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The World This Week
Biden's Middle East visit, and Elon Musk's backtracking on the Twitter deal
GP Team
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The World This Week #174, Vol. 4, No. 23 17 July 2022
Lavanya R and Harini Madhusudan
The Middle East: Biden's visit to Israel, Saudi Arabia, and West Bank
What happened?
On 13 July, US President Joe Biden landed at the Tel Aviv airport on his historic tour of the Middle East. On 14 July, Biden held high-level diplomatic talks with Israel’s Prime Minister Yair Lapid to form the Jerusalem US-Israel Strategic Partnership Joint Declaration. Investments in Israel’s security, Iran’s nuclear threat, the I2U2 summit, reaffirming the two-state solution and broadening Abraham accords were the key tenets of the declaration.
He also stated: ‘the connection between the Israeli people and the American people is bone deep’. To conclude Israel’s visit, Biden inaugurated the Meccabiah games or the’Jewish Olympics’, one of the world’s largest sporting events.
On 15 July, Biden traveled to West Bank and visited a hospital. Later, in a meeting with the President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas, Biden approved a total aid of USD 316 million going to hospital networks in Gaza and West Bank, Palestine’s refugees, and coping with grain shortage due to the Ukraine war.
Addressing the killing of Palestine-American reporter, Shireen Abu Akleh Biden stated: ‘The United States will continue to insist on a full and transparent accounting of her death and will continue to stand up for media freedom everywhere in the world’. However, Palestine’s authorities are angry with the tour, calling it a ‘mere lip service’ since Biden failed to mention Israel’s attacks on Palestine and involvement in the killing of Abu Akleh. Protesters gathered in Gaza asking Biden to go home, and journalists showed up to the press conference wearing Abu Akleh t-shirts in solidarity.
On 15 July, Biden traveled to Saudi Arabia, the most tense part of the tour. Relations between the US and Saudi Arabia went cold after the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, who was a Saudi dissident. Eighteen Joint agreements were signed with King Mohammed Bin Salman in oil, clean energy, healthcare, and space. Biden discussed opening Saudi’s airspace to all states, including Israel. He also attended the Jeddah Security summit, which involved the GCC+3 grouping.
What is the Background?
First, the motive for Biden’s tour. The reasons for Biden’s visit to the Middle East are manifold. Security and Economic partnerships have made Israel a key ally to US interests. Israel has received the largest US funding and support in defence since World War II. Oil interests pushed Biden to visit Saudi Arabia to bring down gasoline prices at a time when crude oil prices are high. Further, Biden, in his op-ed in the Washington Post, and a speech in the Jeddah Security Summit, stated the importance of American presence in the region in order not to let Russia or China takeover.
Second, Palestine’s anger over the US. Palestine was less enthusiastic about Biden’s visit since US-Israel enjoy close ties. Biden has not reversed Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and did not remove the PLO from the US terror list organization. Palestine also does not believe the two-state solution that Biden strongly advocated for which will become a reality soon.
What does it mean?
The US has firmly declared its Israel-friendly positioning in the Middle East, with warm ties and Biden being described as a ‘Zionist’ by Lapid. Biden has reaffirmed his commitment to the region and has pushed for new agreements that will change the pattern of relations between states in the Middle East. The opening up of airspace by Saudi Arabia to Israel hints at the first step in normalizing ties between the two rival states. However, a possible Israel- Saudi relationship could prove volatile and unstable, given that Saudi does not recognize Israel. American presence and mediation remain necessary to foster any possible re-construction of diplomatic ties between the two states.
The Joint Declaration signed by the US and Israel presents statements aimed at Iran’s nuclear program. Biden has utilized this tour as a pressure tactic to force Iran into an agreement since the ongoing JCPoA talks have resulted in a stalemate. However, since Israel does not believe diplomatic talks alone are necessary, Biden may now push for stronger sanctions in the deal. A growing anti-Iran sentiment has angered Iran and accused the US of spreading ‘Iranophobia’ in the region. However, this is likely to impact Iran’s relations since states like the UAE are clear in their stance: ‘open to cooperation but not against any one nation’.
To conclude, a short tour of the Middle East will not change power balances in the region in the short term. However, it does open up possibilities for a potential shift in relations in the long term.
Elon Musk Versus: 'Twas a troll after all
What happened?
On 12 July 2022, Twitter Inc announced the initiation of a legal battle with Elon Musk, the richest person in the world, after he announced on 8 July, his intention to backtrack on the deal to buy twitter at $44 billion. Musk claims that the company violated the agreement by not responding to requests for information on the spam/fake accounts, citing it as a material breach. In their lawsuit, Twitter declares that Musk broke the terms of the deal, and was really backing out due to financial reasons. They also claim that he broke the US Securities rules when he failed to disclose his nine per cent holding in Twitter. In April 2022, Musk announced his interest in buying Twitter at a share price of $54, by 25 April, the value remained at $52. However, on 13 July, following the lawsuit news, the value stands at $37.
What is the background?
First, the relevance and interest towards Twitter. Twitter was hatched in 2006 and grew beyond the purpose it was envisioned. It has a base of 217 million daily active users and is popular for its posts with shorter word limit and interactions made by prominent figures. Twitter evolved into a tool for politicization and through the years struggled to remain neutral and strike a balance in the waves of misinformation, cancel culture, and upholding free speech. Twitter has revealed over time that five per cent of its users are fake accounts. When Twitter began to ban individuals, in the case of Trump, Elon Musk was critical of the same. Elon over the years amassed a 9.1 per cent share in the company as the highest shareholder, and he also has a follower base of 81.8 million followers on Twitter. Twitter in recent years has become a platform that promotes ‘free-speech,’ which also was the focus of Musk’s push to buy the company.
Second, the deal, and what went wrong. In March Elon tweeted, “Given that Twitter serves as the de facto public town square to adhere to free speech principles fundamentally undermines democracy. What should be done?” Musk has been an ardent user of his twitter platform to create a popular image of himself. “Twitter has extraordinary potential,” Musk said in a letter to Twitter’s board chairman, “I will unlock it,” he had said. In response to his bid in April, Twitter tried using the ‘poison pill’ strategy initially, but gave-in to the deal for $44 billion. With his claims in May, Musk set the public grounds for calling it off. However, Twitter alleges, that in the 13 May tweet, Musk misrepresented Twitter's sample size for estimating spam accounts as just 100, even though earlier that day Twitter had explained in a private meeting that it sampled a total set of approximately 9,000 accounts per quarter.
The other reason given by Musk is that, Twitter fired senior executives, a third of its talent acquisition team and announced a hiring freeze, which is a direct breach of Twitter’s obligation to “preserve substantially intact the material components of its current business organisation.” While signing the deal, Musk waived due diligence. It means his ability to walk away from the deal is legally constrained. Besides, the team representing Elon would have to demonstrate how the spambots matter to the business, even if there is evidence to prove the existence of spambots. “That’s the thing when you do some research on the company you’re acquiring before you agree to an acquisition. It is a tough position for a buyer to be in,” said Tom Redburn, the chair of Securities Litigation at a premier law firm.
Third, the financial fallouts. Tech stocks globally have seen a massive correction since the deal was announced. Twitter’s stock on the New York Stock Exchange has seen a decline of nearly 29 per cent. To the questions raised on how he would pay the $44 billion, Musk had told the US SEC in May, that the deal would include $33.5 billion in equity, he sold Tesla stock worth around $8.5 billion and lined up about $7 billion from investors including Prince al-Waleed bin Talal of Saudi Arabia, Sequoia, Binance, a16z and others. However, there was a global cryptocurrency downfall and serious warnings of recessionary trends emerging, while Tesla’s stock price too saw a fall of more than 24 per cent since April.
What does it mean?
