India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor @mohaljoshi @veggiediplomat Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has resigned and fled out of the country after a massive student uprising led to her iron rule coming to an abrupt end. An interim government under Nobel Laureate Mohammad Yunus has taken over amidst continued vi…

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor @mohaljoshi @veggiediplomat Pakistan voted on 8th February to select a new national government amidst several controversies including jailing ex-PM Imran Khan and banning his party from contesting and suspension of internet across the country. Within hours of the start of the count…

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor @mohaljoshi @veggiediplomat On October 7th, terror group Hamas launched coordinated attacks from the Gaza Strip onto the bordering areas in Israel. These attacks led to more than 1300 Israelis killed. Israel in response declared that it is at war with Hamas and launched a major cou…

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor @mohaljoshi @veggiediplomat India Canada relations have nosedived suddenly after the explosive allegations by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about the involvement of Indian government agencies in the killing of a wanted Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.Cover tune: …

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor @mohaljoshi @veggiediplomat Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first state visit to the United States in the 9th year of his Prime MinistershipCover tune: Hand In Hand by Nicolai Heidlas | https://www.nicolai-heidlas.com​ Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com​ Attribution …

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor@mohaljoshi@veggiediplomatOn December 9, around 300 PLA soldiers tried to transgress into Indian territory by crossing the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and were met by 50 brave Indian soldiers who physically stopped them from doing so. In the ensuing brawl, the outnumbered Indian so…

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor @mohaljoshi @veggiediplomat On December 9, around 300 PLA soldiers tried to transgress into Indian territory by crossing the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and were met by 50 brave Indian soldiers who physically stopped them from doing so. In the ensuing brawl, the outnumbered Indian…

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor @mohaljoshi @veggiediplomat From China to Pakistan, from the United States to Russia, India is facing tremendous challenges in engaging with global powers during these troubled times. Under the erudite MEA S Jaishankar, New Delhi has been able to not only put forth its position on …

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor @mohaljoshi @veggiediplomatCover tune: Hand In Hand by Nicolai Heidlas | https://www.nicolai-heidlas.com​ Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com​ Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/As the Ukraine War continues in Europe…

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor @mohaljoshi @veggiediplomat It has been two weeks since Russia ordered a "special military operation" into Ukraine with a stated goal of demilitarisation and deNazification of Ukraine. With US and other NATO powers refusing to send their weapons or soldiers, Ukraine is alone in def…

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor @mohaljoshi @veggiediplomat The Taliban are now in complete control of Afghanistan and have announced a Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan with a temporary government. Is this akin to same vine in a new bottle or is there something new that Taliban have to offer? Cover tune: Hand In Ha…

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor @mohaljoshi @veggiediplomat In the backdrop of the US-led NATO forces withdrawing from Afghanistan, the Afghan National Army forces have surrendered without a fight to a determined Taliban who advanced through the country and eventually captured Kabul in less than a fortnight. This…

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor @mohaljoshi @veggiediplomat A year ago during the summer of 2020 when the world in general and India specifically was reeling under the full brunt of the Covid-19 pandemic, the soldiers of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) came up to the Line of Actual Control to occupy strategic …

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor @mohaljoshi @veggiediplomat The month of Ramadan is generally tense in Jerusalem. The Palestinian Arabs wish to pray in the Al Aqsa mosque which is situated in the walled Old City. And fearing unrest, Israel deploys its defence forces to control the crowds who come to pray over the…

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor @mohaljoshi @veggiediplomat Just about 2 months ago, India was sceptical about the possibility of getting involved in a two front war. Surprisingly, India has managed to achieve not just a disengagement by the Chinese People's Liberation Army at the Line of Actual Control in Pangon…

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor @mohaljoshi @veggiediplomat Joe Biden is being inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States of America. What does it mean for the ever-burgeoning India-US bilateral relations?Cover tune: Hand In Hand by Nicolai Heidlas | https://www.nicolai-heidlas.com Music promoted by h…

