Brazil_podcast Courtesy: Brookings Institution
22 March 2024

Unfolding Geopolitics | Episode 9, Brazil’s G20 Presidency: on the road

It is three months into Brazil’s G20 presidency, and the country is working hard on its agenda of prioritising energy transitions, reform of global governance and social inclusion. These will flow well into Brazil’s chairing of two other multilateral events in 2025 — BRICS and the COP30. Carlos Frederico de Souza Coelho, Senior Fellow at the BRICS Policy Center, talks about Brazil’s G20 agenda, its intention to advance India’s G20 efforts for global development, and what to expect from his country’s COP30 and BRICS presidencies.

EmmaLouiseDiscussion Courtesy: Getty Images
21 March 2024

‘BRICS wants to challenge the G7′

With South African presidential elections slated for late May, South African opposition politician and Shadow Minister for International Relations and Cooperation, Emma Louise Powell shares her views on the future trajectory of BRICS, the credibility of the African Union (AU) on the continent, South Africa’s relations with China, and her country’s stance on key global issues.

Russian_BRICS_Chairship Courtesy: Official Internet Resources of the President of Russia
4 March 2024

BRICS under Russian chairship

Russia took charge of BRICS in January 2024 at a point of inflection in geopolitics and expanding influence for the bloc. As chair, Moscow aims to bolster cooperation along the lines of the BRICS’ three pillars to shift power away from the West and explore ways to engage potential members. Though China seems onboard, for India, neither of these pursuits must proceed too aggressively.

BhatiaBRICSSpeech Courtesy: Indian Council of World Affairs
29 February 2024

BRICS as a Global Alternative

On 22 February, Rajiv Bhatia, Distinguished Fellow, Foreign Policy Studies delivered the keynote address to participants at the national seminar on “BRICS as a Global Alternative—Prospects and Concern for India.” He argued that an examination of BRICS and the geopolitical context in which it is functioning provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the India's perspective of this important organisation.

20231118_TWLDD002 Courtesy: The Economist
4 January 2024

Reading the tea leaves for 2024

After a year affected by a sustained polycrisis, global geopolitics in 2024 remains a delicate dance between hope and realism. Ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza cast uncertain shadows, while Taiwan and the South China Sea present potential flashpoints. Indian diplomacy will have to navigate old and new challenges, while promoting India’s expertise in digital technology, as also managing its own upcoming parliamentary elections.

Gateway House_Elections in 2024 Courtesy: Gateway House
4 January 2024

54 democratic elections in 2024

A sweep of democracies across the world are scheduled to hold general elections in 2024, including seven of the 10 most populous countries. India has an interest in several of these: its own national election and those in its immediate neighbourhood; in the G20, of which India is still part of the troika; and in BRICS-plus, where a new global game is afoot.

GettyImages-1272675620 Courtesy: The Intercept
18 October 2023

West Asian quagmire

There are multiple threads running through the Israel-Hamas conflict, and multiple interests. The long-running cast of the Arab and Western worlds are on site, but now so is a newly-assertive Qatar. Two others are potential players: the expanded BRICS grouping and India, which will soon co-invest in the India-Middle East Europe Corridor. Will they be drawn into the West Asian quagmire?

Screenshot 2023-10-12 at 3.12.30 PM Courtesy: The Independent
12 October 2023

Multiple mediators for the Middle East

The Israel-Hamas conflict can further destabilise a world already weighed down by the Ukraine war and U.S.-China tensions. Escalation is inevitable, unless Europe recovers its traditional mediating role of advocating for ceasefire, dialogue and negotiated solutions, the Axis of Resistance desists, and the BRICS-11 play balancer. For the first time, there are many actors in an arena where the US was accustomed to being a soloist.

Elections_Infographic03 Courtesy: Gateway House
5 October 2023

An orchestra of elections in 2023-24

Between 2023 and 2024, a sweep of democracies across the world are scheduled to hold general elections. India has an interest in several of these: its own national election and those in its immediate neighbourhood; in the G20, of which India is still part of the troika; and in BRICS-plus, where a new global game is afoot.

01 Courtesy: Gateway House
7 September 2023

Unfolding Geopolitics | Episode 1, Decolonisation in progress

The expansion of BRICS and the military coups in West Africa have brought to the fore long-suppressed intensities and tensions in the world order. Developed and developing words are in a moment of transition, with middle powers like India playing key balancing roles. Amb. Neelam Deo speaks with us on Unfolding Geopolitics, a new podcast series which observes and explains current and emerging geopolitical and foreign policy trends across the world.