Elon Musk’s tweets are slated to be used as evidence in the case. Twitter mentioned that the losses faced by Elon Musk's Tesla in the past months is the real reason for backtracking on the deal along. They claim that Musk is faltering on the deal simply because he does not want to buy Twitter anymore. The value drop of Twitter is an unfortunate collateral that is the outcome of Musk using Twitter for altering the value. The US Securities and Exchange Commission has been observing the proceedings of the Twitter deal, one could expect their intervention in the case. The SEC has been critical of Elon’s similar behaviour in the past. Since the deal has already been signed, the case may be extremely difficult one for Elon Musk. Many of the cases of this kind, usually end up in parties re-negotiating the terms of the deal or with one party paying the settlement to walk away. The lawsuit is expected to be a showdown on Wall Street.
Also, in the news...
Regional round-ups
East and Southeast Asia This Week
China: President Xi Jinping visits Xinjiang
On 15 July, the Asahi Shimbun reported that Chinese President Xi Jinping travelled to the northwest province of Xinjiang amid worries over the country’s incarceration of one million or more people from predominantly Muslim ethnic local minorities. Xi described Xinjiang as a “core area and a hub” in China’s plan to create ports, trains, and power plants linking it to economies spanning from Central Asia to Eastern Europe. The Uighur and Kazakh communities living in the region have been subject to a broad crackdown by the government of Xi after a spate of violent separatist activity.
ASEAN: China’s Foreign Minister addresses the Secretariat, calls for open regionalism
On 11 July, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi addressed the ASEAN Secretariat and spoke about the country’s achievements in partnership with the regional organization and proposed for jointly upholding regionalism in Southeast Asia. Wang Yi also met with the ASEAN Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi and expressed China’s priority in foreign policy while dealing with the organization. He further urged ASEAN to jointly initiate the idea of open regionalism and safeguard the peace in Southeast Asia. The Foreign Minister then highlighted the China-ASEAN security cooperation and the progress that was made between the two entities. On the issue of maritime issues in the South China Sea, Wang Yi said that positive progress was being made through the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea. On Taiwan, Wang Yi said: “History and past experience prove that when the one-China principle is fully recognized and followed, there will be able to achieve peaceful development across the Taiwan Strait. And when the one-China principle is challenged or even undermined, there will be tension in the Taiwan Strait.”
Malaysia: China’s Foreign Minister meets top officials and agrees on five-point consensus
On 12 July, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Malaysia and held a discussion with the Malay Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah on boosting strategic communication between the countries while safeguarding their legitimate rights and interests. Wang Yi stressed on injecting positive energy into world peace and stabilizing the world economy. Wang Yi also held a meeting with the Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and promised to strengthen coordination and connectivity between their countries. The Foreign Minister then met with the Malay King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah who agreed on increasing collaboration on major projects in the Belt and Road Initiative. The King appreciated China’s close relationship with the country and the COVID-19 assistance offered by China. He further encouraged heightened Chinese investments and combining efforts on completing the BRI projects in the country. The countries also reached a five-point consensus on further developing their bilateral relations.
Solomon Islands: Manasseh Sogavare meets the Prime Ministers of Australia and New Zealand at the Pacific Islands Forum
On 13 July, the Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare met Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern for the first time since signing a security agreement with China that alarmed US allies due to the country’s military interests in the Pacific islands. The leaders will meet in separate bilateral meetings that took place on the side-lines of the four-day Pacific Islands Forum in Fiji, to discuss China’s ambition for stronger security ties in the region as well as how to raise more international financing and support to combat the effects of climate change and rising sea levels.
The Pacific Islands: Naval exercises conducted in the South China Sea
On 16 July, the US Navy stated that the USS Benfold, a US Navy destroyer, conducted a second “freedom of navigation” exercise in a week close to the disputed Spratly islands. The ship was “driven away” earlier on Wednesday from the disputed Paracel Islands by China’s military. The US regularly engages in such operations in the South China Sea to protest what it claims are obstruction to lawful passage set up by China and other claimants. The US Navy said: "On July 16, USS Benfold (DDG 65) asserted navigational rights and freedoms in the South China Sea near the Spratly Islands, consistent with international law.”
Japan: Russia blacklists Japanese lawmakers in response to sanctions
On 16 July, the Strait Times reported that the Russian foreign ministry issued travel restrictions to 384 Japanese legislators in retaliation to Tokyo’s support of international sanctions against the country over Ukraine. The lawmakers were placed on a blacklist by the ministry, which listed their names on its website along with accusations that they had adopted “an unfriendly, anti-Russian position notably by expressing unfounded accusations against our country concerning the special military operation in Ukraine."
South Asia This Week
Sri Lanka: Gotabaya Rajapaksa resigns and the appointment of Acting President
On 15 July, the speaker of the parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana announced that President Rajapaksa had officially resigned. He said: “I have accepted the resignation,” “I hope to complete the process of electing a new President within seven days,” After the President’s resignation, Ranil Wickremesinghe, former Prime Minister was sworn in as the Acting Prime Minister. According to BBC, Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled to the Maldives in a military airplane and then reached Singapore. On 14 July, Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Gotabaya Rajapaksa has been allowed entry into Singapore. It said that he is on a private visit and has not asked for asylum and has not been granted asylum.
Sri Lanka: Basil and Mahinda Rajapaksa barred from leaving the country
On 15 July, the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka barred former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa from leaving the country till July 28. The order was passed during the hearing of a petition filed by Transparency International, a global civil society organisation. The petitioner claimed that these people were directly responsible for the economic crisis in the country. The petition also sought to bar former Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal and former treasury secretary S.R. Attygalle to leave the country.
India: I2U2 Summit
On 14 July, I2U2 members the US, UAE, India, and Israel held a summit. India agreed to provide land for food parks across the country that will be jointly developed by the US, UAE, and Israel. The members agreed to bring in private investments in different sectors including water, energy, transportation, health, space, and food security. A joint statement issued said: “U.S. and Israeli private sectors will be invited to lend their expertise and offer innovative solutions that contribute to the overall sustainability of the project. These investments will help maximise crop yields which, in turn, will help tackle food insecurity in South Asia and the Middle East.”
Pakistan: IMF reaches staff-level agreement for release of USD 1.17 billion loan tranche
On 14 July, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced that it has reached a staff-level agreement with Pakistan on the combined seventh and eighth reviews for a USD six billion loan facility. In a statement the IMF said: “Subject to Board approval, about $1,177 million (SDR 894m) will become available, bringing total disbursements under the programme to about $4.2bn.” Additionally, a team led by IMF Mission Chief to Pakistan Nathan Porter finalised the discussions with Pakistan and that it had also agreed to consider extending its extended funded facility (EFF) which is currently worth USD six billion until the end of June 2023, as well as augmenting it by USD 720 million to expand the fund to USD seven billion.
Pakistan: China initiates four-day joint military drill in Shanghai port
On 10 July, China and Pakistan began their four-day joint military exercise at a port in Shanghai. The People’s Liberation Army Navy Spokesperson Liu Wensheng referred to the drill and said: “The drill, codenamed Sea Guardians-2, is a normal arrangement as per a yearly plan between the two militaries. It is not related to any regional situations and does not target any third party.” The joint drill is aimed at enhancing defense cooperation, exchanging expertise and experiences on military practices, deepening strategic and traditional friendship between countries and militaries and promoting the development of China-Pakistan cooperative partnership.
Afghanistan: Taliban to sign security agreement with Qatar
On 11 July, Tolo News reported that Acting Minister of Defense Mawlawi Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid said: “Qatar is interested in an agreement to be signed between the defense ministries of Qatar and Afghanistan. There will be a security pact, based on which the two countries will cooperate with each other. I look at it as a good step and we will consult on this agreement,” adding, “We call for their cooperation in providing salaries for the army because Qatar is an Islamic country and it has helped Afghanistan in the past. And also to help us provide uniforms for the forces to secure the borders.” Further, he said that agreement would be evaluated by the Taliban after which a decision would be made.
