COVER STORY: Improved Maritime Situational Awareness:

CWA # 684

NIAS Fortnightly on Science, Technology & International Relations

COVER STORY: Improved Maritime Situational Awareness:

STIR Team
22 February 2022

Photo Source: marinetraffic.com

Vol 1, No. 16, 22 February 2022

Cover Story

By Hema Karnam

Improved Maritime Situational Awareness:

Securing the Automatic Identification System (AIS)

Maritime safety and security have been gaining increasing importance in recent years. The Automatic Identification System (AIS) was introduced to monitor maritime traffic and improve maritime domain awareness. However, the AIS has numerous security vulnerabilities, making it prone to various types of attacks; for example, spoofing, jamming, and hijacking, as was highlighted in the recent spoofing incidents in Shanghai and Elba Island in 2019. Spoofing incidents have the potential to cause catastrophic consequences on marine trading and commerce; it is vital to study the security vulnerabilities and possible mitigation measures to counter these vulnerabilities, making the AIS more secure.

Introduction

The Automatic Identification System (AIS) monitors maritime traffic and is primarily used as a tracking system. Its other benefits include collision avoidance, search and rescue alerts, accident investigations and aids in navigation. The AIS was first introduced by the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) - Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) convention in 2002 as a mandatory installation for all international voyaging ships weighing over three hundred tonnes and all passenger ships, regardless of their size. The estimated number of vessels that use AIS is currently around 300,000; it is predicted to cross a million installations in the future.

AIS Communication details

The AIS transponder works by exchanging information with other Vessel Traffic Services (VTS). A VTS is a ship traffic monitoring system similar to the air traffic control system used in aviation. The AIS information that is transmitted includes dynamic information about a vessel’s current position, speed, course, and static information such as the vessel type, name, cargo, the MMSI - a nine-digit unique identifier for every AIS transponder/vessel. The idea behind this up-to-date information exchange is to improve navigational safety and avoid collisions in the often-chaotic sea lanes and thereby improve maritime situational awareness. Additionally, the AIS supposedly provides a better and reliable electronic picture of surrounding sea vessels than a RADAR in bad weather, sea state or visibility conditions.

The AIS works by exchanging information on two Very High Frequency (VHF) radio channels operating at frequencies 161.975 MHz and 162.025 MHz. According to the International Telecommunication Union – Radio Communication (ITU-R) sector, these over the air transmissions are standardised. The VHF data link is accomplished through a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) scheme. Online AIS providers also collect AIS data and transmit it over the internet. The AIS data is collected using AIS gateways deployed geographically. Additionally, AIS data can be uploaded by the ship captains to the online providers using Mobile apps and special forwarding software.

The AIS data is reported with a varying transmission rate ranging from a couple of seconds for dynamic data to a few minutes for static data. The dynamic data is automatically fed in from the ship’s GPS unit, whereas the static data is manually set up and maintained by the vessel operators. Currently, two types of AIS transponders exist - class A for larger vessels and class B for smaller fishing boats or pleasure crafts.

Issues and Challenges of AIS

AIS was designed during an era when there were not as many security breaches as they are today, and the AIS design did not incorporate adequate security mechanisms. The US Coast Guard Navigation Centre (NAVCEN) webpage states that “AIS by design, is an open, non-proprietary, unencrypted, unprotected radio system, intended to operate on non-secure VHF-FM channels. So technically it can be spoofed - so trust but verify”. As the AIS messages are transmitted on public radio frequencies, anyone with a simple Software Defined Radio (SDR) and VHF antenna transmit or receive these AIS messages. Also, malicious adversaries can modify the AIS data while it is en route due to its insecure design.

As the ITU and the IMO SOLAS standards do not implicitly provide some of the fundamental security principles such as message confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity, malicious adversaries can easily exploit the vulnerabilities in the AIS design and its implementation protocol to disrupt and/or deny the AIS message transmission that can lead to attacks. The attacks can be carried out both at the software implementation level and/or during transmission over radio frequencies. An overview of some example attacks and their possible implications that have been evaluated and implemented are discussed below.

III

Types of threats

Spoofing

In this type of threat, an adversary impersonates a valid ship and assigns fictitious ship static information such as the vessel's name, type, flag, cargo, MMSI, manufacture, and dynamic information such as speed position course, and destination to a non-existent ship. This type of attack can be carried out at both the software and radio frequency levels.

In the software-based threats, the software that the AIS online providers use to upstream data is targeted by malicious adversaries to reference using an application layer protocol called AIVDM is employed. However, due to the security issues with the implementation of upstreaming the data by the online providers, any software tool can generate arbitrary AIVDM sentences that can be forwarded by any user to the AIS online providers. Due to the loosely implemented nature of the AIS receivers, the AIS providers often accept any data that they receive. Additionally, there is no source vetting involved. Therefore, there is no way to verify that the message received originated from a valid ship at the supposed location, which can cause serious security issues by violating the authenticity of the actual sender. Maritime traffic can also be spoofed by sending preformatted email reports with purported AIS information to the online providers.

In radio frequency-based threats, an adversary can build an AIS transmitter using an SDR and implement these attacks by generating arbitrary AIVDM messages and transmitting them via air. The spoofing scenarios described above can lead to drastic consequences, such as spoofing a vessel into the jurisdiction of an adversarial country or into restricted territorial waters or exclusive economic zones, which can escalate political tensions between rival governments. Additionally, the counterfeit information can be used by a malicious adversary to blame some other country’s vessel while carrying out illegal activities, as was recently highlighted in a report by Bloomberg, where Iranian ships used counterfeit AIS data and switched their flagged countries to Zanzibar as the US and Europe tightened sanctions over their nuclear programs.

