The World this Week

CWA # 152
The World this Week
New US Tariffs on China, Japan-South Korea Trade Tension, Burqa Ban in the Netherlands, INF Treaty's End and North Korean Missile Tests

GP Team
3 August 2019
Photo Source: New York Times

Sukanya Bali, Harini Madhusudhan, Aparupa Bhattacherjee, Parkshith Pradeep and Seetha Lakshmi Dinesh Iyer

ISSSP, National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS

 

Trump imposes new tariffs on China

What happened?

The 13 months long US-China Trade war has taken a new turn, after the recent meeting between US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin with Chinese officials, in Shanghai on Wednesday. The negotiation ended with little cooperation between the two countries. After the meet, Donald Trump's tweets have brought back both countries to a pre-G20 phase. Trump's tweet on 'putting an additional tariff of 10 percent on the remaining $300 billion of goods and products' coming from China has created an atmosphere of tension.

The White House said that the two sides had discussed topics including "forced technology transfer, intellectual property rights, services, non-tariff barriers and agriculture". The negotiations led China to commit an increase in the purchase of US agricultural products. Further, President Trump tweet claimed that China failed to keep the promise to curb the sale of Fentanyl, which had led to the death of more than 16000 US citizens.

What is the background?

Since July 2018, the two sides have imposed tariffs on more than $300 billion of goods. Both had agreed on a truce to end the trade war at G-20 summit in Japan 2019. Late in June, the US President had eased some restrictions against US companies selling hi-tech gear to Chinese telecom giant Huawei. With no substantial outcomes from the trade dialogue in Shanghai in July and with Donald Trump's tweet, the global markets took a hit. The trade war has shown a visible impact on both country's farmers, workers and consumers, and has put the country's economies at stake. The back and forth imposition of tariffs have shown a decrease in the growth rate of 6.2% in the Chinese economy, second quarter of 2019, which is the lowest since 1992.

What does it mean?

Trump's additional tariff from 01 September on China will increase the chance of further retaliatory tariffs from China in US-China trade war. The trade war has shown its repercussion on markets. The trade war between the two has disrupted the global supply chains and has affected commodity prices. This is not only hampering China but has brought in high inflation on goods and has changed the purchasing power of the US citizens. The deal between the two powerful economies of the world is turning as a 'threat' for the global growth rate. The trade war is likely to continue since both the countries have failed to make any substantial progress in the trade dialogue. Also, Trump's actions may be an attempt to bring China according to his terms before the 2020 presidential election.

 

Japan removes South Korea from Trusted Trade Partners list

What happened?

Japan announced that it would remove South Korea from its list of 'Trusted Trade Partners.' Stating that these measures are based on National Security Concerns and address Seoul's inadequate controls on export. Seoul was quick to respond to this, Ko Ming Jung, a government spokesperson, have said, "Our government will sternly respond to Japan's unfair decision." Not long ago, South Korea had warned that it may reconsider its decision over an intelligence-sharing accord with Japan if the situation were to get worse.

The "white list" includes 27 countries of which South Korea would be the first one to be removed, later this month, according to the announcement. The decision by Japan has come a month after Japan tightened rules on the export of materials crucial for South Korean tech manufacturers. Protests in front of the Japanese embassy in South Korea, called for a boycott of Japanese goods during a rally, while also demanding compensation and apology for the forced labour and wartime sex slaves.

What is the background?

The complicated history between the two countries is set to be a smaller version of the ongoing trade war between the US and China. The dispute began with the court ruling by a South Korean court on the comfort women and forced labour, ordering Japanese firms to pay compensation, thereby inflating the long-running tensions. These decisions were condemned by Japan who said that the dispute was settled in 1965 when diplomatic ties were normalised between the neighbouring countries.

South Korea has seized the assets of two companies' part of the case and Mitsubishi Heavy, one of the firms involved has refused to comply. Fast forward to a month ago, and Japan restricted access to products needed to make display panels and memory chips, which are critical industries for South Korea. The country's tech giants Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix exported around 60 percent of global memory components last year, according to IHS Markit, showing potential to rattle the electronics industry over potential threats to the global supply chain.

What does it mean?

Moon Jae-In on Friday tweeted saying, they would never be back to Japan "….We are expecting a lot of difficulties ahead of us, but it is not that we cannot overcome." Shows that there is no end to this dispute shortly. The immediate impact would be on the electronics industry, and as Japan's third-largest trading partner, buying about $54 billion worth of their goods, the impact would fall heavy on the industrial machines, chemicals and entertainment industries of the countries. A trade- war in the East, which has the largest technology-driven economies is just what the world did not need with 5G issue still around. On the political front, these actions by Japan could be an answer to the Chinese question on whose side does Japan stand, by taking the US route to trade conflicts.

