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Harsh V Pant

Articles by Harsh V Pant

Impending showdown in China-US techno-sphere

New Delhi will have to keep a close watch on global debates on economic security and the impetus building to restructure the world’s trading system

FILE - A man rides past the Tencent headquarters in Beijing, China on Aug. 7, 2020. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File) (AP)

Opinion

Published on Jan 14, 2025 08:20 PM IST

ByHarsh V Pant, Kalpit Mankikar

Battles of attrition in West Asia & Ukraine

The Russia-Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas wars underscore some fundamental truths about the nature of warfighting.

A Ukrainian AS-90 self-propelled artillery vehicle fires towards Russian positions at the frontline on Pokrovsk direction, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka) (AP)

Opinion

Updated on Dec 24, 2024 08:59 PM IST

ByHarsh V Pant, Kartik Bommakanti

Behind the making of the global nuclear (dis)order

For India, the key implications come in the form of the direction China is headed on nuclear.

TOPSHOT - A grab taken from handout footage released by the Russian Defence Ministry on March 1, 2024 purport to show the test firing of an ICBM belonging to the country's nuclear deterrence forces. (Photo by Russian Defence Ministry / AFP) (AFP)

Opinion

Published on Dec 03, 2024 09:28 PM IST

ByHarsh V Pant, Rahul Rawat

India needs to leverage Trump’s China antipathy

Trump's return raises questions about his China policy, offering India a chance to attract investment amid U.S.-China tensions.

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump attends a bilateral meeting with China's President Xi Jinping during the G20 leaders summit in Osaka, Japan, June 29, 2019. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo (REUTERS)

Opinion

Updated on Nov 12, 2024 08:57 PM IST

ByHarsh V Pant, Kalpit Mankikar

In Kazan, the Global South makes a point about Brics

As India jostles for a greater say on the global stage, platforms like Brics allow New Delhi to amplify its profile and work with other nations on key issues

Chinese President Xi Jinping and India Prime Minister Narendra Modi meet on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia October 23, 2024. China Daily via REUTERS (VIA REUTERS)

Opinion

Published on Oct 24, 2024 08:31 PM IST

ByHarsh V Pant, Rajoli Siddharth Jayaprakash

At 10, the path ahead for India’s Act East policy

The transition from “looking” east to “acting” east signalled India’s intent to play a more active and strategic role in the region emphasising the four Cs: Culture, Connectivity, Commerce, and Capacity Building.

Vientiane [Laos], Oct 10 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn and other dignitaries hold hands during the 21st ASEAN-India Summit, in Vientiane on Thursday. Secretary-General of ASEAN, Kao Kim Hourn. (ANI Photo) (DPR)

Opinion

Published on Oct 10, 2024 09:16 PM IST

ByHarsh V Pant, Pratnashree Basu

Pragmatism set to define Sri Lanka’s foreign policy

Given the economic and geopolitical scenario, pragmatism is likely to take precedence — Sri Lanka will continue to balance between India and China

FILE PHOTO: Sri Lanka's newly elected President Anura Kumara Dissanayake addresses a gathering after taking his oath of office at the Presidential Secretariat, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, September 23, 2024. Sri Lanka President Media/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo (via REUTERS)

Opinion

Published on Sep 26, 2024 09:02 PM IST

ByHarsh V Pant, Aditya Gowdara Shivamurthy

Singapore is India’s bridge to Southeast Asia

Singapore’s centrality in India’s Southeast Asia outreach is reflected in the two countries’ cooperation in multilateral forums

Emerging areas of cooperation, such as technology and regional security,
have bolstered historical ties between the two nations (ANI)

Opinion

Published on Sep 03, 2024 12:46 AM IST

ByHarsh V Pant, Pratnashree Basu

Delhi-Malé: Beginnings of a welcome recalibration

EAM S Jaishankar's visit to the Maldives marked a pivotal moment in India-Maldives relations, focusing on economic aid, developmental projects, and defense cooperation.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar calls on Maldives President Dr Mohamed Muizzu. (PTI Photo) (AP)