The recent spoofing incidents observed in Shanghai and Elba Island in 2019 highlight that such spoofing or jamming attacks can result in navigational mistakes that can cause collisions or groundings and, ultimately, casualties at sea. In 2020, the Galapagos Islands, one of the world’s largest fleets of fishing nations, misreported its location (approximately 10,000 km from its observed location) to conceal illegal fishing activities in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) around the Galápagos Islands.

Hijacking

In the case of AIS hijacking, the attacker in the software-based threats modifies the AIS message arbitrarily by initiating a Man in the Middle (MiTM) attack by intercepting the messages transmitted via Air through attacker-controlled AIS gateways. Once received, the messages are modified and transmitted to the online providers using proxy servers. In the case of radio frequency-based threats, the attacker modifies the AIS message by transmitting a higher powered fake AIS signal, which overrides the original AIS signal and is received by the AIS receivers. Therefore, in this type of attack, the message integrity is violated in that there is no way to ensure that the message received was the message that was sent.

Frequency Hopping

In the frequency hopping type of attack, the attacker impersonates the maritime authority by using a particular class of AIS messages called the control messages to instruct one or more AIS transponders to change their frequencies of operation to nonstandard channels of operation, resulting in the AIS stations unable to receive and transmit their ship’s position thereby disrupting the availability of the AIS transponders. With this type of attack, the attacker can disrupt transmission or reception whenever a ship enters a particular geographical region.

Timing attack

In another type of availability disruption threat, a timing attack can be used to inhibit the transmission of AIS messages by iterating through a command that instructs a victim to delay transmission by 15 minutes.

Replay attack

The AIS messages currently lack a timestamp, which makes the AIS transmissions very vulnerable to replay attacks. In this type of attack, a malicious adversary can record a series of legitimate AIS transmissions from a vessel and replay them at any given time to create a fictitious target with real data.

Collision Trigger spoofing

One of the benefits of the AIS system includes collision avoidance. This is achieved by a feature called Closest Point of Approach (CPA), which computes the minimal distance between two ships, of which at least one is in motion. The AIS based on the CPA feature then triggers a collision alert in the event of an expected collision. The trigger can result in an alert on the captain’s console or an acoustic siren that changes the ship’s course to avoid a potential collision. In this type of attack, an attacker can spoof a ship to be on a collision course with a targeted vessel, resulting in a ship going off course or running it aground during low tide.

AIS: Way forward

The AIS has many security vulnerabilities which adversaries can exploit to mount attacks that can disrupt the transmission of AIS or relay false information that ultimately can affect maritime situational awareness. Hence, there is a need to enhance the security mechanisms of AIS. According to existing literature, techniques that can potentially be used include adopting public key cryptographic mechanisms such as the Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) standard into the AIS protocol, which can help achieve message authentication and integrity of the AIS messages. However, for the security mechanisms incorporated into the AIS protocol, it is vital to ensure that the capabilities introduced for providing authentication and integrity are well within the constraints of the AIS protocol and standard.

The capability of implementations to secure the AIS protocol and at the same time maintaining backward compatibility is an active area of research, and many methods are being proposed as demonstrations of proof of concept. However, the interoperability of these capability implementations with the existing AIS protocol needs to be explored. Another potential mitigation measure would be to explore the feasibility of employing anomaly detection techniques to detect suspicious activities such as unexpected changes in vessel routes and static information.

References

Marco Balduzzi, Alessandro Pasta, Kyle Wilhoit, “A Security Evaluation of AIS Automated Identification System,” Proceedings of the 30th Annual Computer Security Applications Conference, December 2014.

Andrej Androjna, Marko Perkovi, Ivica Pavic,Jakša Miškovi, “AIS data vulnerability indicated by a spoofing study,” MDPI – Journal of Applied Sciences, 26 April 2021.

Nguyen, Duc H, “Hardening Automatic Identification Systems: Providing integrity through an application of lightweight cryptographic techniques, ”Thesis, Naval Post Graduate School, December 2020.

Robert E. Litts, “Security Improvements for the Automatic Identification Systems,” Thesis, Old Dominion University, May 2021.

G.C. Kessler, “Protected AIS: A Demonstration of Capability Scheme to Provide Authentication and Message Integrity,” The International Journal on Marine Navigation and Safety of Sea Transportation, Volume 14, Number 2, June 2020, DOI: 10.12716/1001.14.02.02

Androjna et al., “Assessing Cyber Challenges of Maritime Navigation,” Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, October 2020.

Christian et al., “A Backwards Compatible Approach to Authenticate Automatic Identification System Messages,” IEEE International Conference on Cyber Security and Resilience (CSR) Workshops, 2021.

“Iran Oil Tankers Said by Zanzibar to Signal Wrong Flag,” Bloomberg, 19 October 2021.

About the author
Hema Karnam is a PhD Scholar at the School of Conflict and Security Studies, National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS). She has an MS in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Utah State University, USA. Her current research interests include artificial intelligence for maritime awareness and cybersecurity.

In Brief
By Rashmi BR and Padmashree Anandhan

The US: First female patient cured of HIV
On 15 February, The New York Times reported that an American woman had been cured of HIV through a stem cell transplant involving the umbilical cord blood for the first time. She is the first woman and the third patient to be cured of the disease. The case was presented at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, Denver, US, and is a part of the study on HIV patients receiving treatment for cancer and other serious diseases conducted by the John Hopkins University and the University of California.

The first successful case of cure was reported in 2008 when a man known as ‘the Berlin Patient’ received a bone marrow transplant from donors with rare genetic mutations that are resistant to HIV. In 2019, the second man to be cured, ‘the London Patient’, also underwent a similar transplant process along with antiretroviral therapy (ARV). In 2020, a Brazilian man named ‘the Sao Paulo Patient’ was reportedly free from the virus for 15 months but re-contracted after a few months. ARV therapy remains the most widely used treatment process and extends life expectancy to a near-normal rate, but not cure the disease.