 

The Netherlands ban Burqa

What happened?

This week, the Netherlands introduced a new law that bans burqas, niqabs, and other face coverings in public places. The law called Partial Ban on Face-Covering Clothing Act, prohibits the wearing of ski masks, full-face helmets, balaclavas, niqabs and burqas in public buildings that include schools and hospitals and on public transport. The law is yet to be enforced, but it states that people not following the law will be given an option to remove the offending item, or they will be fined €150 to €415. The law is restricted only to the public buildings and transport but does not apply on the streets.

Both the police and transport workers have stated that the law will not be imposed strictly on their behalf. The police mentioned that the enforcement was discomforting as it will hinder a veiled woman from reaching out to the police station to make any complaints or for redressal of any problem. Motivated by this, transport companies have also stated that they will not enforce their staffs on trains, metros, trams or buses to impose this rule.

This has created confusion regarding the seriousness of this law. Regardless, this law has been criticised vehemently to be partial and also seen as a result of Islamophobia. The Dutch government has denied Islamophobia to be the basis of this law. The government insists that this was a security measure and will also ensure proper communication.

What is the background?

A far-right lawmaker Geert Wilders pushed this law and his party, make the intention of the imposition of this law, questionable. Mr Wilders is known for his anti-Islam view. He has openly revered the passing of this law and twitted that the "next step" should be to ban headscarves also and highlighted that, "If you want to wear a burqa, then go live in Saudi Arabia or Iran." Mr Wilders is not alone, both his party and several other lawmakers have openly supported this law.

But the Netherlands is not first to impose such ban six other European countries are prohibiting face-covering clothing in public buildings. France, under the presidentship of Nicolas Sarkozy in 2011, was the first to state that full-face veils were "not welcome". Apart from France and the Netherlands, Austria, Denmark, Latvia, Belgium and Bulgaria are among those who have imposed a similar ban.

What does it mean?

First, this law could be a broader indicator of growing intolerance towards a pluralist society. This has also impacted the shift in Europe's policy towards migrant, which has often been unwelcoming. Alongside this, similar discussions are in place in other parts of European such as Germany, Switzerland, Estonia, Italy, Lithuania and Norway. Parts of Spain have introduced such bans locally. It seems legal imposition of this ban became crucial for these countries since 2010, quite around the same time when the migration wave shifted towards Europe. 

Second, the law could be hinting a shift in discourse towards Dutch nationalism under which anti-Islam remains a critical component.

Thirdly, the new law and drift in discourse could also imply the more significant shift from liberalism in Europe and other parts of the world. This is more evident through the rise of populist governments around the globe.

 

US Withdraws from the INF Treaty

What happened?

This week, the US withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces(INF) Treaty. A Cold war era-arms agreement signed in 1987, between the US and Russia, which necessitated them to eliminate both conventional and nuclear land-based ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and missile launchers with a range of 500km to 5500km. The US cited the development of its warheads and Russian violation of the treaty as being the reason for its withdrawal. In October 2018, the US announced its decision to withdraw, which was followed by its suspension of obligations in February this year. The act of suspension provided a window for Russia to revisit the treaty, which seemed unlikely to happen.

What is the background?

This comes in the backdrop of US and NATO alleging Russia for their violation of the treaty. The US, in its 2014 Compliance report, pointed out to Russia's development of warheads, which could undermine the terms of the treaty. The state department in its reports has repeatedly alleged Russia of dishonouring the agreement. Russia has continued to deny these allegations amidst US's warning to withdraw.

Russia, despite pressure from NATO and the US, failed to destroy their 9M729 cruise missile system which, according to the US, is a breach. Both the US and Russia are barred from launching these missiles, but this limitation does not extend to air and sea-based missiles. The agreement aimed to eliminate an entire class of missiles and limiting any further development of the same. It also necessitated on-site assessments and inspections, furthering accountability and strict control to avoid negative offsets.

What does it mean?

This move could essentially elevate the American position on arms trade and boost employment in the US. But it also risks the possibility of aggravating trade tensions concerning arms and strategic weapons. China already has a significant number of medium-range missiles in its armoury, which is also exported to Asia. The US pulling out of the treaty could help the Americans export similar missiles to Asia furthering arms tensions. With the US emerging as a player in this class, it could potentially disrupt the movement of the arms trade on a global level.

