For India, Bangladesh has never been just another neighbour. Geography would have made that impossible, but history sealed it. The two countries share memories of 1971, which still shape political instincts on both sides, and there are dense economic and social ties; this means that developments in Bangladesh are seldom distant events for New Delhi. Illustration by The Geostrata They are experienced, discussed, and in many cases privately fretted about. For most of the last d

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

In 1826, the British government established a border between India and Burma that cut through villages and even individual homes. This...