Courtesy: Gateway House
At the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in June, President Vladimir Putin reiterated that Russia is building a sovereign AI ecosystem. Despite Western sanctions and the brain drain following the Ukraine war, Moscow continues to support AI startups and SMEs through state-backed funding. There are 38 Russian AI companies, and it is worth analysing their backgrounds, classifications, and the links between them and the Russian state.
Courtesy: Manuel Elías
The process of choosing a new Secretary General of the UN, to assume office on January 1, 2027, has begun. The UN Security Council is central to this and has just held its first straw poll on the seven candidates in the fray. Three have done well – all from countries with positive ties to the current U.S. administration. India must keep a close eye on the developments.
Courtesy: PTI
There is a positive reset in India-Canada relations, and this is being strengthened through cooperation in security, trade and education ties. Both countries believe in the strategic value of the Indo-Pacific, and both have been at the receiving end of rough geopolitical treatment by the U.S. They see their salvation in putting the past behind them and deepening bilateral relations.
Courtesy: ASEAN
The Manila meetings of ASEAN, held amid continuing crises in Ukraine and West Asia, have demonstrated that ASEAN centrality has not gone out of fashion. Neither the U.S. nor China, despite scepticism about ASEAN's effectiveness, wishes ASEAN institutions to disappear. India, Russia, Japan, Australia, the EU and the UK likewise continue to use these meetings as valuable platforms for Indo-Pacific engagement.
Courtesy: The Jerusalem Post
The ongoing conflict in the Gulf has created tremendous change. Israel is deeply scarred by the October 7 attacks. Iran retains the ability to go nuclear despite U.S.-Israel attacks. China’s assistance to Iran through intelligence and the supply of parts and chemicals for missiles has been noticed. New formations of countries - either interlocutors, participants or victims of the war – are generating an alphabet soup of influencers.
Courtesy: Outlook Business
The legacy of the Modi-Takaichi Summit will extend well beyond the bilateral. It demonstrates that middle powers, through responsible and sustained action, are capable of shaping the future of the Indo-Pacific through strategic intent and the resilient economic networks that back it up to promote regional stability. For India and Japan, economic security is the foundation upon which the next generation of the bilateral will be built.
Courtesy: Körber-Stiftung
The third Emerging Middle Powers Report reveals interesting trends. In every recent year, the five countries surveyed – India, Germany, South Africa, Brazil, and Indonesia – have been tested by events to prove they can prevail over the contested terrain of global politics. A pattern has emerged linking them together: non-alignment is their preferred response to a fragmenting order.
Courtesy: Gateway House
President Trump’s January 2025 executive order ending birthright citizenship has reignited the global debate over citizenship and migration. Dual citizenship has become increasingly popular since the Second World War, but it is now viewed with growing anxiety over migration and national identity, prompting some countries to tighten restrictions. This infographic maps which countries permit, restrict, or prohibit dual citizenship.
Courtesy: Prime Minister's Office of Japan
The 52nd G7 Summit, held in Evian-les-Bains from June 15-17, reflected both the challenges and continued relevance of the grouping. While the G7’s share of global GDP has declined, it remains influential. India’s participation as an invited guest drew attention as a major representative of the Global South. As BRICS chair this year, India has an opportunity to explain the motivations of both the G7 and BRICS to each other's members.
Courtesy: Sifra Lentin
The holy relics of Buddha Shakyamuni, part of the relics originally excavated in 1898 from the Piprahwa Stupa in the Terai region of northern Uttar Pradesh, were repatriated to India in 2025 after 127 years. Marg magazine’s volume 77 (2) is a deep dive into the history, Buddhist cultural landscape, colonial archaeology and museology, and Buddhism’s veneration of these relics.