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: Xinhua / Wang Ye
The SCO aims to be more than a security dialogue, because churn in the global order means not only military power but includes new instruments like infrastructure, energy and technology. The SCO has potential here. China’s factories, Russia’s energy and resources, India’s technology and services, and Central Asia’s location and minerals, connected to Iran and Pakistan’s location on the Arabian Sea, could become a formidable economic geography.
Courtesy: Indian Navy Website
The India–Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (ISFTA), implemented in 2000, has significantly expanded India–Sri Lanka trade, investment and tourism. But it now needs to be deepened beyond goods to make the most of the modern, supply-chain-driven global economy. Any ISFTA 2.0 should update rules of origin, liberalise services, digitise customs, strengthen investment protections and deepen connectivity to help Sri Lanka integrate into India-centred supply chains.
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: 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: 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.
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Ashish Bharadwaj, Distinguished Fellow for Law and Education, Gateway House, was the chief guest at the 70th birthday and 80th Independence Day celebration at Udayachal High School, Mumbai. He spoke about the heroes of the independence movement, young and old, and connected the lessons of India's history to the country's youth.
Courtesy: PTI
Just four months ago, India and Bangladesh seemed determined to move beyond the difficulties faced during the two-year transition of Mohammad Yunus. But former PM Sheikh Hasina’s audio address to her constituents via Delhi changed the mood. Can the realists and pragmatists in Delhi and Dhaka rebuild and strengthen a coalition of mutual interests?
Courtesy: Gateway House
India’s transition from Digital Public Infrastructure to indigenous AI is not simply an effort to make more data available for AI development. It is to see how data associated with public digital systems can be brought into new technological uses without weakening the legal and institutional safeguards that govern its collection, access and use. That balance creates sustained innovation alongside privacy, participation and public accountability.
Courtesy: Jazyl Homavazir
The popular Japanese art of manga has a vibrant subculture in India. India’s is no longer just an emerging demographic for this art. With an estimated 118 million active viewers across platforms, it is now the second-largest anime viewership market globally, trailing only behind China. What it lacks is original production frameworks to become a genuine and lucrative IP generator.