Why empathy, identity, and collective behaviour shape the future of diplomacy “Behind every handshake and policy lies something subtler, the sociology of human behaviour.” Every summit hall, joint statement, and diplomatic gesture carries more than strategic intent; it carries emotion, memory, and meaning. While diplomacy is often framed as the language of power and national interest, the forces that sustain trust, legitimacy, and influence are deeply social. Illustration by

Security and strategy have been the guiding principles in today’s geopolitical scenario. The ASEAN, or Association of Southeast Asian Nations, has been at the forefront of ensuring a secure and stable world. At the core of it lies a critical region, the Indo-Pacific. The Indo-Pacific has been witnessing an evolving nature of geopolitics and is significant for regional groupings like ASEAN and QUAD. Illustration by The Geostrata The QUAD, comprising the United States, India, A

Secession, the separation of a territory from an established state, is one of the most disruptive moments in international politics. If accompanied by conflict, the relations between the two sides are unsurprisingly complex and turbulent. The new country attempts to define itself in opposition to the state from which it broke away. While the parent state, as the original state is called, may harbour feelings of resentment and humiliation. Illustration by The Geostrata When co

Syria has experienced a shift in power with new actors emerging. The larger shift comes from how global powers view ongoing events in the country. Ahmed al-Sharaa came to power in Syria as part of a dramatic political transition.  In addition to signaling the end of Syria's previous leadership, his ascent has drawn attention from all over the world due to his remarkable personal development of Ahmed al Sharaa, from being an al-Qaeda militant commander to a Syrian ‘revoluti

With the establishment of formal bilateral ties in 1951, both India and Myanmar have faced multiple crests and troughs in maintaining a steady balance of geopolitical interests, sailing through various coups, tension struggles and internal strife. India and Myanmar share a particularly sour relationship, wherein the effects of internal turbulence are seen on the emotional, social and economic aspects of the other. These include border tensions, immigrant management issues, re

In the magnificent world of diplomacy, nations speak the language of friendship and trust, followed by the treaties, agreements, or pacts that promise solidarity, resilience, and cooperation. These pacts are signed and agreed upon in a spirit of warmth and confidence, marked by gestures of goodwill, photographs, and cordial handshakes; however, the dark truth lies deep in the shifting interests of nations. Illustration by The Geostrata History reveals the colder side of thes

‘The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without even fighting’- Sun Tzu, The Art of War.  The Asian dragon and its growing relevance in global affairs have persistently dictated the geopolitical sphere and shaped global policies. From dominating global supply chains to an established hegemony in rare earth resources, China is no longer just an active player in a rapidly evolving global order, emerging at the helm of affairs. Illustration by The Geostrata As the geopol

It is a challenging time to be a US ally. America is withdrawing from its role as system administrator in favour of becoming just another self-interested great power. To make matters worse, an informal alliance of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, called the “Axis of Evil”   by Western officials, is emerging.  Illustration by The Geostrata The region most anxious about these developments is the Indo-Pacific, the new theatre of great power competition. For Asia, Donald Tru

In an ever-evolving, unpredictable world order, a moderate, realistic and flexible country has several opportunities to shape and influence it. It has been observed that opportunities in the international system do not wait for long. There is no true democracy in the global arena. Illustration by The Geostrata A middle-income country like India, which does not hold commanding formal positions at the high tables of bodies like the UN, must try to take the initiative in fields

Across the shifting landscape of global politics, facts bend and twist under the weight of rival agendas. Global trade is no longer limited to goods; they trade choreographed realities. In that subterranean theatre, half-truths and outright fabrications stated briefly as “official facts”, their purpose not merely to deceive but to anchor diplomatic leverage, with an intention to lead allies down false paths of trust. Illustration by The Geostrata Similar to the society George

There is a monument in Geneva that depicts a giant broken chair, and it stands just across the street from the world's premier organ for international law and cooperation- The United Nations. Originally meant to symbolise the devastation caused by landmines, the chair’s broken leg today serves as a powerful metaphor for the UN itself, as its principal pillars are broken and just one push away from total collapse. Illustration by The Geostrata The Vision was noble, born from

In the 19th century, the “Great Game” was the strategic competition between the British Empire and Tsarist Russia over the domination of Central Asia. This historic competition is resurfacing in a modern form, with new players, new tools, and billions of dollars at stake. Central Asia, which had long been viewed as a geopolitical backwater, has emerged as a critical front line in the contest for supremacy among great powers. Illustration by The Geostrata Today, China, Russia,

The H-1B visa program started with the Immigration Act of 1990. This law created a type of visa that lets U.S. companies hire foreign workers in jobs that need at least a college degree or something similar in areas like science, technology, engineering, and math. At first, there was a limit of 65,000 visas each year. The goal was to fill gaps in skilled workers needed in the American job market. Illustration by The Geostrata Over time, most of the H-1B visas went to people f

The clouds of tension are looming large, and we see a storm stirring up. Now, before scratching your head, wondering what storm we are talking about and who is stirring what, let us make things clear. Illustration by The Geostrata A new chapter in US-China ties has begun, defined by increasingly hostile discourse, reciprocal sanctions, and limited people-to-people interaction. Additionally, if the current string of tensions continue, the prospect of a long-term strategic riva

In February 2022, Russia began an invasion of Ukraine. And as a response, the West implemented extensive aviation sanctions through the governments and aircraft OEMs ( Original Equipment Manufacturers ) Boeing, Airbus, etc, by shutting down leases. Illustration by The Geostrata Russia responded by re-registering foreign aircraft in Russia. The re-registration effectively nationalised the aircraft, and termination and immediate cessation of support from maintenance to spare pa

India's maritime policy is experiencing a robust transformation that now emphasises technological innovations, smart diplomacy, and regional leadership. India is expanding its reach from coastal defence to the entire Indo-Pacific region through contemporary definitions of maritime power grounded on Artificial Intelligence and multilateralism. Cover by The Geostrata India's maritime policy reflects its maritime aspirations, with doctrines like SAGAR and the Indo-Pacific Oceans

As the world anticipates a Trump-led ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war, Europe is caught within its strategic reckoning . Following a heated Oval Office exchange between President Trump and Ukraine’s Zelenskyy, along with the NSA chat leak, Trump has made it clear that Washington’s strategic calculus may no longer align with that of Europe, thereby awakening European leaders. Illustration by The Geostrata This diplomatic strain was further intensified with the imposition of

An epochal building block of a nation’s foundation is its sovereignty. Free from external influence, countries have the authority to...

In the 21st Century, the global power structures have dramatically changed, with geopolitics now being decoupled from geoeconomics,...

“Only the dead have seen the end of war,” famously remarked General Douglas MacArthur, attributing this quotation to ancient Greek philosopher Plato in his farewell address to the graduating class of West Point in 1962, highlighting the intertwined nature of the growth of human civilisation and the inalienable role of conflict between humans. The foundation of the realist school of international relations is augmented by this belief. Cover by The Geostrata Realists believe th