Ranjit Kumar

With semiconductor technology increasingly shaping economic power and military capability, India's partnership with ASML represents a strategic milestone in its quest for self-reliance and global relevance in the chip industry.

Growing interest in the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile among ASEAN nations is strengthening India's strategic footprint in the Indo-Pacific, as countries facing maritime disputes with China seek to bolster their deterrence capabilities.

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The government's renewed push to acquire 114 Rafale fighters and advance the indigenous AMCA programme has revived hopes of strengthening the Indian Air Force, though delays have widened capability gaps amid growing regional security challenges.

Despite the Indian defence ministry's silence regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent offer on the Sukhoi-57 fifth-generation fighter, the

Recent DRDO tests have strengthened confidence in India's indigenous Ballistic Missile Defence programme, Sudarshan Chakra, which aims to create a multi-layered shield against ballistic missiles, drones, cruise missiles, and stealth aircraft.

Pakistan's emerging role in facilitating dialogue between the US and Iran has strengthened its diplomatic profile. This could challenge India's strategic positioning and offer Islamabad an opportunity to convert diplomatic goodwill into economic and political gains.

Bangladesh's deepening engagement with China, spanning infrastructure, defence and strategic cooperation, has triggered fresh debate over the shifting geopolitical balance in South Asia and the implications for India's security interests.

Introduction Anxiety among TB patients can influence quality of life, treatment adherence, and outcomes. Understanding the prevalence and contributing factors of anxiety in TB patients can assist programme managers in improving patient outcomes. Objectives This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to identify factors associated with anxiety and to estimate the pooled prevalence of anxiety among Indian TB patients. Methods Data extraction and screening were conducted between February and March 2025 using four databases: Scopus, PUBMED, DOAJ, and EMBASE, along with cross-references; a total of 13 articles were included. These articles underwent quality assessment using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS), the Modified-NOS, and the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Due to potential heterogeneity, a random effects model was applied to estimate the pooled prevalence of anxiety among Indian TB patients at a 95% confidence interval. Results From 160 identified articles, 13 were included for review, representing six Indian states. The combined sample in these 13 studies was 9368 (mean(SD) = 721(1910), median = 120, IQR = 100–272). The study estimated a pooled prevalence of anxiety of 34% (95% CI: 22%-47%), with substantial heterogeneity with I²=98.67%. Several factors contributing to anxiety in TB patients within the Indian population were identified and categorised under demographic, disease-related, social, psychological, and literacy factors. Conclusions The review outlined anxiety-associated factors and estimated the pooled prevalence among Indian TB patients; however, given the high heterogeneity, the pooled estimate should be interpreted cautiously. Considering the influence of anxiety at various stages of the treatment process, timely detection and management are crucial to improve TB outcomes.

India's growing strategic partnership with Indonesia, expanding defence cooperation with ASEAN nations and focus on critical minerals signal an emerging "necklace of diamonds" approach as China continues to strengthen its "string of pearls" network in South Asia.