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An Israeli airstrike killed at least 24 Palestinians in a tent encampment housing displaced families in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, local health authorities said on Sunday, as mediators hosted a new round of talks between Israel and Hamas, BBC reported.

Israel expanded its military offensive in the enclave and ramped up bombing that has killed hundreds of people over the past 72 hours.

The Gaza health ministry said Israeli strikes in the past few days had killed hundreds of Palestinians despite a visit by U.S. President Donald Trump to the region.

Hamas described the strike as a "new brutal crime" in a statement on Sunday and blamed the U.S. administration for the escalation.

The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the latest strikes but it said in an earlier statement that it was conducting extensive strikes in areas of Gaza as part of its plan to reach its war objectives, according to BBC.

These days, as we celebrate the 77th Independence Day of the State of Israel, we stand united in gratitude, remembrance and hope. The day of Independence of Israel marks not only the miracle of our nation’s revival but also the enduring spirit of a people who have returned to their ancestral homeland after centuries of exile.

Our connection to the land of Israel is ancient and unbreakable. The Jewish people’s historical and legal rights to the land are rooted deeply in millennia of presence and faith. The Balfour Declaration, the San Remo Resolution, and the League of Nations Mandate all recognized our legitimate claim to this land, affirming the justice of our return. Israel is not a land seized by colonizers but the rightful homecoming of an indigenous people who have persevered through exile and adversity.

This year, our celebration is tempered by the harsh realities we face. We remember the sacrifices of our brave sons and daughters who have fallen defending our nation. We honor the wounded heroes who inspire us with their courage and resilience. We stand firm against those who seek to destroy us, terrorists who must know there is no place to hide from justice for their crimes against innocent people. The tragic events of October 7th, 2023, remain a solemn reminder of our ongoing struggle, yet also a testament to our unyielding commitment to peace, security, and the safety of all our citizens.

Our strength lies not only in our military might but in our unity, innovation and the spirit of our people. Israel has transformed itself into a developed nation, a beacon of democracy and technological advancement. We have built a society that thrives despite challenges, a society ranked among the happiest in the world. This success is born from solidarity, cooperation and a relentless pursuit of progress.

Our ties with the world, especially with friends like Nepal, exemplify our commitment to peace and mutual growth. Since June 1st, 1960, Israel and Nepal have enjoyed stable and friendly relations, cooperating in Education, Agriculture, Health, Infrastructure, Water Resources, Rural Development, and security among other topics. Over 4,000 Nepalis have benefited from agricultural training in Agriculture Academic Centers and Agricultural communities in Israel during their studies for a title in Agriculture from Nepali Universities, many of them are now great successes in Nepal. 

I would like to take this opportunity to thank in this regard the wonderful cooperation with Sana Kisan which has helped recruit thousands of students from around Nepal. Thousands of Nepalis have gained invaluable experience through Mashav, Israel’s AID Agency, in innumerable courses of experts in Israel and in Nepal in various topics since the 1960’. We are proud to support Nepal’s agricultural modernization and economic development, and we look forward to expanding our multilateral cooperation in other topics like IT and Cyber Technology in the years ahead.

We cherish the cultural and human bonds that unite us, appreciating Nepal’s rich and peaceful ethnicity, landscapes and traditions while fostering deeper ties through agreements. Some agreements which are ready and almost ready to be signed are evidence for further understanding and will enhance our relations for mutual benefit. Our shared experiences, including the pain of terrorism, have only strengthened our resolve to work together for a better future. Israel continues to provide financial and moral support to Nepali families affected by terror, standing in solidarity with all victims of violence.

Along the many centuries and generations from the times of our ancestors Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the people of Israel are an eternal people, and will endure forever. With this enduring spirit, we will continue to defend our homeland, build our society, pursue peace in the Middle East and friendship and cooperation throughout the globe.

On this 77th Independence Day, let us honor the past, embrace the present and look forward with hope. May the bonds of friendship between Israel and Nepal grow ever stronger. May our friendship and cooperation bring prosperity and peace to both our people.

