Category: First Person

Speaking to Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the International Space Station on 28 June, Group Captain and Axiom Mission 4 pilot Shubhanshu Shukla remarked that his 400 km-long journey from Earth to orbit is not merely a personal feat but exemplifies India’s rise over the years. He shared that what first impressed him upon entering orbit was the oneness of the Earth and humanity, owing to the invisibility of borders from space, and the majestic size of India.

Speaking at the press conference in Paris on 23 June’25, exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi blamed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and his regime for the ongoing war, asserting that a secular, democratic Iran is the only path to lasting peace. He described the moment as a potential ‘Berlin Wall moment’ for Iran and called on the international community for support. Outlining a ‘Plan for Transition and National Renewal,’ Pahlavi proposed convening a national unity summit and formulating an economic recovery strategy anchored on three core principles: ‘Iran’s territorial integrity’, ‘individual liberties and equality for all citizens’, and ‘the separation of religion and state’.

In his keynote address at The Claridges, New Delhi, during the Strategic Dialogue jointly convened by India’s World and the CSDR on “Looking and Acting West: The Past, Present & Future of India–Middle East Ties”, Amb. Sanjay Bhattacharyya highlighted three broad strands of regional development in the Middle East: regional geopolitical shifts, the role of influential peripheral countries he referred to as “islands,” and the persistent challenge of radicalism. He then elaborated on how India engages with the region in light of these dynamics.

In his nomination hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Paul Kapur, President Trump’s New Delhi-born pick for the Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs position, outlined his vision for US policy vis-à-vis different countries in the region. Beginning with India, he underlined the multitude of shared interests between India and the US, including a free and open Indo-Pacific, “symmetrical” economic ties, and the fight against terrorism.

In his speech at the 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth articulated a robust U.S. vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, emphasising peace through enhanced deterrence against the backdrop of China’s growing threat. Hegseth outlined three key strategies to re-establish deterrence: first, by improving the U.S. forward force posture; second, by assisting allies and partners in strengthening their defence capabilities; and third, by rebuilding domestic defence industrial bases.

At the 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue on May 30, 2025, French President Emmanuel Macron delivered a keynote address amid a dynamic geopolitical landscape, articulating a vision for Indo-Pacific and Europe-Asia cooperation grounded in “strategic autonomy.” He advocated for a “third way” in the Indo-Pacific strategy, centred on respecting sovereignty, promoting strategic autonomy, “de-risking”, and “no confrontation”.