Sajid Farid Shapoo

The writer, an MP cadre IPS officer, is a PhD scholar in security studies, Princeton University.

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More From Sajid Farid Shapoo

Both India and US stand to gain from engaging the TalibanSubscriber Only

April 22, 2025 13:47 IST

The Taliban remains a deeply flawed, authoritarian regime. But in geopolitics, purity is rarely an option. Engaging does not mean endorsing; it means choosing strategic realism over ideological rigidity

Tue, Apr 22, 2025

The Syrian civil war exemplifies how rebel forces can gradually erode the dominance of a heavily armed state. (Reuters/Zohra Bensemra)

Syria and the resilience of the Weak: How do underdogs win the wars?Subscriber Only

December 24, 2024 16:43 IST

The victories of weaker forces illustrate that military strength alone does not guarantee success. Adaptive strategies, external support, and ideological resilience often define the outcome of conflicts where power imbalances appear insurmountable.

Tue, Dec 24, 2024

People lay flowers near the pictures of late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, during a vigil to pay tribute to him and other victims who died in a helicopter crash,

President Ebrahim Raisi’s death will jeopardise Iran’s attempts to build alliances against IsraelSubscriber Only

May 24, 2024 13:58 IST

The late president’s moves to restore ties with Pakistan and Azerbaijan were pivotal in Iran’s geopolitical strategy to counterbalance Israel’s influence in West Asia

Fri, May 24, 2024

Greek ship attacked in Red Sea by Houthis arrives in Aden

The China factor in the Red SeaSubscriber Only

February 24, 2024 12:40 IST

While the strategic potential to expand its influence in the Middle East and reliably undermine US dominance is undeniable, significant challenges remain. China's overreliance on diplomacy seems unlikely to deliver

Sat, Feb 24, 2024

Pakistan in crisis: How secure are its nuclear weapons?Subscriber Only

June 12, 2023 13:09 IST

Pakistan seems to have made considerable progress in its nuclear security — both physical and access control, though it is difficult to verify these claims independently. But the vulnerability of these weapons stems more from the structural deficiencies in the nation’s governance mechanism

Mon, Jun 12, 2023

China’s missile tests could have Sputnik-like effectSubscriber Only

November 22, 2021 04:10 IST

Sajid Farid Shapoo writes: While Beijing’s pursuit of hypersonic missiles is neither new nor surprising, the recent tests could spur a deadly arms race between nuclear powers

Tue, Nov 23, 2021

Taliban has learnt sound-byte diplomacySubscriber Only

August 16, 2021 19:12 IST

The Taliban's media-savvy spokespersons send deceptive signals that appear socially and politically acceptable, while the organisation continues to pursue their military, ideological objective on the ground

Mon, Aug 16, 2021

Developing a counterinsurgency strategy that actually worksSubscriber Only

April 09, 2021 03:00 IST

Any strategy to counter left-wing extremism would need to have the dual objective of defeating the insurgents militarily and fully quelling insurgent impulses.

Fri, Apr 09, 2021

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Limits of a limited warSubscriber Only

September 16, 2020 20:39 IST

It’s a vaguely defined concept. In context of current conflict with China, India shouldn’t limit its offensive to binaries of use of limited force and diplomatic action, but press on its edge in medium-term crisis bargaining.

Wed, Sep 16, 2020

The shifting battlefieldsSubscriber Only

March 23, 2019 02:07 IST

Pulwama is part of a larger strategic matrix for Pakistan: Export terror to the neighbourhood to avoid violence in its own backyard.

Sat, Mar 23, 2019