Sumant Vidwans

Myanmar’s election is less a step toward democracy than an attempt to legitimise military rule amid a raging civil war. Myanmar is launching a three-phase general election billed by the ruling generals as a return to multi-party democracy. In reality, the vote comes amid civil war, mass displacement, and military control over barely a fifth of the country. Myanmar’s crisis began in February 2021, when the army, or Tatmadaw, overturned Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy victory...

Thailand and Cambodia are engaged in their worst border conflict in decades. Since July, the conflict has killed dozens, displaced lakhs, and shattered a peace deal signed just weeks earlier. The Thailand-Cambodia border disagreement dates back to 1907, when France, which ruled Cambodia at the time, signed a treaty with Siam (now Thailand) to establish their shared border. The treaty stated that the border would follow the watershed of the Dangrek Mountains. While this seemed straightforward,...

The partnership is driven by China’s economic and strategic dominance, while for Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan, it offers a pathway to growth and connectivity. Xi Jinping Shehbaz Sharif Sadyr Japarov A new triangular partnership is emerging in Asia, linking China, Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan. The collaboration signals a push to deepen economic, security and infrastructure ties across Central...