The technical negotiations at the Lake Lucerne Summit in Switzerland, which commenced on 21 June 2026, mark a critical operational step in translating the historic Iran-United States Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) into a permanent security framework. Led by US Vice President JD Vance and Iran’s Chief Negotiator Muhammad Bagher Ghalibaf, these talks aim to establish concrete mechanisms for the 14-point MoU signed on 17 June.
Modi’s 2026 European tour deepened India–Europe ties through landmark technology, trade, and green energy partnerships. Building on recent FTAs, these engagements embed India into Europe’s strategic architecture, making the relationship more resilient and positioning New Delhi as a pivotal actor in shaping the next international order.
Pakistan’s Middle East strategy secures short-term gains—Saudi deposits, defence pacts, and mediation roles—yet its fragile economy and political dysfunction trap it in a “perpetual periphery.” Central enough to matter but too weak to consolidate influence, Islamabad’s diplomacy remains transactional, survivalist, and strategically unsustainable.
Topic: “US under Trump 2.0: Issues, Challenges and Future Directions for India and the World”
This occasional paper examines Balochistan’s struggle for autonomy, from British colonial “Sandemanisation” to its forced 1948 accession to Pakistan. By highlighting the suppression of Kalat’s independence and the exploitation of regional resources, Ray illustrates how systemic marginalisation transformed a secular identity movement into an enduring conflict against centralised state authority.
The academic world mourns the passing of Professor Tharailath Koshy Oommen, a distinguished sociologist, prolific author, and Professor Emeritus at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), who passed away on 26 February 2026, in Gurugram at the age of 88.
When the Russia-Ukraine war broke out in February 2022, much of the West viewed global responses through a binary lens, as usual—us versus them—defining countries as either supporters of Ukraine or allies of Russia. Western nations, particularly the United States and its European allies, presented this struggle in moralistic terms: democracy vs autocracy, good versus evil, the free world versus an expansionist dictatorships.
India and Bangladesh share a deep-rooted historical, civilizational, and geographical connection. As neighbours in South Asia, their relationship has been characterized by cooperation and mutual respect but has also faced occasional challenges due to differing perceptions, internal politics, historical reasons, and relative power dynamics.
For years, this community has endured systematic targeting, with little to no substantial response from the state to protect its citizens or address the root causes of these attacks
While Donald Trump’s leadership style may appear erratic, it is underpinned by consistent geo-economic and geostrategic motivations
As India formalises its engagement with the Taliban, it is clear that New Delhi’s strategy is driven by long-term strategic objectives such as maintaining peace and stability in Afghanistan, strengthening regional cooperation, and protecting India’s security and economic interests.
On 4 July 2024, Centre for Peace Studies (CPS) launched the Book Jammu and Kashmir in India: The Saga of Development authored by Sheikh Khalid Jehangir at the
Sheikh Khaild Jehangir, Secretary General, ICPS, addressed Y20 consultation meet on climate change under India’s G20 presidency in Srinagar on Thursday, 11 May 2023 at University of Kashmir.
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Azad in Name, Controlled in Reality: The Colonial Contradictions of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir
Idress Aftab
Behind Pakistan’s narrative of “Azad Kashmir” lies a region marked by political control, constitutional restrictions, and recurring unrest. The contrast between Pakistan’s rhetoric and its record in AJK(PoK) deserves closer scrutiny.
Pak Army’s Desperation in AJK(PoK): How Brute Force Shattered Pakistan’s Kashmir Narrative
Idress Aftab
As repression intensifies in AJK (PoK), the very people, whose cause Pakistan claimed to champion, are increasingly turning against it. What is unfolding today is not merely a law-and-order crisis, but a challenge to the narratives that have shaped Pakistan’s Kashmir policy for decades.
Sacred Ties, Contested Borders: India and Nepal Between Civilisation and Geopolitics
Afroz Khan
As Nepal’s historic 2026 “Gen Z” revolution elevates political outsider Balen Shah to Prime Minister, Kathmandu and New Delhi navigate territorial friction to forge a modern, development-driven bilateral partnership.