Afghanistan: UNDP and World Bank sign agreement worth USD 20 million for Afghan assistance
On 15 July, Tolo News reported that a USD 20 billion partnership agreement was signed between the UN Development Program (UNDP) and World Bank to support humanitarian, economic, and social development initiatives in Afghanistan. In a statement the UNDP said that the new partnership will provide “tailored capacity building to NGO/CSOs within their work environment and support their Quick Impact Projects (QIPs).” The QIPs are initiatives taken to enhance access to health, education, agriculture and increase food security and livelihood activities for vulnerable people including persons with disabilities.
Central Asia, Middle East and Africa This Week
JCPOA: Iran says it is committed to the nuclear talks
On 13 July, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that the country is committed to the talks to restore JCPOA, and will announce a time and place to continue the indirect talks with the United States. He added that Iran's Foreign Minister and chief negotiator are in talks with the European parties to the deal. Iran however, has been accused of using delaying tactics and continuing uranium enrichment simultaneously, at the Fordow nuclear plant, clearly violating the terms of the deal.
Iran: A new naval fleet unveiled
On 15 July, the Iranian Navy unveiled a new fleet of ships and submarines that have the capability to carry armed drones. Defence officials stated that “the first drone-carrier division of the Iranian navy consisting of ships and submarine units carrying all types of drones for combat, detection and destruction has been unveiled.” The announcement follows the joint US-Israel statement and the security pact that isolates Iran further in the region.
Ivory Coast: President meets predecessors Gbago and Bédié
On 14 July, President Alassane Ouattara met with former presidents Laurent Gbagbo and Henri Konan Bédié, marking the first meeting between the three political rivals since 2010. Gbagbo termed the meeting "a reunion meeting to renew contact and exchange in truth their views." A government spokesperson said the meeting was in line with recommendations for political dialogue involving the government, opposition and civil society. In 2010, Gbagbo's refusal to concede his presidential position to Ouattara had sparked violence leading to the death of over 3000 people.
Morocco: One casualty recorded as wildfires rage across northern mountain forests
On 15 July, Larache regional officials said one person had died in the wildfires sparked on 13 July. At least 1,600 hectares of woodland has been destroyed in Larache, Taza, Tetouan and Ouezzane provinces and 1,100 families have fled. The wildfires were preceded by a heatwave with temperature reaching 45 degree Celsius.
United Nations: Global population expected to reach eight billion in November 2022
On 11 July, the United Nations released the World Population Prospect report which predicts that world population would reach eight billion on 15 November 2022, 8.5 billion by 2030, 9.7 billion in 2050 and peak at 10.4 billion in the 2080s. The report noted that the population growth rate had been the slowest since the 1950s, after dropping to less than one per cent in 2020. According to the report, eight countries, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and Tanzania would lead the increase in global population until 2050.
Europe and The Americas This Week
Russia: ROSCOSMOS Chief to be given a new role 'in due time.'
On 16 July, the head of Russia's Space Agency was relieved of his duties, according to a statement from the Kremlin. Dimitry Rogozin was known for making the headlines with his bombastic statements and support for Moscow's Ukraine offensive. A statement from a Russian media outlet Meduza is that he could now be made in charge of the occupied regions in Ukraine citing three sources close to the Kremlin. At Roscosmos, Rogozin will be replaced by Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov with a military background. Rogozin was appointed to the then-struggling space agency in 2018. When the US introduced sanctions against Russia over its annexation of Crimea, Rogozin had said that the US astronauts should use trampolines instead of Russian rockets to get to the International Space Station, and has similarly made statements that would raise eyebrows.
Italy: President refuses to accept Draghi’s resignation amid political and economic crisis
On 15 July, the prime minister Mario Draghi announced his resignation due to a political crisis. However, president Sergio Mattarella said he would not accept Draghi's resignation. The president’s office stated that Mattarella "did not accept the resignation and invited the prime minister to appear before Parliament to give a speech." Draghi won a no-confidence vote in the Senate, but the future of his administration remained in doubt as a result of the populist 5-Star Movement (5SM), a significant coalition ally, abstaining from the vote. Draghi won the vote 172-39, but the 5SM boycott represented a clear threat to his government. Draghi had clearly stated that 5SM was a coalition partner in his unity government and that he had no intention of governing without them. Mattarella has avoided a catastrophic political disaster by rejecting Draghi's resignation while Italy battles significant debt issues, a terrible drought, and rising energy costs as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The UK: Rishi Sunak leads the conservative party’s contest for prime ministership
On 14 July, in the second round of the Tory leadership contest the attorney general, Suella Braverman was eliminated, leaving five candidates standing. Rishi Sunak received 101 votes, Penny Mordaunt gained support by receiving 83 votes, and Liz Truss received 64 votes to finish third. Former Brexit minister Steve Baker has also endorsed Truss, and the majority of the 27 Conservative members of parliament who supported Braverman are reportedly planning to follow suit. Both Tom Tugendhat, head of the foreign affairs committee, who finished sixth with 32 votes, and Kemi Badenoch, a former equalities minister, say they are committed to continuing the race. On 18 July, the contender with the fewest votes will be eliminated in the next round of voting.
Estonia: Prime minister Kallas agrees for a coalition government
On 09 July, Estonia's incumbent center-right Reform Party, led by Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, tentatively agreed to form a coalition government with two other parties. The left-leaning Center Party was expelled from the two-party coalition on 03 June as a result of disagreements over spending and welfare policies amid rising household costs due to high inflation. The opposition Social Democrats and the conservative Fatherland (or "Isamaa") party have joined the politically liberal Reform Party, which supports conservative budgetary policy. The 101-seat Riigikogu legislature is controlled by the three parties, who can manage 56 seats in all. The agreement, which will be formalized in the coming days, allows Kallas, Estonia's first female prime minister, to avoid leading a minority one-party administration.
Turkiye: Huge rare earth elements reserve discovered in the western region
On 13 July it was reported that Turkiye has uncovered a massive rare earth element field in central Anatolia. While decades of research and excavation had been done for the same, none had yielded concrete results till now. However, with the recent discovery, Turkiye will become the second largest reserve for rare earth metals after china. An estimated 570000 tins of rare metals will be mined. It is expected that 10 out of the 17 rare earth elements will be found in this reserve, which includes barite, fluorite and Thorium, which are used in the nuclear industry.
The EU: Executive body orders Lithuania to partly lift transit ban to Kaliningrad
On 13 July, the EU raised an executive order regarding Lithuania's transit ban to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. They have said that the EU trade sanctions should not apply to transport between Russia and its exclave. However, the transit will be allowed as long as its volume does not exceed the average of the last three years. This is to ascertain that whatever is transported is essential in nature. Lithuania's foreign ministry has said that they will adhere to the order.
The EU: Croatia finally enters into the Eurozone
The EU finance ministers have finally approved Croatia's bid to enter the eurozone and that adoption of the euro single currency. The move will come into effect from 01 January 2023 and will replace the Croatian currency Kuna. The European Central Bank has said that the conversion rate has been set at 7.53 Kuna per Euro. Croatia becomes the 20th member of the euro area nearly 10 years after they became EU members. This also marks the first expansion of the Eurozone in nearly 8 years, where the last country was Lithuania in 2015.
The US: Embassy asks China to comply to 2016 arbitration ruling on South China Sea claims
On 12 July, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged China once more to abide by a 2016 arbitration decision that invalidated Beijing's claims in the South China Sea and issued a warning that the US would be bound to defend Philippines if its forces, vessels, or aircraft were attacked in the disputed waters. The US embassy released Blinken’s statement on Tuesday, which was the sixth anniversary of the arbitral tribunal established under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea after the Philippine government filed a complaint about China's increasingly hostile behaviour in the disputed sea in 2013. In recent years, China has engaged in territorial disputes with the Philippines and other Southeast Asian claimant nations after refusing to take part in the arbitration, rejecting its verdict as a sham, and continuing to do so. Blinken said: “We call again on the PRC to abide by its obligations under international law and cease its provocative behaviour.”
