Analysis

Contemporary World Affairs (CWA)
Young Voices on Global Politics

CWA Commentaries are primarily authored by young scholars who are a part of the course on Global Politics.

The objective is to provide a platform for the young voices on contemporary world affairs, and also equip them with effective communication skills.

The World This Week

The Putin-Xi Summit, PM Modi's UAE Visit, and the India-Nordic Summit

May 2026 | CWA # 2118

Global Politics Team

TWTW Note

The India-Nordic Summit and PM Modi’s Oslo Visit

May 2026 | CWA # 2117

Lekshmi MK | Lekshmi MK is a Research Assistant at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru.

TWTW Note

India, the UAE, and PM Modi’s visit:

May 2026 | CWA # 2116

Yesasvi Koganti | Yesasvi Koganti is currently pursuing undergraduate studies at the Department of Political Science, Madras Christian College, Chennai. 

TWTW Note
May 2026 | CWA # 2115

Aparna A Nair | Aparna A Nair is a research intern at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru.

The Putin-Xi Summit
Global Politics Explainer
May 2026 | CWA # 2114

Glynnis Winona B | Glynnis Winona B is an undergraduate student at the Department of International Relations, Peace Studies and Public Policy, St. Joseph's University, Bengaluru. She is currently an intern at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru

What makes the UAE a global player?
Global Politics Explainer
May 2026 | CWA # 2113

Aishal Hab Yousuf | Aishal Hab Yousuf is a postgraduate student at the Department of International Studies, Stella Maris College, Chennai. She is currently an intern at NIAS, Bengaluru.

Sri Lanka and the US-Iran War 
Global Politics Explainer
May 2026 | CWA # 2112

Nithin V | Nithin V is a postgraduate student in international relations at Loyola College, Chennai. He is currently an intern at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru.

Why does the Falkland Islands dispute keep recurring?
TWTW Note
May 2026 | CWA # 2110

Aishal Hab Yousuf | Aishal Hab Yousuf is a postgraduate student at the Department of International Studies, Stella Maris College, Chennai. She is currently an intern at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru.

The Trump-Xi Summit:
TWTW Note
May 2026 | CWA # 2109

Aishal Hab Yousuf | Aishal Hab Yousuf is a postgraduate student at the Department of International Studies, Stella Maris College, Chennai. She is currently an intern at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru.

North Korea's Constitutional Amendment 2026:
TWTW Review
May 2026 | CWA # 2108

Ada Khan | Ada Khan is an undergraduate at the Department of Political Science, Public Policy, and Media Studies, Mount Carmel College, Bengaluru.

The Africa Forward Summit 2026:
CW Note
May 2026 | CWA # 2104

Brighty Ann Sarah | Brighty Ann Sarah is a Research Assistant with the Global Politics team at the Science, Technology and International Relations (STIR) Programme at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru.

The Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire:
CW Note
May 2026 | CWA # 2103

Akshath Kaimal | Akshath Kaimal is a Research Assistant at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru, and is part of the NIAS Pakistan Reader and Africa Studies teams.

Rising violence in the Lake Chad region: 
CW Note
May 2026 | CWA # 2101

Anu Maria Joseph | Anu Maria Joseph is currently a Non-Resident Fellow, Subhas Chandra Bose International Relations (SCB-IR) Chair, Chanakya University, Bengaluru.

The New Wave of Violence in DR Congo:
CW Column
May 2026 | CWA # 2091

Brighty Ann Sarah | Brighty Ann Sarah is a Research Assistant with the Global Politics team at the Science, Technology and International Relations (STIR) Programme at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru.

Conflicts in the Middle East:
CW Note
May 2026 | CWA # 2090

Brighty Ann Sarah | Brighty Ann Sarah is a Research Assistant with the Global Politics team at the Science, Technology and International Relations (STIR) Programme at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru.

The US-Iran War, Week Ten:
TWTW Takeaways
May 2026 | CWA # 2088

Nithin V | Nithin V is a postgraduate student in International Relations, with an interest in geopolitics, international political economy, and climate governance. He is currently an intern at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru.

King Charles's US Visit: 
TWTW Note
May 2026 | CWA # 2087

Siddhi Halyur | Siddhi Halyur is an undergraduate student at the Department of International Relations, Public Policy and Journalism at St Joseph's University, Bengaluru. She is currently an intern at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru.

Japan, Vietnam and PM Takaichi’s Visit
TWTW Note
May 2026 | CWA # 2086

Aishal Hab Yousuf | Aishal Hab Yousuf is a postgraduate student at the Department of International Studies, Stella Maris College, Chennai. She is currently an intern at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru.

UAE’s Exit from OPEC: 
TWTW Note
May 2026 | CWA # 2085

Glynnis Winona B | Glynnis Winona B is an undergraduate student at the Department of International Relations, Peace Studies and Public Policy, St. Joseph's University, Bengaluru. She is currently an intern at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru

US troop withdrawal from Germany: 
CW Note
May 2026 | CWA # 2083

Brighty Ann Sarah | Brighty Ann Sarah is a Research Assistant with the Global Politics team at the Science, Technology and International Relations (STIR) Programme at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru.

