Ukraine could position itself as the West’s answer to Chinese dominance in many critical raw material sectors, according to a new report by LSE IDEAS and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung.

After avenging the 3-day India-Pakistan conflict following the Pahalgam massacre, the Modi government launched an unprecedented diplomatic initiative that appears to be a turning point in India’s history. On April 22, the killing of 26 innocent tourists in Jammu and Kashmir was not just an attack on civilians but a direct challenge to India’s sovereignty and resolve. Again, after Trump Terrif, India proved its mettle. The whole country seems to be standing united once again.

Recently, senior officials and the foreign minister hinted at the West’s lingering bias for Pakistan. Most leaders in India and poor third-world countries feel that the Western world is highly biased and sectarian. The hearts of some white leaders still secretly pulse for Pakistan. This is a thunderclap warning that India must arm itself with caution and self-reliance in a world where allies like the US wield friendship as a weapon of convenience.

US President Donald Trump’s recent stance toward India—marked by tariff hikes, coercive pressure, and transactional rhetoric—hints at a new imperialist era. Trump’s distancing from the World Trade Organisation and his economic bullying under the guise of ‘America First’ reveal that the US no longer seeks friendship but demands subservience.

A surviving Iran is more valuable to American interests than a destroyed one. A defeated Iran would upset the delicate balance of fear that fuels US arms sales and regional influence.

Since the rise of Trump, global peace has been under threat. The fear of nuclear war is growing as multiple hotspots—Ukraine, Taiwan, and the Middle East—remain tense. Trade wars are intensifying, and nations are turning against each other economically. The world now resembles a battleground of ‘survival of the fittest’, where the scramble for power and resources has weakened global cooperation. In such a volatile environment, even a small spark could trigger catastrophic consequences.

When Donald Trump sat down for lunch with Pakistan’s Army Chief Asim Munir in the White House Cabinet Room, the menu featured more than just sandwiches. On the table was ‘nuclear peace pudding’ and a spicy chutney of covert strategies against Iran. Trump pretended to thank Munir for averting an India-Pakistan war, but the real dish was America’s dream of setting up military bases in Pakistan...

At a time when India is facing hostilities from across the borders and surrounded by not-so-friendly neighbours, scholars are wondering whether nations, small in size and with limited resources, have any future, or will they permanently remain basket cases.

You might have seen monkeys on trees and clowns in a circus taking amazing somersaults, but when the head of a global superpower apes his simian cousins and wows you with unexpected plunges and speedy back walking, the comity of nations can not but be alarmed.

India has always exemplified global brotherhood through the principle of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, i.e. the world is one family. However, some nations have mistaken this magnanimity for weakness. Bangladesh and Turkey are two such examples—despite sharing historical ties with India, they now stand against us. Under these circumstances, boycotting economic and diplomatic relations with these countries is justified and essential to safeguard India’s national security and self-respect.