Courtesy: Al Jazeera
Trouble has erupted in Ethiopia again, and it is not just another Ethiopia-Tigray war. It is the convergence of several conflicts, within Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia, compounded by the involvement of external powers. Somalia sits at the intersection of a wider Red Sea rivalry involving Egypt, Turkey, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, and to some extent Qatar. The crises are all coalescing.
Courtesy: Gateway House
The sustainability of the Mecca Accord is determined by its response to three geopolitical challenges represented by India, Iran, and Israel. The India test centres on preventing the export of South Asian conflicts to the Gulf, the Iranian test rests on institutionalising sustainable deterrence beyond formulas of perpetual clash, and the Israeli axis tests the mechanisms for reshaping Saudi ties with American security and the future of regional normalisation.
Courtesy: Reuters / Yonhap News Agency
The recent BRICS Summit in New Delhi was declared a success. Its 140-paragraph New Delhi Declaration is the longest yet. With members divided over the Russia-Ukraine and West Asia wars, leaders avoided naming countries or taking positions, focusing on issues affecting the Global South and deepening intra-BRICS cooperation. India steered the grouping towards practical cooperation. The question now is: how will BRICS implement the decisions taken?
Courtesy: South China Morning Post
In less than 60 days, India and China held four major bilateral dialogues, all targeted at finding a solution to the boundary issue whilst maintaining peace on the border. In August, they held diplomatic level talks, followed by discussions between the Special Representatives, culminating in a first-of-its-kind Corps Commander-level flag meeting in early September. Finally came the bilateral meeting between PM Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Courtesy: X / @narendraodi
India’s Eurasian shift will play itself out in the upcoming BRICS Summit. This is in contrast to just four years ago, when India cultivated the West, especially the U.S., in the aftermath of the 2020 Galwan clashes. Now with the U.S.’ tough tariffs and trade negotiations, India has made space to lean towards the Eurasian groupings, emphasising its long-held foreign policy principle of strategic balancing.
Courtesy: Facebook / The Bharat Post
India will host the 18th BRICS Summit from September 12-13, 2026, amid adverse geopolitical circumstances. With Russia at war in Ukraine and Iran, the UAE and Saudi Arabia caught in the U.S.-Israel conflict, the BRICS grouping faces its biggest test yet. Yet its members remain committed to the “BRICS spirit” and promoting a fair international order. Can India use the summit to advance peace and development?
Courtesy: The Economic Times
“Economic D-Day”, recently announced by the U.S. Trump administration, will put additional sanctions on any party which facilitates any activity with Iran. India, Iraq, Turkey, and the UAE could be affected. But ironically China, the biggest supporter of Iran’s regime, may be off the hook given the deep mutual over-reliance with the U.S. and the risk that further sanctions on China could put the global financial system in jeopardy.
Courtesy: X / @MEAIndia
As 25 years of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) culminate in Bishkek, India waits intently, assessing the SCO's development. With PM Modi representing India from August 31–September 1, 2026, having previously chaired the SCO Council of Heads of Government in 2020, the forthcoming summit should provide an opportunity for the Indian delegation to take stock of the current status of previous initiatives and their advancements.
Courtesy:
As Israel readies for its national elections in October, a new actor has stepped into the national scene and will likely influence the polling. This is the Israeli-Jewish diaspora, which comes in all dimensions of Judaism and democracy. For the first time, they feel the need to actively cast their vote, given its criticality and the yearning for political change.
Courtesy: X / @USAmbIndia
The proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) between India and the U.S. aims to enhance trade relations by reducing barriers and increasing cooperation in various sectors. But negotiations have reached an impasse largely due to the tariffs implemented during Trump's second administration. India is maintaining a firm stance on key issues rather than softening its position.