The author is the ambassador of Israel to Nepal

Israel's security cabinet has approved a plan to expand its military offensive against Hamas which includes the "capture" of Gaza and the holding of its territory, according to an Israeli official, BBC reported.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the cabinet had decided on a "forceful operation" to destroy Hamas and rescue its remaining hostages, and that Gaza's 2.1 million population "will be moved, to protect it".

He did not say how much territory would be seized by troops, but he stressed that "they will not enter and come out".

The cabinet also approved, in principle, a plan to deliver aid through private companies, which would end a two-month blockade the UN says has caused severe food shortages, according to BBC.

A missile fired from Yemen landed near the main terminal of Israel's Ben Gurion airport on Sunday morning, Israeli authorities said, BBC reported.

For nearly 60 days, no food, fuel, medicine or other item has entered the Gaza Strip, blocked by Israel. Aid groups are running out of food to distribute. Markets are nearly bare. Palestinian families are left struggling to feed their children, Associated Press reported.

In the sprawling tent camp outside the southern city of Khan Younis, Mariam al-Najjar and her mother-in-law emptied four cans of peas and carrots into a pot and boiled it over a wood fire. They added a little bouillon and spices.

That, with a plate of rice, was the sole meal on Friday for the 11 members of their family, including six children.

Among Palestinians, “Fridays are sacred,” a day for large family meals of meat, stuffed vegetables or other rich traditional dishes, al-Najjar said, according to Associated Press.

“Now we eat peas and rice,” she said. “We never ate canned peas before the war. Only in this war that has destroyed our lives.”

The around 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza are now mainly living off canned vegetables, rice, pasta and lentils. Meat, milk, cheese and fruit have disappeared. Bread and eggs are scarce. The few vegetables or other items in the market have skyrocketed in price, unaffordable for most.

Israeli strikes overnight and into Thursday killed at least 40 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip, according to three hospitals. The strikes hit homes in the cities of Khan Younis and Rafah in southern Gaza and the northern town of Beit Lahiya, they said, Associated Press.

Israel resumed heavy strikes across Gaza on Tuesday, shattering a ceasefire that had halted the war and facilitated the release of more than two dozen hostages. Israel blamed the renewed fighting on Hamas because the militant group rejected an Israeli-backed proposal that departed from their signed agreement.

More than 400 Palestinians were killed on Tuesday alone, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. There have been no reports of Hamas firing rockets or carrying out other attacks.

On Wednesday, Israeli ground troops advanced in Gaza for the first time since the ceasefire took hold in January, seizing part of a corridor separating the northern third of the territory from the south.

Israel, which has also cut off the supply of food, fuel and humanitarian aid to Gaza’s roughly 2 million Palestinians, has vowed to intensify its operations until Hamas releases the 59 hostages it holds — 35 of whom are believed dead — and gives up control of the territory. The Trump administration, which took credit for brokering the ceasefire, says it fully supports Israel.

Hamas has said it will only release the remaining hostages in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, as called for in the ceasefire agreement they reached in January after more than a year of mediation by the United States, Egypt and Qatar.

Hamas, which does not accept Israel’s existence, says it is willing to hand over power to the Western-backed Palestinian Authority or a committee of political independents but will not lay down its arms until Israel ends its decades-long occupation of lands the Palestinians want for a future state, according to the Associated Press.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military on the latest strikes. The military says it only targets militants and blames civilian deaths on Hamas because it is deeply embedded in residential areas.

The European Hospital in the southern city of Rafah said 26 people, mostly women and children, were killed in strikes on two family homes overnight. One of the strikes killed a father and his seven children, it said.

The Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis received the bodies of seven people killed overnight in an attack on a home. In northern Gaza, the Indonesian Hospital said it had received the bodies of seven people killed in a strike on a home in Beit Lahiya, a town near the border.

The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage. Most of the hostages have been freed in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Israeli forces have rescued eight living hostages and recovered the bodies of dozens more.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive, among the deadliest and most destructive in recent history, has killed nearly 49,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. It does not say how many were militants, but says more than half of those killed were women and children. Israel says it has killed around 20,000 militants, without providing evidence, Associated Press.

The war at its height displaced around 90% of Gaza’s population and has caused vast destruction across the territory. Hundreds of thousands of people returned to their homes during the ceasefire, but many found only fields of rubble and the bombed-out shells of buildings.