On the other hand, the range bandwidth and proximity under this class are equally threatening to neighbouring nations and elsewhere. Following this, one should not fail to anticipate harsher possibilities of conflict in the middle east and war-prone areas surrounding Syria and Africa. Also, this could intensify Iranian ambitions and North Korea's military adventurism.

What is interesting is it provides Russia with an undue advantage, which is notably ahead in this technology provoking the US furthermore. This development is also a blow to the rules-based order in arms control. Observing the American steps to arms diplomacy, it could also pose a threat to the fate of New Start Treaty, yet another agreement the US has with Russia which aims to limit strategic nuclear arms by a third, which is due for renewal in 2021.

While nations across the world produce medium-range missiles, as analysts suggest, limits imposed on the US in doing so could also have led them towards withdrawing from the arms agreement. This could unfold into a larger picture in the race for arms expedition. On a concluding note, radical steps and knee jerk reactions by superpowers in matters of defence and critical arms technology can destabilise efforts to non-proliferation and arms control.

 

North Korea launches its third missile in a week 

What happened?

On 02 August 2019, North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile, the third in eight days. While South Korea assessed the missiles to be different from the previous model which flew unusually fast, the missile is said to have travelled up to 220 km.

However, statements from the White House following the launch indicated that the US President Donald Trump wasn't wary about the recent spate of retaliation from North Korea. According to popular media, he called it a "very standard" response from the north and denied any links with the North Korean supremo.

What is the background?

According to South Korea, Pyongyang had previously fired two missiles that reportedly flew to a distance of 250km and reached a height of 30km near the East sea. The North had launched its first missile on 25 July 2019 after the US President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un met at the demilitarized zone in June where they had agreed to resume talks on denuclearisation. Despite pressing economic sanctions, Pyongyang had also launched a new submarine recently which is reportedly capable of carrying up to three ballistic missiles.

What does it mean?

The most apparent reason for North Korea's recent spate of missile launches is the Washington-Seoul military exercise scheduled later this month. The strong reaction comes as the North views this as a considerable threat and violation of norms signed under the joint statement by the US president and his North Korean counterpart during their meeting at Singapore the previous year. Pyongyang has further notified that the drills could affect the duo's future talks on denuclearisation. Evidently, this will affect Seoul's efforts to build strained ties with Pyongyang and further divide the Korean Peninsula.

Second, Trump's cold response to Pyongyang's actions would have been fuel to the latter's actions. The latest spate of launches could also be seen as Kim Jong un's strategy to create a sense of panic and urgency in the peninsula and eventually get the upper hand on the nuclear negotiations.

Alongside this, Japan and South Korea have deployed missile defence systems based on US military technology in the recent past. Little has this found fruit when North Korea's capabilities are steadily growing. The push could also be an effort to threaten the US by putting pressure on Japan and South Korea, its key allies in the region. Evidently, given Japan and South Korea's diplomatic tensions, North Korean actions are only straining the relation further and putting the US's efforts to bring the former together in vain.


PREVIOUS COMMENTS

The World This Week
June 2026 | CWA # 2157

Global Politics Team

The G7 Summit 2026
President Xi Jinping’s North Korea visit I Myanmar President’s China visit
TWTW Takeaways
June 2026 | CWA # 2154

Madhura Meenakshi Tanikella

The G7 Summit 2026
Four Takeaways on Economic security, Critical minerals, and Consensus on Ukraine and Iran
Conflict Weekly
June 2026 | CWA # 2153

Global Politics Team

The US-Iran MoU
The War in Ukraine I Anti-immigrant violence in South Africa I Ultra Orthodox Jews' protests in Israel
CW Note
June 2026 | CWA # 2150

Madhura Meenakshi Tanikella

The War in Ukraine:
Massive drone attacks, Europe's support for Ukraine, and a Distant ceasefire
CW Note
June 2026 | CWA # 2149

Brighty Ann Sarah

The US-Iran MoU:
Asymmetric Gains and Implementation Challenges
Global Politics Review: WPF Report 2026
June 2026 | CWA # 2145

Glynnis Winona B

Myanmar and Press Freedom: 
Four Takeaways on Legal repression, Institutional collapse, Violence, and Digital control 
Global Politics Review: WPF Report 2026
June 2026 | CWA # 2144

Nithin V

Bangladesh and Press Freedom: 
Four Takeaways on Digital security laws, Political polarisation, Journalist safety, and Media vulnerability 
Global Politics Review: WPF Report 2026
June 2026 | CWA # 2143

