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Shashi Tharoor proposed creating a dedicated, transparent tripartite mechanism involving India, China, and Nepal to jointly manage their shared Himalayan ecosystem and combat climate threats. Article link 🔗 https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/nepal-climate-china-india-floods-10860057/

PM Modi's visit to Central Asian Countries: 1.Ancient linkages rooted in the Kushana era and shared Buddhist heritage 2.Soft Power: Enduring linguistic affinities 3.Part of the Extended Neighbourhood 4.Connect Central Asia Policy(2012) 5.Imp for Countering China's Regional Hegemony 6.Threat of Radicalization and extremist outfits after taliban takeover 7.Geo Economic Significance : Mineral resources 8.Lack of Connectivity , relying on INSTC and Chabahar 9.Utilizing platforms like the SCO Article link 🔗 https://indianexpress.com/article/india/pm-narendra-modi-flags-shared-vision-in-tashkent-trade-and-culture-to-energy-defence-10855121/

Example of India's De-Hyphenation ,balancing ties with both Israel and Palestine. https://www.wionews.com/world/india-begins-200-bed-super-speciality-hospital-palestine-west-bank-1787160443166

Views of Prof Raja Mohan  ➡️ Hedging against Great Power Unreliability: The pact is an effort to signal options amidst perceived US volatility rather than a complete break from the US security umbrella.  ➡️ History shows regional pan-Arab/pan-Islamic blocs (GCC, Arab League, CENTO, UAR) struggle to become functional military security frameworks due to national interest divergences  ➡️ Delhi should move past historical reluctance ("renunciation as a virtue") and leverage its growing military diplomacy and force projection capabilities to offer viable defense partnerships in West Asia.  Views of Sashi Tharoor: ➡️ Premature "Islamic NATO" Label: Lacks an integrated military HQ, unified command, pre-assigned forces, or institutionalized doctrine required for a true collective defense alliance.  ➡️ Unprovoked Aggression vs. Counter-Terrorism: Article 5-style provisions under international law apply to unprovoked external aggression. Targeted Indian retaliatory strikes against cross-border terror infrastructure do not qualify as unprovoked aggression, making Saudi/Turkish intervention highly unlikely.  ➡️ The actual challenge for India isn't troop deployment, but the transfer of advanced military tech to Pakistan ➡️ Policy Recommendations for India: Quiet Diplomacy, De-bureaucratize Defense Procurement , Deepen Bilateral Ties with Gulf Partners.

Articles on Mecca Pact by Prof C Raja Mohan and Sashi Tharoor Article link 🔗 https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/c-raja-mohan-writes-mecca-accord-arab-saudi-turkey-pakistan-10827784/ https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/shashi-tharoor-india-response-to-mecca-pact-saudi-pakistan-turkey-10829797/

IR Important topics for Mains 2026:

1.India and it’s neighbourhood - neighbourhood 1st policy, recent events in Bangladesh,Nepal, China Angle. 2.Impact of US-Iran war on India, India’s Position , Energy Security 3.Indo Pacific - recent visit of PM to Oceania Countries, US renaming Indo-Pacific Command Name, QUAD. 4.India-US Relations - Impact of tariffs,defence relationship. 5.Rise of G2 US-China, Trump's Visit to China, Impact on India. 6.Important Groupings - BRICS, SCO , India-ASEAN Relations. 7.Weakening Multilateralism - UN , US Withdrawal, China’s Increasing Role, India’s role. 8.India-EU/Europe - FTA Signed, PM Visit ,EU-India relations gained new vigour. 9.WTO- 14th MC, Issues in WTO , Solutions, India’s role. 10.India’s Diaspora - Changing remittances pattern , role of diaspora. 11.India as Voice of Global South - Steps taken , Challenges etc. 12.India Japan Relations - Recent Visit of Japanese PM Sanae Taekechi. 13.India Australia Relations - Evolution, role of diaspora, Indo Pacific Partnership. @iasexamcongress

Peacock Diplomacy: A form of soft power and cultural/animal diplomacy where India uses its national bird, the Indian Peacock (Pavo cristatus), as a living diplomatic gift to foster goodwill and strengthen global ties. Comparable to China's Panda Diplomacy and Australia's Koala Diplomacy.

Tripartite alliance signed on August 7, 2026, between Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Pakistan. Incorporates a principle similar to NATO’s Article 5—stipulating that an attack on one signatory is deemed an attack on all three.  Strategic Drivers & Geopolitical Calculations: 1.Hedging Against US Unreliability: Reflects Saudi Arabia's strategic hedging to diversify security options amid perceived fatigue in the regional Pax Americana.  2.Asymmetric Threat Mitigation: Riyadh seeks to address non-state actor threats, maritime choke-point vulnerabilities (Strait of Hormuz, Bab al-Mandeb)  3.Defence Industrial Synergy: Leverages complementarity among signatories—combining Saudi Arabia’s capital , Türkiye’s booming defence-industrial complex and Pakistan’s large standing military force.  Structural Constraints & Frictions: 1.Sectarian & Historical Baggage: Lingering mistrust stemming from Ottoman history and friction between Erdogan’s regional leadership ambitions and Riyadh’s role as the Custodian of Islam  2.The Iran Dilemma: Both Pakistan and Türkiye share land borders and economic ties with Iran (e.g., recent Pakistan-Iran FTA negotiations).  3.Typically, collective defence alliances feature a shared enemy threat and interoperable military systems, both of which are missing in this instance. Strategic Implications for India: 1.De-hyphenation in Riyadh's Policy: Saudi-India ties are anchored in robust economic complementarity (energy import dependence, strategic trade partnership), insulating New Delhi from Pakistan's attempts to anti-Indianize the pact.  2.Strategic Equanimity: New Delhi should maintain strategic vigilance without overreacting, as Riyadh views the pact through a defensive, asymmetric threat lens rather than anti-India revisionism. Article link 🔗 https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/a-new-security-triangle-emerges-with-the-makkah-pact/article71325559.ece

