FuIkSegXwAA1PDo Courtesy: Twitter / Hindustan Times
20 April 2023

A Buddhist quest for global peace

The first Global Buddhist Summit is being held in New Delhi this week, a continuation of India's strategic and diplomatic outreach to Buddhist countries in Asia. The Summit offers India an opportunity to deepen the dialogue on its shared, millennia-old transnational Buddhist legacy with these countries, and arrive at contemporary solutions for global conflicts using the lens of Buddha Dhamma.

world-bank png Courtesy: CNBC-TV18
13 April 2023

Deepening multilateral development bank reform

The World Bank has published a reform roadmap for multilateral development banks. It touches upon operational change, but in a limited way. The roadmap remains largely silent on how a 21st century World Bank can better address some of the long-standing frustrations that borrowers express about working with it and other such development banks.

3D Isometric Flat Vector Conceptual Illustration of Green Investments, Alternative and Ecological Clean Power Courtesy: Dreamstime
5 April 2023

Enabling climate finance creatively

The focus on climate finance must take into account the high cost of debt, foreign exchange risk and weak public energy utilities in the developing economies. A creative and workable solution to all these issues is to establish a Global Climate Finance Agency, managed by a reputed multilateral agency with some of the capital support promised by the developed countries.

myanmar military 1 Courtesy: Reuters
2 February 2023

The quest for hope in Myanmar

February 1, 2023 marks the second anniversary of the military coup in Myanmar. The country is now in a dire situation with a deteriorating economy, rising poverty and high unemployment. ASEAN, the UN and India continue to work with the Myanmarese military leadership, which is the only player able to provide solutions to alleviate the distress.

Pashtuns Devasher Courtesy: HarperCollins Publishers India
10 January 2023

Tangled history: the Pashtun

Tilak Devasher's book The Pashtuns: A Contested History delves into the Pashtun tribe, highlighting its geopolitical significance and far-reaching consequences in the South Asian region. Reviewer Tim Willasey-Wilsey says the book brilliantly explains how the Pashtuns were strong-armed into joining Pakistan and why the prospect of Pashtun unity poses a threat to security in Pakistan and the entire region.

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.

nz cow Courtesy: DW & Avalon_Studio/iStock
24 November 2022

Ban crypto, not cows

Many western governments and pressure groups are now turning to agriculture to curb carbon emissions. Given the legitimate concerns about security of food, nutrition and livelihoods, they may be looking in the wrong direction. If these groups are serious about reducing emissions, activities such as crypto-mining, with no positive net contribution, should be targeted first.

ASEAN-PIC Courtesy: Khem Sovannara/AFP/Getty Images
17 November 2022

ASEAN: Congruity with contradiction

Cambodia’s chairmanship of ASEAN exposed the grouping’s inherent incongruities and cleavages, despite its best intentions. To be taken seriously by its partners, ASEAN needs to first take itself seriously and adhere to the core of its charter.