A major upcoming international conference on the Blue Economy in Nairobi in November will focus on the impracticalities of pursuing any one goal – such as sustainability – to the exclusion of business. In fact, the many interests at stake need not be in conflict with one another, to realize the goal of a true blue economy, in which business must have a significant stake.

If India wants to become a serious Indo-Pacific player, it has to prioritise implementation of the SAGAR initiative, look beyond the Quad to partner with smaller littoral states and provide alternatives to China’s investment strategies. This was the message from the recent Indian Ocean Conference in Hanoi, Vietnam

India and Brunei have a 34-year-old diplomatic relationship; but as yet no Indian president or prime minister has paid the country a bilateral visit to strengthen these ties. The strategically-located nation is rich in its history, with a unique political system. Its foreign policy approach is non-controversial, yet noticeably pragmatic.

America is increasingly using sanctions as a geopolitical tool against its rivals, Russia, Iran and Venezuela. These countries are important partners for India, which needs to find ways around unilateral American sanctions.

Africa today holds great economic allure for the major powers, which are looking to deepen their partnerships with it. India, which shares a rich past with the continent, has been adopting many measures to step up economic diplomacy in the region

The 21-year-old regional organisation, which will hold its fourth summit on August 30-31, was formed because of the opportunities to make headway in economic and social development through cooperation, but it has achieved modest success. It has a relevance independent of SAARC or ASEAN and goals of its own to pursue

These remarks were given by Rajiv Bhatia, Distinguished Fellow, Foreign Policy Studies, Gateway House as the chair of the Shillong Dialogue Roundtable on India and Sub-Himalayan Eastern Neighbours: Shared Borders, Shared Opportunities – Transforming Geo-Spaces to Celebrating Ideas, Skills, and People on August 16-17, 2018.

Since Independence, India has been consumed by its domestic priorities. Now, with increasing integration with the world and a huge stake in global stability, it is time to focus on the global commons. India has a seat on the hightable to design and shape the rules for the governance of the global commons. In this special Independence Day Briefing, Gateway House examines India’s engagement with four global commons – technology, outer space, cyber and the oceans – and makes recommendations on how best they can be governed for our collective future.

TIMES NOW & Maroof Raza featured our Distinguished Fellow in Foreign Policy Studies, Amb. Rajiv Bhatia on their show to discuss long-term India-South Africa ties. Watch the full episode here.

BRICS has grown in influence in its first decade but is still far from achieving its initial goals