Aishal Hab Yousuf 

Sri Lanka and Press Freedom: 
Five Takeaways on Political influence, Legal mechanisms to control, Ethnic sensitivities and History of State intimidation
Global Politics Review: WPF Report 2026
June 2026 | CWA # 2142

Glynnis Winona B

Bhutan and Press Freedom:
Four takeaways on Regulatory control, Economic fragility, and Social constraints
Global Politics Review: WPF Report 2026
June 2026 | CWA # 2141

Aishal Hab Yousuf

Maldives and Press Freedom:
Four takeaways on the influence of democracy, legislation, and state funding
Global Politics Review: WPF Report 2026
June 2026 | CWA # 2140

Nithin V

Pakistan and Press Freedom:
Four takeaways Military influence, cyber laws, political instability, and youth-driven digital journalism
Global Politics Review: WPF Report 2026
June 2026 | CWA # 2139

Siddhi Halyur

Afghanistan and Press Freedom:
Four takeaways on political control, religious restrictions and economic vulnerabilities 
Global Politics Review: WPF Report 2026
June 2026 | CWA # 2138

Siddhi Halyur

Nepal and Press Freedom:
Three takeaways on Political constraints, Missing legal protection and Funding issues
TWTW Explainer
June 2026 | CWA # 2136

Acsah H

The Blue Origin Rocket Explosion:
Does this leave Jeff Bezos grounded, Elon Musk unchallenged, and NASA’s lunar timeline in jeopardy?
CW Note
June 2026 | CWA # 2131

Rohini Reenum

Israel-Lebanon Tensions:
New Deal amidst Israeli incursion and Hezbollah’s retaliation
CW Explainer
June 2026 | CWA # 2130

Akshath Kaimal

The UK-Rwanda Asylum Deal: 
Why did the Permanent Court of Arbitration reject Rwanda’s claims? What was Rwanda’s complaint? Why did the UK cancel the deal?
CW Column
June 2026 | CWA # 2129

Anu Maria Joseph

Conflicts in Africa This Week:
The Ebola fear in DR Congo and the Elections in Ethiopia amidst conflicts
TWTW Note
May 2026 | CWA # 2126

Aparna A Nair

The Shenzhou-23 Mission:
China’s Space Missions, Technology, and Infrastructure
CW Note
May 2026 | CWA # 2124

Glynnis Winona B

The Crisis in Cuba:
The US Sanctions, Energy Crisis, and Economic Instability
CW Note
May 2026 | CWA # 2123

Akshath Kaimal

The Ebola and the DR Congo:
Multiple Outbreaks, Fragile Healthcare System, and Ineffective Global Responses
CW Column
May 2026 | CWA # 2122

Radhika M Agarwal

The War in Ukraine:
Ballistic missiles, Nuclear drills with Belarus, and the Czech ammunition initiative
CW Column
May 2026 | CWA # 2120

Brighty Ann Sarah

Conflicts in the Middle East
The US-Iran War Week Thirteen: Escalating Hostilities, Tenuous Ceasefire and Tense Negotiations
CW Column
May 2026 | CWA # 2119

Anu Maria Joseph

Conflicts in Africa
The Ebola spread in DR Congo, The Faye-Sonko split in Senegal, and the Deepening US military involvement in Nigeria
TWTW Note
May 2026 | CWA # 2115

Aparna A Nair

The Putin-Xi Summit
Trade, Technology, Security, and Pipeline
Global Politics Explainer
May 2026 | CWA # 2114

Glynnis Winona B

What makes the UAE a global player?
Explaining the Governance, Economy, People, and Strategic Influence of a Small Middle Eastern State
Global Politics Explainer
May 2026 | CWA # 2113

Aishal Hab Yousuf

Sri Lanka and the US-Iran War 
Rising oil imports, Austerity measures and State capacity
The World This Week
May 2026 | CWA # 2111

NIAS Global Politics Team

The Trump-Xi Summit
The Africa Forward Summit 2026 I North Korea's Constitutional Amendment 2026
TWTW Note
May 2026 | CWA # 2110

Aishal Hab Yousuf

The Trump-Xi Summit:
Managing Strategic Competition through Trade, Technology, and Diplomacy
Conflict Weekly
May 2026 | CWA # 2092

NIAS Global Politics Team

The US-Iran War, Week Ten
CW Column on Middle East: Escalating Israeli Aggression in Lebanon I UAE's Covert Manoeuvres
CW Column
May 2026 | CWA # 2091

Brighty Ann Sarah

Conflicts in the Middle East:
Escalating Israeli Aggression in Lebanon I UAEs Covert Manoeuvres
CW Note
May 2026 | CWA # 2090