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor @mohaljoshi @veggiediplomat 49 years ago, on December 16, 1971, Pakistan surrendered in Dhaka to the Indian and Mukti Bahini forces marking the end of a short war resulting in the formation of the new state of Bangladesh. This episode is dedicated to that war and how it has shaped …

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor @mohaljoshi @veggiediplomat Gilgit Baltistan region referred to as Pakistan Occupied Ladakh (POL) is in the news again as Islamabad makes a fresh attempt to annex the region and accord it the status of a state. How feasible is it and what are India's options to counter it?Cover tun…

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor @mohaljoshi @veggiediplomat The standoff between the Indian and Chinese troops at the Line of Actual Control has taken a new dimension with the Indian troops pre-empting China aggressive movements and occupying major heights around the Spanggur Gap. Who will blink first in this hig…

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor @mohaljoshi @veggiediplomat Cover tune: Hand In Hand by Nicolai Heidlas | https://www.nicolai-heidlas.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/…

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor @mohaljoshi @veggiediplomat Images:@detresfa_@kesaridhwaj@nrg8000Youtube link for this episode: https://youtu.be/xedb4pFc0QUCover tune: Hand In Hand by Nicolai Heidlas | https://www.nicolai-heidlas.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Attribution 4.0 International…

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor @mohaljoshi @veggiediplomat US President Donald Trump traveled to India on a 2-day visit. Among other things, trade deal was expected to be signed between the two nations, but didn't materialise. Was it a mere irritant in the overall ties or a deal breaker? Have the bilateral ties …

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor @mohaljoshi @veggiediplomat 2020 has started with a bang with a lot of happenings from around the world. One of the most impactful among them, if not the most, was the United States neutralising General Qassem Soleimani, a Major General in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and …

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor @mohaljoshi @veggiediplomat The Rajapaksas are back in style in Sri Lanka. While the younger brother Gotabaya Rajapaksa won the Presidential election winning handsomely against Sajith Premadasa, the elder brother Mahinda Rajapaksa is now the caretaker Prime Minister until the next …

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor @mohaljoshi @veggiediplomat This week Chinese President Xi Jinping visited South Indian city of Chennai for an informal summit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This was the second edition of the informal summits that China and India are having, with the first one happening…

This week US President Donald Trump announced through Twitter that peace talks with Taliban were off and that he was still thinking about a troop drawdown from Afghanistan.So we find an answer to these questions:• Is the US Taliban deal really dead?• Did US President Trump actually plan to invite Taliban terrorists to Camp David, the official retre…

Indian Defence Minister Sri Rajnath Singh issued a statement about how India might reconsider it’s self-imposed No-First Use policy depending on circumstances in the future.Cover tune: Hand In Hand by Nicolai Heidlas | https://www.nicolai-heidlas.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https:…

The Indian Parliament this week abrogated article 370 which gave the state of Jammu and Kashmir a special status. The state was further bifurcated into 2 Union Territories - Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.Cover tune: Hand In Hand by Nicolai Heidlas | https://www.nicolai-heidlas.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Attribution 4.0 In…

Sri Lanka was hit by a series of bomb blasts on Easter Sunday targeting hotels and churches. A lesser known radical group National Tawheed Jamaath (NTJ) has claimed responsibility of the bombings which killed 253 people. Cover tune: Hand In Hand by Nicolai Heidlas | https://www.nicolai-heidlas.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com …

In today's episode we are joined by Ramaharitha Pusarla, columnist and author to review the 5 years of Modi's Foreign Policy.Cover tune: Hand In Hand by Nicolai Heidlas | https://www.nicolai-heidlas.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/…

India & the rest of the world were taken by surprise by the sudden announcement by PM Narendra Modi on live television that on March 27th India had conducted an ASAT test. With this India became just the 4th nation in the world (after US, Russia & China) to have conducted such a test. Cover tune: Hand In Hand by Nicolai Heidlas | https://www.nicola…

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor @mohaljoshi @veggiediplomat In today's episode, we talk about the achievements of Manohar Parrikar, who recently passed away, as Defense Minister.We also talk about Indian media's reaction over failed UNSC resolution on Masood Azhar.Cover tune: Hand In Hand by Nicolai Heidlas | htt…

