliance You Know: The Problem with Trump’s Pakistan Strategy
Pakistan is the only ally that the United States has among Afghanistan’s neighbors. Yet, last year, the White House announced a new South Asia strategy […]
India-United States 2+2 Dialogue: Time to Ask Difficult Questions
Going by the famous American expression “third time’s the charm,” the twice-postponed Indo-U.S. 2+2 dialogue is the awaited event of the year, finally taking place […]
Majoritarian Insecurities in South Asia
At the moment, several countries around the world are witnessing the phenomenon of the majority community feeling irrationally threatened by minorities. But in South Asia, […]
As Financial Hurdles Hit CPEC, What’s in Store for Pakistan?
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a priority for both Pakistan and China, has hit hurdles at each phase. China has now and again assured Pakistan […]