Pakistan's cross-border smuggling networks exposed by weapon seizures in Afghanistan

IANS | May 23, 2026 8:53 PM

Islamabad/Kabul, May 23 (IANS) The recent seizures of weapons by Afghan forces along the border, smuggled from Pakistani territory, are not merely arms interceptions but signals “warning flares” exposing the deeper fractures in Afghanistan-Pakistan relations. Each intercepted cache underscores an environment shaped by mistrust – reflecting continued concerns over cross-border smuggling networks originating from Pakistan.

India emerges as key maritime power shaping security in Indo-Pacific region: Report

IANS | May 23, 2026 8:49 PM

Tokyo, May 23 (IANS) India's expanding maritime outreach, including its 'Necklace of Diamonds' counter-strategy, logistics agreements with Australia, France and Japan, coastal surveillance networks, naval base arrangements in Seychelles and BrahMos missile sales to the Philippines beginning in 2024 signals the most “proximate and credible structural pushback” to Chinese maritime assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region.