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By:

Rajiv Shah

22 September 2025 at 8:32:23 pm

New Alliances, New Pressures, New Fault Lines

To its west, old relationships in the Gulf are acquiring new strategic and military dimensions. Across the Atlantic, Washington is increasingly using tariffs as an instrument of foreign policy. At the same time, India holds the BRICS presidency in 2026 and prepares to host its summit when the grouping is being watched in the West as a potential challenge to the American-dominated global financial order. Individually, these developments may appear unrelated. Put together, they reveal a larger...

New Alliances, New Pressures, New Fault Lines

To its west, old relationships in the Gulf are acquiring new strategic and military dimensions. Across the Atlantic, Washington is increasingly using tariffs as an instrument of foreign policy. At the same time, India holds the BRICS presidency in 2026 and prepares to host its summit when the grouping is being watched in the West as a potential challenge to the American-dominated global financial order. Individually, these developments may appear unrelated. Put together, they reveal a larger geopolitical churn in which alliances, energy, trade, currencies and economic coercion are becoming interconnected. India finds itself almost at its centre. The emerging Saudi Arabia–Türkiye–Pakistan security equation deserves particular attention. Saudi Arabia brings enormous financial and energy influence; Türkiye possesses considerable military strength, NATO experience and an expanding defence industry; Pakistan brings a large military establishment and nuclear capability with the open support of Washington. Any arrangement containing a collective-defence commitment naturally acquires significance beyond ordinary diplomatic cooperation. Alongside it, another strategic convergence has gradually developed among India, Israel and the UAE. It would be incorrect to describe this as a formal military alliance. Yet geopolitics does not operate through defence treaties alone. India's extensive defence and technology relationship with Israel, its rapidly expanding economic and strategic partnership with the UAE, and the UAE-Israel relationship following the Abraham Accords have created considerable common ground. I2U2—bringing together India, Israel, the UAE and the United States—added another institutional dimension. Thus, without necessarily becoming opposing military camps, two interesting strategic formations are visible across West Asia: Saudi Arabia–Türkiye–Pakistan and the looser India–UAE–Israel convergence. Balancing Challenge India faces a similar balancing challenge. The Gulf is not a distant geopolitical theatre for New Delhi. Nearly nine million Indians live and work there. India's energy security, investments, trade and remittance flows are closely connected with the region. The proposed India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor also requires relative stability across this geography. Polarisation in West Asia can therefore rapidly become an Indian economic and strategic problem. There is another question Indian planners cannot ignore. If a future India-Pakistan confrontation escalates, how would any collective-defence commitment involving Pakistan be interpreted by Saudi Arabia and Türkiye? It would be alarmist to assume that either country would automatically enter a conflict against India. Saudi Arabia, in particular, has substantial economic and strategic interests in maintaining good relations with New Delhi. Nevertheless, defence planners are paid to examine possibilities before they become crises. While these equations develop in India's neighbourhood, economic pressure is emerging from Washington. The US Senate has voted 86–11 for legislation intended to increase pressure on Russia by targeting major purchasers of Russian energy. The measure could authorise tariffs reaching 100 per cent against goods from countries continuing large-scale purchases of Russian oil and gas, with India among those potentially exposed. China is powerful enough to shrug off similar challenges from the West." However this does not mean that America has already imposed a 100 per cent tariff on India. Further legislative steps remain necessary, and presidential waiver provisions are important. But the overwhelming Senate vote carries a political message that New Delhi cannot dismiss. Tariffs are no longer merely tools of trade protection; they have become instruments of geopolitical coercion. Washington's argument is understandable: revenues from Russian petroleum help sustain Moscow's economy during the Ukraine war, and reducing those revenues increases pressure on Russia. But in that case what about European countries who too were/are customers of Russian oil? India's question is equally legitimate: who should determine where India purchases the energy required by more than 1.4 billion people? If Russian crude remains commercially advantageous and helps contain domestic energy costs, New Delhi cannot reasonably be expected to make every energy decision according to another country's geopolitical priorities. Strategic partnership cannot become strategic obedience. This is where BRICS enters the larger picture. India holds the BRICS presidency in 2026 and will host its leaders at an unusually sensitive moment. BRICS is no longer merely the original grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Its expansion has considerably increased its demographic, energy and geopolitical weight. More importantly, discussions around BRICS increasingly touch a sensitive nerve in Washington: alternative payment mechanisms, local-currency trade, development finance and the possibility of gradually reducing dependence upon the dollar-dominated international financial system. The BRICS Summit this time is poised to take some decisive steps which may affect western interests especially US. (The writer is an advocate, legal, geopolitical and public policy analyst. Views personal.)