The new method presented by the scientists involves umbilical cord blood, which is more readily available than adult stem cells. The woman is known as ‘the New York Patient’ has been free of the virus for 14 months. The essential point to note is that all the three cured patients are affected by cancer and receive treatments primarily targeted at eliminating cancer cells rather than HIV. The 25 patients in the study undergo chemotherapy and later receive stem cells that will help them build an immune system resistant to HIV. Sharon Lewin, the president of the International AIDS Society, said: “bone marrow transplants are not a viable strategy to cure most people living with HIV… This report confirms that a cure for HIV is possible and further strengthens using gene therapy as a viable strategy for an HIV cure.”

The new treatment promises progress in healthcare science and system in terms of availability, the lesser need to keenly match the umbilical cord stem cells of the recipient and donors, unlike the adult stem cells, the intensity of side effects, and the possibility of curing the mixed-race patients. However, there are genuine concerns regarding the process. First, the treatments have been experimented on HIV patients who are also affected by cancer. The viability of its usage for other HIV patients is yet to be seen. Second, though better available, the treatment will still not be easily accessible to nearly 40 million patients, most of whom live in the developing and least-developed world. (Apoorva Mandavilli, “A woman is cured of HIV using a novel treatment,” The New York Times, 15 February 2022; James Gallagher, “HIV: First woman in the world believed to be cured of virus,” BBC, 16 February 2022; FP Staff, “US woman becomes first to be cured of HIV: Know all about the umbilical cord blood treatment,” Firstpost, 17 February 2022; Mike Macrae, “American woman appears to be entirely cured of HIV after unique medical treatment,” Science Alert, 16 February 2022; “Woman cured of HIV after stem cell transplant,” Al Jazeera, 16 February 2022; “Second man seems to be free of AIDS virus after transplant,” Al Jazeera, 5 March 2019)

France: One Ocean Summit 2022

On 11 February, leaders and representatives from 100 countries attended the One Ocean summit hosted by the French President, Emmanuel Macron in the coastal city of Brest. The summit brought out ways to deal with the threats to the ocean, such as overfishing, plastic pollution, use of carbon-intensive fuels, and how countries can commit to the measures to preserve the ocean. President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, who spoke at the summit, highlighted three critical areas of cooperation to conserve the oceans: "a new international coalition to protect biodiversity on high seas, which constitute 95 per cent of the ocean; a major computing project allowing researchers to digitally simulate the world's oceans; and the EU's research mission to restore our ocean and waters by 2030."

For the first time, an attempt has been made by the EU in drafting a framework for ocean biodiversity and marine life conservation. There have been many individual laws governing the seas, shipping standards, and marine environment, but the ocean's health has been mentioned at the summit. There is a special focus on marine species. Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing practices in the EU and management of marine litter have been significant concerns. Other challenges such as underwater noise, pollutant air emissions, greenhouse gas emissions, aggressive aquatic species, residues, oily discharge, and ship recycling were part of the larger focus areas of the summit. The EU proposed the European Digital Twin Ocean and EU4 Ocean coalition to bridge the gap in seabed mapping and facilitate ocean education at all levels. The US committed only to reducing plastic pollution and promised to guard the environment. Common goals established between UNESCO and the EU serve as a possibility for intra- regional and international ocean cooperation.

The launch of Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), an internationally binding treaty under the UNCLOS, urged the states to sign an agreement by the end of 2022. This treaty will drive all states towards global ocean protection and help look beyond the national territory and given goals. It brings in the responsibility factor to ensure that states don’t restrict themselves to only conserving the marine biodiversity within their region. It aims to push towards one ocean for all. (“One Ocean Summit: UNESCO pledges to have at least 80% of the seabed mapped by 2030,” UNESCO, 10 February 2022; “One Ocean Summit: new steps strengthen EU leadership in protecting the Ocean,” European Commission, 11 February 2022; “World leaders at France summit mull ways to protect oceans,” Associated Press, 11 February 2022)

S&T Nuggets

By Akriti Sharma and Harini Madhusudan

CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENT

The US: Sea levels to increase by two feet end of the century

On 15 February, according to a report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), coastal sea levels in the US will increase by afoot by the end of 2050 and two feet by the end of the century. The report titled, “2022 Sea Level Rise Technical Report- Updated projections available through 2150 for all U.S. coastal waters'' is an update of a study done in 2017. The report states that the coastal flooding will moderately increase (almost ten times more than the current rate) and further extend inland. Additionally, if the emission reduction targets are not met by the end of the century the sea-level rise can be 3-5 feet. The report suggested an increase in the monitoring of the sea level, which would help track the changes in the sea by using methods such as satellite monitoring to help build better policymaking to address the increase in the sea level. (“2022 Sea Level Rise Technical Report Updated projections available through 2150 for all U.S. coastal waters,” NOAA, February 2022; Henry Fountain, “Coastal Sea Levels in the U.S. to Rise a Foot by 2050, Study Confirms,” The New York Times, 15 February 2022)

Environment: Endurance22 reaches the target area in Antarctica
On 13 February, the BBC reported that the historical ship that wrecked in the world's coldest region had been traced. In 1915, a ship of the Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, Endurance sank into the Weddell Sea in the Antarctic. The ship had 28 explorers who survived and were stranded on the frozen sea.The wreck is protected as a Historic Site and Monument under the Antarctic Treaty. The ship is around 3000 metres under the frozen sea. The Endurance expedition aimed at being the first to cross Antarctica from the Weddell Sea via the South Pole to the Ross Sea. The Endurance22 Expedition is the first to deploy underwater vehicles to search for the wreck of a lost ship. These hybrid vehicles combine the attributes of a Remote Operating Vehicle (ROV) and an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV). The Endurance22 expedition started on 5 February 2022 has finally located the ship. (Jonathon Amos, “Shackleton's Endurance: Modern star maps hint at famous wreck's location,” BBC, 13 February 2022)

