Courtesy: Gateway House
The world is undergoing a profound transformation - not driven by the U.S., China, or Russia, but by small and medium states carving out their rightful space in the emerging order. With UN reform stalled, middle-power cooperation must organise effectively to push for a responsive multilateral system that works for all, ensuring institutions are reformed and made fit for today’s world.
Courtesy: Amazon India
Set in the 1930s, when Britain was trying to appease Hitler, The Spy and the Devil follows Baltic aristocrat-turned-MI6 agent Baron Wilhelm “Bill” de Ropp, who infiltrated Hitler’s inner circle through Nazi ideologue Alfred Rosenberg. Through Rosenberg he met Hitler and became one of the few Westerners with inside access to his court. The author weaves espionage, British foreign policy, MI6’s evolution into a compelling narrative.
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: 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.
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Recent state elections in Brandenburg, Saxony and Thuringia in east Germany saw the far-right Alternative for Democracy (AfD) and the left-wing Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) make significant gains in vote share. With German federal elections just a year away, major parties like the ruling CDU and SPD which have seen voter support erode considerably, will now have to re-strategise to stay relevant in Germany’s transforming political landscape.
Courtesy: Abhijit Chavda Podcast
Emerging middle powers like India, Brazil and South Africa are articulating their interests on the global stage with growing assertiveness. Manjeet Kripalani, Executive Director, Gateway House, joins Abhijit Chavda on his eponymous podcast to discuss changing dynamics between the West and the Global South, and how western and emerging middle powers can collaborate on shared priorities like multilateral reform, technology transfer and international trade.
Courtesy: Sputnik News
Germany wants to find common ground in a multi-aligned world. For such a world to thrive, actors of consequence must take responsibility for shaping and protecting a free international order that is reliable, yet dynamic, for the benefit of all. When it comes to the global commons, there can be no pick-and-choose approach to foreign policy.
Courtesy: Getty Images
Germany is India's largest trade and economic partner in the EU, but the relationship with France is a class apart, given its strength in military aviation and willingness to be a differentiated member of the West. Must this remain so? If Germany and the EU would be more understanding of India’s democracy and its role in upholding a rules-based order, their relations would be greatly improved.
Courtesy: Getty Images
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.
Courtesy: Deutsche Welle (DW)
On July 13, the German cabinet approved its Strategy on China after nearly two years of internal discussions. The new strategy simultaneously views China as a “partner, competitor, and systemic rival”, calling for de-risking German economic dependence on China, while also expanding cooperation with other countries in the Indo-Pacific region.