Burj_Dubai_Construction_Workers_on_4_June_2007 Courtesy:
14 August 2015

India-GCC: Oil for jobs

The jobs of 6.5 million Indians working in GCC countries could be at risk due to the fall in global oil prices. Securing the interests of these workers should be on Prime Minister Modi’s agenda when he visits UAE on August 16-17

Bahrain gas stations Courtesy:
6 August 2015

Cheap oil is costing West Asia

The oil-rich GCC countries are starting to show signs of financial stress maintaining high defense and social spending while the price of oil remains low

Ufa 2015 in Numbers
16 July 2015

Ufa 2015 in Numbers

The Russian city of Ufa, capital of the Republic of Bashkortostan, played host to three major summits from July 8-10—BRICS, SCO and Russia's Eurasian Economic Union (EEU). Here are some of the characteristics and developments from the summit in numbers

SCO India Courtesy: PK times
9 July 2015

India and SCO: the real benefit

India becoming a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation will be a significant moment in its engagement with Central Asia. However, there are not a lot of security or other benefits to be gained

Brexit Courtesy: Shutterstock
9 July 2015

“Brexit”: good or bad for India?

While all eyes are currently on Greece, the UK has plans to hold a referendum on whether to exit the European Union or a "Brexit". The potential of a "Brexit" has both short and long term implications on the UK's position as a financial hub and on Indian FDI into the UK

1284899007_60254e216e_o Courtesy: Arun Sinha/Flickr
7 July 2015

How culture and education can bind BRICS

If, after nine years, BRICS remains a disparate grouping, and its trade and investment flows remain dismal, it is time to explore new avenues of cooperation to consolidate the alliance—and culture and education can provide the necessary cementing factor when combined with the New Development Bank

Shanghai_pudong Courtesy: Wikipedia
7 July 2015

Ideas for the NDB’s institutional design

The New Development Bank initiated by BRICS countries can reform and democratise global economic governance. But to reach this goal, in this critical period when the bank is preparing to operationalise, it must formulate an innovative institutional design. This article outlines four guiding principles for such a structure

Leaders_of_TPP_member_states- wikipedia Courtesy: Wikipedia
20 May 2015

TPP and RCEP: the hare and the tortoise?

The Trans-Pacific Partnership might soon be concluded if the U.S. Congress fast-tracks it, as recently announced, while the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement remains on slow-track. But the TPP, although ambitious, follows an outdated template, and it is the dynamic RCEP that can be a model for a new global rules-based framework

aiib Courtesy: file photo/Xinhua, Wikipedia
23 April 2015

An ASEAN lens on the AIIB

The AIIB is a step along a path that started with the Asian financial crisis, which defined ASEAN’s views about the U.S.’s commitment to the region. Although the bank may signal the rise of China, it is also a coming together of Chinese and ASEAN goals—ASEAN’s focus on infrastructure for growth requires another source of finance, and this forecasts its strong relationship with the AIIB

AIIB Courtesy: file photo/Xinhua
1 April 2015

The new multilateral financial architecture

The announcement that major European powers will join the AIIB as founding members means the bank is now clearly accepted as a tangible game changer in the multilateral financial architecture. The formidable intentions of AIIB and the new transnational corridors project are both a challenge and an opportunity for India