Environment: UNEP report on major environmental threats

On 17 February, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) launched the 2022 edition of the “Frontiers report: Noises, Blazes and Mismatches: Emerging Issues of Environmental Concern”. The report has stated the major environmental threats, including climate change, wildfires and noise pollution. It has addressed noise pollution by stating its long-term physical and mental health impacts. It suggests measures that can be implemented to create a positive and restorative environment in urban areas. It discusses wildfires and their link to climate change and its impact on human health. It also suggests measures to address wildfires. It also looks at how climate change disrupts human and animal life cycles and the need to restore ecosystems. (“Frontiers 2022: Noise, Blazes and Mismatches,” UNEP, 17 February 2022)

HEALTH

The Netherlands: New HIV variant found

On 20 February, a new variant, VB, of HIV was found in the Netherlands, which is more virulent and damaging to human health. Patients With the VB variant had a viral load between 3.5 and 5.5 times higher, a decline in the rate of CD4 cell, and increased transmissibility. The study was published in The Lancet titled “A highly virulent variant of HIV-1 circulating in the Netherlands”. According to SciTechDaily, the first author of the paper, Dr Chris Wymant, from the University of Oxford, said: “Before this study, the genetics of the HIV were known to be relevant for virulence, implying that the evolution of a new variant could change its impact on health. Discovery of the VB variant demonstrated this, providing a rare example of the risk posed by viral virulence evolution.”(“Highly Virulent and Destructive New HIV Variant Discovered in the Netherlands,” SciTechDaily, 20 February 2022; “A highly virulent variant of HIV-1 circulating in the Netherlands,” Science, 3 February 2022)

Health: Gene therapy received for Tay-Sachs disease

On 20 February, Nature published a study titled “First Gene Therapy for Tay-Sachs Disease Successfully Given to Two Children”. Tay-Sachs is a severe neurological disease caused by a deficiency in an enzyme, HexA, which breaks down a fatlike substance that usually exists in tiny amounts in the brain. However, without HexA, this fat-like substance can accumulate to damage and kill neurons. It was discovered in 1883 by a British ophthalmologist. There is still no treatment for the disease. The treatment was given to two children using two harmless viral vectors to deliver DNA instructions to brain cells that teach them how to produce the missing enzyme. These DNA instructions enter the nucleus of these cells and stay, allowing for the long-term production of HexA. (Miguel Sena-Esteves, “First Gene Therapy for Tay-Sachs Disease Successfully Given to Two Children,” The Conversation US, 15 February 2022)

SPACE

China: Shanghai local government and China’s Xingwang sign a deal to foster a commercial space hub

On 17 February, the local government of Shanghai and the Chinese company for the broadband mega constellation agreed intending to foster a space hub that supports satellite mass production and reusable rockets. The China Satellite Network Group or Xingwang was established in 2021 as a national project to develop a low-earth mega constellation consisting of 13,000 satellites. Chinese entities CASC, CASIC, and CETC have LEO broadband constellations which would be superseded by the mega constellation. Many Chinese commercial rocket companies would seek them as opportunities for contracts. (Andrew Jones, “Shanghai signs agreement with China’s mega constellation group, aims to foster commercial space hub,” SpaceNews, 17 February 2022)

Europe: EU lays a plan for a satellite-based system to boost their space traffic management system

On 15 February, the European Commission released a “joint communication,” outlining the EU approach to Space Traffic Management (STM). This is done to develop international regulations for safe and responsible operations and increase EU capabilities to track objects. Thus, the EU wants to work with the US and the UN. A part of the proposal in the joint communication involves improving the capabilities of the EU Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST) Program to ensure they reduce the reliance on US data and create their capacity. The second part of the proposal seeks to develop multinational agreements on STM. (Jeff Foust, “European Union lays out a plan to bolster space traffic management capabilities,” SpaceNews, 20 February 2022)

Space: Conjunction Squalls of debris from the Russian ASAT test overwhelms SSA systems

On 18 February, it was reported that the debris from the ASAT weapon demonstration in November are creating surges of close satellite approaches, with up to tens of thousands in a week, among the active satellites in the low earth orbits. conjunction squalls were first noticed in January 2022 and are expected to reach 40,000 conjunctions per day predicted purely from one event. Such disturbances will overwhelm the Space Situational Awareness (SSA) systems. (Jeff Foust, “Russian ASAT debris creating “squalls” of close approaches with satellites,” SpaceNews, 18 February 2022)

TECHNOLOGY

Europe: The Global mRNA technology transfer hub and the EU-AU Summit

On 18 February, at the EU-AU summit in Brussels, the WHO Director-General announced that Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia would be the first six countries in Africa to produce mRNA vaccines on the African continent. This initiative is a part of the Global mRNA technology transfer hub established in 2021 to support manufacturers in low- and middle-income countries to produce their vaccines, medicines and diagnostics to address health emergencies and reach universal health coverage according to international standards. The primary efforts are centred on mRNA technologies and biologicals, which are essential for vaccine manufacturing. They can be extended for other products, such as insulin to treat diabetes, cancer medicines and vaccines for other priority diseases like malaria, tuberculosis and HIV. (WHO, “WHO announces first technology recipients of mRNA vaccine hub with strong support from African and European partners,” 18 February 2022)

Australia: Bionic eye tech aims to help blind people see

On 14 February, the results of a medical trial of bionic, artificial eyes were surgically implanted on sheep. The study was aimed at ultimately helping people with various kinds of blindness. A device named Phoenix 99 was prepared by a team of researchers from the University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales. The device is wirelessly linked to a camera attached to a pair of glasses and works by stimulating the user’s retina. The device was tested on animals to see if it caused any adverse physical reactions, and following its success, it is now said to be in a test phase with human patients. (Bernd Debusmann Jr, “Bionic eye tech aims to help blind people see,” BBC, 14 February 2022)

About the authors

Harini Madhusudan, Rashmi Ramesh and Akriti Sharma are PhD Scholars at the School of Conflict and Security Studies, NIAS. Padmashree Anandhan is a research assistant at NIAS.

