Courtesy: Reuters
The BRICS Summit in Delhi carried over the issues from the previous years. But it was particularly important because it also hosted the India-China leaders’ bilateral, and it was preceded by the visit of Chinese President Xi to the U.S. The optics of the 2026 Summit will have been keenly watched in Washington for its effect on U.S.-China relations.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping’s September state visit to the U.S. produced no joint statement, indicating major differences, although both countries agreed Iran should not develop nuclear weapons and no country should collect tolls in the Strait of Hormuz. Tariffs on China remained unresolved. There was a staleness to the visit, with both countries’ leaders focused on the past. The visit appears to favour China, denoting its growing stature.
Courtesy: Al Jazeera
Trouble has erupted in Ethiopia again, and it is not just another Ethiopia-Tigray war. It is the convergence of several conflicts, within Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia, compounded by the involvement of external powers. Somalia sits at the intersection of a wider Red Sea rivalry involving Egypt, Turkey, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, and to some extent Qatar. The crises are all coalescing.
Courtesy: Reuters / Yonhap News Agency
The recent BRICS Summit in New Delhi was declared a success. Its 140-paragraph New Delhi Declaration is the longest yet. With members divided over the Russia-Ukraine and West Asia wars, leaders avoided naming countries or taking positions, focusing on issues affecting the Global South and deepening intra-BRICS cooperation. India steered the grouping towards practical cooperation. The question now is: how will BRICS implement the decisions taken?
Courtesy: South China Morning Post
In less than 60 days, India and China held four major bilateral dialogues, all targeted at finding a solution to the boundary issue whilst maintaining peace on the border. In August, they held diplomatic level talks, followed by discussions between the Special Representatives, culminating in a first-of-its-kind Corps Commander-level flag meeting in early September. Finally came the bilateral meeting between PM Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Courtesy: Xinhua via AP
Russia-China ties have come a long way from the tensions of the Cold War. Since Russia’s relationship with the West began deteriorating in 2008, China has emerged as a counterweight, with growing economic and cultural ties. In 2026, 83% of Russians viewed China favourably, while bilateral trade grew 22%. This relationship seems rock-solid, and even a thaw with the West is unlikely to alter its course.
Courtesy: Facebook / The Bharat Post
India will host the 18th BRICS Summit from September 12-13, 2026, amid adverse geopolitical circumstances. With Russia at war in Ukraine and Iran, the UAE and Saudi Arabia caught in the U.S.-Israel conflict, the BRICS grouping faces its biggest test yet. Yet its members remain committed to the “BRICS spirit” and promoting a fair international order. Can India use the summit to advance peace and development?
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.
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As Israel readies for its national elections in October, a new actor has stepped into the national scene and will likely influence the polling. This is the Israeli-Jewish diaspora, which comes in all dimensions of Judaism and democracy. For the first time, they feel the need to actively cast their vote, given its criticality and the yearning for political change.
Courtesy: PTI
Just four months ago, India and Bangladesh seemed determined to move beyond the difficulties faced during the two-year transition of Mohammad Yunus. But former PM Sheikh Hasina’s audio address to her constituents via Delhi changed the mood. Can the realists and pragmatists in Delhi and Dhaka rebuild and strengthen a coalition of mutual interests?