Rewriting the Meaning of Old Age

Growing older isn’t slowing down—it’s choosing joy, peace, and what truly matters.

AI generated image
AI generated image

Growing older doesn’t mean slowing down; it means moving differently—living for your own joy, valuing peace over opinions, and choosing quality over quantity.


Old age becomes beautiful when you decide: I will not suffer. I will not depend. I will not stop living. I will celebrate every day. As we grow older, we all need to prioritise the list.


Emotional independence

Your first pillar of graceful living. Detach without becoming cold. Emotional independence isn’t cutting people off; it’s not being shaken by their moods or silences and never tying your happiness to who calls or remembers you.


Stop expecting and start enjoying—expectations hurt; acceptance brings peace. Releasing expectations from children, relatives, or society makes you feel lighter and freer.


Value your self-worth. Age doesn’t reduce your value; your experience, character, love, and resilience make you richer than ever.


Build a soft heart and a strong spine. Be warm and kind, yet firm about your boundaries. Say 'yes' with love and 'no' with confidence.


Physical independence

Staying strong, mobile, and capable. Ageing gracefully requires strength and mobility. Make daily movement non-negotiable: brisk walking or cycling, light stretching or yoga for flexibility, and gentle strength training for bones and muscles.


Bio-friendly eating

Bio-friendly eating supports healthy ageing. Choose nourishing foods—protein from dal, chana, rajma, paneer, tofu, and sprouts; calcium from curd, sesame seeds, and ragi; iron from spinach, beetroot, and dates; and gut-friendly fermented foods. Simplicity nourishes. Discipline protects.


Sleep is like a ritual.

Treat sleep as a ritual. Peaceful ageing comes with deep, restorative rest—avoid screens at night, sip warm water, and unwind with calming music or a good book.


Financial independence

Your Freedom, Your Backbone. Money in old age is about dignity, not luxury. Financial independence means never feeling obligated, dependent, or afraid. Spend wisely—choose comfort, convenience, and health, never guilt. Follow a simple monthly plan: essentials, healthcare, an emergency fund, a small pleasures fund, and long-term savings. Never feel guilty about spending on yourself—you’ve earned it.


Social independence

This includes choosing your circle consciously. In this phase of life, you don’t need a large crowd—just a few kind, uplifting people. Keep distance from those who drain your energy through complaint, criticism, or negativity. Choose friends who laugh easily, because laughter keeps the soul young. Stay connected, but not entangled, and protect your emotional rhythm.


Mental independence

Keep Your Mind Sharp and Curious. Your brain thrives on curiosity. Learn something every day—new hobbies, online courses, music, languages, or creative pursuits like art or gardening. Read regularly and sit quietly by yourself for 10 minutes daily to build inner strength. Stay mentally agile by understanding technology, digital payments, and apps; today, digital independence is true self-reliance.


Purposeful independence

Waking up with meaning. Retirement or age should never diminish your sense of purpose. Purpose gives each day meaning—whether through teaching, volunteering, creative work, writing, helping a neighbour, or caring for plants or animals. Small purposes are enough; a life without purpose feels heavy.


Emotional Luxury

Give Yourself Permission to Enjoy. Old age should not be about sacrifice but enjoyment. Give yourself permission to savour simple pleasures—flowers, favourite snacks, good clothes, a beautiful space, short trips, and celebrations. Pamper yourself occasionally, because joy is also a form of health.


Freedom from the past

Old age becomes golden when you release old wounds. Forgive not because others deserve it, but because you deserve peace. Let go of guilt, regrets, and what-ifs; the heart feels lighter, the face calmer, and the mind clearer.


Spiritual independence

Anchor yourself in inner peace. Spirituality in this phase of life is not about rituals but about silence, gratitude, and inner stability. Begin with gratitude, practise gentle breathing or meditation, and find comfort in music or spiritual reading. These habits create a calm inner anchor.


Depend on yourself.

This does not mean loneliness, but self-sufficiency. Be able to manage your finances, move independently, make your own decisions, keep your routine, and stay emotionally steady even when others disappoint you. Live happily without seeking approval—this is true independence and the real beauty of old age.


Celebrate your age

Remember—you have survived every challenge. You are stronger, wiser, and clearer about what truly matters. Choose peace over chaos and joy over fear, and celebrate who you have become.


Your golden age

When emotional strength, financial planning, physical health, and a joyful mindset come together, old age becomes graceful, peaceful, free, and deeply meaningful. You are not nearing the end but entering a rich phase of life where pressure is less, wisdom greater, clarity sharper, and beauty comes from within.

Live with dignity. Live with style. Live with strength. Live with joy!

 

 (The writer is a tutor based in Thane. Views personal.)


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