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The Houthis:

Origins, Ethnic makeup, Political structure, Geographical footprint and External support

CW Note

July 2026 | CWA # 2215

Lekshmi MK

Heatwaves and Wildfires in Spain and France:

Capacity gaps and Resource constraints amidst Recurring extreme weather

CW Note

July 2026 | CWA # 2214

Akshath Kaimal

Ebola expansion in the Democratic Republic of Congo:

Healthcare worker strikes amidst Misinformation, Climate disaster and Humanitarian crisis

CW Note

July 2026 | CWA # 2213

Brighty Ann Sarah

The US-Iran War, Week 22:

End of pause, Return of hostilities and Expanding conflict geography

The World This Week

July 2026 | CWA # 2212

NIAS Global Politics Team

The US-Saudi Arabia Nuclear Cooperation Agreement I AI's Rogue Agent Breach

Return of US-Canada Tariff Tensions I 33rd ASEAN Regional Forum

TWTW Note

July 2026 | CWA # 2211

Priyanka Makhijani

AI's Rogue Agent Breach:

Recurring Patterns, Gaps in the AI safety rules and the AI rivalry

TWTW Takeaways

July 2026 | CWA # 2210

Adwaith Sankar

ASEAN Regional Forum:

Six Takeaways on Issues, Limitations and Opportunities

TWTW Note

July 2026 | CWA # 2209

Namrata L Ghanghatkar

The return of US-Canada Tariff Tensions:

Retaliation and Legal setbacks

TWTW Note

July 2026 | CWA # 2208

Madhura Meenakshi Tanikella

The US-Saudi Arabia Nuclear Cooperation Agreement:

Questions over the agreement's terms, the Abraham Accords condition, and Non-proliferation concerns

Conflict Weekly

July 2026 | CWA # 2207

Global Politics Team

US-Iran War, Week 21 I Houthi's Saudi Arabia target in the Red Sea

Return of South China Sea tensions I Resurgence of Somali piracy

CW Note

July 2026 | CWA # 2206

Akshath Kaimal

The resurgence of Somali piracy:

Sophisticated tactics, Regional instability and an Ineffective international response

CW Note

July 2026 | CWA # 2205

Aparna A Nair

China, the Philippines, and the return of South China Sea tensions:

Accusations, Arbitrations and Ambiguities

CW Note

July 2026 | CWA # 2204

Brighty Ann Sarah

The Houthis target Saudi Arabia:

A new front in the US-Iran War

CW Note

July 2026 | CWA # 2203

Brighty Ann Sarah

US-Iran War, Week 21:

Resumption of attacks and the Strait of Hormuz impasse

The World This Week

July 2026 | CWA # 2202

Special Issue

Special Issue: The World This Quarter (Apr-Jun 2026)

From China to the US

TWTW Note

July 2026 | CWA # 2201

Akshath Kaimal

Ten Years and Seven Prime Ministers in the UK:

Inside the Fall of Keir Starmer and Political Instability

Conflict Weekly

July 2026 | CWA # 2200

NIAS Global Politics Team

The US-Iran War I UNCLOS and the South China Sea Award

Review of the UN SDG Report 2026

CW Review

July 2026 | CWA # 2199

Preetha Renganarayanan

The SDG Annual Report 2026:

Six takeaways on a decade of SDG monitoring, global progress, and key challenges

CW Note

July 2026 | CWA # 2198

Aparna A Nair

UNCLOS and the South China Sea Arbitral Award:

Ten Years Later

CW Note

July 2026 | CWA # 2197

Madhura Meenakshi Tanikella

The US-Iran War, Week 20:

Renewed Strikes, Collapsed MoU and the Blockade of the Strait

The World This Quarter

July 2026 | CWA # 2196

Mahesh Bhatta

Nepal (Apr-Jun 2026):

New Government, Political Stability and Economic Recovery

GP Takeaways

July 2026 | CWA # 2195

Radhika M Agarwal

PR Review

June 2026 | CWA # 2194

Vani Vyshnavi Jupudi

Pakistan's macroeconomic performance in the second quarter

Growth, Fiscal Consolidation, and the Middle East war risk

PR Commentary

June 2026 | CWA # 2193

Aparna A Nair

Pakistan PMin China:

75th anniversary of diplomatic relations, CPEC expansion and Middle East mediation

PR Review

June 2026 | CWA # 2192

Lekshmi MK

Climate Change and Pakistan's Economic Faultlines:

Six takeaways on inadequate climate finance, spillover effects, and low climate prioritisation

PR Review

June 2026 | CWA # 2191

Dhivya KM

Pakistan's Economy in the Second Quarter:

Five Takeaways from the SBP Half Year Report on GDP growth, target-range inflation, and fiscal surplus

The World This Week

July 2026 | CWA # 2190

NIAS Global Politics Team

China-DPRK friendship treaty I The IMF World Economic Outlook

TWTW Review

July 2026 | CWA # 2189

Dhivya KM

Five takeaways on Global growth, AI, and Economic resilience

TWTW Note

July 2026 | CWA # 2188

Adwaith Sankar

65 years of the China-DPRK friendship treaty:

Reopening links, Russia factor, and Nuclear compromise

TWTW Note

July 2026 | CWA # 2187

Avaneesh S

China's SLBM test in the Pacific:

Modernization, Increasing deterrence and Strategic messaging

TWTW Note

July 2026 | CWA # 2186

Lekshmi MK

NATO Summit 2026:

Four takeaways on Alliance unity, Defence commitments, and Support for Ukraine

Conflict Weekly

July 2026 | CWA # 2185

Global Politics Team

Iran after Ali Khamenei I The War in Ukraine

CW Review

July 2026 | CWA # 2184

Deb Dutta

Four takeaways on Forced returns, Collapsing protection, Protracted crises

CW Note

July 2026 | CWA # 2183

Preetha Renganarayanan

Europe's expanding and intensifying heatwaves:

CW Column

July 2026 | CWA # 2182

Anu Maria Joseph

Africa This Week

JNIM-FLA coordinated attacks in Mali and the RSF siege in Sudan

CW Note

July 2026 | CWA # 2181

Padmashree Anandhan

The War in Ukraine:

Deep strikes, NATO diplomacy and the Expanding air warfare

CW Note

July 2026 | CWA # 2180

Madhura Meenakshi Tanikella

Iran after Ali Khamenei

Institutional resilience, Anti-American sentiment and an Unresolved conflict

GP Explainer

July 2026 | CWA # 2179

Avaneesh S

The "Power of Siberia 2" pipeline:

Russia's endgame and China's calculus

The World This Week

July 2026 | CWA # 2178

CW Note

July 2026 | CWA # 2171

Radhika M Agarwal

Anand V

China's Domestic Landscape (April-June 2026):

Reforms, Regulations, Reinvention and Risk Management

Conflict Weekly

June 2026 | CWA # 2161

NIAS Global Politics Team

Africa's Conference on Slavery

The US-Iran MoU I Ukraine's Crimea Campaign

CW Note

June 2026 | CWA # 2160

Radhika M Agarwal

The War in Ukraine:

Ukraine's Crimea Campaign, The Belarus Standoff, and Russia's Aerial Bombardment

CW Note

June 2026 | CWA # 2159

Madhura Meenakshi Tanikella

The US-Iran MoU

Renewed strikes, Persistent disagreements, and a Fragile Agreement

CW Column: Africa This Week

June 2026 | CWA # 2158

Anu Maria Joseph

The World This Week

June 2026 | CWA # 2157

Global Politics Team

The G7 Summit 2026

TWTW Note

June 2026 | CWA # 2156

Avaneesh S

President Xi Jinping's North Korea visit:

TWTW Note

June 2026 | CWA # 2155

Aparna A Nair

Myanmar President's China visit:

Diplomatic legitimacy, Economic cooperation and Beijing's interests

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 # 2152

Akshath Kaimal

Anti-immigrant violence in South Africa:

Xenophobic attacks, Economic distress, and an Aggressive crackdown

CW Note

June 2026 | CWA # 2151

Rohini Reenum

Israel's Ultra-Orthodox Jews:

Why are they protesting?

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

Remembering Amb PS Raghavan and his legacy

June 2026 | CWA # 2148

Akshath Kaimal

The Making of India's Foreign Policy:

Major pillars and their critiques

Remembering Amb PS Raghavan and his legacy

June 2026 | CWA # 2147

Lekshmi MK

India as a Net Security Provider in the Indian Ocean Region:

A Critique of Raghavan's Maritime Security and Emerging Constraints

Global Politics Review: WPF Report 2026

June 2026 | CWA # 2146

Global Politics Team

Press Freedom in the Indian Neighbourhood

From Afghanistan to Myanmar

Global Politics Review: WPF Report 2026

June 2026 | CWA # 2145

Glynnis Winona B

Myanmar and Press Freedom:

Global Politics Review: WPF Report 2026

June 2026 | CWA # 2144

Nithin V

Bangladesh and Press Freedom:

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:

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

The World This Week

June 2026 | CWA # 2137

NIAS Global Politics Team

Shangri-La Dialogue 2026: Major Statements and Takeaways

The Blue Origin Rocket Explosion

TWTW Explainer

June 2026 | CWA # 2136

Acsah H

The Blue Origin Rocket Explosion:

TWTW Note

June 2026 | CWA # 2135

Madhura Meenakshi Tanikella

Shangri-La Dialogue 2026:

Who said what

TWTW Note

June 2026 | CWA # 2134

Aishal Hab Yousuf

Shangri-La Dialogue 2026: Four Major Takeaways

Focus on Rules-based maritime order, AI & Cyber Security, and Preventive Diplomacy, but with no consensus

Conflict Weekly

June 2026 | CWA # 2133

NIAS Global Politics Team

Israel-Lebanon Tensions and a New Deal I The US-Iran War, Week Fourteen

Conflicts in Africa I The UK-Rwanda Asylum Deal

CW Note

June 2026 | CWA # 2132

Brighty Ann Sarah

The US-Iran War, Week Fourteen:

Intensifying Domestic Pressure and the Lebanon Question

CW Note

June 2026 | CWA # 2131

Rohini Reenum

Israel-Lebanon Tensions:

CW Explainer

June 2026 | CWA # 2130

Akshath Kaimal

The UK-Rwanda Asylum 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

The World This Week

May 2026 | CWA # 2128

NIAS Global Politics Team

TWTW Note

May 2026 | CWA # 2127

Madhura Meenakshi Tanikella

The Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting 2026:

Prioritizing Critical minerals, Supply chain resilience, and Maritime surveillance

TWTW Note

May 2026 | CWA # 2126

Aparna A Nair

The Shenzhou-23 Mission:

