Dr.Khalilur Rahman, a non-MP, is the surprise choice for Bangladesh Foreign Ministry
Khalilur Rahman was National Security Advisor to Interim Government, meant to manage relations with the US and India
Modi invites Tarique to India- pledges support and calls for developmental cooperation
Dhaka, February 17 (TOB)- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has formally invited Bangladesh’s newly inaugurated Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to visit India at his earliest convenience. The invitation also extends to the prime minister’s wife Zubaida Rahman, and their daughter Zaima Rahman. In a congratulatory...
Post poll Bangladesh faces many challenges but rapprochement with India is a silver lining
By P. K. Balachandran/Daily News Colombo, February 17 – The new government of Bangladesh headed by Tarique Rahman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has a range of issues facing it as it assumes office on Tuesday. But there is a silver lining – the...
The Chagos Fog – 104 Nautical Miles of “Strategic Autonomy” and the Realities of Maldivian Sovereignty
By Laxmi/Substack February 15 – When the Maldives announced a “heroic expedition” to recapture lost seas in February 2026, it triggered a wave of domestic scrutiny regarding the mission’s tactical parameters. A widely reported 2.5-mile discrepancy—the gap between the 106.5 nm ITLOS boundary and the...
Need for civilian authority over army
Xi Jinping asserts it through purges while India’s leadership appears to dither
Prof. Nobukatsu Kanehara to deliver keynote address at Pathfinder Foundation’s 4th Indian Ocean Security Conference
Colombo, February 16 – The Pathfinder Foundation will convene the 4th Pathfinder Indian Ocean Security Conference on 17 and 18 February 2026, bringing together diplomats, policymakers, strategic thinkers, academics, and practitioners to address emerging security, economic, and environmental challenges across the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)....
Australia calls for “amplified Middle Power diplomacy” in the Indian Ocean at Pathfinder Foundation Ambassador’s Roundtable
Colombo, February 15 – Speaking at the Pathfinder Foundation’s Ambassador’s Roundtable the High Commissioner of Australia to Sri Lanka, His Excellency Matthew Duckworth, outlined Australia’s vision for an era of “amplified middle power diplomacy,” emphasising resilience, principled engagement, and practical cooperation to safeguard peace and...
The draft Protection of the State from Terrorism Act is more draconian than the existing Prevention of Terrorism Act
By Veeragathy Thanabalasingham Colombo, February 15 – The draft Protection of the State from Terrorism Act (PSTA), published by the National People’s Power (NPP) government in December 2025, is the third attempt aimed at replacing the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), which has been in...
India’s FTAs with advanced countries open new doors, but pose challenges too
By P.K.Balachandran/Sunday Observer Colombo, February 15 – India has signed seven Free Trade Agreements (FTA) and Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPA) since 2021, covering partners across Africa, West Asia, Europe and the Indo-Pacific. Generally, these FTAs were signed with the aim of expanding markets for...
Hard road ahead for post-election India-Bangla relations
Outstanding issues and attitudinal obstacles stand in the way of a true rapprochement
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