Brighty Ann Sarah

The US-Iran War, Week Ten:
Fraying Ceasefire, Renewed Negotiations and the Risk of a Stalemate
TWTW Takeaways
May 2026 | CWA # 2088

Nithin V

King Charles's US Visit:
Emphasis on strong bilateral relations, democratic values and security cooperation
TWTW Note
May 2026 | CWA # 2086

Aishal Hab Yousuf

UAEs Exit from OPEC:
Implications for the Middle East and the Energy Market
CW Note
May 2026 | CWA # 2083

Brighty Ann Sarah

The US-Iran War, Week Nine:
Deadlocked Negotiations, Competing Agendas and Domestic Pressure
CW Note
May 2026 | CWA # 2082

Akshath Kaimal

Escalating Violence in Mali:
Between Ethnic Insurgencies, Jihadist Attacks, and Military Coups
TWTW Note
April 2026 | CWA # 2079

Aishal Hab Yousuf

Japans New Defence Posture:
From Post-War Pacifism to Strategic Recalibration and Autonomy
CW Note
April 2026 | CWA # 2074

Brighty Ann Sarah

Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire:
Asymmetric Terms, Fragile Truce and Israeli Occupation
CW Note
April 2026 | CWA # 2073

Akshath Kaimal

The US-Iran War, Week Eight:
A Fragile Ceasefire, Attempts to Control Hormuz and the Stalled Talks in Islamabad
Special Commentary
April 2026 | CWA # 2072

Anu Maria Joseph

Three Years of War in Sudan
Prolonged Stalemate, Humanitarian Cost, External Interventions and Regional Fallouts
Peace and Conflicts This Quarter (JanuaryMarch 2026)
April 2026 | CWA # 2069

Padmashree Anandhan

The War in Ukraine
Expanding Drone Warfare, Russia's Strategic Patience and Ukraine's Diplomatic Outreach
Peace and Conflicts This Quarter (JanuaryMarch 2026)
April 2026 | CWA # 2068

Femy Francis

China-Japan Tensions
Escalating Defence Posturing and Economic Decoupling
Peace and Conflicts This Quarter (JanuaryMarch 2026)
April 2026 | CWA # 2067

Anu Maria Joseph

Conflicts in Africa
Continuing Conflicts in Sudan, South Sudan and DR Congo, Security issues in Nigeria, and Political Instability in Madagascar
Peace and Conflicts This Quarter (JanuaryMarch 2026)
April 2026 | CWA # 2066

Akshath Kaimal

The Pakistan-Afghanistan Conflict
Recurrent Clashes, Defiant Taliban, Contesting Narratives and Emerging Chinas Role
The World This Quarter
April 2026 | CWA # 2065

Lakshmi Venugopal Menon

The Middle East (JanMar 2026):
The US-Iran War, Israel-Hamas Conflict and their interconnected fallouts
The World This Quarter
April 2026 | CWA # 2064

Anwesha Ghosh

Afghanistan (JanMar 2026):
Gender Repression, Leadership Rifts, Regional Realignments and Clashes with Pakistan
The World This Quarter
April 2026 | CWA # 2063

Ramya B

Russia (Jan-Mar 2026)
Assertive Military Posture, Attempts for an Economic Turnaround and Search for Partners
The World This Quarter
April 2026 | CWA # 2062

Himani Pant

Europe (Jan-Mar 2026)
Trade diversification & FTAs, Increased defence spending, Tightening irregular migration and Economic slowdown
The World This Quarter
April 2026 | CWA # 2061

S Shaji

Africa (Jan-Mar 2026)
Elections, Civil Wars, Militancy and Peace Initiatives
The World This Quarter
April 2026 | CWA # 2059

Adarsh Vijay

India and the World(Jan-Mar 2026)
Maintaining Strategic Autonomy, Balancing the US relations and Resetting the China ties
The World This Quarter
April 2026 | CWA # 2058

Nishchal N Pandey & Mahesh Raj Bhatta

Nepal (Jan-Mar 2026)
Political Upheaval, Generational Change and Economic Uncertainty
The World This Quarter
April 2026 | CWA # 2057

Bibhu Prasad Routray

Myanmar (Jan-Mar 2026)
An Illegitimate Regimes Consolidation Game
The World This Quarter
April 2026 | CWA # 2056

Ashik J Bonofer

Southeast Asia (Jan-Mar 2026)
Deteriorating situation in Myanmar, Philippines as the ASEAN Chair, New government in Thailand, and Economic & Environmental challenges
The World This Quarter
April 2026 | CWA # 2055