China's Space Missions, Technology, and Infrastructure

Conflict Weekly

May 2026 | CWA # 2125

NIAS Global Politics Team

Israel-Lebanon Tensions I Crisis in Cuba I Ebola Outbreak in Africa

Weekly Columns on Africa and the Middle East

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 Note

May 2026 | CWA # 2121

Deb Dutta

Israel, Lebanon, Hezbollah, and the Border Tensions:

Collapse of the Ceasefire, Ineffective Beirut, and Aggressive Tel Aviv

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

The World This Week

May 2026 | CWA # 2118

Global Politics Team

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

TWTW Note

May 2026 | CWA # 2117

Lekshmi MK

Arctic cooperation, Climate diplomacy, and Trade diversification

CW Review

May 2026 | CWA # 2102

Glynnis Winona B

Weakening faith in institutions and Political polarization in Latin America and the Caribbean:

Six Takeaways from the UNDP Democracy and Development Report 2026

CW Note

May 2026 | CWA # 2101

Anu Maria Joseph

The New Wave of Violence in DR Congo:

Farmer-herder clashes, Armed groups, and Security vacuum

The US-Iran War

May 2026 | CWA # 2100

Aishal Hab Yousuf

The Hormuz Strait and the Fertilizer Crisis in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa

The US-Iran War

May 2026 | CWA # 2099

Kirsten Wilfred Coelho

Why is the UK reluctant to engage?

Remembering Amb PS Raghavan and his legacy

May 2026 | CWA # 2098

Sreemaya Nair

India, Russia and the imperative to strengthen the traditional relationship

Remembering Amb PS Raghavan and his legacy

May 2026 | CWA # 2097

Kirsten Wilfred Coelho

President Trump and the US-China Trade Tensions

Remembering Amb PS Raghavan and his legacy

May 2026 | CWA # 2095

Santhosh Guru PR

The Eurasian-Indo Pacific Congruence and its Critique

Remembering Amb PS Raghavan and his legacy

May 2026 | CWA # 2094

Rakshitha B

Transactional US foreign policy and it implications for India's Strategic Autonomy

Remembering Amb PS Raghavan and his legacy

May 2026 | CWA # 2093

Glynnis Winona B

The Russia-Ukraine War and the Rise of Parallel Strategic Systems: A Critique of Raghavan's Strategic Framework

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

The World This Week

May 2026 | CWA # 2089

Global Politics Team

US troop withdrawal from Germany I UAEs Exit from OPEC I Japan, Vietnam and PM Takaichis Visit

King Charles's US Visit

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 # 2087

Siddhi Halyur

Japan, Vietnam and PM Takaichis Visit

Exploring Strategic Sectors of Cooperation

TWTW Note

May 2026 | CWA # 2086

Aishal Hab Yousuf

UAE's Exit from OPEC:

Implications for the Middle East and the Energy Market

TWTW Note

May 2026 | CWA # 2085

Glynnis Winona B

US troop withdrawal from Germany:

Growing US-Europe differences and Challenges for Berlin

Conflict Weekly

May 2026 | CWA # 2084

NIAS IPRI

The US-Iran War, Week Nine I Escalating Violence in Mali

Review: Five Takeaways of RSF's 2026 Report on Media Freedom

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

CW Review

May 2026 | CWA # 2081

Jenin Raj S

Media freedom hits a 25-year low:

Five Takeaways from the RSF 2026 Index

The World This Week

April 2026 | CWA # 2080

Global Politics Team

Nepals New National Commitment I Japans New Defence Posture

Four Takeaways of the WFP's report on the fallouts of the Middle East crisis

TWTW Note

April 2026 | CWA # 2079

Aishal Hab Yousuf

Japans New Defence Posture:

From Post-War Pacifism to Strategic Recalibration and Autonomy

TWTW Note

April 2026 | CWA # 2078

Mahesh Bhatta

Nepal's New National Commitment

Managing Consensus and Moving ahead towards a New Nepal

TWTW Review

April 2026 | CWA # 2077

Nithin V

The Middle East Crisis and its Fallouts on Hunger and Global Food Supply Network

Four Takeaways of the WFP's report on the fallouts of the Middle East crisis, April 2026

CW Column: Africa This Week

April 2026 | CWA # 2076

Anu Maria Joseph

Three years of War in Sudan, DRC-M23 talks in Switzerland and the collapse of the peace agreement in Tigray

Report Review

April 2026 | CWA # 2075

Preetha Renganarayanan

The US-Iran War Fallouts on the Asia Pacific, Energy Security and Supply Chains

Five Takeaways of the UNDP Report, April 2026

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

Conflict Weekly

April 2026 | CWA # 2071

NIAS Global Politics Team

Three Years of Civil War in Sudan I The US-Iran War, Week Eight I Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire

Review of the UNDP Report on Military Escalation in the Middle East I Conflict Weekly Column on Africa

Conflict Weekly Special Edition

April 2026 | CWA # 2070

NIAS Global Politics Team

Peace and Conflicts This Quarter (JanuaryMarch 2026)

The US-Iran War I Conflicts in Africa I The War in Ukraine I China-Japan Tensions I Pakistan-Afghanistan Clashes

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 # 2060

Nanda Kishor M S

India and the Neighbourhood (Jan-Mar 2026)

Continuity, Caution and Calculated assertiveness

April 2026 | CWA # 2051

TWTW Special Edition

TWTW Special Edition, 350th Issue

THE WORLD THIS QUARTER (Jan-Mar 2026)

Conflict Weekly

April 2026 | CWA # 2050

IPRI Team

The US-Iran War, Week Five: Widening Conflict, Houthi Involvement, and Trumps Renewed Threats

PR Commentary

March 2026 | CWA # 2043

Abhimanyu Solanki

Escalatory Airpower, Hybrid Retaliation, and Regional Security

Reassessing the PakistanAfghanistan Confrontation and Its Implications for India

March 2026 | CWA # 2042

Preetha Renganarayanan

Five Takeaways of the US Annual Threat Assessment (ATA) Report for 2026

March 2026 | CWA # 2041

Aparna A Nair

China-Vietnam 3+3 Strategic Dialogue

Defence, Diplomacy and Public Security

March 2026 | CWA # 2040

Femy Francis

China's Interests and Strategies in the US-Iran War

Why Beijings support for Iran is rhetoric and muted

March 2026 | CWA # 2039

Femy Francis

Trump-Xi Meeting

Why did Trump reschedule it? What does that mean?

