This article focuses on the application of the broad principles of freedom of the high seas and navigation rights, as outlined in the LOSC, within specific situations that permit coastal States to impose some limitations on freedom of navigation including “innocent passage” and “transit passage.” The U.S. is not a party to the LOSC, but it considers the provisions...
M K Bhadrakumar l
The China-Iran joint statement of last Saturday has made waves in the international media and among regional analysts from Israel to India. Israel is anxious that there is going to be security cooperation between China and Iran. Indians are brooding over the fate of their Chabahar port project in eastern Iran, integral to its “regional connectivity”.
The devil lies...
M K Bhadrakumar l
In an exclusive interview with Al-Arabiya last week, China’s State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi outlined Beijing’s approach to the West Asian region with particular reference to the tensions in the Persian Gulf.
Wang lamented that “due to protracted conflicts and turmoil in the more recent history, the region descended into a security lowland… For the region to...
M K Bhadrakumar l
When China and Iran, two of the United States’ main adversaries in the contemporary world situation, enter into a 25-year strategic pact, it is pointless to split hairs and speculate whether the development affects American strategies. Of course, it does. The West Asian region is all about geopolitics — starting from oil and jihad to petrodollar.
The...
China is an empire in the modern sense — a nation strengthened (but also held hostage) by its long supply chains, compelled to ever greater economic and political intercourse to preserve its interests, and increasingly drawn into the security sphere as well. It uses its economic, political and military leverage to expand its own direct sphere of operations, from the...
Saad Rasool |
This past week, Pakistan held the ‘Islamabad Security Dialogue’ (ISD)–a first of its kind. This two-day security symposium is organised by the National Security Division under the auspices of the enterprising Dr. Moeed Yusuf, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister on National Security and Strategic Policy.
This dialogue, in the words of Dr. Yusuf, aimed at unveiling Pakistan’s...
Andrew Korybko |
The US-led anti-Chinese QUAD alliance of itself, Australia, India, and Japan might be on the brink of collapse according to influential BJP ideologue Subramanian Swamy, who warned that Washington might expel New Delhi from this bloc if it goes through with its planned purchase of Russia's S-400 air defense systems.
One of the most geopolitically consequential blocs of...
M K Bhadrakumar l
The “hidden agenda” of the war on terror in Afghanistan has been an open secret. The first inkling of its geopolitical character came when it transpired that even after installing a pro-US regime in Kabul in 2002-2003, Pentagon was in no mood to vacate its Central Asian bases. Finally, the bloody Islamist uprising in Andijan in...
Saad Hafiz l
The recent announcement of a ceasefire along the Line of Control in Kashmir between India and Pakistan is a welcome news. While the de-escalation was initiated by the respective militaries, it is an opportunity for a broader thaw in relations. The restoration of frozen diplomatic engagements and people-to-people contacts can be logical next steps.
It would be naive...
Abid Latif Sindhu l
Bits of broken pottery are usually found ashore at many places all along the littoral states of Indian Ocean. This depicts the history, revealing itself for any carbon testing to reach a conclusion; IOR (Indian Ocean region) is a single contiguous region since centuries. Sea is the place where future is invented in ebb and flow...
TIC Analysis l
Turkey is the first foreign recipient to receive 9M96E2 missiles. These are missiles with a range of up to 120 km, developed for the latest Russian medium-range system S-350 Vityaz, launched in December 2019.
Turkey not only acquired the S-400 system in the latest configuration, typical for Russian units, but also became the first foreign user of the...
TIC Analysis l
Israel’s 35th government took oath on May 17, 2020 bringing to an end 16 months of political turmoil wrought by three inconclusive elections. New government was scheduled to be installed following April 2019 elections but with no single party able to secure majority, new elections were announced. Snap elections were held on September 17, 2019 and March...
Adv Abdul Rasool Syed l
Depleting potable water resources have sent alarm across the globe pertaining to the emergence of a new spree of future global conflicts in quest for occupying available water reservoirs of the world. Water is an indispensable sine qua non for human existence, hence, its dearth, for sure, endangers the very survival of humankind. It is...
The European Union will remain open to Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI) in the coming years, but will limit China’s access to strategic sectors of its economy (such as technology). Brussels will also continue to confront Beijing over political, human rights and security issues. The European Union and the United States are the Continent’s primary sources of FDI, which limits...
The guided-missile destroyer USS John Paul Jones sailing past Lakshadweep Islands April 7 has thrown India’s Sinophobes into confusion. One leading daily noted it as a “rare falling out between the two partners in the Quad grouping.” An anti-China analyst tweeted that it’s just a “botched PR exercise” on the part of Americans.
The Ministry of External Affairs took a legalistic...
Alina Malik l
International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is applicable to both international and non-international armed conflicts. In contemporary world, non-international armed conflicts are rampant and have increased insecurity at domestic, regional and international level.