The US: Crucial CAATSA amendment paves way for India to buy Russian equipment
On 14 July, a legislative amendment authored by US Congressman Ro Khanna was passed in the US House of Representative. The amendment allows the president to use his/her authority to waiver certain countries like India to buy Russian weapon under the floor consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Ro Khanna said: “The United States must stand with India in the face of escalating aggression from China. As Vice Chair of the India Caucus, I have been working to strengthen the partnership between our countries and ensure that India can defend itself along the Indian Chinese border.”
World Economic Forum: World to take more 132 years to achieve gender parity
On 13 July, the World Economic Forum's (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report 2022 was released and states that the gender gap closed at 68.1 per cent worldwide in 2022, which means it will further take 132 years to achieve gender parity. Iceland has received the title of most gender equal country for the 12th consecutive year after closing its gender gap by more than 90 per cent. Different regions are making progress at varying rates. At the current rate of change, it will take North America 59 more years to reach parity. Europe takes 60 years, Latin America takes 67 years, Africa takes 98 years, the Middle East and North Africa takes 115 years, Central Asia takes 152 years, East Asia takes 168 years, and South Asia takes approximately 200 years. While the disparity in educational attainment and health and survival has been reduced by more than 90 per cent, the gap in political empowerment has decreased by just 22 per cent, remaining constant from 2021. The report also highlights the persistent gender inequalities in industry leadership. Although there has been a continuous rise in the proportion of women hired for leadership positions, this has not been true across all industries.
About the Authors
Lavanya R is a Postgraduate scholar at Christ (Deemed to be University). Akriti Sharma, Harini Madhusudan, Rashmi Ramesh and Ankit Singh are PhD Scholars in the School of Conflict and Security Studies at the National Institute of Advanced Studies. Avishka Ashok, Abigail Miriam Fernandes, Apoorva Sudhakar, Padmashree Anandhan, Rishma Banerjee and Emmanuel are Research Associates at NIAS. Arshiya Banu is a research intern at NIAS.
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China and South Asia in 2023: Advantage Beijing?
Annem Naga Bindhu Madhuri | Annem Naga Bindhu Madhuri is a postgraduate student at the Department of Defence and Strategic Studies at the University of Madras, Chennai.
China and East Asia
Femy Francis | Femy Francis is a Research Assistant at the National Institute of Advanced Studies.
China in 2023: Cracks in the Great Wall
Amit Gupta | Dr Amit Gupta is an international security and economics analyst based in the USA
The US: The Year of Living Dangerously?
Kuri Sravan Kumar | Kuri Sravan Kumar is a PhD scholar at the Department of East Asian Studies, University of Delhi.
North Korea in 2023: Military buildups and Close Connections with Russia
Yogeshwari S | Yogeswari S is a postgraduate student at the Department of Defence and Strategic Studies at the University of Madras, Chennai.
South Korea in 2023: Addressing Climate Change and the Global Supply Chains
Abhishek Ranjan | Abhishek Ranjan is a PhD student at the Korean Studies, Centre for East Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
East Asia in 2023: Big Power Politics and New Defence Strategies
IPRI Team
Special Edition: Conflicts in 2023
NIAS Africa Team
NIAS Africa Weekly #92&93 | COP 28 and Africa
Nithyashree RB
COP28 and Africa: Priorities and Initiatives
NIAS Africa Team
NIAS Africa Weekly #91 | Failed coup in Sierra Leone
Anu Maria Joseph
Sierra Leone: A failed coup
GP Team
Henry Kissinger: A profile
NIAS Africa Team
NIAS Africa Weekly #90 | Floods in East Africa
Jerry Franklin A
Floods in East Africa
NIAS Africa Team
NIAS Africa Weekly #89 | Africa’s debate on colonial reparations
Sneha Surendran
Africa’s debate on colonial reparations
NIAS Africa Team
NIAS Africa Weekly #87&88 | Elusive Ceasefires in Sudan
Anu Maria Joseph
Sudan’s ceasefires remain elusive: Four reasons why
GP Team
UK’s AI Summit
Femy Francis
Ten years of BRI: Xi and the Beijing Summit
Femy Francis
The return of the South China Sea
Femy Francis
BRICS Summit poised as the Champion of Global South
Femy Francis
Japan-Australia's Reciprocal Access Agreement
CR Team | Avishka Ashok
China: Palestine Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’ visit emphasizes hope for statehood
NIAS Africa Team
NIAS Africa Weekly #85&86 | Niger-France ties and Liberia elections
Nithyashree RB
Liberia elections: Explained
Jerry Franklin
France's increasing unpopularity in Niger
PR Team
The Snow Leopards of Pakistan
Padmashree Anandhan
Poland elections 2023: Reasons behind the shift
Padmashree Anandhan
Ukraine: The failure of the Black Sea Grain Initiative
Annem Naga Bindhu Madhuri
Issues for Europe
Yogeswari S | CSIS
Poland’s engagement
Prof Joyati Bhattacharya
G20 Summit: India the Global Host
Anu Maria Joseph
Africa in the Indian Ocean region: Explained
Dhriti Mukherjee
Pakistan grapples with soaring electricity bills and free riders
Shamini Velayutham
Pakistan: Recent spike in Polio cases
Dhriti Mukherjee
Pakistan’s power predicament: Soaring bills and public discontent
Ankit Singh
Pakistan’s Economy: Three questions
Sneha Surendran
From Cargo to Canvas: The vibrant world of Pakistani Truck Art
Anu Maria Joseph
Taiwan in Africa: The Last Ally and the Lost Allies
Feben Itty | CSIS
NATO’s Challenge
Genesy B | abcnews
Russia’s Endgame
Sreeja JS
Ukraine’s Strategies and Endgame
NIAS Africa Team
Africa Weekly #79 | Africa Climate Summit
Sneha Surendran
Africa Climate Summit: Rising new leadership in climate action
Nithyashree RB
Coup in Gabon: Three questions
NIAS Africa Team
Africa Weekly #78 | Coup in Gabon
Sneha Surendran
Wildfires in Europe: Another year of devastation
Rishika Yadav
Floods in Europe: Impacts, and issues
Padmashree Anandhan
Return of the Heatwaves
Jerry Franklin A
A profile on Ethiopia's Oromo ethnic group
Sneha Surendran
A profile on Ethiopia’s Somali ethnic group
Nithyashree RB
A profile on Ethiopia’s Afar ethnic group
Anu Maria Joseph
Ethiopia’s Amhara problem
Jerry Franklin A
ECOWAS and Niger remain at an impasse, causing a prolonged standoff
Lakshmi Parimala H
Mural, Movie and the Map: Akhand Bharat mural and Adipurush
Rishika Yadav
The High Seas Treaty
Indrani Talukdar
Ukraine War and the International Order
Jerry Franklin A
Coup in Niger: Manifold national, regional and international stances
Sneha Surendran
Senegal's political crisis: Four questions
NIAS Africa Team
Africa Weekly #73&74 | Coup in Niger and Senegal’s political crisis
Himani Pant
Germany-Russia Relations: What Next?
D. Suba Chandran
Que Sara Sara: Pakistan, Two Months After 09 May
Sneha Surendran
Pakistan’s e-Sport Industry: A Profile
Ramya Balasubramanian
Russia and Europe: Understanding Moscow’s strategies
Bibhu Prasad Routray
Return of Violence in Manipur
Nithyashree RB
The UN in Africa: MINUSMA has failed. So did Mali
Bibhu Prasad Routray
Myanmar continues to burn
Anu Maria Joseph
The Wagner Group in Africa: Fallouts of the failed revolt in Russia
NIAS Africa Team
Africa Weekly #69-71 | The Wagner Group in Africa
Lakshmi Parimala
Hybrid Warfare in Ukraine
Padmashree Anandhan
Rise and fall of the Wagner Revolt: Four Takeaways
Sneha Surendran
The Wagner Revolt: A profile of Yevgeny Prigozhin
Padmashree Anandhan
The War in Ukraine: Four Issues to watch in 2023
Rishika Yadav, Sneha Surendran, Sandra D Costa, Ryan Marcus, Prerana P and Nithyashree RB
Global Gender Gap Report 2023: Regional Takeaways
Harini Madhusudan, Rishika Yada, Sneha Surendran, Prerana P, Sreeja JS and Padmashree Anandhan
Russia: Anatomy of Wagner Revolt, and its Fallouts
Anu Maria Joseph
Resurging insurgency in Uganda and insecurity in East Africa
Jerry Franklin
Eritrea: Back to the IGAD after 16 years
Bibhu Prasad Routray
India: Violence continues in Manipur
Jerry Franklin
Tunisia: A Political Profile
Jerry Franklin
Cameroon’s Anglophone Crisis: Reasons for its continuation
Anu Maria Joseph
Ceasefires in Sudan: An uneasy trajectory
Rishika Yadav, Sreeja JS, Nithyashree RB, and Melvin George | Rishika Yadav is a Research Assistant in NIAS Europe Studies at NIAS. Nithyashree RB, Sreeja JS, and Melvin George are Research Interns in NIAS Europe Studies at NIAS.
