BoB3 Courtesy: The Strategist
1 June 2023

Food, Energy & Finance Connectivity in the Bay of Bengal

Despite its natural advantages, the Bay of Bengal region lags economically, in part due to insufficient connectivity between the member nations. Improving financial connectivity between them is the first step to easing movement of goods, services and people. Greater financial collaboration also can help the region mitigate the impact of ongoing geopolitical upheavals that have caused food and energy prices to rise.

BRICS-Summit-2018 Courtesy: Asia Times
25 May 2023

The paradox of BRICS

After many early achievements, BRICS is now in gridlock, made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic, India-China border tensions, and the Ukraine conflict. Despite its apparent diplomatic bankruptcy, 19 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America are eagerly waiting in line to join the grouping.

dhaka tribune Courtesy: Dhaka Tribune
18 May 2023

Dhaka on the Move

Dhaka recently hosted the Indian Ocean Conference 2023, a multi-country event featuring speakers and participants from the Indian Ocean countries. In recent years, Bangladesh has gone from a ‘basket-case’ to a case study in progress, and across Dhaka are signs of a city undergoing dramatic change.

india SL Courtesy: Business World
18 May 2023

India and Sri Lanka Beyond the IMF

The Sri Lankan economy is showing signs of stabilizing after experiencing the worst contraction in its history in 2022. Decisive policies by President Ranil Wickremasinghe, timely Indian aid, and an IMF Programme have laid the groundwork for a return to growth. India and Sri Lanka must now shift from an aid relationship to one which deepens bilateral trade and investment flows.

swarajya sco Courtesy: Swarajya
10 May 2023

Steering the SCO

India, as chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, hosted the foreign ministers’ meet in Goa last week. What would have been an important and expanding regional grouping has been complicated by the Russia-Ukraine crisis, the increased influence of China and an obstructionist Pakistan. Still, India has played its role with an eye on the long term.

Port-of-Matabari Courtesy: India Shipping News
24 April 2023

A new troika for India’s Northeast

India’s Northeast is developing and getting close to its goal of being part of the Indian mainstream in connectivity and business – which is also critical for the success of India’s Act East Policy. For both goals, Bangladesh and Japan are invaluable partners and friends. The troika’s collaboration can be a model in the region.

mappr Courtesy: Mappr
20 April 2023

Uzbekistan balances the geopolitical quartet

India is rapidly increasing its economic engagement with Russia, and other former Soviet countries. This means it must look at old friends in Central Asia with new eyes. Uzbekistan is one of them. India is one of a quartet of geopolitical powers playing to the strategic interests of this nation which sits at the crossroads of South, East, West and Central Asia and Russia.

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.

shipping-containers-Nantong-eastern-China-Jiangsu-Province-trade-ap Courtesy: The Week
13 April 2023

India-Russia in the shadow of sanctions

In 2022, increased sanctions were imposed on Russia by the U.S., E.U., and their allies. The track record of Western sanctions shows they are quick to be imposed, but slow to be removed. In the current environment, it is reasonable to assume that sanctions on Russia will stay in place for a very long time. India should plan its defence and commercial relations accordingly.