By Abia Fathima, Research Officer, C3S Image Courtesy: The Atlantic Introduction Coined by Political Scientist Graham Allison in the early 2010s and popularised in his 2017 book Destined for War, the “Thucydides Trap” has become a term for a terrifyingly simple historic pattern, a pattern which displaces dynasties as a rising power threatens its existence. The Thucydides Trap has transformed from an academic footnote to one of the most heavily scrutinised idioms in modern geo

Commander YVV Prasad, IN (Retd.) Image Courtesy: CGTN AIM OF THE PAPER This paper seeks to examine how sustained national vision, long-term planning, institutional continuity, educational investments, industrial policy, infrastructure development, and technology-driven growth collectively contributed to one of the most significant national transformations witnessed during the modern era. Using China's developmental journey over the past four decades as a case study, the paper

By Shubhi Malhotra & Dr. Adityanjee Image Courtesy: The Print Introduction The Indian Ocean is no longer merely a highway for commerce. It has become the principal arena of twenty-first-century geopolitical competition in the maritime domain, a theatre where great powers jostle for influence, non-state actors exploit ungoverned maritime spaces, and climate-induced disasters test the resilience of small island nations. Against this backdrop, the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC)

By Balaji Chandramohan Image Courtesy: MC In an effort to boost its strategic presence ahead of the centenary of the People Liberation Army, China’s Air force and Army has jointly increased its strategic reach in the Tibet region and in the Lhunze Air base pointing towards India’s Northern borders which may have wider strategic impact as India is contemplating dividing its Air Land forces and integration among its Tri Services to negate threats from both Pakistan and China in

How the 2026 Beijing summit reshapes risks and opportunities for regional middle powers By Rohit KA and Dr. Adityanjee Image Courtesy: Asia Times A summit shaped by Iran, trade, and Taiwan The US President Donald Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on May 14 - 15, 2026, in the first visit by a US president to China in nearly a decade. This was Trump’s first state visit to China in his second term. The US agenda focused on stabilizing a strained relationship amid

BY SUBRAMANYAM SRIDHARAN, DISTINGUISHED MEMBER, C3S Let there be a relaxation of tension across the board, as it existed between 1988 and 2012 despite the presence of the Dalai Lama and his self-exiled Government here. Image Courtsey: Newsonair Modus vivendi requires the two parties to either openly agree to a common minimum program setting aside deeper conflicts for the time being or arrive at an informal understanding to do so. Modus vivendi would also require equitable tr

By Mr M R Sivaraman IAS (Retd), Former Revenue Secretary For six decades, New Delhi has sought peace with Beijing. What it received instead is a doctrine of deception. As a retired civil servant who has seen India’s China policy up close, I write with anguish, not anger. The pattern is unmistakable. The betrayal began in 1962. Panchsheel was still warm on paper when China invaded, occupied Aksai Chin, and scarred our northern frontier. That wound never healed. Beijing still c

By Abia Fathima, Research Officer, C3S Image Courtesy: The Economist Introduction The geopolitical architecture of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has entered a phase of profound structural transformation, marking the most significant shift in regional energy diplomacy since the conclusion of the Second World War. For eighty years, the regional order was defined by the foundational encounter between President Franklin D. Roosevelt and King Abdulaziz Ibn Saud aboard the USS

By Annunthra Rangan Image courtesy: AIIA March 28th marks one month since the United States and Israel launched their military campaign against Iran. In the weeks that followed, Tehran has suffered significant losses, including the deaths of key figures within its leadership. Yet despite the scale of the assault, Iran has shown no signs of capitulating and the manner in which Washington has handled this conflict has raised serious questions about the coherence of its strategy

From the first strike to the burning Strait By Arul Braighta Arulanantham Image Courtesy: The Virginian The Spark: How a War Without a Declaration Began On the night of February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launched a massive coordinated strike on Iran under the operational name Operation Epic Fury. The targets were not ambiguous. They explicitly targeted Iranian missile infrastructure, nuclear sites, air defenses, and the leadership of the Islamic Republic itself.