The Israeli military says it is carrying out "extensive strikes" in the Gaza Strip, with the Hamas-run health ministry reporting that at least 130 Palestinians have been killed, BBC reported.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it was targeting what it called "terror targets" belonging to Hamas.

Mahmoud Abu Wafah, the deputy interior minister in Gaza and the highest-ranking Hamas security official in the territory, has reportedly been killed in a strike.

This is the largest wave of airstrikes in Gaza since the ceasefire began on 19 January. Talks to extend the Gaza ceasefire have failed to reach an agreement.

Many people were having their pre-dawn meal, due to it being the holy month of Ramadan, when explosions started in Gaza, witnesses say.

More than 20 Israeli war planes flew over, they said. The planes then began to hit targets in Gaza City, Rafah and Khan Younis.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered the strikes on Tuesday morning, according to a statement from the PM's office.

"This follows Hamas's repeated refusal to release our hostages, as well as its rejection of all of the proposals it has received from US Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff and from the mediators," it said. 

"Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength," it added.

The plan for the strikes "was presented by the IDF over the weekend and approved by the political leadership", it said, according to BBC.

Hamas has responded furiously, accusing Israel of treachery for overturning the ceasefire agreement. It also says Israel is exposing the remaining Israeli hostages held in Gaza to "an unknown fate".

But Hamas has not yet declared that it is resuming the war, instead calling on mediators and the United Nations to intervene.

US President Donald Trump's administration was consulted by Israel prior to carrying out the strikes, a White House spokesperson told Fox News.

Negotiators have been trying to find a way forward after the first phase of the temporary truce ended on 1 March.

The US proposed extending the first phase until mid-April, including a further exchange of hostages held by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

But a Palestinian official familiar with the talks told the BBC that Israel and Hamas disagreed over key aspects of the deal set out by Witkoff at the indirect talks.

The latest war between Israel and Hamas started on 7 October 2023, when Hamas killed more than 1,200 people in southern Israel, mostly civilians, with 251 taken hostage.

The assault triggered an Israeli military offensive that has since killed more than 48,520 people, most of them civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run health ministry which are used by the UN and others, BBC reported.

Most of Gaza's 2.1 million population has been displaced multiple times.

An estimated 70% of buildings have been damaged or destroyed, healthcare, water, and sanitation systems have collapsed and there are shortages of food, fuel, medicine and shelter.

Ambassador Shmulik A. Bass, along with officials from Nepal’s Ministry of Finance and Sana Kisan Bikas Laghubitta Bittiyasanstha (SKBBL), visited the agricultural farm of Youddha Prasad Neupane, a prominent Israel returnee student and agripreneur, on Sunday in Jeevanpur, Dhading.

The visit offered firsthand insights into Neupane's journey,challenges and best practices in agribusiness enterprise using Israeli Agro-technologies.

Neupane is an alumnus of the Learn and Earn Program, 2013-2014 batch of Arava International Center for Agriculture Training (AICAT), Israel.

He has significantly expanded his farm after returning from Israel and has successfully applied Israeli Agricultural technologies- including drip-irrigation with automation, fertigation system, mulching techniques, and high-tech nursery. Notably, he invests only 20% of his income in Israeli technology while achieving remarkable results.

 Farmers from neighboring areas are learning from his techniques, and he continues to inspire the local agricultural community. 

This visit underscores the strong agricultural cooperation between Nepal and Israel and highlights the success of Learn and Earn Programs in empowering Nepali farmers with innovative and modern farming techniques. 

More than 4, 000 students from farming families, associated with SKBBL and other institutions, have been trained in Israel under Learn and Earn Program in modern agriculture since 2001.

Youddha Prasad Neupane was also declared the 2nd Krishi Tara winner and awarded with a cheque of Rs 500,000 along with the winner's certificate. 

Israeli Ambassador to Nepal Shmulik Arie Bass expressed his hope that Bipin Joshi, who has been held captive by Hamas, Palestinian militant group, since October 7, will return home soon.

The Israeli government has received information that Joshi of Kanchanpur, a Nepali student who went missing after Hamas launched an armed attack on Israel, is in Gaza Strip, he said.

