• Print

    ISAS Briefs

    Quick analytical responses to occurrences in South Asia​​​

    Title: Khaleda Zia’s Political Legacy:
    Rule, Confrontation and Polarisation
    Author/s: Imran Ahmed
    Abstract: Bangladesh’s first female prime minister, Khaleda Zia, died on 30 December 2025. A pivotal figure in the country’s political life since the early 1980s, she played a significant role in shaping Bangladesh’s two-party system and the trajectory of opposition politics. Her legacy, however, is inseparable from the deep polarisation that has defined Bangladeshi politics for decades. It was forged as much through prolonged confrontation with the Awami League and Sheikh Hasina as through her efforts to consolidate the Bangladesh Nationalist Party as a durable national opposition force.
    Date: 9 January 2026
    Read More
    Title: The Political Spillover of Sports:
    New Low in India-Bangladesh Ties
    Author/s: Amit Ranjan
    Abstract: Despite engagements on several issues, India-Bangladesh ties have touched a new low. The release of Bangladeshi bowler Mustafizur Rahman from the Indian Premier League 2026 edition has strained cricketing ties and created a new friction point between the two countries.
    Date: 7 January 2026
    Read More
    Title: Subsea Cables in the Indo-Pacific:
    Advancing Indo-French Cooperation
    Author/s: Anirudh Suri
    Abstract: India and France are at the cusp of a fruitful and productive partnership in the subsea cable domain by leveraging France’s industrial strength and technical expertise, and India’s dynamic market, strategic geography and investment appetite.
    Date: 6 January 2026
    Read More
    Title: Passing of Khaleda Zia:
    Relations with India and Regional Legacy
    Author/s: C Raja Mohan
    Abstract: The passing of Khaleda Zia and the political eclipse of Sheikh Hasina mark the end of an era in Bangladeshi politics and open the door to a generational transition with important domestic and regional consequences. As Bangladesh approaches elections amid deep domestic churn, New Delhi hopes to reset a relationship that has sharply deteriorated since the ouster of Hasina in 2024.
    Date: 5 January 2026
    Read More
    Title: Rushing Through Critical Legislations:
    Erosion of Parliamentary Scrutiny in India
    Author/s: Ronojoy Sen
    Abstract: The winter session of the Indian parliament witnessed important pieces of legislation being passed in haste and without any committee scrutiny. It confirmed a decade-long trend that has undermined the parliamentary committee system.
    Date: 5 January 2026
    Read More
    Load more