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Journalism of Courage

Kanti Bajpai

The writer is professor and Wilmar Chair in Asian Studies, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets Chinese President Xi Jinping upon his arrival for the BRICS summit in New Delhi, India, on Saturday, September 12, 2026. (Foreign Ministry via AP) China

India and China are at a Nash equilibrium. Will it hold?Subscriber Only

September 13,2026 14:05:03 PM

Two things can disturb the Nash equilibrium (apart from bad defence or internal political collapse): The transition to a successor Dalai Lama, and an India-Pakistan fight that draws China directly in and leads to a two-front war for India

Mon, Sep 14, 2026

India’s 1991 moment has returned — only harderSubscriber Only

July 24,2026 18:49:51 PM

In 1991, the US pressured India on nuclear proliferation, human rights, and its economy. In 2026, US pressures are on Indian exports, trade-related labour and other standards, and imports of Russian oil — hardly trivial areas

Sat, Jul 25, 2026

The US-India special relationship is now cold-eyed transactionalismSubscriber Only

June 08,2026 18:52:46 PM

Whether the US is right or wrong in its view, India is no longer seen as a power to be strengthened. It is instead a destination for US products, investments, and arms

Tue, Jun 09, 2026

India has demonstrated strategic autonomy, but its record is not perfectSubscriber Only

May 12,2026 06:12:36 AM

For some critics, being stiffnecked has resulted in rigid diplomacy and no big-power friends. Others maintain that while India has resisted the bigger powers, it no longer voices criticisms of them on behalf of others

Tue, May 12, 2026

For US and Iran, there are three crucial issues — all can be resolved

For the US and Iran, there are three crucial issues. They can all be resolvedSubscriber Only

April 15,2026 06:19:25 AM

There is still room to resolve the Hormuz problem. Iran’s militarisation of the strait is aimed at exercising strategic leverage and at generating funds to rebuild damaged infrastructure. With a peace deal, the need for leverage would disappear

Wed, Apr 15, 2026

Galling as it is, we must recognise that Pakistan cannot be dismissed in strategic terms. Powerful others will continue to engage with it, despite their strong ties to India. This is the reality. Our diplomacy must be cool-headed in thinking about Pakistan’s place in the world and our policies towards it. Irritation and condescension are not enough.

Why Pakistan can’t be written offSubscriber Only

October 23,2025 06:32:05 AM

Contrary to our belief that Pakistan is a puny entity, our neighbour has five assets that make it both feared and attractive.

Thu, Oct 23, 2025

Worries over H-1B visa fee hike speak of India’s larger problemSubscriber Only

September 22,2025 07:24:09 AM

The road ahead is clear enough. Though travelling down that road will be even more difficult than the road of economic reforms in the 1990s

Mon, Sep 22, 2025

So this is what multipolarity looks likeSubscriber Only

September 06,2025 07:00:31 AM

For India, it could mean a very solitary, nasty, and brutal international existence where you dare not count on anyone

Sat, Sep 06, 2025

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US should negotiate a successor to JCPOA with Iran. Now is the timeSubscriber Only

June 28,2025 07:05:58 AM

Iran’s options, too, are limited. Tehran must worry that both Israel and the US will resume attacks, and not just on nuclear facilities, and that internal dissent will boil over

Sat, Jun 28, 2025

Kanti Bajpai writes: What Modi-Trump meeting augursSubscriber Only

February 15,2025 07:07:56 AM

The big friction points going into the meeting were trade and immigration: India’s large trade surplus on the back of high tariffs, and the status of illegal Indian migration to the US.

Sat, Feb 15, 2025

India and China need each other. But will the detente last?Subscriber Only

January 30,2025 06:57:14 AM

Three drivers of India-China détente are economic, military, and political. These will likely be even stronger triggers now that Trump is at the helm in Washington

Thu, Jan 30, 2025

Kanti Bajpai writes: All the BRICS a stageSubscriber Only

October 26,2024 02:00:50 AM

Global summits are about performing diplomacy and politics for domestic and international audiences

Sat, Oct 26, 2024

Why does China consistently beat India on soft power?Subscriber Only

June 23,2021 03:00:09 AM

Kanti Bajpai writes: Classical India may stand alongside classical China in the regard it garners, but contemporary India has been left behind. Until we recognise that, we can’t do much about it.

Wed, Jun 23, 2021

Stephen P Cohen laid the foundation for South Asian studies

Stephen P Cohen laid the foundation for South Asian security studiesSubscriber Only

October 30,2019 00:09:34 AM

Stephen P Cohen inspired not just by being a driven scholar, mentor, and institution builder. He inspired by his many sterling human qualities that became apparent as you got to know him.

Wed, Oct 30, 2019