The IMF recently approved a set of quota and governance reforms, which doubled its permanent resources, and raised the representation of emerging markets in its governance structure. How important is this, and what are the implications for emerging markets and for India?

What should the 2016-17 Union Budget in the pipeline propose for India’s fiscal stance? Is there a growth-oriented case to raise public investment and the deficit target above the planned fiscal consolidation? A review in the right global and regional context.

Despite major political change in Brazil, Argentina, and Venezuela due to global economic tumult, it may be premature to speak of a rightward shift in Latin American politics. Yet, developments in these democracies need to be monitored carefully as India has a stake in their political stability.

French President Hollande was the chief guest at the Republic Day parade on 26 January 2016. India-France relations, post President Hollande’s visit, are promising, and will have a positive impact on Prime Minister Modi’s scheduled visit to Brussels later this year including India's trade with the EU. Informed citizenry should appreciate the huge stakes involved.

Is China actively building up its maritime presence in the Arabian Sea, to dominate vital sea lanes and perhaps encircle India with a chain of naval bases? There can be little doubt that China views Gwadar as a potentially useful asset. China, however, will know better than anyone that Gwadar has two considerable limitations.

Low GDP growth numbers and the tumbling Shanghai Composite are not enough to judge China’s economic management strategy. It is the long-term, structural, and geoeconomic challenges that will determine the country’s economic future

India’s merchandise exports have now contracted for 13 months in a row, reflecting the global slowdown and impact of China’s economic recalibration. But, therein lay new opportunities and challenges for India’s economic diplomacy

If India enters the Afghanistan-Pakistan Trade and Transit Agreement, as external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said at conference in Islamabad in December, it will boost regional trade and connectivity—both priorities of the Modi government. But Pakistan stridently opposes India’s entry into the agreement. What are the alternatives?

The GCC finds itself engulfed by a perfect storm – due to the oil price fall and the re-emergence of Iran on the world scene. While the GCC is forced to undertake politically challenging reforms and confront the regional challenge of Iran, there lies a great opportunity for India to strengthen their economic as well as security ties.

The Chinese Renminbi is now the first in the developing world to find a place in IMF’s basket of reserve currencies. But the road to its inclusion becoming effective is still almost a year away. In this time, China will likely further integrate its currency with global markets