Joshi, who went to Israel under the 'Learn and Earn' program to study agriculture, was taken hostage from Alumim Kibbutz on October 7, 2023. He has gone out of contact since then.

“It is true that he is alive. We have received information that he has been kept somewhere in the Gaza Strip,” newly appointed Ambassador Bass said during a meeting with diplomatic journalists in Kathmandu on Thursday.

“We have received information from the sources in Arab countries that Joshi is alive,” he said.

Hamas took around 250 people from different countries hostage, including Joshi, by attacking the southern part of Israel, which is connected to the Gaza Strip, On October 7 of last year.

Ten other Nepali students who were hiding in Alumim Kibbutz along with Joshi, however, were killed in the attack.

Narayan Prasad Neupane and Ashish Chaudhary of Kailali, Pravesh Bhandari of Salyan, Ganesh Kumar Nepali of Bajhang, Rajesh Swarnakar of Sunsari, Padam Thapa and Rajan Phulara of Doti, Lokendra Dhami and Dipeshraj Bista of Darchula, and Anand Sah of Dhanusha died in the incident.

Out of 250 people taken hostage, Hamas has already freed 117 people.

"Initiatives are being taken to release the people held captive by Hamas," Ambassador Bass said.

Ambassador of Israel to Nepal Shmulik Arie Bass paid a heartfelt tribute to Nepal’s first elected Prime Minister BP Koirala during a visit to the BP Museum in Sundarijal on Tuesday.

After presenting his credentials to President Ram Chandra Paudel on November 22, Ambassador Bass made his first public visit to honor the enduring friendship between Nepal and Israel, established 64 years ago on June 1, 1960.

During the visit, Ambassador Bass reflected on the visionary leadership of BP Koirala and instrumental role in establishing diplomatic relations between Nepal and Israel during Israel’s foundation period. “My team and I will work to ensure this friendship lasts forever,” said Ambassador Bass, according to a statement issued by the Embassy of Israel.

Welcoming Ambassador Bass, Chairperson of BP Museum Parasuram Pokharel remarked: “Nepal’s first elected Prime Minister, Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala, established diplomatic relations with Israel in 1960. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Ambassador Shmulik Arie Bass and the Government of Israel for visiting the Musuem, named in honor of BP Koirala. We are confident that this visit will further strengthen the long-standing ties between Nepal and Israel. It is worth noting that this museum was once a jail where BP Koirala was imprisoned for nine years.”

Since the establishment of diplomatic ties, Nepal and Israel have been enjoying deep friendship, which is being demonstrated by many high-level visits and undertaking of numerous mutually benefitting cooperation in various sectors including agriculture, education, health among many others, especially through MASHAV (Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation). Both countries continue to strengthen this bond at multiple levels, from government-to-government cooperation to people-to-people level.

It may be noted that Nepal was the first country in South Asia to recognize Israel as a State. Two men with extraordinary visions and respect for their countries and their peoples, late BP Koirala and late David Ben-Gurion, both the then Prime Ministers of their respective countries, were able to see this friendship standing strong to this present time.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that the government has made serious diplomatic efforts for the safe repatriation of students in the captivity of Palestinian rebels to Nepal.

Addressing the Fourth Convocation Ceremony of the Far-West University here today, PM Dahal, who is also the Chancellor of the University, expressed sorrow over the Nepali students who lost their lives in the attacks by Palestinian insurgents in Israel on October 7, 2023.

"I am deeply saddened by the incident in which our students who had gone to Israel as part of the 'Earning while Learning' program of the Far-West University's Institute of Agriculture lost their lives in the attacks by the Palestinian rebels," he said, and extended tribute to those students killed in the incident as well as expressing condolences to their family members.

The Prime Minister stated that the government has been fulfilling with alacrity the responsibility it has to undertake to bring back to Nepal the students who were injured and affected by the incident, and to repatriate the bodies of those killed in the attack. 

"Even now a student is in the captivity of the rebels. Necessary diplomatic initiatives are going on for returning him to Nepal," the PM said.

Bipin's release will also be agenda during Qatari Emir's visit to Nepal, says PM

Speaking in the same program, Prime Minister Dahal said the topic of taking initiatives for securing the release of Bipin Joshi, a Nepali student who is under the captivity of Hamas militants, is included in the agenda during the State visit to Nepal.

