India

Express Tribune | English | News | Jan. 23, 2026 | Geopolitical Conflict and Disputes

The Ministry of Water Resources informed Pakistan's National Assembly that India unilaterally suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty in April 2025 following a militant attack in held Kashmir. This suspension has led to a significant reduction in water flow in the Chenab River, threatening approximately 1.45 million acres of agricultural land under the Upper Chenab Canal and an additional 3.19 million acres under the Chenab Canal. The lowered water availability is expected to severely impact agriculture and livelihoods dependent on these river systems.

India has not responded to concerns raised by Pakistan and United Nations experts regarding this suspension, despite a December 16, 2026 deadline set by the UN for India to explain its actions. A UN report released in December 2025 warned that any disruption of the treaty might severely affect millions of people in Pakistan who rely on the Indus River system for drinking water, agriculture, and food security.

Hydrological data from December 2025 revealed an extraordinary reduction in the Chenab River flow, with measurements dropping well below historical minimums. Satellite imagery showed significant changes in reservoir surface area at Baglihar during this period, indicating alterations in water storage or flow. Pakistan formally sought explanations from India over this unusual water reduction, highlighting growing tensions over water-sharing and resource management under the treaty.

The Economic Times | English | News | Jan. 23, 2026 | UndeterminedPolitics and Elections

Bangladesh has officially launched campaigns for its general elections scheduled for February 12, 2026, marking the first polls since the 2024 uprising that ended Sheikh Hasina's autocratic rule. The elections will select 350 lawmakers, signaling a shift in domestic and regional political dynamics following a period of turmoil that included violence and widespread online disinformation warnings.

The main contenders, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami party, have commenced large-scale rallies. BNP leader Tarique Rahman, returning from exile in December 2025, has begun a nationwide campaign starting in Sylhet, a city significant for its Sufi Muslim heritage. Jamaat-e-Islami initiated its campaign in Dhaka, seeking to re-enter politics after years of suppression, aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood ideology. The National Citizen Party (NCP), formed by leaders of the anti-Hasina uprising and allied with Jamaat, also launched its campaign in Dhaka.

Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, who was appointed caretaker prime adviser during the transitional government, will step down after the elections. Yunus, having inherited a fractured political system, is advocating for a referendum on political reforms concurrent with the polls to strengthen governance and prevent authoritarianism. He has also raised concerns about misinformation flooding social media, blaming both foreign and local sources.

Relations with India remain strained after Hasina fled there during the uprising and was subsequently sentenced to death in absentia for crimes against humanity related to the crackdown on protesters. Hasina, now 78, remains in hiding in India as Bangladesh prepares for its pivotal 2026 elections.

Hindu Business Line | English | News | Jan. 23, 2026 | Regulation

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) of India is set to release the first draft of the revised Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020 within the next 15 days for stakeholder feedback. This revision aims to simplify and shorten the capital acquisition process, targeting a reduction in procurement time to approximately two years by enabling parallel processing of activities. The revised DAP is planned for implementation from April 1, 2026, aligned with the expected increase in the defence budget for FY27.

Key reforms include a gradual scaling of indigenous content requirements for high-technology orders, rather than an upfront high threshold, with potential merging of Buy (Indian) and Buy (Indian-IDDM) categories to simplify procurement processes. The procedure will support ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make in India’ initiatives, incorporate emerging technologies such as AI and quantum computing, and strengthen indigenous defence manufacturing.

The revised DAP will also provide greater flexibility for foreign direct investment (FDI) in defence, though the current allowance of 100 percent FDI faces opposition from domestic industry for potentially undermining self-reliance goals. Simplified testing procedures will accept certificates of conformance from accredited labs for non-core parameters, and the revised policy will introduce defence space procurement provisions to tap into India’s growing space economy.

The overarching objective of the DAP review is to position India as a global hub for defence manufacturing and Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO), promoting design and development across public and private sectors, with a focus on startups, innovators, and private industry involvement.