IHL has defined non-international armed conflicts in order to clear the distinctions between them and internal disturbances. Non-international armed conflicts, according to Common Article 3 of the...
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates will likely seek alternative arms suppliers if the administration of US President Joe Biden follows through on canceling arms shipments to the Arab Gulf countries.
In Biden’s first major foreign policy speech on Feb. 4, he announced the end of American military support for Saudi and Emirati intervention in Yemen, while saying that...
Rusif Huseynov l
Oradour-sur-Glane, Lidice, Khatyn, Srebrenica… This black list has unfortunately an addition from Azerbaijan as well: Khojaly…
It was harsh Karabakh winter of 1992, when the Armenian forces launched an offensive on Khojaly, a small but important town, which had region's only airport. Inhabited by some 6,200 people, Khojaly was subject to what Human Rights Watch depicted as “unconscionable...
Less than a month into his presidency, U.S. President Joe Biden has already stated that he will impose sanctions on coup leaders in Myanmar. Other White House officials have also suggested that sanctions against Russia are being drawn up following the recent jailing of opposition leader Alexei Navalny. In this context, we thought it would be useful to consider what sanctions entail,...
Without former U.S. President Donald Trump’s avid support for Israel’s diplomatic recognition in the Muslim world, the onus of new normalization deals will likely fall to Israel itself, which will either slow the normalization process down or shift its focus to more covert or specific relations. On Jan. 20, U.S. President Joe Biden assumed power, bringing with him numerous personnel...
M K Bhadrakumar l
The AMAN-21 naval exercise, the biennial event hosted by Pakistani Navy since 2007, in Karachi and the Arabian Sea from February 11-16 draws special attention. As many as 45 navies are reportedly participating, which makes AMAN probably the biggest event of its kind in the Indian Ocean or anywhere. Not only that, the participants include the...
The mass movement of ships and commercial fishing over the years has marred the blue ecosystems to a great extent. However, due to COVID-19, the entire world has come to a standstill. This has had both positive and negative impacts on our blue waters.
Positive Impacts
The COVID-19 lockdown has given the “much-needed breathing space” to our oceans to recover from...
Asif Haroon Raja l
Imran Khan (IK) leading PTI won the elections in July 2018 against his main contestant PML-N and formed governments in the Centre, Punjab and KP but got a plate full of complex problems. Throughout his little over two years tenure he has been battling to uplift the economy but so far very little progress has been...
Anum Khan l
In the 21st Century, the COVID pandemic has not only affected human life, but the time of the pandemic has also witnessed a cohort of cyber-crimes against vessels which has led to loss of economy. Maritime law consists of a multi-billion-dollar industry which involves transport of cargo through vessels operated digitally in most of the cases. The huge...
M K Bhadrakumar l
In George Orwell’s novel Animal Farm, the ruling pigs led by Napoleon constantly rewrote history in order to justify and reinforce their own continuing power. The rewriting by the western powers of the history of the ongoing conflict in Syria leaps out of Orwell.
The joint statement issued by the foreign ministers of the US, UK, France, Germany and Italy...
M K Bhadrakumar l
With the world’s largest oil export terminal coming under missile and drone attack — a giant Saudi Aramco complex capable of exporting roughly 6.5m barrels a day, nearly 7% of global oil demand — the war in Yemen surges in the global media. During the night on Saturday, the Houthis fired eight missiles and 14 drones...
TIC Brief l
The report by EU Disinformation Laboratory has uncovered a massive Indian propaganda network which had tentacles even in the European Union Parliament. The independent, non-profit disinformation watchdog’s latest report illustrates in graphic detail the web of more than 750 media in 116 countries; over 550 website domain names registered; resurrection of dead people; impersonation of EU institutions...
UN chief Antonio Guterres on Saturday urged world leaders to declare a “state of climate emergency” and shape greener growth after the coronavirus pandemic, as he opened a summit marking five years since the landmark Paris Agreement. The Climate Ambition Summit, being held online, comes as the United Nations warns current commitments to tackle rises in global temperatures are...
Yunis Sharifli l
On September 27, 2020, the command of the Azerbaijani Army launched a counter-offensive to prevent the combat activity of the Armenian armed forces. Following the launch of the counter-offensive on 28 September, the Chinese government called on Azerbaijan and Armenia to reduce tensions in Nagorno-Karabakh as soon as possible and to resolve their differences through dialogue. Chinese...
TIC Analysis l
In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Hurriyat leaders and organizations have welcomed the OIC for adopting a strong and comprehensive resolution in favour of the Kashmir cause.
Jammu and Kashmir Muslim conference Chairman Shabbir Ahmed Dar in a statement issued in Srinagar said that the OIC’s resolution was timely and eye-opening for those who were beating drums...