He said that the role that the Qatari Emir can play in Joshi's release is also included in the agenda of his visit.

"The government is vigorously playing its role in bringing the affected students’ home from Israel. Only this morning in an interview to a Kuwaiti television channel, I spoke on Qatar's role in securing Joshi's release and also requested to take the initiative to that end," PM Dahal said on the occasion.

PM Dahal also on the occasion handed medals to the University students who won various medals.

Minister for Education, Science and Technology and the University Pro-Chancellor, Sumana Shrestha and Professor of the Kumaun University of Uttarakhand State, India, Prof Diwan Singh Rawat also expressed their views.

Three hundred and seventy-six students were graduated in the convocation ceremony, according to the Far-West University.

Nepali Embassy in Israel has urged Nepalis living there to follow security protocols.

The Embassy issued a public notice after Iran launched a drone attack on Israel's Capital Tel Aviv among other regions this morning.

The Embassy also urged the Nepalis not to leave houses except in emergency cases and stay in the places where there are facilities of safe shelter.

Nepalis living there are worried after Iran launched a drone attack.

Most of Israel's schools, universities, malls and other commercial centers are closed.

Khem Kattel, who is working in Tel Aviv, said that the situation is not normal and the Nepali government should be ready to rescue Nepalis if need be.

According to him, various foreign embassies have already issued a public notice for their citizens to contact them immediately if they want to leave  Israel.

There are around 9, 000 people working in Israel.

Hamas militants on Saturday released 17 hostages, including 13 Israelis, from captivity in the Gaza Strip, while Israel freed 39 Palestinian prisoners in the latest stage of a four-day cease-fire, Associated Press reported.

The late-night exchange was held up for several hours after Hamas accused Israel of violating the agreement. The delay underscored the fragility of the cease-fire, which has halted a war that has shocked and shaken Israel, caused widespread destruction across the Gaza Strip, and threatened to unleash wider fighting across the region.

The war erupted on Oct. 7, when Hamas militants in Gaza burst across the border into southern Israel, killing at least 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting some 240 others, including, women, children and older people. Israel immediately declared war, carrying out weeks of airstrikes and a ground offensive that have left over 13,300 Palestinians dead, according to health authorities in the Hamas-controlled territory. Roughly two-thirds of those killed in Gaza have been women and minors.

The cease-fire, brokered by Qatar and the United States, is the first extended break in fighting since the war began. Overall, Hamas is to release at least 50 Israeli hostages, and Israel 150 Palestinian prisoners. All are women and minors.

Israel has said the truce can be extended by an extra day for every additional 10 hostages freed, but has vowed to quickly resume its offensive and complete its goals of returning all hostages and destroying Hamas’ military and governing capabilities.

The plight of the hostages has gripped the Israeli public’s attention. Thousands of people gathered in central Tel Aviv on Saturday in solidarity with the hostages andtheir families. Many accuse Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of not doing enough to bring the hostages home. The releases have triggered mixed emotions: happiness, coupled with angst over the scores of hostages who remain in captivity, according to Associated Press.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced early Sunday that it had received a new list of hostages slated to be released later in the day in the third of four scheduled swaps.

In the West Bank, hundreds of people burst into wild celebrations for a second night as a busload of Palestinian prisoners arrived early Sunday. Teenage boys released in the deal were carried on the shoulders of well-wishers in the main square of the town of Al Bireh. But the mood of celebration was dampened by scenes of destruction and suffering in Gaza.

The start of the pause brought quiet for 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza, who are reeling from relentless Israeli bombardment that has killed thousands, driven three-quarters of the population from their homes and leveled residential areas. Rocket fire from Gaza militants into Israel also went silent.

War-weary Palestinians in northern Gaza, where the offensive has been focused, returned to the streets, crunching over rubble between shattered buildings and at times digging through it with bare hands.

The world is witnessing AI or high-tech warfare rather than traditional warfare, be it in Russia-Ukraine or Israel–Palestine conflict. A war that does not defend humanity and human civilization is a cold-hearted crime.