The Battle for Bakhmut: Significance, Objectives, Course, and What Next
Nithyashree RB
Poland approves Russian Influence Law: Three Implications
Rishika Yadav | Research Assistant, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science Campus, Bangalore
Serbia: Mass shootings, protests and instability
Rishika Yadav and Nityashree RB | Research Assistant and Research Intern, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science Campus, Bangalore
Turkey’s Elections: Unravelling the Political Spectacle of 2023
Padmashree Anandhan | Research Associate National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore
Belgorod drone attacks: Who, What and Why?
NIAS Africa Team
In Focus | Japan in Africa
Devjyoti Saha
Japan in Africa: Renewed Efforts to Revitalise Relations
Indrani Talukdar
Russia's Position in the Arctic: New challenges
Lakshmi Parimala H
Bhutan's Gross National Happiness
Amit Gupta
The Trump Phenomenon: Why it Won’t Go
Rishika Yadav
Turkey’s Election: Issues, Actors and Outcomes
IPRI Team
The Armenia-Azerbaijan Stalemate
NIAS Africa Team
Droughts in East Africa: A climate disaster
NIAS Africa Team
Sudan: Intensifying political rivalry and expanding violence
NIAS Africa Team
Expanding Russia-South Africa relations
Padmashree Anandhan
Pentagon document leak: Russia-Ukraine Conflict From a Tactical Lens
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Tunisia: The question of undocumented migrants
Indrani Talukdar
Belarus’s endgame in Russia-Ukraine Conflict
Padmashree Anandhan
Russia: Drone attacks escalate the Ukraine war
Padmashree Anandhan
The UK: Conservative party put to test as worker strikes continue
Bhoomika Sesharaj
PR Explains: Pakistan’s power outage
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
Pakistan’s Blue Helmets: A long-standing contribution
D Suba Chandran
Karachi: The race and new alignments for the Mayor
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Macron’s visit to Africa: Three Takeaways
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Nigeria elections: Ruling party wins; What is ahead?
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | M23 atrocities in DRC and upcoming Nigeria elections
NIAS Africa Team
Africa in 2023: Elections and conflicts
IPRI Team
The continuing crisis in Israel
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Chinese Foreign Minister's visit to Africa
IPRI Team
Protests in Spain, Sweden and Israel
Avishka Ashok
China: A complicated economic recovery
Padmashree Anandhan
Europe: An impending energy crisis and its economic fallouts
Ankit Singh
Defence: Towards a new cold war
Riya Itisha Ekka
Brazil: Managing Bolsonaro’s legacy
Apoorva Sudhakar
Africa: Despite the elections, democratic backslide will continue
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
Pakistan in 2023: Between elections, economic turmoil and climate crisis
Sethuraman Nadarajan
Sri Lanka in 2023: A troubling economy and an unstable polity
Avishka Ashok
Chinese Foreign Minister's visit to Africa
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Bamako’s pardon of Ivorian soldiers
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | The relapse of ANC
Allen Joe Mathew, Sayani Rana, Joel Jacob
Newsmakers: From Putin to Rushdie
Sethuraman Nadarajan
Rest in Peace; Queen Elizabeth. Mikhail Gorbachev, Pelé...
Ankit Singh
Global economy in 2022: The year of cooling down
Bhoomika Sesharaj
Digital world: Elon Musk and the Twitter Chaos
Madhura Mahesh
The FTX Collapse: Depleting cryptocurrencies
Harini Madhusudan
The Space race: Scaling new technological feats
Avishka Ashok
G20: More challenges
Akriti Sharma
COP27: Hits and Misses
Padmashree Anandhan
The Ukraine War
Poulomi Mondal
French Exit from Mali: More questions than answers
Mohaimeen Khan
Yemen, Syria, and Sudan: Continuing humanitarian crises
Padmashree Anandhan
NATO and the Madrid Summit: Expanding defence frontiers
Padmashree Anandhan
Elections in France, Sweden, and Italy: The rise of the right
Janardhan G
North Korea: Missile Tests Galore
Avishka Ashok
The Taiwan Strait: Political and military assertions
Anu Maria Joseph
Ethiopia: Uncertainties despite ceasefire
Apoorva Sudhakar
Tunisia: The end of the Jasmine Revolution
Rashmi BR
Iraq: Deadlock and breakthrough
Kaviyadharshini A
Iran: Anti-government protests
Chrishari de Alwis Gunasekare
Sri Lanka: Political and Economic Crises
Aparupa Bhattacherjee
Myanmar: The coup and after
NIAS Africa Team
The US-Africa Leaders Summit
IPRI Team
Workers strike in the UK
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | End of Operation Barkhane
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | The ceasefire in Ethiopia
IPRI Team
Drone attacks in Russia
Vignesh Ram | Assistant Professor | Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal
Malaysia’s recent Elections: More questions than answers
Vignesh Ram
Anwar Ibrahim: Malaysia's new Prime Minister
Harini Madhusudan, Rishma Banerjee, Padmashree Anandhan, Ashwin Immanuel Dhanabalan, and Avishka Ashok
What next for Russia, Ukraine, Europe, South Asia & India, and China
Padmashree Anandhan and Rishma Banerjee
UNGA 77: Who said what from Europe?
Rashmi BR and Akriti Sharma
COP27: Ten key takeaways
Rashmi Ramesh
Ice Melt in Alps in Europe: Three impacts
Rishma Banerjee
Tracing Europe's droughts
Padmashree Anandhan
Major causes behind Europe’s continuing heatwaves
Emmanuel Selva Royan
100 days of the Ukraine war: US Responses in the war
Padmashree Anandhan
100 days of the Ukraine war: What next for Europe?
Ashwin Immanuel Dhanabalan
100 days of the Ukraine war: More loss than gain for Russia
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Challenges to peace in Eastern Congo
Avishka Ashok | Research Associate | National Institute of Advanced Studies
20th Party Congress of the Communist Party of China: Major takaways
Angelin Archana | Assistant Professor, Women’s Christian College, Chennai
China's response to the Ukraine crisis: Shaped by its relationship with Russia and EU under the US Shadow
Shreya Upadhyay | Assistant Professor, Christ (Deemed to be University), Bangalore
Transatlantic Ties in the Wake of Ukraine-Russia War
Uma Purushothaman | Assistant Professor, Central University of Kerala, Kerala
Ukraine and beyond: The US Strategies towards Russia
Debangana Chatterjee | Assistant Professor, JAIN (Deemed-to-be University), Bangalore
Lessons from Ukraine War: Effectiveness of Sanctions
Himani Pant | Research Fellow, ICWA, Delhi
Ukraine and beyond: What next for Russia and Europe?
