Courtesy: Gateway House
Once central to global strategic discourse, the Indo-Pacific and Africa have been sidelined amid the “Age of Polycrisis,” as attention shifts to crises in Europe and West Asia. While India has long expressed goodwill toward Africa, recent regional tensions have pushed the continent off its strategic radar. Renewed India–Africa cooperation is essential to advancing the agenda of the Global South and strengthening South–South partnerships.
Courtesy: Bloomberg
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to India from February 27 to March 2, though sandwiched between the AI Impact Summit and the outbreak of the U.S.-Israel war against Iran, produced concrete outcomes with long-term impact. The visit announced a multidimensional roadmap aligning India’s ‘Viksit Bharat’ vision with Canada’s ‘Build Canada Strong’, to ensure the bilateral relationship does not drift apart again.
Courtesy: Indian Navy
Over the last two decades, the Indian Navy has taken a quantum leap in modernising its fleet with stealth frigates, warships, submarines, and fighter planes. Its goal is to be the net security provider and first responder securing Sea Lines of Communication in the region. But it is still lagging behind its Indo-pacific naval partners and most important, its regional rival, China.
Courtesy: Reuters
A new troika is on the rise: India, France and Brazil, led by Modi, Macron and Lula. They were present at the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi on February 20, representing the three largest democracies in Latin America, Asia, and Europe. Can their mutual understanding and global influence bring prosperity and resilience to their economies and strengthen their cooperation in addressing global challenges?
Courtesy: ANI
The Myanmar military coup of 1 February 2021 derailed a decade-long experiment in limited democracy, triggering violent resistance, armed conflict, fragmentation, and humanitarian crises. As instability deepens and global attention wanes, Myanmar’s turmoil carries significant implications for India, particularly along the border regions. With China’s growing footprint and ASEAN’s limited mediation, India must carefully navigate its Act East and Indo-Pacific strategies while sustaining people-to-people ties.
Courtesy: ANI
From 7-8 February, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Malaysia to review the current state of bilateral ties and explore new avenues of cooperation. The focus was to deepen and diversify the economic dimension of the engagement. Two factors will help achieve this: Malaysia’s role in the ASEAN–India Trade in Goods Agreement review, and India’s enhanced negotiating weight following the signing of recent Free Trade Agreements. Both sides must now translate intent into action.
Courtesy: Niamul Rifat
In less than a week, on 12 February, Bangladesh will witness one of its most consequential parliamentary elections. The same day, the people of Bangladesh will also vote on a referendum that seeks to overhaul the country’s governance structure. The outcome of both, whichever way they turn out, is likely to pull Bangladesh into a vortex of political turmoil.
Courtesy: DD News
By signing the EU-India Free Trade Agreement on January 27, the ties that bind India and the European collective have been re-energised. They are now set to reach new heights, while overcoming past hesitations and divergences.
Courtesy: GK newspaper
On 12 February, Bangladesh will go to the polls to choose a new leader. India should work to maintain a robust and cordial working relationship with the new regime as it did during Sheikh Hasina’s tenure. The new government in Bangladesh should prioritise eliminating anti-India sentiments before they become entrenched, to prevent security challenges for itself and the region.
Courtesy: News on Air
In the shifting sands of contemporary geopolitics, terms such as ‘fluid multipolarity’, ‘multiplexity’, ‘tripolarity’, and ‘bipolarity with multipolar characteristics’ are replacing the old dogmas and orders. But what is driving the world today? How does India plan to protect its vital interests in the current age of ongoing polycrisis? The road ahead is challenging, marked by risks and uncertainty.