Haans J Freddy

East Asia (Jan-Mar 2026)
Chinas military operations near Taiwan, Japan-China tensions and South Koreas security challenges
The World This Quarter
April 2026 | CWA # 2054

Amrita Jash

Chinas External Landscape (Jan-Mar 2026):
Regional assertion, Pragmatic recalibration with the West and Avoiding military entanglement in the Middle East
The World This Quarter
April 2026 | CWA # 2052

Shreya Upadhyay

The United States(Jan-Mar2026)
Tariffs, Ukraine, Iran and Operationalization of Trumps World Order
March 2026 | CWA # 2039

Femy Francis

Trump-Xi Meeting
Why did Trump reschedule it? What does that mean?
March 2026 | CWA # 2035

Akshath Kaimal

Pakistan-Afghanistan Conflict
Broken ceasefire, Expanding military strikes and Worsening humanitarian situation
Global Politics Early Bird
March 2026 | CWA # 2033

Mahesh Bhatta

Nepal after elections:
Five major challenges for the new government
March 2026 | CWA # 2024

Lekshmi MK

The UN and the Iran-US War
UNSC Resolution 2817 between Clear and Unified Message and Manifest Injustice
March 2026 | CWA # 2023

Femy Francis

Chinas Two Sessions 2026
New Five-Year Plan, Ethnic Unity Law, and an Enhanced Defence Budget
March 2026 | CWA # 2019

Akshath Kaimal

Rising Violence in Nigeria
Limited State Capacity, Multiple Actors, and a Complex Security Environment
March 2026 | CWA # 2012

Padmashree Anandhan

The War in Ukraine
Long-range strikes, Defence adaptation and the EUs energy dependence
Global Politics Early Bird
March 2026 | CWA # 2010

Mahesh Bhatta

Nepal Elections 2026
The Rise of the New and the Fall of the Old
March 2026 | CWA # 2009

Sreemaya Nair

Nepal Elections 2026
Rise of a new leadership and Reset in political landscape
March 2026 | CWA # 2004

Akshath Kaimal

The Forgotten South Sudan Conflict
Instability returns, with a fragile peace agreement, uptick in violence and limited international engagement
March 2026 | CWA # 2003

Yesasvi Koganti

PM Modis Visit to Israel
From bilateral ties to a special strategic partnership
February 2026 | CWA # 1998

Anu Maria Joseph

Instability in Sudan
Response to the genocide call and the threats of a regional spillover
PR Commentary
February 2026 | CWA # 1985

Abhimanyu Solanki

Basant in Pakistan
The return of Basant, and what it signifies
February 2026 | CWA # 1977

Anu Maria Joseph

Violence in Nigeria
US military deployment amidst worsening insurgency
February 2026 | CWA # 1976

Lekshmi MK

The War in Ukraine
The Geneva Talks and Growing Negotiation Asymmetry
Pakistan in 2025
December 2025 | CWA # 1971

Vani Vyshnavi Jupudi

Pakistan Budget 2025-26
Legislating stabilisation under IMF discipline and coalition constraints
Pakistan in 2025
December 2025 | CWA # 1970

Aparna A Nair

Pakistan & China
Ten Years of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)
PR Explainer
November 2025 | CWA # 1968

Vani Vyshnavi Jupudi

Pakistan and the US
A New opening, or another cycle?
February 2026 | CWA # 1959

Yesasvi Koganti

UK and China
PM Keir Starmers visit and the Recalibration of Economic, Strategic, and Domestic ties
TWTW Note
January 2026 | CWA # 1946

R Preetha

The Davos Summit 2026
Five Major Takeaways from The World Economic Forum
State of Global Politics 2025
December 2025 | CWA # 1931

Padmashree Anandhan

NATO Summit 2025
State of Global Politics 2025
December 2025 | CWA # 1924

Padmashree Anandhan

NATO Summit 2025
This Week in History
August 2025 | CWA # 1801

R Preetha

28 August 1963
Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech and the Civil Rights Movement in the US
The World This Week
August 2025 | CWA # 1790

GP Team

The World This Week#323-324
The Trump-Putin meeting & the US-China tariff extension
TWTW note
August 2025 | CWA # 1780

Abhiruchi Chowdhury

Trump tariffs:
Weaponization of access to the US economy
The World This Week
August 2025 | CWA # 1779

GP Team

The World This Week#322
US tariffs on India, Brazil and Canada & the EU-US trade deal
This Week in History
August 2025 | CWA # 1778