Sethuraman Nadarajan
Israel-Lebanon Maritime Border Deal
Avishka Ashok
G20 Summit: Four takeaways from Bali
NIAS Africa Team
China-Africa relations: Looking back and looking ahead
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Chad's political crisis
Sourina Bej
Elections in Sweden
Padmashree Anandhan
Italy's far-right wins 2022 elections
Padmashree Anandhan
Putin’s address in the Valdai Discussion: Six takeaways
Devjyoti Saha
Solomon Islands’ China card: Three reasons why
NIAS Africa Team
Floods in West Africa: Nigeria and beyond
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Famine in Somalia
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Kenya Elections 2022
IPRI Team
Protests in Iran
IPRI Team
Clashes between Armenia-Azerbaijan
Padmashree Anandhan
Queen Elizabeth: End of an era
Padmashree Anandhan
Russia and Eastern Economic Forum 2022: A sturdy Far East
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | The reinvention of Al Shabab
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Lavrov's visit to Africa
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Macron's visit to Africa
GP Team
Floods and Emergency in Pakistan
IPRI Team
Six months of War in Ukraine
GP Team
Regional round-ups
Padmashree Anandhan
Who will be the next UK prime minister: Liss Truss v. Rishi Sunak
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Tunisia's political crisis
NIAS Africa Team
Tunisia’s political crisis: Five questions
NIAS Africa Team
Tribal conflict in Blue Nile: Causes and Implications
STIR Team
Geopolitics of Semiconductors
Padmashree Anandhan
France: Uber files leak, and Macron’s trouble
Emmanuel Selva Royan
Italy: Three factors about its current political instability
NIAS Africa Team
Sudan-Ethiopia border tensions and a profile of Blaise Compaoré
NIAS Africa Team
Africa’s continuing migration problem: Three issues
STIR Team
China in Space: Shenzhou-13 and Tiangong
NIAS Africa Team
Africa’s displacement crises: Three key drivers
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Into the Sixth Decade of African Unity
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Communal Tensions in Ethiopia
Padmashree Anandhan
What does Macron's victory mean for France and the EU
Rishma Banerjee
The rise of Marine Le Pen
Sourina Bej
Four challenges ahead for President Macron
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Mali ends defence ties with France
GP Team
New US assistance for Ukraine
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | UK-Rwanda asylum deal
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Africa, Russia, and the War in Ukraine
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Political Crisis in Tunisia
GP Team
Russia's gas ultimatum to Europe
IPRI Team
30 days of War in Ukraine
NIAS Africa Team
60 years of Algerian independence
IPRI Team
Sri Lanka’s worsening economic crisis
NIAS Africa Team
In Focus: Libya
IPRI Team
The end of Denmark’s Inuit experiment
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Europe and Africa: Will AU and EU be equal partners?
Anu Maria Joseph
Europe and Africa: Will AU and EU be equal partners?
Ashwin Immanuel Dhanabalan
Lecture report: Ukraine, Russia and Europe
Joeana Cera Matthews
Into History: Northern Ireland and Bloody Sunday, 50 years later
Nireekshan Bollimpalli
Africa’s slow COVID vaccination continues. Four reasons why
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS: Conflict over the Nile Dam
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS: Instability in Burkina Faso
Padmashree Anandhan
Munich Security Report: Six takeaways
Joeana Cera Matthews
Europe and Africa: An elusive search for an equal partnership
Ashwin Immanuel Dhanabalan
Femicides in Europe: The case of France
Padmashree Anandhan
Post Brexit: Three challenges in Northern Ireland
Porkkodi Ganeshpandian and Angkuran Dey
The return of the Left
Ashwin Immanuel Dhanabalan
Lithuania and China: Vilnius has become Beijing’s Achilles heel. Four reasons why
Mohamad Aseel Ummer
Africa: The anti-France sentiments in Mali and beyond
Shalini Balaiah
The Middle East in 2021: Never-ending wars and conflicts
Angelin Archana
Russia in 2021: Expanding boundaries
Prakash Panneerselvam
East Asia in 2021: New era of hegemonic competition
Apoorva Sudhakar
Coup in Burkina Faso: Five things to know
Joeana Cera Matthews
In Europe, abortion rights are "a privilege." Four reasons why
Padmashree Anandhan
Mapping COVID-19 protests in Europe: Who and Why
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
Pakistan, US and Russia: Putin Online, Biden Offline
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
The unrest in Kazakhstan: Look beyond the trigger
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
Deepening Pakistan-Russia ties
D. Suba Chandran
Justice Ayesha: Breaking the Legal Ceiling
Ankit Singh
Pakistan's Judiciary in 2021
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
Same Page Story: Civil-Military Relations in 2021
D. Suba Chandran
Pakistan's Foreign Policy in 2021
Ankit Singh
Pakistan’s economy in 2021: Major highlights
Ankit Singh
Pakistan and the Asian Development Bank
Apoorva Sudhakar
The PDM is back, again
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
Qureshi’s visit to Brussels: Three takeaways
GP Team
The Complete Compendium for 2021
GP Team
The Americas in 2021
GP Team
Europe in 2021
GP Team
Middle East and Africa in 2021
GP Team
South Asia in 2021
Apoorva Sudhakar
Protests in Gwadar: Four major highlights
Ankit Singh
Mini budget, IMF and a contemporary puzzle.
Ankit Singh
Pappu Sain bids adieu to the world
Apoorva Sudhakar
Smog, pollution and more: Deteriorating air quality in Pakistan
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
PTI’s secret dealing with the TTP and TLP
Vaishnavi Iyer
France, Algeria, and the politics over an apology
Joeana Cera Matthews
NATO-Russia relationship: Looking beyond the suspensions and expulsions
D. Suba Chandran
PTI’s TLP flip-flop and a secret deal
Apoorva Sudhakar
The increasing curbs on digital media freedom in Pakistan
Padmashree Anandhan
Facebook's Metaverse: Why it matters to Europe
Joeana Cera Matthews
Poland, EU and PolExit. It is complicated, for three reasons
Harini Madhusudhan
Europe's Energy Crisis and Gazprom
D. Suba Chandran
TLP: The government caves in again
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
TLP is back again
Apoorva Sudhakar | Project Associate, School of Conflict and Security Studies, NIAS
Pakistan’s transgender community: The long road ahead
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
Since January 2021: Why the US President has not called Pakistan’s Prime Minister so far?
Apoorva Sudhakar
No honour in honour killing
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
The Military Reshuffle: A strategic or routine decision?
D. Suba Chandran
Dr AQ Khan: Between a national hero and a nuclear proliferator
Apoorva Sudhakar
Rising child abuse in Pakistan: Five reasons why
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
Hazara Persecution in Pakistan: No end in sight
D. Suba Chandran
Protests in Gwadar: Who and Why
Chetna Vinay Bhora
Europe's Energy Crisis: It could get worse. Five reasons why
STIR Team
Cover Story: War against Malaria
Aswathy Koonampilly
Japan: New Prime Minister, Old party
GP Team
Europe's Energy Crisis
STIR Team
The Science and Politics of Materials
Sourina Bej
France: Paris Terror Trial
Harini Madhusudan
Belarus: Weaponization of the Migrant Crisis
Juan Mary Joseph
Attacks on Chinese Investments in Pakistan: Who, Where And Why?
Joeana Cera Matthews
Haiti: Two months after the assassination, the storm is still brewing
Joeana Cera Matthews
From Crimea to Navalny: Putin's calibrated Europe strategy
Joeana Cera Matthews
Nord Stream-2: Why is the region unhappy about the pipeline?
Lokendra Sharma
Two months of Cuban protests: Is the ‘revolution’ ending?
GP Team
The New Afghanistan
STIR Team
Climate Change and Energy Options
Apoorva Sudhakar
Digital Pakistan: Idea, Potential and Challenges
Anu Maria Joseph
South Africa: What is behind the pro-Zuma protests?