Opinion

Updated on Aug 19, 2024 09:29 PM IST

ByHarsh V Pant, Aditya Gowdara Shivamurthy

The message from the UK riots: Government needs to keep its ear to the ground

The anger of White Britain is a reality and Brexit in more ways than one was a response to this fury but things have continued to grow worse for this demography

A protester holds a placard during a counter demonstration against an anti-immigration protest called by far-right activists, outside the Asylum Welcome immigration support service offices in Oxford, western England on August 7, 2024. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP)

Opinion

Published on Aug 15, 2024 08:30 AM IST

ByHarsh V Pant

Budget underscores India’s foreign policy aspirations

Structural issues like partial utilisation of allocated funds, slow implementation of projects, and short-staffing pose a major challenge to the successful implementation of the budget

Noida, India- July 23, 2024: People watching the live telecast of Union Budget 2024, at a shop in Sector 51. (Photo by Sunil Ghosh / Hindustan Times)

Opinion

Published on Jul 29, 2024 09:08 PM IST

ByHarsh V Pant, Aditya Gowdara Shivamurthy

NATO at a crossroads: New purpose, fresh challenges

NATO is at a crossroads. While it may have found an immediate purpose in responding to Russia, its challenges extend beyond Moscow.

Opinion

Published on Jul 15, 2024 09:02 PM IST

ByHarsh V Pant, Vivek Mishra

China in horizon, G7 eyes the Global South

The policy implications of a change in administration at Washington will raise valid concerns on the continuity of policies that came out at Apuli

FILE - From right, French President Emmanuel Macron, Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, U.S. President Joe Biden, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, European Council President Charles Michel, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni watch a skydiving demo during the G7 world leaders summit at Borgo Egnazia, Italy, Thursday, June 13, 2024. The 27 leaders of the European Union will gather in Brussels on Monday, June 17, 2024 to take stock of the surprise European election results and begin the fraught process of dividing up the bloc's top jobs, but they will be playing their usual political game with a deck of reshuffled cards. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, File) (AP)

Opinion

Updated on Jun 18, 2024 12:14 AM IST

ByHarsh V Pant, Angad Singh Brar

Blinken in Beijing and the mirage of US-China detente

Blinken’s visit may be another way of signalling to China that it shouldn’t exploit any crisis to escalate new ones, at least until the US elections are over

China's President Xi Jinping (R) speaks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during their meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on April 26, 2024. (Photo by Mark Schiefelbein / POOL / AFP)(AFP)

Opinion

Published on May 28, 2024 12:36 AM IST

ByHarsh V Pant, Vivek Mishra

Why foreign policy needs to be part of poll debate

As a rising India engages the world with confidence in an increasingly challenging environment, informed contestations on foreign policy should be the norm.

Opinion

Published on Apr 25, 2024 11:29 PM IST

ByHarsh V Pant, Sanjeet Kashyap

Name games Beijing plays with New Delhi

Timing chosen by China to resuscitate the boundary dispute is important. It hopes that the border row may find resonance in the public debate before the polls

An Indian Army truck drives along a road to Tawang, near the Line of Actual Control (LAC), neighbouring China, near Sela Pass in Arunachal Pradesh (AFP)

Opinion

Published on Apr 08, 2024 09:56 PM IST

ByKalpit Mankikar, Harsh V Pant

A Delhi-Tokyo-Seoul trilateral in the making

A New Delhi-Seoul-Tokyo trilateral collaboration provides a flexible and dynamic framework for adapting to emerging challenges and opportunities.

Tokyo, Mar 8 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar meets with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, in Tokyo on Friday. (ANI Photo)(Dr. S. Jaishankar-X)

Opinion

Published on Mar 18, 2024 08:06 AM IST

ByHarsh V Pant, Pratnashree Basu

From BRICS to BRICS plus: Old partners and new stakeholders

This paper is authored by Harsh V Pant, ORF.

