Courtesy: East Asia Forum
Most multilateral and plurilateral institutions have lost their significance and ability to shape the trajectory of international relations today. The G7 is no exception. It is impacted by the shift of power from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and an intra-Atlantic rift. The G7 discussions reflected this. More positive were the sideline discussions on repairing the India-Canada bilateral.
Courtesy: Times Now
India and the U.S. are now on the verge of establishing a comprehensive trade agreement, overcoming a long history of bilateral trade challenges. This is a pivotal moment that could lead to mutual benefits and a deeper partnership. It will also illumine the path for other modern trade agreements that India is currently negotiating with multiple countries.
Courtesy: Ludovic MARIN / AFP
Macron’s 2025 tour of Southeast Asia was intended to reinforce France’s strategic commitment to the Indo-Pacific. By engaging with three key ASEAN members - Vietnam, Indonesia, and Singapore - France wants to forge partnerships beyond its traditional transatlantic ties. Its Indo-Pacific vision is based on its territorial presence, economic interests, and diplomacy values, which it hopes will be an alternative to the binary logic of U.S.-China rivalry.
Courtesy: News Arena India
Canadian Prime Minister Carney can use the upcoming G7 summit he is hosting to advance the North-South dialogue and cooperation and also to discuss the strained bilateral with India. India can articulate the viewpoint of the Global South, stressing its conviction that the G7 is better served by constructively working with developing and emerging economies.
Courtesy: Gateway House
The proposed IMEC corridor connecting India to Europe through the Gulf can be transformative, helping to reduce risks to the global movement of goods and data. It’s early days yet, and there are gaps to be filled in terms of missing infrastructure and overcoming a diplomatic rift.
Courtesy: Embassy of India, Berlin
New German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s early decisions suggest that foreign and security policy will be defining features of his chancellorship. The coalition agreement reflects a conservative yet pragmatic response to changing global dynamics.
Courtesy: Reuters
The India-UK Free Trade Agreement comes amidst increasing economic uncertainty caused by the Trump administration’s reciprocal tariff policies. The FTA has revitalised previously lethargic discussions for India to conclude FTAs between like-minded countries. An India-EU FTA, along with the India-UK FTA, may reform global rule-making on international trade and perhaps even revive the WTO.
Courtesy: Gateway House
Geopolitics is increasingly intertwined with the economic destiny of South Asia. Even before the U.S. tariffs were rolled out, growing polycrises had hit the global economy, which has been struggling since the pandemic. South Asia seems a relatively bright spark of regional trade and growth. This paper analyses South Asia’s trade architecture in the backdrop of a sluggish world economy in the 2020s, and makes recommendations for closer regional economic integration.
Courtesy: The Diplomatist
The traditional label of ‘middle power’ fails to capture India’s growing status. The country’s ability to shape the international discourse is no longer in question. India sees itself as a key player the global order.
Courtesy: East Asia Forum
The traditional power structures of ‘unipolarity’ or ‘bipolarity’ prevalent over the past 80 years are no longer appropriate to describe the current global order, with more countries increasingly supporting the evolving multipolar world. With the old ‘rules-based’ order becoming less relevant, emerging powers like India have an opportunity to draft more equitable rules to match their multipolar intentions.