Geeta's World

The recent SCO Council of Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Goa saw intense verbal exchanges between India and Pakistan.

But a few observers noted that Jaishankar's recent comments on not engaging with Pakistan to counter terrorism went a bit too far, and analysts say both Jaishankar and Zardari officials put up a “performance for their respective domestic audiences". Is it so?

Meanwhile, China has continued its aggressive posture towards India by asserting claims over the territory of Arunachal and releasing a list of Chinese names for places in the region.
Yet, Jaishankar’s strong words are restricted to Pakistan. So, can it afford to frown at the Chinese?

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The US will now periodically deploy nuclear-armed submarines to South Korea and involve Seoul in its nuclear planning operations. In return, South Korea has committed to not develop its own nuclear weapons.

But there is a dissenting voice coming in from the South Koreans, who are skeptical of the deal, why?

And given the fact that this dissent is growing among members of South Korea's ruling party too, do we anticipate a growing resentment towards Yoon Suk Yeol’s administration in South Korea?

The Sudanese army and the powerful paramilitary group RSF are engaged in violent clashes, stemming from tensions over the proposed integration of the RSF into the military, and with both sides vying for control in the country.

Both General Burhan and General Dagalo have claimed that they support the idea of returning to civilian rule. But why has the conflict and the infighting between the two military leaders erupted now? Is it well timed?

The British tactic of divide and rule in Sudan during the 19th century is evident, but can they be solely held responsible for the country's current dire situation?

Leaked documents allegedly from the US Department of Defense have caused concerns about security breaches and potential diplomatic fallout.

One revelation suggests that the US may have exaggerated the number of Russian military casualties in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

So Is it because of the US's penetration of Russian military operations that Russia is fighting an almost lost war?

And doesn't such sort of surveillance pose the risk of the US' allies wanting to keep a distance from it, and turning towards China, the other major power?

The recent incident of Israeli police entering the al-Aqsa mosque, one of the most sacred sites in Islam, and also a significant site in Judaism and Christianity. has sparked outrage and concern. This occurred during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and on the eve of the Jewish Passover holiday, leading to a cross-border exchange of fire in Gaza.

And this was not a first. Several such brutal attacks have been reported earlier. So do we really see no end to this violence?

But, a country whose government is based on a form of parliamentary democracy, where does the voice of the ‘left’ stand? Why is it that an ideology that seems to be fully believing in human rights, is not able to thrive in Israel?

The recently concluded democracy summit hosted by the US was marred by a lot of controversies, with some critics raising concerns about its effectiveness, while others questioning why certain countries were excluded from the event.

But as the host of a summit aimed at promoting democratic values, can the US truly claim to be the standard-bearer of democracy?

And by cherry-picking nations who align with the US's interests, can this summit impact any change? Can then the real idea of strengthening democratic resilience stand true?

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It did come as a shock when the two countries Iran and Saudi Arabia that have been at loggerheads for a long time now, announced mending of their diplomatic ties. The deal between the two was brokered by China.


Interestingly, the announcement came on the day President Xi Jinping clinched a third term as China’s president. So do optics matter when striking such a deal?


And given India’s long-standing relationships with most of the Gulf states, and the large Indian diaspora in the Middle East, can India replace China as a more trusted partner and mediator in the region?

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Amritpal Singh's controversial views and sudden rise to fame have sparked a political crisis in the north Indian state. He has now been declared a fugitive.

But his case raises important questions about the Khalistan notion, which calls for a separate homeland for Sikhs. What does the rise of amritpal singh, as a preacher of Sikhism and as Bhindranwale 2.0 mean?

And does Khalistan really exist as a romantic notion in the minds of Punjabis? Or is it that the huge Punjabi diaspora in Canada, the US, the UK, gets attached to the idea of a sovereign Sikh state, and those ideas find their way back home?

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The UK government has introduced an Illegal Migration Bill aimed at discouraging small boat migration, promising to remove all individuals who enter the UK illegally by any means.

Critics claim that the bill is a political ploy by the Sunak government to benefit his reelection bid in 2024. However, several polls indicate that concerns regarding immigration have actually declined since the Brexit vote. What does this denote?

And what is the monumental challenge in making this bill a reality?

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The war in Ukraine has been ongoing for more than a year, resulting in a devastating toll on civilians. According to UN Human Rights data, 8,006 individuals have been killed, and around 13,287 have been injured. Despite numerous attempts at peace talks between the two countries, progress has been minimal, and tensions remain high.

Recently, a senior Ukrainian official has declared that peace talks are "out of the question" without the return of Ukraine's seized territory from Russia in 2022. Throughout the past year of the invasion, there have been significant developments, including President Joe Biden's visit to Kyiv, during which he pledged the United States' unwavering support in Ukraine's fight against Russia.

However, amidst these events, the loss of lives and lasting emotional scars remain a harsh reality for many Ukrainians.

Besides, looking at China’s role here, the country appears to be demonstrating its position as being equidistant from both the conflicting parties. But, as the latest development shows, Russia and Ukraine both have appreciated China’s intervention in the war. Russia’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, said that Moscow appreciated China’s plan to resolve the conflict in Ukraine and said it was open to achieving the goals of what it calls its “special military operation” through political and diplomatic means.

Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said there were points in the Chinese proposals that were understandable” and “there are those that we don’t”.

What is this intervention about and the big question is why now? What's the geopolitical pressure or endgame that China is eyeing from this?

In this episode, our host Anna Priyadarshini and foreign affairs editor at India Today, TV Today Network Geeta Mohan revisit the ongoing conflict, exploring the prospects for the future and whether a resolution is imminent.

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Produced by Anna Priyadarshini