At a public rally in Dera Ghazi Khan on Saturday (February 22), Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif quipped that if Pakistan can’t zoom past India in progress, his name might be demoted to just another catchy title. He announced a series of transformative development projects aimed at boosting infrastructure and economic growth of the troubled…
US President Donald Trump recently offered India a couple of fifth gen F-35s for sale. While India’s own Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) is also under development and its Air Force already boasts a couple of 4.5-generation Rafales. India has also just placed an order for the marine variant of Rafales. Raising the question of…
In 218 BC, during the tumultuous years of the Second Punic War, Rome faced an unprecedented threat. Hannibal Barca, the brilliant Carthaginian general, had led his formidable army—including war elephants—across the Alps and into Italy. The Roman Republic was reeling from early defeats and facing the seemingly unstoppable advance of Hannibal’s forces. It was at…
It was a private phone call in 2018, one of many between two leaders, but this one had an unusual twist. Donald Trump, never one to shy away from grand statements, leaned into his characteristic flamboyance as he told Narendra Modi: “You are like Elvis Presley in India.” There was a pause. Modi, known for…
Addressing the Indian community in Paris in 2023, PM Modi famously remarked on the popularity of French footballer Kylian Mbappé in India: ”More people in India know Mbappé than in France.” He also highlighted the countries’ collaborative efforts against terrorism the very next day saying: “India and France have been together in the war against…
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the United States from February 12-13, as announced by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Friday. During the visit, PM Modi will meet with US President Donald Trump. The announcement follows a recent statement from a White House official confirming that President Trump had extended an invitation to PM Modi…
In early 2023, a high-altitude balloon from China traversed North American airspace. It caused to heightened diplomatic tensions between the U.S. and China. The U.S. Department of Defense monitored the balloon, assessing its capabilities and potential intelligence-gathering activities. It was a highlight showing vulnerabilities in airspace security and the challenges of attributing and responding to…
The Union Budget 2025-26 has allocated Rs 6.81 lakh crore to defence, marking a 9.52% increase from last year’s Rs 6.22 lakh crore. However, compared to the revised estimates of Rs 6.41 lakh crore, the increase is only 6%. The defence funding allocation accounts for 1.9% of India’s projected GDP and 13.45% of the total,…
When I read that President of the Republic of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, will be the Chief Guest at the Republic Day parade this year, my first thought was life coming full circle since the tradition began in the year 1950 with the then-Indonesian President Sukarno. Each year, India’s Republic Day celebration is more than a…
India is celebrating its 76th Republic Day this year on January 26, an occasion that commemorates the adoption of the Indian Constitution in 1950. While the day is widely associated with parades, cultural programs, and the display of military might, its deeper significance also lies in reflecting on how the Constitution continues to guide the…