Lekshmi MK

28 July 1914
Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia, starting the First World War
Global Politics Explainer
July 2025 | CWA # 1770

Abhiruchi Chowdhury

Pakistan-Afghanistan relations:
Why the focus on terrorism, refugees, and Uzbekistan as the third partner?
The World This Week
July 2025 | CWA # 1769

GP Team

The World This Week#321
Indian PM Modi's visit to the Maldives I Elections to the Upper House in Japan
Global Politics Explainer
July 2025 | CWA # 1762

Lekshmi MK

Ocean Darkening: 
What is the phenomenon? What are its effects? And who are more vulnerable?
Global Politics Explainer
July 2025 | CWA # 1749

R Preetha

Africa as the Hunger Epicenter
Of the 13 Global Hunger Hotspots, 8 are in Africa: Five reasons why
The World This Week
July 2025 | CWA # 1748

GP Team

The World This Week #318
PM Modi’s Visit to Trinidad and Tobago & Ghana, One big beautiful bill, and Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting
Global Politics Explainer
July 2025 | CWA # 1744

Chittrothu Vaihali

EU-Canada Summit 2025
What is security and defence partnership all about?
Conflict Weekly
July 2025 | CWA # 1742

IPRI Team

Conflict Weekly # 287-88
The 12 Day War and the Congo-Rwanda Peace Deal
Global Politics Explainer
July 2025 | CWA # 1738

Fleur Elizabeth Philip

Thailand and Cambodia
What was the phone call between PM Shinawatra and President of Senate Hun Sen? What is the border dispute between the two? Why has this become an issue?
TWTW Note
June 2025 | CWA # 1735

Padmashree Anandhan

NATO Summit 2025:
Trump making Europe great again
The World This Week
June 2025 | CWA # 1734

GP Team

The World This Week #317
NATO Summit 2025 and Russia-Mali bilateral agreements
Global Politics Explainer
June 2025 | CWA # 1733

Ananya Dinesh

China and the Pacific Islands 
What was the recent China-PIC joint statement about? What it says, and what it means?
TWTW Note
June 2025 | CWA # 1728

M Kejia

G7 Summit 2025:
The Focus on the Middle East and Trade negotiations
The World This Week
June 2025 | CWA # 1726

GP Team

The World This Week #316
China-Central Asia Summit in Kazakhstan, and the G7 Summit in Canada
Global Politics Explainer
June 2025 | CWA # 1725

Brighty Ann Sarah, R Preetha, Santhiya M, Aparna A Nair & M Kejia

Operation Midnight Hammer: US bombs three nuclear sites in Iran
What were the three Iranian nuclear sites that were targeted? What are the B2 Bombers and Bunker Buster Bombs? What do these attacks mean? What Next?
Conflict Weekly
June 2025 | CWA # 1724

IPRI Team

Conflict Weekly #286
The Spiralling Israel-Iran Crisis, and the Dangerous Hunger Hotspots
Global Politics Explainer
June 2025 | CWA # 1721

Rizwana Banu S and Santhiya M

Who are the Afrikaners?
Why is Trump interested in the Afrikaner question in South Africa?
Global Politics Explainer
June 2025 | CWA # 1720

Lekshmi MK

New WMO Report on Arctic Warming
What are the social, economic and environmental implications of Arctic warming
Global Politics Explainer
June 2025 | CWA # 1719

J Yamini  

China’s EV Surge
What contributes to the rise of BYD
Global Politics Explainer
June 2025 | CWA # 1717

J Yamini

Gender Violence in Pakistan:
What are the larger issues in the Noor Mukadam case?
TWTW Note
June 2025 | CWA # 1715

Femy Francis

The US-China:
On Tariffs, Rare Earths and Visas
The World This Week
June 2025 | CWA # 1713

GP Team

The World This Week #315
The UN Ocean Conference in France and the US-China Meeting in London
Conflict Weekly
June 2025 | CWA # 1709

IPRI Team

Conflict Weekly #284-285
Cambodia-Thailand Border Tensions, Protests in the US, and the Indigenous Māori question in New Zealand
The World This Week
June 2025 | CWA # 1705

GP Team

The World This Week #314
Elections in South Korea and Poland I China and the Pacific Island Countries I Bangladesh Election Announcement 2026
Global Politics Explainer
June 2025 | CWA # 1700

R Preetha

Ethiopia bans the TPLF
What does the TPLF ban mean for the Pretoria agreement? What next for Ethiopia?
TWTW Note
June 2025 | CWA # 1694