International Affairs

Published on Mar 08, 2024 06:52 PM IST

ByHarsh V Pant

New Delhi’s Greek pivot reflects new trade realities

For India and Greece, this is a win-win partnership.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the 9th Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi on Wednesday. (ANI)

Opinion

Published on Feb 28, 2024 10:06 PM IST

ByHarsh V Pant, Shairee Malhotra

On the Kyiv front, the West is losing ground

Ukraine’s military campaign is indeed faltering but it is also the West’s political strategy that is unravelling.

TOPSHOT - This handout photograph released on February 14, 2024 by the Press service of Ukrainian Armed Forces, shows Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrsky (2nd L) and Ukraine's Defence Minister Rustem Umerov (L) visiting the frontline positions at an undisclosed location in eastern Ukraine. Newly appointed Ukrainian military chief said on February 14, 2024 that the situation on the front line was precarious, following a visit to positions near Avdiivka and Kupiansk. (Photo by Handout / Armed Forces of Ukraine / AFP) (AFP)

Opinion

Published on Feb 14, 2024 10:09 PM IST

ByHarsh V Pant, Kartik Bommakanti

Delhi-Paris tango offers a third way of diplomacy

As dependable allies, the India-France partnership is a force for global good in a volatile world engulfed in multiple crises

French President Emmanuel Macron being received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi upon his arrival to attend the 75th Republic Day ceremony, in New Delhi (PTI)

Opinion

Published on Jan 31, 2024 10:10 PM IST

ByHarsh V Pant, Shairee Malhotra

Taiwan verdict reflects anti-China sentiment

It might be time now for India to shed these “hesitations of history” to script a bolder inning with Taiwan.

Taiwanese Vice President Lai Ching-te, also known as William Lai, center, celebrates his victory with running mate Bi-khim Hsiao, right, and supporters in Taipei, Taiwan.(AP)

Opinion

Published on Jan 15, 2024 09:55 PM IST

ByHarsh V Pant, Kalpit Mankikar

What the upcoming polls hold for South Asia

Hasina’s victory will likely put Delhi-Dhaka relations under more scrutiny -with the West expecting India to be vocal about the state of democracy in Bangladesh

Bangladesh Elections 2024: Election campaign posters of Awami League hang on a road as traffic moves past ahead of the general election, in Dhaka.(Reuters)

Opinion

Published on Jan 05, 2024 10:12 PM IST

ByHarsh V Pant, Aditya Gowdara Shivamurthy

For China, 2023 is a year of setbacks

Xi seems to have overplayed his hand, leading to a significant realignment, resulting in a pushback at a time when his governance style has come under scrutiny

Opinion

Published on Dec 13, 2023 10:00 PM IST

ByHarsh V Pant, Kalpit Mankikar

In the Netherlands, story of the far-Right in Europe

The political landscape of Europe is steadily changing, and the sheen of Right-wing populism seems here to stay.

Opinion

Published on Nov 29, 2023 10:19 PM IST

ByHarsh V Pant, Shairee Malhotra

Biden-Xi meeting and the US-China calculus

Given the criticality of this partnership for ensuring a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific region, India will be keenly watching the Biden-Xi meeting.

China's President Xi Jinping (left) and US President Joe Biden (AFP)

opinion

Published on Nov 14, 2023 05:52 PM IST

ByHarsh V Pant

Learning from Kautilya: New lessons for Army

While the quest to bring about an Indic renaissance in military thought is commendable, the exercise will need intensive engagement with civilian scholars

According to the ministry of defence, the Indian Army received a total of 317 awards for the gallantry and distinguished service of its personnel. (File Photo / HT)

Opinion

Published on Oct 30, 2023 10:48 PM IST

ByHarsh V Pant, Kartik Bommakanti

India-China power play gets new life in Maldives

The victory of a pro-China government in the Maldives offers Beijing an opportunity to restore its influence in the Indian Ocean region

Maldives' President-elect of the Maldives' Mohamed Muizzu of the People's National Congress (PNC) party delivers a speech during a gathering with supporters following the country's presidential election, in Male on October 2, 2023. (AFP)

opinion

Published on Oct 07, 2023 01:48 AM IST

ByHarsh V Pant, Aditya Gowdara Shivamurthy

India and Canada on the global chessboard

Trudeau may have rolled the dice but India will now have a big role in determining how it falls.

