MANTRAYA OCCASIONAL PAPER #07: 14 MARCH 2019 Shanghai Cooperation Organization and South Asia: Balancing Act – Divya Godbole – Abstract The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) welcomed India and Pakistan into its cohort in 2017, a move that not only revamped the organization, but made it relevant in the South Asian context. This unveils the scenario of […]
MANTRAYA ANALYSIS#34: 26 FEBRUARY 2019 Pulwama Attack: The ‘game of chicken’ in India-Pakistan relations Bibhu Prasad Routray – Abstract Kashmir yet again captured media attention with the suicide attack by a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militant on the security forces on 14 February that killed 40 personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force. On 26 February, New […]
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#32: 26 DECEMBER 2018 India’s ‘Act East’ Policy: Impact on Mizoram and Manipur Safa Rahim – Abstract India’s ‘Look East’ policy which was recalibrated as the ‘Act East’ policy has focused on reducing the economic and physical isolation of the northeastern region of India. Several connectivity projects are being implemented and are making progress, albeit […]
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#30: 21 NOVEMBER 2018 Women Cadres of India’s Left-wing Extremist Movement Rhea Maheshwari – Abstract India’s Maoist extremism draws its women cadres from the impoverished tribal population. Although the state highlights the employment of coercion as a tactic for recruitment, Maoists use variety of instruments to fill in the ranks of fighters, support staff, 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#12: 30 JULY 2018 Women Cadres of the CPI-Maoist – Rhea Maheshwari – Abstract While official assessments point at the forced recruitment of women by the extremists and their exploitation within the organization, the left-wing extremists of the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) underline the important role played by women in their operations 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 […]