What to Read in The Hindu Editorial ( Topic and Syllabus wise)

 

Editorial 1: ​Fractured Yemen

Context

Saudi Arabia and the UAE should actively facilitate unity among all Yemeni factions by bringing them together for dialogue and cooperation.

Introduction

The renewed violence in Yemen, involving the Saudi-backed government and the UAE-supported STC, has laid bare the country’s political fragmentation and the geopolitical rivalry within the Gulf. These clashes reflect unresolved power struggles, weakening state institutions and worsening an already dire humanitarian crisis, while external interventions continue to shape Yemen’s fragile and contested political landscape.

Background to the Crisis

Renewed clashes in Yemen between the Saudi-backed government and the Southern Transitional Council (STC), supported by the UAE, have highlighted Yemen’s internal fragility and wider Gulf rivalries.

The confrontation revealed deep geopolitical fault lines within the region.

Escalation of Fighting

In early December, the STC launched a surprise offensive in the oil-rich Hadhramaut and al-Mahragovernorates, areas previously under government control.

The STC briefly captured nearly half of former South Yemen, though these gains were short-lived.

Government forces, backed by Saudi air power, rapidly reclaimed the lost territory.

Developments in Aden

On January 7, government troops entered Aden, compelling the STC to send a delegation to Riyadh for negotiations.

In Riyadh, the STC announced its dissolution, while its leader Aidarous al-Zoubaidi, charged with treason, reportedly fled to the UAE.

Saudi–UAE Tensions

The crisis exposed strain between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi.

Saudi Arabia accused the UAE of arming Yemeni separatists and conducted air strikes on Mukalla port, allegedly targeting weapons shipments.

After a rare public rebuke from Saudi Arabia, the UAE declared a withdrawal of its forces from Yemen and an end to its counterterrorism operations.

Shifting Alliances in the War

The UAE initially joined Saudi Arabia’s coalition against the Houthis (Ansar Allah), who seized Sanaa in 2014.

Despite years of conflict, the Houthis remained militarily resilient.

As the STC challenged the government in the south, the UAE increasingly backed the separatists.

Saudi Arabia, facing direct security threats along its southern border, pursued a ceasefire with the Houthis while trying to stabilise the south through the government.

Consequences on the Ground

Fighting between the government and the STC weakened southern Yemen, allowing the Houthis to consolidate control in the north, including major population centres.

Yemeni civilians have suffered the most, as the country endures one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, marked by famine risks, economic collapse, and destroyed infrastructure.

Current Situation and Way Forward

An uneasy calm now prevails in southern Yemen, though STC representatives in the UAE deny that the council has truly disbanded.

Sustainable peace requires all Yemeni factions to jointly create a federal governance framework that reflects current power realities and addresses historical grievances.

For this to be possible, Saudi Arabia and the UAE must set aside differences and cooperate to ensure long-term stability in Yemen.

Conclusion

Lasting peace in Yemen depends on an inclusive political process that accommodates all Yemeni factions through a viable federal structure. To achieve this, Saudi Arabia and the UAE must reconcile differences, align strategies, and prioritise stability over rivalry. Coordinated efforts can reduce conflict, enable humanitarian recovery, and support Yemen’s transition toward sustainable governance and regional security.

 

 

Editorial 2: ​​​​In a changing world, it is ‘small tables, big dividends’

Context

With bilateral diplomacy remaining challenging, India’s strongest opportunities lie in diplomatic white spaces.

Introduction

On January 26, 2026, Kartavya Path will signal more than ceremony, with the EU’s institutional leadership – representing a 27-member bloc; as chief guests, breaking with tradition. This underscores a wider reality: bilateral diplomacy will remain difficult, the neighbourhood will need constant attention, and ties with Washington and Beijing will continue to face trade and strategic frictions.

India’s Opportunity in Diplomatic White Spaces

India’s most promising opportunities may lie in diplomatic white spaces.

These are gaps in global leadership where challenges demand coordination, yet no major power can credibly lead.

Such arenas resemble crowded rooms without a convenor, marked by fragmentation rather than direction.

