Courtesy: VOA
The year 2025 is often compared to the Bandung moment of 1955, and for good reason. With the U.S. reordering traditional relationships, the opportunity for greater emphasis on the Global South is now. It is therefore time for India, Africa and ASEAN among others to re-burnish their Global South credentials and use that identity as a platform to engage each other more deeply.
Courtesy: X / @DrSJaishankar
This year marks the fifth anniversary of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, signed in 2020 to boost defence and security ties and enhance trade and investments. But the foundations had been laid earlier in 2009, when India and Australia elevated their relationship to a Strategic Partnership. The bilateral has evolved significantly, making Australia one of the most stable partners in a rapidly changing global order.
Courtesy: ANI
India and Indonesia are two Asian leaders and democracies which are reconnecting after decades, even centuries – in a world rife with new volatility and uncertainty. Both countries can collaborate and learn: Indonesia is an adept trading nation and India is a powerful tech player. The two governments are on a mission to deepen and diversify their relationship, stepping out of their past, and bringing fresh thinking.
Courtesy: X / @narendramodi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Japan is significant for India domestically and its extended Asian influence. His visit, just prior to the SCO Summit in China, represents a shrewd endeavour at balancing the several priorities of Indian foreign policy
Courtesy: G20.org
The G20’s current cycle is unique, with four Global South nations presiding consecutively: Indonesia, India, Brazil, and now South Africa. Brazil’s 2023-24 presidency exhibited both achievements and struggles, prioritising social inclusion, hunger, energy transition, and governance reform. The handover to South Africa marks a significant milestone in G20 history. Will the momentum be followed by the U.S., the next G20 president but also a G20 sceptic?
Courtesy: Damon Coulter / Alamy
The recent election for Japan’s Upper House of Councillors is a pivotal moment for Japanese politics, revealing fractures within the ruling coalition and a simultaneous rise of the political right. Economic discontent, cultural anxieties, and effective digital mobilisation are converging. Is this a fleeting moment for Japan, or the start of a deeper, more profound change in its political landscape?
Courtesy: Gateway House
On August 15, President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin met in Alaska to discuss the Russia-Ukraine peace deal. Ivan Timofeev analyses the stakes for Russia, the U.S., Europe, and Ukraine, noting that Washington and Moscow remain decisive players while Europe and Ukraine play secondary roles. Could this meeting pave the way for peace? For India, the talks matter, as it faces an additional 25% tariff for buying Russian oil.
Courtesy: ANI
U.S. President Trump will meet Russian President Putin on August 15. A positive outcome may mean removal of punitive U.S. tariffs on India for buying Russian oil and resolving its dilemma of placating a partner country with growing commercial, geopolitical and defence ties, or pursuing strategic autonomy, keeping its old friends and take an economic hit? Is Russia the red line for India?
Courtesy: Gateway House
A decades-old dispute has escalated into a conflict along the Thai-Cambodia border. It centres around the archaeological sites of Hindu temples, and are emblematic of a deeper and layered contestation rooted in three key issues: French colonial cartography, political use of history and heritage, and interests of Thai and Cambodian military and political elite. Dr. Thanachate Wisaijorn, Head of Government, Faculty of Political Science at Ubon Ratchathani University in Thailand is an expert on the borderlands of the Thai region, with Cambodia, Thailand and Laos. He has been closely watching the unfolding issues on the Thai-Cambodia border. He speaks to Manjeet Kripalani of Gateway House, about the history of the conflict, its current status and its potential resolution.
Courtesy: Getty Images
India is strategically expanding its influence across the Indo-Pacific region, positioning itself as a key player in regional affairs. Three elements anchor the effort: development aid, trade and the diaspora. The country now has 20 Free Trade Agreement partners in the Indo-Pacific. The 21.8 million-strong Indian diaspora across the region is a significant source of soft power for India.