MANTRAYA ANALYSIS#33: 30 JANUARY 2019 India’s Defence Diplomacy with Myanmar: State of Play Bibhu Prasad Routray – Abstract New Delhi’s strategic objectives in Myanmar remain important, yet ambigous. Firstly, the country is a lynchpin for India’s Act East policy. Secondly, it is a theatre where New Delhi is seeking to challenge the decades-old dominance of Beijing. […]
MANTRAYA ANALYSIS#31: 30 NOVEMBER 2018 Paresh Baruah’s ULFA: Signs of Revival Bibhu Prasad Routray – Abstract ULFA-Independent, which seeks independence of India’s northeastern state of Assam, and operates from its camps located in the ungoverned spaces of Myanmar, is on a comeback trail. Headed by veteran rebel leader Paresh Baruah, ULFA has not only executed few terror […]
MANTRAYA ANALYSIS#29: 04 OCTOBER 2018 Myanmar versus the Rohingya: The China Factor Bibhu Prasad Routray – Abstract A number of investigative reports have found evidence of Myanmar’s military role in the ethnic cleaning of the Rohingya leading to huge international uproar and censure. In response, Myanmar’s civilian as well as military have closed ranks and […]
MANTRAYA SPECIAL REPORT#14: 27 SEPTEMBER 2018 Islamic State in Kashmir: Black Flags and Black Shrouds – Bibhu Prasad Routray – Abstract As the Islamic State seeks to regain its diminishing clout to expand into new theatres, it appears to be making a desperate attempt to gain foothold in Kashmir, where internal dissent and an externally […]
MANTRAYA SPECIAL REPORT#13: 16 AUGUST 2018 No End in Sight: Islamist Militancy in the Philippines since the Marawi Siege – Tanvi Gupta & Bibhu Prasad Routray – Abstract Since the end of the siege over Marawi, the Armed Forces of Philippines have tried to neutralise the remnants of Islamic State-affiliated militancy. Success has been achieved. […]
MANTRAYA ANALYSIS#28: 05 AUGUST 2018 Imran Khan’s Pakistan & Prospect of ‘Peace’ in South Asia Bibhu Prasad Routray – Abstract The selective euphoria with the poll results in Pakistan’s National Assembly elections notwithstanding, Imran Khan’s ‘new Pakistan’ suffers from inherent limitations. It may not augur a new or dramatic turnaround in policy towards India and […]
MANTRAYA ANALYSIS#27: 05 JULY 2018 Sri Lanka’s Cannabis Problem: Roots in India Bibhu Prasad Routray Abstract The volume of Ganja (cannabis) smuggling from India to Sri Lanka has risen significantly over the years. The demand for cannabis from Kerala in Sri Lanka has given rise to a robust supply chain that starts from states like […]
MANTRAYA ANALYSIS#26: 12 JUNE 2018 Bastariya Battalion: New force against India’s Left-wing Extremists Bibhu Prasad Routray – Abstract Bastariya Battalion, a new battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is being inducted into the Left-wing extremism- afflicted Bastar region of Chhattisgarh state. Comprising of tribal recruits, the battalion is expected to add to capacities […]
MANTRAYA ANALYSIS#25: 15 MAY 2018 Narco Economy in Myanmar: From Opiates to ATS Bibhu Prasad Routray – Abstract Rising demand has transformed Myanmar into the prime producer of synthetic drugs. It’s a US$ 4 billion economy. Production of and trade in narcotics in Myanmar registers continuous growth in spite of a decrease in area of […]
MANTRAYA ANALYSIS#24: 27 APRIL 2018 Five Nations Railway Corridor Project: Increasing Connectivity & Chinese Dominance in Afghanistan Bibhu Prasad Routray & Sayantan Haldar – Abstract The Five Nations Railway Corridor (FNRC) is yet another connectivity project sought to be implemented in Afghanistan and has been embraced as an a potential game changer for the conflict […]