20231118_TWLDD002 Courtesy: The Economist
4 January 2024

Reading the tea leaves for 2024

After a year affected by a sustained polycrisis, global geopolitics in 2024 remains a delicate dance between hope and realism. Ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza cast uncertain shadows, while Taiwan and the South China Sea present potential flashpoints. Indian diplomacy will have to navigate old and new challenges, while promoting India’s expertise in digital technology, as also managing its own upcoming parliamentary elections.

BRICS 2 website Courtesy: Fox News
31 August 2023

BRICS-XI, the new configuration

The decision to invite six countries — Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE — to join BRICS as full members has opened the grouping to a new geopolitical era. India can now play a seminal but challenging role in this evolved dynamic, given its growing cooperation with the West on the one hand and its active pursuit of the interests of the Global South on the other.

BRICS India website Courtesy:
24 August 2023

The BRICS Imperative

The BRICS Summit in Johannesburg has drawn international attention to the grouping’s past record of achievements and failures, its strained internal dynamics, and new challenges. As BRICS heads into its 18th year, its success and way forward will depend on the members’ ability to tackle the principal challenge of retaining its internal solidarity while balancing expansion and its impact and influence in the world.

14466760487_a0053006b6_k Courtesy: Lowy Institute
17 August 2023

BRICS Summit: Redefining international cooperation

The 15th BRICS summit is set to take place on August 22-24 in Johannesburg. Against a backdrop of escalating global tensions, the summit's agenda encompasses crucial topics including greater representation of the Global South, reform of MDBs, and geopolitical flashpoints like the Ukraine crisis. The summit's outcomes will extend beyond the grouping and redefine the landscape of international cooperation among emerging economies.

website SCO Courtesy: India Today
11 July 2023

SCO Summit: Same old, some new

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's growing importance is seen in the numerous new applicants waiting in line for membership. The 23rd SCO Summit hosted by India on July 4 saw progress in areas like digital transformation and economic cooperation. However, timidity in acting on foundational issues like anti-terrorism reflects the internal contradictions and tensions within member states - a continuing challenge for SCO.

ZelenskyRamaphosa-GettyImages-1258743603 Courtesy: Foreign Policy
21 June 2023

Africa seeks peace dividend

Last week, an African peace delegation travelled to Kyiv and Moscow, presenting them with a 10-point plan for peace. While the plan received mixed reactions, the African initiative was a courageous step towards peace. The effort coincides with India proposing the AU join the G20, and South Africa’s entry into the troika of G20 presidencies next year.

india FP Courtesy: Reuters
5 January 2023

2023, the year of diplomacy extraordinaire?

2023 brings responsibility and opportunity for India. As the host of the G20 and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the world will be watching closely. With this authority, comes challenges encapsulated by five C’s: Covid, Contraction, Climate crisis, Conflict and China. If India is able to use its opportunity, the year could end with India viewed as a near-great power, an international bridge-builder, and a successful democracy.

EuropeProtests-01[85] copy Courtesy: Gateway House
17 November 2022

Protests across Europe

Discontent over high energy prices, spiralling living costs, and anti war sentiments have gripped Europe, resulting in protests and civil unrest across the continent. With no immediate solution in sight, public resentment is likely to intensify through the coming winter months

Members of a pro-Russian association support a decision of the Kharkiv city council to make the Russian language official in the city. From left to right, their placards say: "[City] Councillors! Ensure language equality. Don't forsake your fellow Slavs!" "For half of the population of Ukraine - Russian is a native language!" "Authorities - bring back the Russian [language] schools!" "Russian language [is] not foreign! And we [are] not foreigners!" Courtesy: Gennadiy Makarov/Wikimedia Commons
3 November 2022

The battle for Russian language in Ukraine

Language, nationality, and belonging have always been contentious issues in Ukraine. At least until February 2022, Russian remained the main language of business in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, as well as the main lingua in the streets. Now there’s a parallel battle ongoing to eliminate the Russian language from Ukraine.

Putin's Speech Valdai Courtesy: Valdai Discussion Club
3 November 2022

At Valdai, Putin’s vision of emerging world order

The reference to India by Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Valdai Discussion Club may be interpreted as encouragement to New Delhi to use its good offices to nudge the warring sides to the negotiating table. Mediation is a big power game, and this may be the right time for India, at the cusp of the G20 Presidency, to start with a record of success