In these spaces, India can act through coalitions to help shape rules and provide global public goods.

Success will depend on selecting priorities that India has the capacity and consistency to sustain over time.

Working with Europe: India’s First Test

Europe is the first major test of India’s approach to diplomatic white spaces.

The presence of Ursula von der Leyen and António Luís Santos da Costa on January 26 signals renewed intent to advance the long-pending India–EU Free Trade Agreement.

While ties with Berlin, Paris, or Rome remain important, India’s most decisive engagement will be with the European Union’s collective authority over trade, competition, and climate policy.

The agreement goes beyond tariffs, encompassing market access rules, data standards, and sustainability requirements.

If framed as a de-risking compact, the payoff is threefold:

Stronger access to European markets

Deeper integration into reconfigured global value chains

Partial insulation from potential U.S. trade pressures

The trade-off will be higher compliance burdens for Indian firms.

The European window is open because the EU seeks to reduce dependence on China and hedge against U.S. unpredictability by strengthening ties with India.

Speed matters—for Delhi, this is a moment to act decisively, because windows do not stay open indefinitely.

BRICS and the Quad: India’s Next Diplomatic Tests

BRICS: The Political White Space

Europe tests India’s technocratic capacity; BRICS is the political test of its white space diplomacy.

BRICS in 2026 is larger but less cohesive—expansion has increased reach while diverging priorities have blurred focus.

The central challenge is purpose: what is BRICS for, and can India help define it?

Member demands are legitimate—a stronger Global South voice, fairer representation, and credible development finance alternatives—but the direction remains contested.

As chair and host in 2026, India can push delivery over declarations by:

Leveraging New Development Bank guarantees

Creating practical toolkits that translate communiqués into action

External risks are real. U.S. tariff threats against countries perceived as aligning with BRICS raise the cost of careless signalling.

India gains little from anti-West rhetoric or a de-dollarisation crusade, which could undermine capital and technology inflows.

The task is balance: reform is not rejection.

The Quad: From Alignment to Delivery

The third white space is the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue.

If India hosts a Quad leaders’ summit, it could include Donald Trump, adding political weight and raising expectations for outcomes.

The Quad’s focus on maritime domain awareness and resilient ports directly serves Indian Ocean littoral statesseeking capacity without entanglement in great-power rivalry.

India can make the Quad useful by turning capabilities into services that partners can access and deploy.

Operation Sagar Bandhu after Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka showed the value of retaskable assets delivered without diplomatic drama.

Sustained success will depend on Washington managing trade frictions without disrupting broader cooperation.

Big Forums, Smaller Coalitions

Large platforms face limits. The United Nations remains vital for legitimacy and norms, but is weak on delivery amid major-power rivalry.

Outcomes are shifting to coalitions that can move when the centre cannot.

The G-20 shows similar strain—domestic politics and agenda fights dilute effectiveness.

The U.S. boycott of the Johannesburg G-20 in 2025 and efforts to narrow the agenda in 2026 risk sidestepping Global South priorities.

Turning White Spaces into Results

In a volatile world, India’s momentum in 2026 will come from operationalising white spaces.

Europe is about standards, BRICS about functionality, and the Quad about delivering public goods.

The Message for India

The AI Impact Summit in Delhi (February 2026) offers India a platform to bring governments, companies, and researchers together, narrowing divides where interests overlap.

As Washington experiments with new forums, including Donald Trump’s proposed “Board of Peace” focused on peacebuilding, India will need to choose its engagements carefully.

An invitation for India to join Pax Silica—a U.S.-led capability club on artificial intelligence and semiconductor supply chains—signals how rapidly new diplomatic tables are emerging.

In a fragmented global order, it is not the largest forums that shape outcomes, but smaller, focused groupings where decisions translate into action.

In 2026, India’s edge will lie in selecting the right tables—and making them work.

Conclusion

In a fragmented global order, India’s diplomatic advantage will lie not in grand alignments but in smart coalition-building. By identifying diplomatic white spaces, prioritising delivery over rhetoric, and balancing reform with restraint, India can convert small tables into big dividends, shaping outcomes even as traditional power centres struggle to lead.