Vijay Gokhale's book, China’s Wars: The Politics and Diplomacy Behind its Military Coercion ➡️ China employs conflict as a tool of "psychological deterrence." It draws no clear distinction between peacetime and wartime. ➡️"Fight and Talk" Strategy: Beijing integrates diplomatic engagement with military posturing ➡️End of Peaceful Coexistence: The era of "peaceful coexistence" is effectively over; strategic planning must now pivot toward preparing for an extended period of "armed coexistence." ➡️Unlikelihood of Full-Scale War: While low-intensity conflicts, military standoffs, and coercive tactics will persist, a full-scale, large-scale kinetic war remains unlikely due to mutual deterrence and the severe reputational and political damage China would face globally. Article link 🔗 https://indianexpress.com/article/express-sunday-eye/chinas-wars-vijay-gokhale-decoding-beijing-10824490/

https://www.firstpost.com/world/pakistan-saudi-arabia-turkey-mutual-defence-agreement-islamic-nato-nuclear-weapons-west-asia-security-14036736.html Islamic NATO: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, establishing an Article 5-style collective defense clause declaring that an armed attack on one is an attack on all.

Africa is our partner, Africa is our priority ~ EAM S Jaishankar

Article by Prof Sreeram Chaulia on resurgence of protracted, high-intensity inter-State armed conflicts ("forever wars") driven by systemic multipolarity: ➡️ According to PRIO data, active direct inter-State conflicts jumped from 2 (2023) to 4 (2024), hitting 8 in 2025—the highest since data collection began in 1946. ➡️Cold War Era (1946–1989): Averaged 2–4 inter-State conflicts/year, driven by superpower-fueled ideological proxies with an average duration of 16–24 months. ➡️Post-Cold War Era (1990–2020): "Golden Era" of multilateralism and relative systemic stability (1–2 inter-State wars/year lasting ~3.5 to 4.5 months) due to respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, and UN efficacy. ➡️Post-2020 Order: Shift back toward protracted wars (e.g., Russia-Ukraine war exceeding 4.5 years; Israel-Lebanon-Palestine conflicts; US-Israel vs. Iran). Reasons for this shift: ➡️Complex Multipolarity & "Diffuse New Cold War": Unlike the original bipolar Cold War, the contemporary international structure features multiple power centers willing to directly attack or fund proxies. ➡️Asymmetric Counter-Balancing & External Backing like Ukraine’s resistance against Russia backed by US/Europe, Iran’s defense against US/Israel supported by Russia and China. ➡️ Advancements in defensive technology (drones, anti-tank systems, anti-aircraft missiles, counteroffensive strike capabilities) prevent easy land invasions and quick walkovers, grinding conflicts into wars of attrition. As multipolarity solidifies and power transitions complete, a stable equilibrium may emerge. Increased costs of aggression combined with advanced defensive deterrence will make power projection/regime change unviable (e.g., deterrence acting on potential flashpoints like Taiwan). Article link 🔗 https://www.hindustantimes.com/opinion/the-here-and-now-of-a-forever-war-period-russia-ukraine-us-iran-101785769192167.html

@iasexamcongress announces the OG Compilation Series for IR (FOR CSE Mains 2026) IR Mantra that includes 1. IR Navigator (check 2025 edition here) 2. CRUX IR Compilations (2025 and 2026 both) (Check demo handouts here) 3. Question compilation from MiniAW Fees: ₹1500/- Utility: GS2 and PSIR SUBSCRIBE @Shunyashashvata

Article by Prof C Raja Mohan on India’s Great Power Status: ➡️ Responding to Canadian PM Mark Carney’s call for middle-power collaboration, EAM S. Jaishankar rejected the label for India. ➡️ EAM S Jaishankar called India a "Power in the Middle" a key, rising pole navigating great power rivalries to maximize its upward path toward the top tier of the international hierarchy ➡️ Official Delhi views "middle power" status as understating India’s strategic weight and civilizational trajectory toward great-power status. ➡️ Historian Brendan Simms places India alongside France, Germany, and Japan as "almost great powers"—nations possessing substantial capability but lacking the systemic leverage required to be primary "system-shapers." ➡️ Great powers are defined by: Industrial strength & technological leadership ,Power projection capabilities across multiple geopolitical theaters , Nuclear deterrence and robust military-industrial complexes. ➡️ Measured against these indicators India is clearly a power in transition rather than a completed one. ➡️ Michael Beckley’s “Stagnant Order” argues that the window for latecomers from the Global South to achieve great-power status is closing due to slowing productivity, demographic aeging and concentration of frontier tech in US/China. ➡️ If India can return to the unfinished business of economic, technological and social modernisation and boosting national unity and political cohesion. Only then can India move from being an "almost great power" to becoming one. Article link 🔗 https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/india-great-power-china-america-trump-jaishankar-10807103/