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Mohamed Zeeshan

Mohamed Zeeshan is a foreign affairs columnist and author of “Flying Blind: India’s Quest for Global Leadership.”

Mohamed Zeeshan is a foreign affairs columnist, consultant and author based in Washington, DC. He is a regular writer on international affairs and his key areas of interest are Indian foreign policy, Asian geopolitics and global economics. He has previously served as a consultant to the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations in New York and advised governments in the Middle East on issues of foreign policy and economic reform. Zeeshan has previously written for The Washington Post, The Telegraph and others, and currently writes regular columns on Indian and international affairs for the South China Morning Post and Deccan Herald. His first book, titled “Flying Blind: India’s Quest for Global Leadership,” deals with India’s aspirations and interests as an emerging power and was published by Penguin in 2021. Follow him on X.

Posts by Mohamed Zeeshan

February 14, 2022

India Keeps Floating Away From Its Quad Partners

By Mohamed Zeeshan

On several critical geopolitical issues, including Myanmar, Ukraine, and North Korea, New Delhi’s position is different from that of the other Quad countries.

February 02, 2022

Modi’s Latest Budget Sets Out His Long-Term Vision for India

By Mohamed Zeeshan

Investment on infrastructure has been hiked by 35 percent over last year, indicating that this sector is the government’s first-choice job creator.

January 21, 2022

India Needs to Get Real About the Instability in Myanmar

By Mohamed Zeeshan

India's biggest diplomatic asset is its potential role as a mediator between the West and the Tatmadaw.

January 10, 2022

It’s Advantage China in the Indian Ocean

By Mohamed Zeeshan

Wang Yi’s visits to the Maldives and Sri Lanka signal Beijing’s priorities fairly clearly: it's focusing on South Asia and the Indian Ocean.

December 15, 2021

How Bangladesh’s Liberation Shook Up South Asia

By Mohamed Zeeshan

After 1971, there were expectations that South Asia would move on from religious nationalism – but the region has gone in the opposite direction.

December 13, 2021

Biden’s Exclusive Democracy Summit Disappoints

By Mohamed Zeeshan

By embracing some countries and excluding others, the US has squandered an opportunity to unite South Asia – at least ideologically – against Beijing.

November 15, 2021

South Asia Is Caught in a Majoritarian Whirlpool

By Mohamed Zeeshan

The pandemic, rising prices and food shortages have thrown up challenges for governments, and majoritarianism is an easy way to divert public attention from domestic woes.

November 04, 2021

There’s a New Quad in Town: India, Israel, US, UAE

By Mohamed Zeeshan

As part of the Middle East quad India will garner support from other member countries for its own interests but it might be forced to get off the fence on crucial and sensitive geopolitical debates.

October 18, 2021

How China Uses Development Finance Strategically in South Asia

By Mohamed Zeeshan

Since the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013, Beijing has remade the idea of development aid.

October 01, 2021

India Still Has an Opportunity With Vaccine Diplomacy

By Mohamed Zeeshan

Several countries that received Chinese vaccines are questioning its efficacy and pricing.

September 20, 2021

India’s Confused Approach to Afghanistan

By Mohamed Zeeshan

New Delhi will need to institutionalize scenario planning in foreign policy making if it is keen to shape global events.

September 07, 2021

Can India Engage With the Taliban?

By Mohamed Zeeshan

While domestic politics and moral compulsions pull India away from the Taliban, its strategic interests will push it to engage with the new government in Kabul.