In The Friend Zone
Hindustan Times Ludhiana|January 01, 2025
This year, India will look to consolidate its position as an island of calm in a world of storms. It will need all the agility it can muster, as mediation becomes trickier in a second Trump era
Pramit Pal Chaudhuri

The goal of the Narendra Modi government in the coming year will be to position India as an island of calm in a world of storms. The destination for companies seeking to set up a secure supply chain. A country with a capital where politics is boringly predictable. A nation with a military that is unlikely to spar with its neighbours.

One measure of progress is that Modi is able to host summits with Russia's Vladimir Putin, China's Xi Jinping and the US's Donald Trump without ruffling feathers. When the PM says his third term is about the idea of the Vishwabandhu, or universal friend, it is more than a slogan. There is thought behind the phrase.

The world is likely to fight less but squabble more in 2025. Ukraine is slow-transitioning to a postconflict state. Neither side seems to be aiming for a decisive win; a peace conference with Kyiv and Moscow is on the horizon; and Donald Trump could prove to be the dove in shining armour.

Nothing will happen in a hurry. Wars of stalemates can take months to wind down.

West Asia is more of a muddle. With Gaza flattened and the collapse of Iran's informal Shia empire, the question is what the ascendant Qatar-Turkey axis has in mind. So far, the new axis has preached peace on earth and goodwill to all men (except Kurds). There is something for diplomacy to work with here, if Trump's anti-Ayatollah sentiment doesn't boil over.

Denne historien er fra January 01, 2025-utgaven av Hindustan Times Ludhiana.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra January 01, 2025-utgaven av Hindustan Times Ludhiana.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA HINDUSTAN TIMES LUDHIANASe alt
Hindustan Times Ludhiana

Film And TV's Golden Night

The 82nd Golden Globes was a mix of surprise wins but disappointments for India as stars showed up in full force

time-read
1 min  |
January 07, 2025
Hindustan Times Ludhiana

No matter what I do, my son will always be my priority: Sania Mirza

Sania Mirza has been jetsetting since her appointment as an ambassador for Dubai's Sports Council in December. But her busy year didn't keep her from ringing in 2025 with her \"forever date\", her six-year-old son Izhaan Mirza Malik.

time-read
1 min  |
January 07, 2025
Hindustan Times Ludhiana

The curious case of Vidya Balan's post for Rohit Sharma

Vidya Balan; (inset above) the actor posted a screenshot of a message she received containing identical text to her post before quickly deleting it

time-read
1 min  |
January 07, 2025
Hindustan Times Ludhiana

Love lockdown: OYO's new rule for unmarried couples sparks mixed reactions

On Sunday, the hotel booking platform OYO introduced a new policy that prohibits unmarried couples from checking into its partner hotels in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.

time-read
1 min  |
January 07, 2025
Hindustan Times Ludhiana

Ankush Bahuguna put under 40-hour 'digital arrest' by scammers: I lost my money, mental health

YouTuber Ankush Bahuguna has revealed that he was recently put in a 'digital arrest' by online scammers.

time-read
1 min  |
January 07, 2025
Hindustan Times Ludhiana

Book on J&K Partition Stories Unveiled in City

A new book titled 1947-Traasdi (tragedy), chronicling the heartrending stories of the Indo-Pak partition in Jammu and Kashmir, was unveiled in the city on Monday.

time-read
1 min  |
January 07, 2025
Hindustan Times Ludhiana

Lecturers call for revised timings in government schools

UNION RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT 'INADEQUATE' WINTER PROTECTION DUE TO POOR-QUALITY UNIFORMS

time-read
1 min  |
January 07, 2025
Hindustan Times Ludhiana

CICU Proposes Reforms to Empower Small & Medium Units

The Chamber of Industrial and Commercial Undertakings (CICU) called for transformative reforms to bolster the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) sector during the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Industry meeting held in Chandigarh.

time-read
1 min  |
January 07, 2025
Hindustan Times Ludhiana

Challenges Faced by Animal Husbandry Sector Discussed

PAHSVA Aims to Provide a Unified Platform to Address the Struggles of Livestock Owners and Veterinary Professionals

time-read
1 min  |
January 07, 2025
Hindustan Times Ludhiana

Plastic string injuries on elevated road haunt bikers

USE OF CHINESE STRING RAMPANT IN OLD CITY AREAS, ENDANGERING BIKERS' LIVES

time-read
1 min  |
January 07, 2025