Vivpost

Imagine ordering something online and being told that your package is delayed because a road hundreds of kilometers away has been blocked. Now imagine that happening not to a package, but to entire countries trying to trade with one another. This is essentially what the world is witnessing today. Over the past few years, conflicts in the Middle East and West Asia have repeatedly disrupted some of the world's busiest trade routes. Wars, missile attacks, and tensions between regional powers have affected shipping lanes through which billions of dollars worth of goods pass every day. As a result, transportation costs rise, deliveries get delayed, and economies around the world feel the impact. For India, these developments highlight the importance of a project announced during the G20 Summit in New Delhi in September 2023—the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). At first glance, IMEC may sound like just another infrastructure project. In reality, it is much more than tha...

For much of the last two decades, Bangladesh was viewed internationally as a quiet success story. It emerged as one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, lifted millions out of poverty, and became indispensable to global supply chains through its garment industry. Western brands, development agencies, and regional partners often pointed to Bangladesh as proof that steady growth and political continuity could coexist. That image is now fracturing. AI-Generated picture Since mid-2024, Bangladesh has experienced sustained political unrest, deadly protests, institutional paralysis, and growing social insecurity. Streets have burned, governments have fallen, and trust in the state has eroded. For observers outside South Asia, the crisis can appear sudden or confusing. In reality, it is the result of long-term structural pressures finally colliding with a fragile political transition. Understanding why Bangladesh is burning requires tracing the crisis from its roots, through its flash...

Bangladesh's political upheaval since Sheikh Hasina's ouster in 2024 has strained ties with India, amplified by foreign influences and the mysterious killing of youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi. This post examines recent developments, emerging leaders, external roles, and future trajectories for both nations. India - Bangladesh Historical Context of Ties India and Bangladesh shared strong bonds under Hasina's Awami League, rooted in 1971 liberation support and expanded through trade, security, and connectivity projects. New Delhi viewed Dhaka as a counterweight to extremism and a Northeast gateway. Key milestones included: Power-sharing agreements and transit rights for Indian goods. Joint counter-terrorism efforts against groups like ULFA. Economic interdependence, with Bangladesh as India's largest trading partner in South Asia. Hasina's authoritarian drift drew criticism, but it aligned with India's strategic needs, fostering a personal rapport between leaders....

The Thailand-Cambodia border dispute represents one of Southeast Asia's most enduring territorial conflicts, rooted in colonial-era ambiguities and exacerbated by domestic political tensions. The 2025 escalation marks the most serious confrontation in over a decade, with significant ramifications extending beyond the bilateral relationship to affect regional stability and India's strategic interests in Southeast Asia. Historical Background and Past Relations Colonial Origins and Initial Demarcation The origins of the Thailand-Cambodia border dispute trace back to a map produced in 1907 during the French colonial era, which Cambodia used to claim specific border regions. However, the ambiguity inherent in this colonial cartography created fundamentally divergent interpretations between the two nations. This foundational disagreement persisted even as both countries moved toward independence and established formal diplomatic relations. Also Read - U.S.–Venezuela Relations Explain...