Courtesy: The Economic Times
“Economic D-Day”, recently announced by the U.S. Trump administration, will put additional sanctions on any party which facilitates any activity with Iran. India, Iraq, Turkey, and the UAE could be affected. But ironically China, the biggest supporter of Iran’s regime, may be off the hook given the deep mutual over-reliance with the U.S. and the risk that further sanctions on China could put the global financial system in jeopardy.
Courtesy: X / @MEAIndia
As 25 years of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) culminate in Bishkek, India waits intently, assessing the SCO's development. With PM Modi representing India from August 31–September 1, 2026, having previously chaired the SCO Council of Heads of Government in 2020, the forthcoming summit should provide an opportunity for the Indian delegation to take stock of the current status of previous initiatives and their advancements.
Courtesy: KNN
The UAE’s recent exit from OPEC, and the U.S. push to sell more oil to India are markers of a new order in the oil world with demand security at a premium. As a major oil importer, India must respond to it smartly. It must develop deeper partnerships with both the UAE and U.S., and a new financial ecosystem and benchmarks for the new order.
Courtesy: Gateway House
history, the Palestine issue, the creation of Israel, and strained U.S.-Iran ties. India’s former ambassador to India, Saurabh Kumar, witnessed the hope of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and its collapse. Unfulfilled hopes have led to reignited tensions. The U.S.-Israeli objectives of regime change are still unmet, and Iran’s survival marks a strategic outcome, despite its domestic economic and military strain. Ambassador Kumar discusses Iran and the ongoing crisis in West Asia.
Courtesy: FB / @The Statesman
India’s Vice President C. Radhakrishnan visited Sri Lanka from April 19-20, reaffirming Colombo’s importance in India’s Neighbourhood First Policy and MAHASAGAR vision. While ties remain stable, legacy issues persist: Tamil demands for devolution, illegal fishing disputes, and the stalled Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement. The hope is for these to be resolved within Sri Lanka; till then, the unresolved challenges will continue to test the depth and durability of the bilateral.
Courtesy: Reuters
Outcomes of the Neighbourhood First policy (NFP) are often mixed, shaped by actions on both sides. Recent engagements with Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Nepal suggest an opportune moment to recalibrate NFP, enhance its effectiveness, and bridge perceptions of India as an “elder brother” rather than a “big brother.”
Courtesy: Presidential Communications Office
The West Asia conflict has disrupted global stability, impacting ASEAN economies and diplomacy. As chair, the Philippines balances its alliance with the U.S. and regional neutrality, while Indonesia and Malaysia reflect domestic support for Arab states. With energy shocks, remittance risks, and inflation rising, ASEAN’s limited influence is evident. Has ASEAN once again been drawn into a vortex of crises beyond its control?
Courtesy: AFR
The Persian Gulf conflict has already impacted India’s oil imports and financial security. However, India has not created meaningful options to protect itself from oil shocks over the last decade – and such shocks will continue. Now is the time for India to make equity investments in oil and gas companies in stable economies like the U.S., Canada and Australia, to protect itself from future energy crises.
Courtesy: AFP
It is important to take an objective review of PM Modi’s visit to Jerusalem and its implications for India’s security. New Delhi will have to demonstrate its strategic autonomy by managing heterogeneous and often contrapuntal relationships and strike a balance in its ties with the U.S. and Israel on the one hand and Iran and the Arab world on the other hand.
Courtesy: MSN
The war in the Persian Gulf has already caused significant disruption in India’s South Asian neighbours. A prolonged conflict is likely to push the region back into economic and political crises from which it had been hopeful of emerging this year.