The 6th BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok on April 4, 2025 saw progress for the organisation, such as the adoption of a ‘Vision 2030’ plan outlining its goals till 2030. In other areas, the grouping continues to lag. BIMSTEC must watch for potential challenges to its future as it seeks to bridge the gaps.

The Indo-Pacific region is vital to India’s security and economic development. With escalating threats and geopolitical competition in the region, India is seeking a favourable position through its bilateral ties with countries like Mauritius, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, Australia and the U.S. and special attention must be paid to the various plurilateral groupings India is a part of, to manage future issues.

The first plurilateral meeting attended by new U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was the Quad, a day after assuming office. The meeting reinforced the commitment to the Indo-Pacific but with the change in government, the Quad's trajectory in 2025 remains a question. Part of the answer lies in its past interactions, while the rest depends on how the U.S. and India will approach China.

The UN turns 80 this year. How is it being judged? Both disparagingly and with admiration says Ruchira Kamboj, Former Permanent Representative of India to the UN. In this podcast with Manjeet Kripalani, Executive Director, Gateway House, she explains the now-diminished U.S presence, the growing influence of China, the scope for reform and India’s position as an emerging global power.

Europe has reduced its reliance on Russian gas following the war in Ukraine, and its chief supplier Russia is mired in western sanctions. What does it mean for Russia? It has certainly changed the fortunes for American gas to be sold to Europe: as of 2023, the US had become the world’s top exporter of gas.

The 16th BRICS Summit, held in Russia’s Kazan in October, was the first summit of the expanded grouping. With 13 new partner states invited, it revealed how increased membership has the potential to enhance the grouping’s influence. For India, BRICS serves as a bridge between the west, the east, the north and the south, making New Delhi the geopolitical sweet spot.

India hosted the third Global South Summit virtually on August 17. Such summits are a necessary platform to network with other developing countries and bring neglected issues to attention. But now they must do more than be tick-box events. They must have achievable milestones, actively share experiences and solutions, and show how they matter.

The term Global South is no less ambiguous today than when it first originated in the 1960s. This time though, it is a big tent that accommodates all non-West aspirations, from the G77 to the Non-Aligned Movement to the Third World. It is a geopolitical fact rather than a geographical demarcation whose appeal lies in its ability to get to the heart of shared priorities and goals.

The Quad foreign ministers meeting, held in Tokyo on July 29, took a clear position against China’s coercive actions in the East and South China seas. The four ministers have done their bit by reviewing the progress of the grouping’s many initiatives and reiterating its commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. For continued progress, the Quad now needs solid initiative from the top leadership – and a summit at the earliest.

The authors convincingly analyse the bewildering diversity, size and scale of the challenges of South Asia in a volume that is a rare treasure for those interested in deciphering the history, ethnic identities, colonial legacy, political economy, environmental risks, and geopolitical dynamics of the region.