If the Israel-Palestine war is escalated for destabilizing the Middle East or shattering China-initiated Gulf unity, the outcome would be costlier than in Iraq, Afghanistan, or Libya.

Massive US funding on war in Ukraine and Israel could trigger divisions within alliances like the EU, apart from affecting the outcome of US election 2024 and impacting the Ukraine war. It would leave a stronger precedent on the Taiwan issue at a time when China is taking advantage of a waning US image for its global ambition. As the world is likely to be divided into two poles, every international conflict would ultimately end in Beijing-Washington negotiations, else slip into WW-III.  So, let’s invest in peace, not in war.

The world is witnessing an AI or a high-tech war rather than just a traditional warfare—be it Russia-Ukraine war or Israel–Palestine conflict, while the conflicting parties have been massively ‘weaponizing technology’ and also undermining basic humanitarian laws. 

If the Israel-Palestine war, unfortunately, escalated over Iran or the Arab World with a shrewd intention of destabilizing the Mideast or disintegrating China initiated Gulf unity, the outcome would be more disappointing or costlier than that in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, or Libya in the past.

The massive US funding on the war in Ukraine and Israel, and possibly in Taiwan, instead of rationally investing on peace prospects, could not only induce divisions within the EU, NATO and other alliances, but could also affect the outcome of US election 2024 and impact the Russia-Ukraine war as well. 

Subsequently, it would leave a stronger precedent on the Taiwan issue. China, meanwhile, is widely garnering sustenance by taking advantage of a gradually waning US image, for its global political march. Against this backdrop, the world is most likely to be divided into two poles such that sooner or later every international conflict would ultimately end on Beijing-Washington negotiations, else slip into WWIII. Inviting a war is nothing but just an irrational competition on who would be stupider. Investing in war cannot be a wise ‘strategy’; instead, it is an ‘absurdity’. States, as responsible actors, should take steps for peace and harmony, and win hearts, minds and spirits of their nationals for maintaining a socio-democratic order.

The world is also observing a new version of Cold War centered on ‘democracy’ vs ‘autocracy’ in the form of tech and AI, data colonialism, data harvesting, cyber warfare, tech propaganda, intelligence sharing and spy-tech diplomacy, space race, maritime aggression, diplomatic maneuvering, interference in the internal affairs of states and unfair (and unilateral) tariffs or sanctions inconsistent with international laws. Consequently, global disorder is more disordered today. 

The induced “distrust and polarization of democracies” and disinformation from big tech and social media have been constantly challenging techno-democratic order, while the Russia-Ukraine conflict—that is largely marshaled by tech weaponries—is constantly fuelling for global disorder, and the Israel-Palestine conflict is likely to disunite the Arab World. The US, India and the UK as well as other influencing democracies such as Egypt, Indonesia, Mexico, South Africa and South Korea are going to polls in 2024, while the challenges to ‘electoral democracy’ following the risk of disinformation or the influence of AI and ethnic nationalism cannot be undermined.

In the past, the West undermined Russian tech, cyber and nuclear capabilities, while the consequence was that the US frequently witnessed vulnerability in its cyber security and is now facing grave challenges to democracy from within and outside. The West is not accepting China’s AI strength and diplomatic clout, including its four initiatives—BRI, GDI, GSI, GCI—while the consequence is that the world is being gradually divided into two poles seeking alternative global orders. The West is also not accepting India’s promising tech and Space strength. This disregard could end up making India an alternative power in the global stage in the foreseeable future.

Nevertheless, all the three influencing powers—China, India and Russia—have had remarkable history cum civilization, grand legacy, abundance of resources, strong national power capability, great population, greater size, rapidly emerging economy, innovative technology and remarkable defense capability, which none of the reigning powers can undermine now. While China has been the strongest of the three due to its AI supremacy, strong defense capability, gamut of intelligence and wider clout on the global stage. India is logically stronger because of its national power capabilities, including “fertile population” or “demographic advantage”, followed by strategic ties with Russia, bulky economic undertakings with China and geostrategic alliance with the US. Russia has become much stronger due to its tactical nuclear capability followed by stronger bilateral and geostrategic ties with China, India and North Korea.

The author is a geopolitical analyst

This article is part 1 of a two-part series