Dincy Adlakha
China and Russia in Myanmar: The interests that bind
Sarthak Jain
Nord Stream 2 is Russia’s geopolitical victory
Jeshil J Samuel
REvil is dead. Long live REvil
STIR Team
Space Tourism
Keerthana Rajesh Nambiar
The EU Summit 2021: Five Takeaways
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
Impending famine in Tigray, should make Ethiopia everyone's problem
Anu Maria Joseph
Too late and too little is Ethiopia's international problem
Sankalp Gurjar
Africa's Ethiopia Problem
Apoorva Sudhakar
Ethiopia's Tigray problem is Tigray's Ethiopia problem
Lokendra Sharma
The future of nuclear energy looks bleak
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
Five reasons why Afghanistan is closer to a civil war
Mohamad Aseel Ummer
Migration in Africa: Origin, Drivers and Destinations
Dincy Adlakha
The new three-child policy is two decades too late
Dincy Adlakha
Loud Echoes of the National Security Law in China
Joeana Cera Matthews
Farfetched goals on pandemic recovery, climate action and economic revival
STIR Team
Rare Earths and the Global Resource Race
SDP Scholar
The Rise and Reign of Ransomware
Gurpreet Singh
India and the geopolitics of supply chains
Chetna Vinay Bhora
Spain, Morocco and the rise of rightwing politics in Europe over immigration
Vibha Venugopal
The return of Taliban will be bad news for women
Udbhav Krishna P
Revisiting the recent violence: Three takeaways
Joeana Cera Matthews
For the Economist, Taiwan is the most dangerous place. The argument is complicated
Apoorva Sudhakar
15 of the 23 global hunger hotspots are in Africa. Three reasons why
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
The US decision to withdraw is a call made too early. Three reasons why
Lokendra Sharma
Learning from Cuba's vaccine development efforts
V S Ramamurthy and Dinesh K Srivastava
An energy mix of renewables and nuclear is the most viable option
Lokendra Sharma
Deadly second wave spirals into a humanitarian disaster
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
The US-Taliban Deal: One Year Later
Akriti Sharma
The Quad Plus and the search beyond the four countries
Apoorva Sudhakar
India's Endgames, Roles and Limitations in Quad
Sukanya Bali
Tracing the Quad's evolution in the last two decades
Apoorva Sudhakar
Ethiopia: Five fallouts of the military offensive in Tigray
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
Afghanistan: The recent surge in targeted killing vs the troops withdrawal
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
In Honduras, a move towards a permanent ban on abortion laws
Aparupa Bhattacherjee
Civilian protests vs military: Three factors will decide the outcome in Myanmar
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
Trump’s Climate Change legacy: Disruption and Denial
Apoorva Sudhakar
Trump’s Iran legacy: Maximum pressure, minimum results
N Manoharan and Drorima Chatterjee
Five ways India can detangle the fishermen issue with Sri Lanka
IPRI Team
Coup in Myanmar and Protests in Russia
D Suba Chandran
The PDM differences, Gwadar fencing, and Lakhvi's arrest
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
Nagorno-Karabakh: Rekindled fighting, Causalities and a Ceasefire
Aparupa Bhattacherjee
Thailand: For the pro-democracy protests, it is a long march ahead
Harini Madhusudan
Brexit: A year of the UK-EU transition talks and finally, a Deal
Apoorva Sudhakar
Ethiopia: The conflict in Tigray and the regional fallouts
Aparaajita Pandey
The Americas: Top Five Developments
Teiborlang T Kharsyntiew
Europe: Top five developments
Sandip Kumar Mishra
East Asia: Top Five developments in 2020
Harini Madhusudan
Outer Space in 2020: Missions, Privatization, and the Artemis Accords
Sukanya Bali
5G, Huawei and TikTok: Four trends in 2020
Sumedha Chatterjee
COVID-19: How the world fought in 2020
Harini Madhusudan
The Vaccine Rush: Expectations vs Realities
Harini Madhusudan
Open Skies Treaty: The US should not have withdrawn, for five reasons
Savithri Sellapperumage
Kamala Harris makes history
Mallika Devi
China is against the Quad. Five reasons why
Srikumar Pullat
Space of Tomorrow: The Need for Space Security
Tamanna Khosla
Japan: New Prime Minister, Old Challenges
Vaishali Handique
Not just regime change: Women and protest movements in Sudan
Sneha Tadkal
Technology in contemporary global protest movements
Chavindi Weerawansha
Students as agents of change: Protest movements in Zimbabwe
Anju Annie Mammen
“Unveiling”: Women and protest movements in the Middle East
Harini Madhusudan
‘The Revolution of Our Times’: Protests in Hong Kong
Samreen Wani
Lebanon: Can Macron's visit prevent the unravelling?
Harini Madhusudan
The Legacy of Shinzo Abe. It is Complicated.
Boa Wang
Two Sessions in Beijing
Boa Wang
How China fought the COVID-19
N. Manoharan
Is COVID-19 a Bio-weapon from China?
Prof PM Soundar Rajan
Is there an overlap of 5G Networks and COVID hotspots?
Rashmi Ramesh
Will COVID-19 provide a new agenda to the NAM?
Harini Madhusudan
Iran's New Military Satellite: Does it violate the UNSC 2231?
Jenice Jean Goveas
Epidemics through History
Sanduni Atapattu
Preventing hatred and suspicion would be a bigger struggle
Chavindi Weerawansha
A majority in the minority community suffers, for the action of a few
Chrishari de Alwis Gunasekare
The Cardinal sermons for peace, with a message to forgive
Aparupa Bhattacherjee
Who and Why of the Perpetrators
Natasha Fernando
In retrospect, where did we go wrong?
Ruwanthi Jayasekara
Build the power of Co-existence, Trust, Gender and Awareness
N Manoharan
New ethnic faultlines at macro and micro levels
Asanga Abeyagoonasekera
A year has gone, but the pain has not vanished
Jenice Jean Goveas
In India, the glass is half full for the women
Fatemah Ghafori
In Afghanistan, there is no going back for the women
Lakshmi V Menon
The decline in terrorism in Pakistan in 2019
Rashmi Ramesh
The EU and the Arctic: The interest is not mutual. Why?
Rashmi Ramesh
Iceland, Denmark and Norway: Small is Big in the Arctic
Harini Madhusudan
The Non-Arctic powers: Interests of Japan and South Korea
Aparupa Bhattacherjee
Malaysia: New PM, Old Challenges
Lakshmi V Menon
Pakistan to remain “Grey”; North Korea and Iran in “Black”
Rashmi Ramesh
Trump's India Visit: Optics, Substance and Rhetoric
Kabi Adhikari
The controversial MCC Nepal Compact
Malini Sethuraman
ISIS post Baghdadi: Will there be another Caliphate in 2020?
Aarathi Srinivasan
Climate Change: The Economy of the Indian Ocean Region in 2020
Prathiksha Ravi
Israel and the Middle East: The New Alliance Plans in 2020
Padmini Anilkumar
Middle East: The Return of Russia in 2020
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
Sudan and Algeria: Road to Democracy in 2020
Lakshmi V Menon
Syria: ISIS Decline, US Retreat and the Return of Russia in 2020
Harini Madhusudan
The US-China Trade Dispute: Towards further disruptions in 2020
Parikshith Pradeep
The US under Donald Trump: The Fall of an Empire in 2020
Vivek Mishra
After Soleimani assassination: Options for the US
Sukanya Bali
Iran, Iraq and the US: Who wants what?
Aparupa Bhattacherjee
Old problems to persist with no solutions in the near term
Aashiyana Adhikari
Indian and Chinese investments in Nepal: Managing asymmetry
Shailesh Nayak | Director, National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS)
Blue Economy and India: An Introduction
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
North Africa in 2019: A year of protests, with some positive results
Sukanya Bali
Hong Kong in 2019: China's New Achilles Heel
Harini Madhusudan
The US-China Trade Dispute in 2019: Towards a thaw in 2020?
Parikshith Pradeep
The US in 2019: Trump rollsout a template for a global American retreat
Rashmi Ramesh
The Arctic Littorals: Iceland and Greenland
Harini Madhusudan
The Polar Silk Route: China's ambitious search in the Arctic
GP Team
Syria: Who wants what?
Harini Madhusudan
Violence in Hong Kong: Will the protests end?
Rashmi Ramesh
Is Catalonia Spain’s Hong Kong?