FILE - Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (L) walks past Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (R)(AP)

opinion

Published on Sep 25, 2023 11:22 PM IST

ByHarsh V Pant

Internal security is key to being a global power

Despite significant progress, India’s claims to global leadership become credible only if it manages to showcase an effective grip on internal security

New Delhi’s leadership credentials today are taken more seriously than ever and most nations remain keen to enhance their ties(PTI)

opinion

Published on Sep 04, 2023 08:24 AM IST

ByHarsh V Pant

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Harsh V Pant

New Delhi will have to keep a close watch on global debates on economic security and the impetus building to restructure the world’s trading system

The Russia-Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas wars underscore some fundamental truths about the nature of warfighting.

For India, the key implications come in the form of the direction China is headed on nuclear.

Trump's return raises questions about his China policy, offering India a chance to attract investment amid U.S.-China tensions.

As India jostles for a greater say on the global stage, platforms like Brics allow New Delhi to amplify its profile and work with other nations on key issues

The transition from “looking” east to “acting” east signalled India’s intent to play a more active and strategic role in the region emphasising the four Cs: Culture, Connectivity, Commerce, and Capacity Building.

Given the economic and geopolitical scenario, pragmatism is likely to take precedence — Sri Lanka will continue to balance between India and China

Singapore’s centrality in India’s Southeast Asia outreach is reflected in the two countries’ cooperation in multilateral forums

EAM S Jaishankar's visit to the Maldives marked a pivotal moment in India-Maldives relations, focusing on economic aid, developmental projects, and defense cooperation.

The anger of White Britain is a reality and Brexit in more ways than one was a response to this fury but things have continued to grow worse for this demography

Structural issues like partial utilisation of allocated funds, slow implementation of projects, and short-staffing pose a major challenge to the successful implementation of the budget

NATO is at a crossroads. While it may have found an immediate purpose in responding to Russia, its challenges extend beyond Moscow.

The policy implications of a change in administration at Washington will raise valid concerns on the continuity of policies that came out at Apuli

Blinken’s visit may be another way of signalling to China that it shouldn’t exploit any crisis to escalate new ones, at least until the US elections are over

As a rising India engages the world with confidence in an increasingly challenging environment, informed contestations on foreign policy should be the norm.

Timing chosen by China to resuscitate the boundary dispute is important. It hopes that the border row may find resonance in the public debate before the polls

A New Delhi-Seoul-Tokyo trilateral collaboration provides a flexible and dynamic framework for adapting to emerging challenges and opportunities.

This paper is authored by Harsh V Pant, ORF.

For India and Greece, this is a win-win partnership.

Ukraine’s military campaign is indeed faltering but it is also the West’s political strategy that is unravelling.

As dependable allies, the India-France partnership is a force for global good in a volatile world engulfed in multiple crises

It might be time now for India to shed these “hesitations of history” to script a bolder inning with Taiwan.

Hasina’s victory will likely put Delhi-Dhaka relations under more scrutiny -with the West expecting India to be vocal about the state of democracy in Bangladesh

Xi seems to have overplayed his hand, leading to a significant realignment, resulting in a pushback at a time when his governance style has come under scrutiny

The political landscape of Europe is steadily changing, and the sheen of Right-wing populism seems here to stay.

Given the criticality of this partnership for ensuring a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific region, India will be keenly watching the Biden-Xi meeting.

While the quest to bring about an Indic renaissance in military thought is commendable, the exercise will need intensive engagement with civilian scholars

The victory of a pro-China government in the Maldives offers Beijing an opportunity to restore its influence in the Indian Ocean region

Trudeau may have rolled the dice but India will now have a big role in determining how it falls.

Despite significant progress, India’s claims to global leadership become credible only if it manages to showcase an effective grip on internal security

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