Courtesy: The Diplomat
Managing ties with the U.S., China, Russia, and those within its South Asian neighbourhood will be India’s key foreign policy priorities in 2025. For India to be a principal player in the region and beyond, it must skillfully weave national security, economic, and diplomacy into its strategic calculations.
Courtesy: X / Jaime Kirzner-Roberts
Iran has the largest Jewish diaspora in the Middle East outside of Israel. Since the 7 October 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas, a proxy of Iran, the Iranian Jews have been publicly denouncing Israel’s actions in Gaza and Lebanon. Is this a sign of a loyal community or one under pressure from Iran’s ruling regime?
Courtesy: Business Standard
The advent of the pro-oil Donald Trump in the U.S. and the strong pushback by developing countries to the unsatisfactory COP29 proposals, has opened opportunities for India in the energy sector. Instead of investing in overseas oil facilities, India will be better served as a financial investor in listed companies in large economies. This approach will help forge closer ties with strategic partners.
Courtesy: X / MEAIndia
The state visit of Sri Lanka’s new President Dissanayake to India, is welcome at many levels. His party’s majority win gives Sri Lanka the strength to undertake the hard reforms necessary to put the island back onto its higher economic status. India’s assistance has helped but there is more to be done to elevate the bilateral. For India which is now in a hostile neighbourhood, Sri Lanka can be a valuable friend.
Courtesy: The Hindu
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s six-day visit to Nigeria, Brazil, and Guyana in November resulted in several bilateral agreements on economic, developmental, energy and technological cooperation. The trip highlighted India’s strategic and diplomatic priorities in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean and offered the country an opportunity to position itself as a key partner for sustainable development and multilateral cooperation in the Global South.
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At a time of high geo-political tensions, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia can play a calming role as it mediates between the U.S., Israel, and Iran. It is enabled by its own diplomacy, moving to strengthen ties with Iran, with the Gulf nations slowly coalescing on issues. For the first time, it is being done without the U.S. as interlocutor.
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In its election manifesto for Maharashtra, the winning Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has set a goal of transforming Maharashtra into a $1 trillion economy by 2028. To achieve this, the state will need to focus on increasing its share of Foreign Direct Investment which, although the biggest in the country, has stagnated over the past decade.
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On October 31, Adani Power halved the electricity supply to Bangladesh, owing to outstanding dues. Bangladesh’s already weak economy has become worse under the new regime, with the country running short of funds to pay for imports of fuel and electricity.
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The Israel-Hezbollah war has become the dominant event in the Middle East. The Israeli army has entered southern Lebanon, and Israel’s air force is targeting selected Hezbollah strongholds in Beirut. The year-long Israel-Hamas war is now a regional conflict, with international actors from the Gulf monarchies to Iran, the U.S., Europe, and the UN, trying to influence the course of events towards a ceasefire.
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Prime Minister Modi’s state visit to Nigeria on November 16-17 marks the first leg of his transcontinental diplomatic tour and offers a valuable opportunity to advance cooperation with Africa and the Global South. The trip, aimed at deepening cooperation in trade, investment and defence, signaled India’s recognition of Nigeria’s significance as Africa’s regional and continental powerhouse.