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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Between January and June 2026, youth protests swept 39 countries, from Indonesia to Peru. Their triggers differed, from corruption and austerity to electoral fraud. Yet protesters borrowed tactics, hashtags and symbols from across borders. This infographic maps the protests, what drove them, how governments responded, and why the street has become young people's most accessible political platform.
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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: Gateway House
At the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in June, President Vladimir Putin reiterated that Russia is building a sovereign AI ecosystem. Despite Western sanctions and the brain drain following the Ukraine war, Moscow continues to support AI startups and SMEs through state-backed funding. There are 38 Russian AI companies, and it is worth analysing their backgrounds, classifications, and the links between them and the Russian state.
Courtesy: Manuel Elías
The process of choosing a new Secretary General of the UN, to assume office on January 1, 2027, has begun. The UN Security Council is central to this and has just held its first straw poll on the seven candidates in the fray. Three have done well – all from countries with positive ties to the current U.S. administration. India must keep a close eye on the developments.
Courtesy: PTI
There is a positive reset in India-Canada relations, and this is being strengthened through cooperation in security, trade and education ties. Both countries believe in the strategic value of the Indo-Pacific, and both have been at the receiving end of rough geopolitical treatment by the U.S. They see their salvation in putting the past behind them and deepening bilateral relations.
Courtesy: ASEAN
The Manila meetings of ASEAN, held amid continuing crises in Ukraine and West Asia, have demonstrated that ASEAN centrality has not gone out of fashion. Neither the U.S. nor China, despite scepticism about ASEAN's effectiveness, wishes ASEAN institutions to disappear. India, Russia, Japan, Australia, the EU and the UK likewise continue to use these meetings as valuable platforms for Indo-Pacific engagement.
Courtesy: The Jerusalem Post
The ongoing conflict in the Gulf has created tremendous change. Israel is deeply scarred by the October 7 attacks. Iran retains the ability to go nuclear despite U.S.-Israel attacks. China’s assistance to Iran through intelligence and the supply of parts and chemicals for missiles has been noticed. New formations of countries - either interlocutors, participants or victims of the war – are generating an alphabet soup of influencers.
Courtesy: Outlook Business
The legacy of the Modi-Takaichi Summit will extend well beyond the bilateral. It demonstrates that middle powers, through responsible and sustained action, are capable of shaping the future of the Indo-Pacific through strategic intent and the resilient economic networks that back it up to promote regional stability. For India and Japan, economic security is the foundation upon which the next generation of the bilateral will be built.
Courtesy: Körber-Stiftung
The third Emerging Middle Powers Report reveals interesting trends. In every recent year, the five countries surveyed – India, Germany, South Africa, Brazil, and Indonesia – have been tested by events to prove they can prevail over the contested terrain of global politics. A pattern has emerged linking them together: non-alignment is their preferred response to a fragmenting order.