D. Suba Chandran
Why an Arctic foray is essential for India
Parikshith Pradeep
Russia's Polar Military Edge
Nidhi Dalal
Protests rock Chile, Bolivia and Haiti
Aparupa Bhattacherjee
Will prosecuting Suu Kyi resolve the Rohingya problem?
Lakshman Chakravarthy N & Rashmi Ramesh
Climate Change: Four Actors, No Action
Sukanya Bali
Brexit: Preparing for the Worst Case
Lakshman Chakravarthy N
5G: A Primer
Rashmi Ramesh
From Okjökull to OK: Death of a Glacier in Iceland
Sukanya Bali
Challenges before Boris Johnson
Parikshith Pradeep
The Hong Kong Protests: Who wants what
Harini Madhusudan
The Hong Kong Protests: Re-defining mass mobilization
Aparupa Bhattacherjee
ASEAN Outlook on the Indo Pacific: Worth all the Hype?
Mahesh Bhatta
Monsoons first, Floods next and the Blame Games follow
Titsala Sangtam
Counting Citizens: Manipur charts its own NRC
Vivek Mishra
Can Hedging be India’s Strategy?
Lakshmi V Menon
Amidst the US-Iran standoff, Saudi Arabia should be cautious
Seetha Lakshmi Dinesh Iyer
For Russia, it was big power projection
Harini Madhusudan
For China, it was trade and a temporary truce
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
For Japan, it was commerce and climate change
Sourina Bej
For the US, it was trade, tariff and talks
Titsala Sangtam
Iran, US and the Nuclear deal: Europe in the middle?
Aparupa Bhattacherjee
Modi's Colombo Visit: Four issues to watch
Raakhavee Ramesh
Higher than the Himalayas: Pakistan and China
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
Across the Himalayas: Nepal and China
Mahath Mangal
The Russian Resurgence: Is the US supremacy waning?
Mahath Mangal
San Francisco wants to ban, Kashgar wants to expand
Jerin George
Espionage or Investigative Journalism?
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
The Huawei Controversy: Five things you need to know
Mahath Mangal
Why the world needs to look at Yemen
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
The Central Asia Connector
Harini Madhusudan
An Under-represented East Asia
Seetha Lakshmi Dinesh Iyer
Africa Embraces the Belt and Road
Sourina Bej
It’s Europe vs EU on China
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
Sudan: Between Democracy and another military rule
Seetha Lakshmi Dinesh Iyer
Responses and Inspiring Lessons
Aparupa Bhattacherjee
Thailand: Between Elections and Instability
Sourina Bej
Two Sessions in 2019: Four Takeaways
Lakshmi V Menon
The End of ISIS Caliphate?
Harini Madhusudan
For China, its a sigh of relief
Aparupa Bhattacherjee
For Vietnam, its a big deal
Seetha Lakshmi Dinesh Iyer
For Japan, No Deal is Good Deal
Sourina Bej
For South Korea, a costly disappointment
Harini Madhusudan
No deal is better, but isn't it bad?
Aparupa Bhattacherjee
The Other Conflict in Rakhine State
Seetha Lakshmi Dinesh Iyer
Yemen: Will Sa'nna fall?
Harini Madhusudan
Sinicizing the Minorities
GP Team
US, South Korea and Thailand
Lakshmi V Menon
The Qatar Blockade: Eighteen Months Later
GP Team
Yemen, Venezuela and US-China
Sourina Bej
Maghreb: What makes al Shahab Resilient?
Harini Madhusudan
US-China Trade War: No Clear Winners
Abhishrut Singh
Trump’s Shutdown: Five Things to Know
Aparupa Bhattacherjee
Myanmar: Will 2019 be better for the Rohingya?
D. Suba Chandran
Bangladesh: The Burden of Electoral History
Seetha Lakshmi Dinesh Iyer
US and China: Between Confrontation and Competition
Mahesh Bhatta | Centre for South Asian Studies, Kathmandu
Nepal
Nasima Khatoon | Research Associate, ISSSP, NIAS
The Maldives
Harini Madhusudan | Research Associate, ISSSP, NIAS
India
Sourina Bej | Research Associate, ISSSP, NIAS
Bangladesh
Seetha Lakshmi Dinesh Iyer | Research Associate, ISSSP, NIAS
Afghanistan
Harini Madhusudan
China and Japan: Renewing relations at the right time
Sourina Bej
The INF Treaty: US withdraws to balance China?
Harini Madhusudan
The Khashoggi Killing: Unanswered Questions
Lakshmi V Menon
US and Israel: Trump's Deal of the Century
Nasima Khatoon
The New Maldives: Advantage India?
Harini Madhusudhan
To NAFTA or Not: Trump, Mexico and Canada
Aparupa Bhattacherjee
Malaysia’s China Moment: The Mahathir Gamble
Sourina Bej
BIMSTEC: A Bay of Good Hope?
Young Scholars Debate
India, Imran Khan and Indo-Pak Relations
Siddhatti Mehta
Does Brexit mean Brexit?
Oishee Majumdar
Factsheet: China’s Investments in Africa
Aparupa Bhattacherjee
The 8888 Uprising: Thirty Years Later
Harini Madhusudhan
The Tariff War: 'Stick of Hegemony' vs Vital Interests
Druta Bhatt
FactSheet: Shangri La Dialogue 2018
Rahul Arockiaraj
Immigrants as the “Other”: The Social and Economic Factors in the US
Divyabharathi E
Is Trump-Putin Summit a setback for the US?
Apoorva Sudhakar
India and Bangladesh: The Long Haul
Divyabharathi E
Quad as an alternative to the BRI: Three Main Challenges
Oishee Majumdar
FactSheet: India-Bangladesh Relations
D. Suba Chandran
Trump meets Putin; will it cost NATO?
Sourina Bej
Trump and the NATO: One Block, Different Views
Gayan Gowramma KC
Now, the United States withdraws from the UNHRC
Siddhatti Mehta
Will China be able to sustain its Dominance?
Aparupa Bhattacherjee
Myanmar: Why won't they do anything for the Rohingya?
Harini Madhusudan
The Idea of an US Space Force: Strategic Calculations
Apoorva Sudhakar
Afghan Peace: Reality or Illusion?
Hely Desai
Looking beyond Trump: Is the US declining?
Manushi Kapadia
Is China using its soft power to become superpower?
Lakshmi. V. Menon
Middle East: Has Russia chosen Israel over Iran?
Miti Shah
G7: Why Trump wants Russia in?
Hely Desai
FactSheet: G7 Summit
Siddhatti Mehta
The Panmunjom Declaration: “Tip of the Iceberg”
Druta Bhatt
Iran N-Deal and the Trans-Atlantic Divide
Manushi Kapadia
US and China: Towards a Trade War
Miti Shah
Palestine: US triggers new tensions
Divyabharathi E
The "Indo-Pacific Command": What's in the name?
Harini Madhusudan
Trump’s Tariff Strategy: Targetting Adversaries and Allies
Hely Desai
Trump-Kim Summit: Three Likely Outcomes
Apoorva Sudhakar
The Lebanon Pawn: Will it change after elections?
Lakshmi V Menon
Israel, the Game Changer?
Samreen Wani
Deciphering Turkey's External Push
Divyabharathi E
China and Russia: The New Alignments
Ann Maria Shibu
Can India afford to lose Maldives to China?
Dhruv Ashok
Why Maldives is important to China?
Lakshmi V Menon
ISIS and the Yazidi victims: Why the World should stand up?
Harini Madhusudan
US- China Tariff Face-off : Five questions
Jamyang Dolma
Why is Free Tibet important for India
Divyabharathi E
Arctic: The Strategic Significance
Lakshmi V Menon
Do we need the Quad?
Samreen Wani
Why Trump’s Iran exit is a big mistake?
Jamyang Dolma
Inter Korean Summit: Will it work?
Dhruv Ashok
The Fishermen Issue between India and Sri Lanka
Apoorva Sudhakar
Bangladesh's Economy: Decoding a Success Story
Ann Maria Shibu
Why India should not pull out of the Indus water treaty?
Divyabharathi E