Prashant Shukla

I strongly and unequivocally condemn the barbaric terrorist attack that devastated the peaceful meadows of Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on 22 April 2025. In an act of unspeakable malice, 26 innocent civilians, including foreign nationals, were brutally gunned down. Dozens more were injured. This atrocity marks a tragic milestone in the global struggle against terrorism that increasingly targets civilians in cold blood. This was not merely an attack. It was a choreographed slaughter. Armed militants emerged from the forests and fired indiscriminately on unarmed people, families, tourists, and newlyweds gathered in Pahalgam. Among the victims was Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, a young naval officer from Haryana, whose life was extinguished not by the fate of war but by a bullet fueled by hatred. The group claiming responsibility, The Resistance Front (TRF), a known proxy of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba, justified the massacre through divisive ideological rhetoric. However, the truth is chill...

A New Reality for Countries Receiving US Support: The Risk of Compromised Sovereignty in the Age of Trump's Policies As the world navigates a rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape, countries traditionally relying on the United States for military, economic, and diplomatic support grapple with a new and unsettling reality, the risk of compromising their sovereignty in exchange for continued American aid. The case of Ukraine, caught in a high stakes negotiation with the Trump administration over a controversial minerals deal, offers a striking example of this dilemma. However, it is not alone. Across the globe, countries dependent on US support are now facing increasingly harsh terms, forcing them to weigh the immediate benefits of aid against the long-term erosion of their national autonomy. Under the Trump administration, US foreign policy has shifted from traditional alliances and mutual benefits towards a transactional approach driven by economic interests and geopolitical calc...

  India's economic ascent is facing a critical test. After registering an impressive 8.2% GDP growth in the fiscal year 2023–24, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has revised its projection for 2024–25 downward to 6.6%, a marked drop from the earlier estimate of 7.2%. Manufacturing growth has slowed to 2.2% in the third quarter of 2024, down sharply from 7% a year prior, while private investment has shown signs of stagnation. Though India continues to outperform most major economies, its recent loss of momentum, exacerbated by internal weaknesses and an increasingly volatile global trade environment, signals a decisive moment for its $4 trillion economy. India's Position in the Global Economic Landscape To understand India's trajectory, it is helpful to compare it with four other leading economies: Vietnam, the United States, China, and Ireland. Each exhibits distinct growth dynamics.  With a projected GDP growth of 6.8% in 2025, Vietnam has emerged as a formidable competitor...

  L-R Ambassador Kevin Kelly, Tánaiste Simon Harris, Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar   and Ambassador Akhilesh Mishra  From 6 to 7 March 2025, India's External Affairs Minister, Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, officially visited Ireland. This visit, distinguished by diplomatic meetings, academic engagements, and strategic discussions, underscored the evolving global partnerships in a rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape. Despite the historical alliance and mutual support during both nations' freedom struggles, the Ireland-India relationship has not expanded as robustly as anticipated, particularly in contrast to Ireland's increasingly strong ties with China. Diplomacy and Academic Outreach During his stay in Ireland, Dr Jaishankar delivered a lecture entitled India's View of the World at University College Dublin (UCD). This address outlined India's foreign policy vision for a multipolar world and emphasised the significance of cultural, educational, and scient...