The US-Iran War, Week Nine:
CW Note
May 2026 | CWA # 2082

Akshath Kaimal | Akshath Kaimal is a Research Assistant with the Global Politics team at the Science, Technology and Interntional Relations (STIR) Programme at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru.

Escalating Violence in Mali:
CW Review
May 2026 | CWA # 2081

Jenin Raj S | Dr Jenin Raj S is an Assistant Professor and Head of the Centre for Media, Department of Journalism, Mount Carmel College (Autonomous), Bengaluru.

Media freedom hits a 25-year low:
TWTW Note
April 2026 | CWA # 2079

Aishal Hab Yousuf | Aishal Hab Yousuf, Postgraduate student, Department of International Studies, Stella Maris College, Chennai. She is currently an intern at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru.

Japan’s New Defence Posture:
TWTW Note
April 2026 | CWA # 2078

Mahesh Bhatta | Mr Mahesh Raj Bhatta is a Research Fellow at the Centre for South Asian Studies (CSAS), Kathmandu, Nepal.

Nepal’s New “National Commitment”
CW Note
April 2026 | CWA # 2074

Brighty Ann Sarah | Ms Sarah is a Research Assistant at NIAS and Assistant Editor of NIAS Conflict Weekly.

Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire:
CW Note
April 2026 | CWA # 2073

Akshath Kaimal | Mr Kaimal is a Research Assistant at NIAS. He works on Pakistan and Africa.

The US-Iran War, Week Eight:
Special Commentary
April 2026 | CWA # 2072

Anu Maria Joseph | Ms Anu Maria Joseph was a NIAS Project Associate and served as Assistant Editor, Conflict Weekly.

Three Years of War in Sudan
Peace and Conflicts This Quarter (January–March 2026)
April 2026 | CWA # 2069

Padmashree Anandhan

The War in Ukraine
Peace and Conflicts This Quarter (January–March 2026)
April 2026 | CWA # 2068

Femy Francis 

China-Japan Tensions
Peace and Conflicts This Quarter (January–March 2026)
April 2026 | CWA # 2067

Anu Maria Joseph

Conflicts in Africa
The World This Quarter 
April 2026 | CWA # 2065

Lakshmi Venugopal Menon | Dr Lakshmi Venugopal Menon is an academic and policy researcher specializing in Gulf studies, cultural heritage trafficking, geopolitics, migration, Afghan politics and the Taliban.

The Middle East (Jan–Mar 2026):
The World This Quarter 
April 2026 | CWA # 2064

Anwesha Ghosh | Dr Anwesha Ghosh is a Research Fellow at ICWA, New Delhi. She is the author of Identity and Marginality in India (Routledge, 2020) and Afghanistan Under the Taliban: Pasts and Anticipations (KW Publishers, 2026).

Afghanistan (Jan–Mar 2026):
The World This Quarter 
April 2026 | CWA # 2063

Ramya B | Ramya B is an Associate Professor at the Department of History, Kristu Jayanti University, Bengaluru

Russia (Jan-Mar 2026)
The World This Quarter 
April 2026 | CWA # 2062

Himani Pant | Dr Himani Pant is a Research Fellow at the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA), New Delhi

Europe (Jan-Mar 2026)
The World This Quarter 
April 2026 | CWA # 2061

S Shaji | Dr S Shaji is an Associate Professor at the Department of Political Science, University of Hyderabad

Africa (Jan-Mar 2026)
The World This Quarter 
April 2026 | CWA # 2060

Nanda Kishor M S | Dr Nanda Kishor MS is Head and Associate Professor at the Department of Politics and International Studies.

India and the Neighbourhood (Jan-Mar 2026)
The World This Quarter 
April 2026 | CWA # 2059

Adarsh Vijay | Adarsh Vijay is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Political Science, Madras Christian College, Chennai.

India and the World (Jan-Mar 2026)
The World This Quarter 
April 2026 | CWA # 2058

Nishchal N Pandey  & Mahesh Raj Bhatta

Nepal (Jan-Mar 2026)
February 2026 | CWA # 1959

Yesasvi Koganti | Yesasvi Koganti is an undergraduate student from Madras Christian College, Chennai.

UK and China
February 2026 | CWA # 1957

R Preetha | R Preetha is pursuing post-graduation in the Department of International Studies, Stella Maris College, Chennai, and is a Research Assistant at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru.

The India–US interim trade framework
February 2026 | CWA # 1956

Lekshmi MK | Lekshmi MK is pursuing post-graduation in the Department of Political Science, Madras Christian College, Chennai, and is a Research Assistant at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru.

End of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START)
Click below links for year wise archive
2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018

PR Chari                                   General Dipankar Banerjee

This initiative is a tribute to Mr PR Chari and Gen Dipankar Banerjee, who provided a vital breakthrough for many young scholars, gave them a space to grow and made the budding academics to believe in themselves. "Capacity Building" was their belief; they practised the same in the multiple institutions they served and built. Many leading scholars across the world today, penned their first essay under the mentorship of these two legends.

Mr Chari and Gen Banerjee, we owe you. And we will continue the tradition that you have set.

D. Suba Chandran
Professor and Dean, NIAS