India Strategic Review
The ISR features an assessment of key developments, trends, and policies pertaining to India’s immediate and continental neighbourhood and is authored by Lt. Gen. Deependra Singh Hooda (Retd.), Distinguished Fellow for Military Strategy.
After heavy fighting broke out between Afghanistan and Pakistan in October, Qatar and Turkey had brokered a ceasefire and brought both sides to the negotiating table. The third round of talks between the two countries, held in Istanbul on November 6-7, failed to achieve a breakthrough, with the two sides blaming each other. As trade between Afghanistan and Pakistan has remained suspended since October 11, Kabul is looking to diversify trade partnerships.
The Taliban’s Minister of Industry and Commerce, Alhaj Nooruddin Azizi, accompanied by a business delegation, visited India from November 19-25. Bilateral talks addressed trade facilitation, market access, connectivity, and capacity-building. The two countries have agreed to launch new dedicated air cargo routes connecting Kabul-Delhi and Kabul-Amritsar.
On November 13, Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari gave assent to the 27th Constitutional Amendment, a far-reaching change that fundamentally reshapes the country's judicial and civil-military architecture. The Amendment creates a new Federal Constitutional Court of Pakistan that would have exclusive jurisdiction over constitutional questions, federal–provincial disputes, and the enforcement of fundamental rights, displacing the Supreme Court from these roles.
The Amendment creates the post of a Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), vesting the overall command of the Army, Navy and Air Force under the Army Chief. There is also a new post of Commander of the National Strategic Command to oversee nuclear and strategic assets. The 27th Amendment has been widely criticised for weakening the independence of the judiciary and entrenching the authority of the Pak Army.
Pakistan’s internal security situation remains grim. On November 11, a suicide bomber killed 12 people in Islamabad when he tried to enter the court premises. A day earlier, there was a terror attack on the Cadet College at Wana. Pakistan has attempted to deflect the blame for these attacks on India and Afghanistan.
The LAC remains calm, but infrastructure improvements continue. On November 12, India operationalised the Nyoma airbase in eastern Ladakh, which can support fighter jets, helicopters and transport aircraft. Across the LAC, China has constructed a new unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) test centre near Ngari, to test UAVs under extreme climatic and high-elevation conditions.
On November 17, the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh handed down a death sentence to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, after convicting her in absentia of crimes against humanity. The verdict has led to a tense situation in Bangladesh, with reports of clashes and arson incidents across the country.
Coinciding with the date of the next general elections in Bangladesh, a referendum will also be held on the implementation of the July National Charter. This charter proposes significant constitutional changes, including turning Bangladesh’s unicameral Jatiya Sangsad into a bicameral parliament and a 10-year limit on any individual serving as Prime Minister.
Cyclone Ditwah hit Sri Lanka on November 28, causing widespread destruction across the country and affecting more than 1.5 million people. India was the first responder post the disaster, launching Operation "Sagar Bandhu" on November 28 and sending relief supplies, medical teams, NDRF personnel, and helicopters for search and rescue.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Bhutan from November 11-12 to commemorate the 70th birth anniversary of Bhutan's Fourth King, Jigme Singye Wangchuck. Prime Minister Modi announced a Line of Credit worth INR 4,000 crore to help Bhutan develop new hydropower and clean energy projects, and a financial contribution of INR 1,000 crore to support the ongoing Five-Year Plan.
To read this India Strategic Review, Vol. VI, Issue 11, please see the PDF attached.
