Trump’s moving finger writes on Gulf — and having writ, moves on to India-Pakistan

US President Donald Trump with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Royal Palace, Riyadh, May 13, 2025 President Donald Trump is already looming as a Colossus striding 21st century history. Acutely conscious that he’s left with less than four years to create his legacy Trump is undoubtedly a man in a hurry. Amazingly, his agenda in the …

Russia’s gas union eyes Pakistan, India

The Uzbek grid prepares to receive gas supplies from Russia Pakistan’s acute energy crisis is the immediate backdrop against which Foreign Minister Bilawal Zardari’s forthcoming talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow today need to be understood. But then, Lavrov is a ‘Renaissance man’ in the world of international diplomacy and is sure …

India, Pakistan on the road to peace

New hope for India-Pakistan relations?  Opportunities missed and opportunities seized in the chronicle of international diplomacy in modern history provide two outstanding illustrative examples.  After centuries of enmity and the colossal destruction inflicted by two devastating world wars in the last century, France and Germany seize an opportunity to turn a new page in their …

India revisits SAARC to fight COVID-19. Scepticism is in order.

Coronavirus pandemic is on the rise in India The teleconference today at 5 pm IST between the leaderships of the SAARC countries is a rare event in regional cooperation.  After an interlude of nearly six years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is once again networking with India’s neighbours in a SAARC setting. He had sprung a …

Pakistan’s exit from FATF list puts India on the spot

US Acting Asst Secy of State Alice Wells  met Pakistan’s Interior Minister Ijaz Shah, Islamabad, Jan. 20, 2020 The media reports that in the Indian estimation there is “a 75 per cent chance” of Pakistan exiting the ‘grey list’ of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) at the plenary of the international body on February 16 …