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor @mohaljoshi @veggiediplomatIn today's episode, we talk about India's strike on Balakot in response to Pulwama Terror Attack and how the government termed it as a non-military preemptive strike. We also talk about Pakistan's reaction in terms of violation of Indian airspace, subsequ…

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor @mohaljoshi@veggiediplomatIn today’s episode, we talk about the Pulwama Terror Attack on 14th of February. A convoy of vehicles carrying security personnel on the Jammu Srinagar National Highway was attacked by a vehicle-borne suicide bomber at Lethpora (near Awantipora) in the Pul…

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor @mohaljoshi@veggiediplomatBangladesh had its 11th parliamentary elections conducted on 30th December 2018 to elect members for their parliament called the Jatiya Sangsad. In today’s episode we discuss the results of these elections and also the impact on India - Bangladesh relation…

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor@mohaljoshi@veggiediplomatToday's episode is the second part of a 2 part special series dedicated to discuss about India's Foreign Policy. Mohal and Kishor are joined by Ramaharitha Pusarla (@harithapusarla), who is an author, columnist and writes regularly on myind.net on India's f…

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor@mohaljoshi@veggiediplomatToday's episode is the first part of a 2 part special series dedicated to discuss about India's Foreign Policy. Mohal and Kishor are joined by Ramaharitha Pusarla (@harithapusarla), who is an author, columnist and writes regularly on myind.net on India's fo…

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor@mohaljoshi@veggiediplomatIn today’s episode, we will talk about the recent thaw in Indo-Pak relations with the ground breaking ceremony conducted at Kartarpur for a corridor to allow Sikhs passport-free visa-free access to cross into Kartarpur, Narowal District, Punjab, Pakistan to…

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor@mohaljoshi@veggiediplomatOn 26th October, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena's party announced that it was withdrawing support to the government led by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. Within hours, the President removed Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Prime Minister and app…

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor@mohaljoshi@veggiediplomatIndian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Japan to attend the 13th India Japan bilateral annual summit. 6 new agreements were signed and 2 new announcements were made. We look at the Acquisition and Cross Servicing Agreement (ACSA) and the $75bn currency …

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor@mohaljoshi@veggiediplomatRussian President Vladimir Putin visited India to attend the 19th India - Russia bilateral annual summit in New Delhi. While multiple deals were signed during the summit, the S-400 deal garnered all the headlines. This episode looks at all the summit discus…

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor@mohaljoshi@veggiediplomatMaldives went to polls on Sunday, Sep 23 to choose its next President. Being a nascent democracy, these were its 3rd democratic Presidential elections. The incumbent President Abdulla Yameen was pitted against a joint opposition candidate Ibrahim Mohamed So…

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor @mohaljoshi @veggiediplomat India and the US held their first 2 Plus 2 Dialogue in New Delhi on Sep 6. India was represented by Minister of External Affairs Smt Sushma Swaraj and Minister of Defense Smt Nirmala Sitharaman whereas the US was represented by Secretary of State Mr. Mic…

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor @mohaljoshi @veggiediplomat Turkey's currency Lira collapsed to all time lows recently triggering a wide spread collapse of currencies of emerging markets from around the world including the Indian Rupee. This episode looks at the strained US-Turkey relations causing the Turkish ec…

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor @mohaljoshi @veggiediplomat Ex-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee passed away on Aug 16, 2018. This episode discusses the achievements and legacy of Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the realm of foreign policy. Cover tune: Hand In Hand by Nicolai Heidlas | https://www.nicolai-heidlas.com M…

India Rising: Strategic Affairs Conversations with Mohal and Kishor @mohaljoshi @veggiediplomat On May 8, US President Donald Trump unilaterally walked out of the nuclear deal signed by the P5+1 countries with Iran. In due course, his administration has imposed economic sanctions on Iran by stopping the supply of dollar notes and has threatened to …