Aashish Ganeshan

The US:
Harvard vs Trump Administration
The World This Week
June 2025 | CWA # 1691

GP Team

The World This Week #313
China-ASEAN-GCC Summit I President Macron's visit to South East Asia I Trump Vs Harvard
The World This Week
May 2025 | CWA # 1690

GP Team

The World This Week #312
Elections in Romania, Portugal & Poland I UK-EU Summit
CW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1689

Padmashree Anandhan

Ukraine
Continuing Russia’s Aerial Attacks, despite exchange of prisoners
CW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1688

Ayan Datta

Gaza
The Humanitarian Crisis and Israel’s Renewed Offensive
TWTW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1685

Aparna A Nair

UK-EU Summit:
First step towards a reset
TWTW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1683

Aashish Ganeshan

Elections in Portugal:
The Rise of Chega Party and the Search for Political Stability
TWTW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1679

Aashish Ganeshan

US in the Middle Easr
Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and UAE
TWTW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1678

Gauri Gupta

China in Latin America
China-CELAC forum: Strengthening ties with Latin America and Caribbean
The World This Week
May 2025 | CWA # 1677

GP Team

The World This Week #310-311
China in Latin America and the Carribbean I Trump's Middle East Visit I Denmark as the new Arctic Chair
CW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1675

Lekshmi MK

Turkey:
PKK disbands after 40 years of armed insurgency
CW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1673

Padmashree Anandhan

Ukraine:
The Discussion in Turkiye and the Elusive Ceasefire
CW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1672

D Suba Chandran

India and Pakistan:
De-escalation and the “New Normal”
CW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1671

Abhiruchi Chowdhury

US, Ukraine and Russia:
Air attacks amidst a Minerals deal and Ceasefire Proposals
Global Politics Early Bird
May 2025 | CWA # 1670

Fleur Elizabeth Philip

Singapore Elections in 2025:
People’s Action Party (PAP) Wins, Again
TWTW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1667

R Preetha and Brighty Ann Sarah

East Asia:
Tough Tariff Negotiations with the US
TWTW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1666

Padmashree Anandhan

The US-Ukraine
The mineral deal with the US
Conflict Weekly
May 2025 | CWA # 1665
Conflict Weekly # 280-81
India-Pakistan De-escalation I Ukraine Discussion in Istanbul I The Battle over Port Sudan I Disbanding of PKK in Turkiye I France-Algeria Diplomatic Tensions
Global Politics Early Bird
May 2025 | CWA # 1663

R Preetha

Canada Elections 2025:
What do the results convey? What next for Mark Carney?
NIAS Global Politics Database
March 2024 | CWA # 1251

NIAS Africa Team

Africa This Week
NIAS Global Politics Database
February 2024 | CWA # 1226

NIAS Africa Team

Africa This Week
The War in Ukraine
October 2023 | CWA # 1091

Annem Naga Bindhu Madhuri

Issues for Europe
IPRI Quarterly Forecasts I Triggers, Trends, and Trajectories
July 2023 | CWA # 1012

Bibhu Prasad Routray

Myanmar continues to burn
2022: The World This Year
December 2022 | CWA # 879

Padmashree Anandhan

The Ukraine War
Europe: Heatwaves, Wildfires, Droughts, and Ice Melt in Alps
November 2022 | CWA # 838

Rishma Banerjee

Tracing Europe's droughts
NIAS Africa Weekly
March 2022 | CWA # 705

NIAS Africa Team

In Focus: Libya
The World This Week: 150th Issue
December 2021 | CWA # 630

GP Team

Europe in 2021
Pakistan Reader
October 2021 | CWA # 588

Abigail Miriam Fernandez

TLP is back again
NIAS Fortnightly on Science, Technology & International Relations
August 2021 | CWA # 528

STIR Team

Space Tourism
Science, Technology and International Relations
September 2019 | CWA # 162

Lakshman Chakravarthy N

5G: A Primer
South Asia Monthly Brief (Nov 2018)
December 2018 | CWA # 71

Mahesh Bhatta

Nepal
South Asia Monthly Brief (Nov 2018)
December 2018 | CWA # 70

Nasima Khatoon

The Maldives
South Asia Monthly Brief (Nov 2018)
December 2018 | CWA # 69

Harini Madhusudan

India
South Asia Monthly Brief (Nov 2018)
December 2018 | CWA # 68

Sourina Bej

Bangladesh
South Asia Monthly Brief (Nov 2018)
December 2018 | CWA # 67

Seetha Lakshmi Dinesh Iyer

Afghanistan