Blind Spot

The Blindspot offers a unique lens on international affairs and foreign policy. As its name suggests, it illuminates overlooked perspectives and under-explored issues in global discourse.

INS Arighaat: India’s second SSBN is cause for both celebration and debate

India's commissioning of INS Arighaat, its second nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, highlights the country's evolving nuclear deterrence strategy. The development also signals potential shifts in India's strategic partnerships for future submarine programs, moving beyond traditional Russian collaboration.

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Rajnath in Washington, Modi in Kyiv: The Strategic and Tactical in India’s Foreign Policy

On 22 August, India’s Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, began a four-day visit to the US, parallel to the Indian PM’s visit to Ukraine. The visit underwrites the well-evident desire in both New Delhi and Washington for a broader defense relationship. However, couched within this larger desire, it also acts as a new barometer for Indian foreign policy – a mix of tactical decisions with new risks along with strategic shifts. 

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A New Social Contract in Bangladesh: Key Actors 

Bangladesh is at a critical juncture as recent protest movements shape its uncertain path forward. Given the new set of actors involved, it is crucial to understand their interests, goals, and interactions in the socio-political arena to comprehend Dhaka’s future trajectory and India’s strategic options.

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India-Bangladesh after Hasina

The Indian government’s responses to the developments in Bangladesh have been careful and measured despite the shrill media coverage. This indicates a willingness to undertake a new approach towards Bangladesh in light of such radical shifts and a delayed appreciation of the true extent of popular angst towards the Awami League and, by extension, India. 

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Friend-Turned-Enemy’s Enemy: Pakistan-Tajikistan Cooperation Against the Taliban

While Pakistan-Tajikistan ties are old and cross-cutting in terms of areas of interest, Afghanistan has been increasingly emerging as a salient point of convergence, especially in cooperation against the Taliban. This is a relatively new and growing factor with implications for India’s interests in Afghanistan and Central Asia at large.

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Navigating Complex Tides: India-Sri Lanka Cooperation Amid Strategic Autonomy(ies)

Recent setbacks in Indian interests in Sri Lanka indicate new challenges for New Delhi's ties with Colombo. However, these setbacks do not entirely disrupt the previously positive bilateral relationship. They are partly due to Colombo's constraints and need to safeguard its interests amidst a financial crisis and ahead of presidential elections.

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We believe that understanding why things change in this world determines our ability to predict when they will change. Our focus is on geopolitical shifts worldwide, with a keen eye on Southern Asia.