March 2026 | CWA # 2038

Anu Maria Joseph

Sudan-Chad tensions and the Boko Haram attack in Nigeria's Maiduguri

March 2026 | CWA # 2037

Padmashree Anandhan

Massive drone attacks, Growing energy leverage and Drifting peace efforts

March 2026 | CWA # 2036

Brighty Ann Sarah

Continuing Israel-Hezbollah Confrontation

Expanding Israeli Military Operations and the Reshaping of Southern Lebanon

March 2026 | CWA # 2035

Akshath Kaimal

Five Takeaways of Human Rights Watch Report 2026

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 # 2022

Padmashree Anandhan

Continuing Strikes and Inconsistent Diplomatic Efforts

March 2026 | CWA # 2021

Anu Maria Joseph

Political instability in Madagascar and spreading violence in South Sudan

March 2026 | CWA # 2020

Brighty Ann Sarah

Continuing Israel-Hezbollah Confrontation

Attacks in South Lebanon, Beiruts Conundrum, and Tel Avivs Greater Goals

March 2026 | CWA # 2019

Akshath Kaimal

Rising Violence in Nigeria

Limited State Capacity, Multiple Actors, and a Complex Security Environment

March 2026 | CWA # 2018

Rohini Reenum

The US-Iran War, Week Two

Expanding Fronts, Shifting Goalposts, and Global Fallout

The World This Week

March 2026 | CWA # 2011

Tanvi Thara Harendra Jha

Canadas PM Mark Carneys India Visit

Resetting Economic, Strategic and Cultural Ties

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

The World This Week

March 2026 | CWA # 2008

Global Politics Team

Canadian PM's India Visit I Nepal Elections and its Political Reset

March 2026 | CWA # 2007

Global Politics Team

The World Today #272, 06 March 2026

The World Today

Early Bird

March 2026 | CWA # 2006

Mahesh Bhatta

Nepal Election 2026, Day One

Peaceful polling, with over 60 per cent turnout

March 2026 | CWA # 2005

Global Politics Team

The World Today #271, 05 March 2026

The World Today

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

March 2026 | CWA # 2002

Femy Francis

German Chancellors China Visit

Reducing trade deficit and recalibrating economic cooperation with Beijing

March 2026 | CWA # 2001

Preetha Renganarayanan

Six major takeaways on the economy, border and internal security and Iran

March 2026 | CWA # 2000

Rohini Reenum

The US-Iran War, Week One

Rapid Escalation, Regional Spillover, Global Uncertainty

Conflict Weekly

March 2026 | CWA # 1999

IPRI Team

The US-Iran War, Week One | The Return of Violence to South Sudan

Weekly Column on Ukraine & Africa

February 2026 | CWA # 1998

Anu Maria Joseph

Instability in Sudan

Response to the genocide call and the threats of a regional spillover

February 2026 | CWA # 1997

Padmashree Anandhan

Four Years of War in Ukraine

Continuing Uncertainty

February 2026 | CWA # 1996

Akshath Kaimal

Pakistan-Afghanistan Clashes

Another round of cross-border attacks

March 2026 | CWA # 1995

Global Politics Team

The World Today #269, 03 March 2026

The World Today

March 2026 | CWA # 1994

Global Politics Team

The World Today #268, 02 March 2026

The World Today

PR Commentary

March 2026 | CWA # 1993

D Suba Chandran

The US-Iran Conflict and Pakistan

Balancing Rhetoric, Regional Interests and Global Alignments

Conflict Weekly

February 2026 | CWA # 1992

IPRI Team

Pakistan-Afghanistan Clashes I Fours Years of Ukraine War

Weekly Column on Africa

March 2026 | CWA # 1991

Global Politics Team

Trumps State of the Union Address | German Chancellors China Visit | Indias PMs Israel Visit

February 2026 | CWA # 1990

Global Politics Team

The World Today #266, 27 February 2026

The World Today

Conflict Weekly

February 2026 | CWA # 1989

IPRI Team

Abu Dhabi Talks on Ukraine I Militant Attacks in Balochistan

CW Columns on Middle East and Africa

February 2026 | CWA # 1988

Padmashree Anandhan

Ukraine Peace talks in Abu Dhabi

Negotiations without a ceasefire or resolution

February 2026 | CWA # 1987

Akshath Kaimal

Continuing militant attacks in Balochistan

Expanding violence, Security-first response and Missing political dialogue in Pakistan

PR Commentary

November 2025 | CWA # 1966

Lekshmi MK

Pakistans Climate and Water Crisis

Five Questions on Challenges, Capacity and Policies

The World This Week

February 2026 | CWA # 1965

Global Politics Team

AI Impact Summit in New Delhi I Munich Security Conference 2026

Conflict Weekly

February 2026 | CWA # 1964

IPRI Team

US-Iran & Ukraine Negotiations in Geneva I US Military Deployment in Nigeria

CW Columns on Middle East and Africa

February 2026 | CWA # 1963

Global Politics Team

The World Today #255, 16 February 2026

Today in History

The World This Week

February 2026 | CWA # 1962

Global Politics Team

Japan: Sanae Takaichis historic win | Honk Kong: Jimmy Lai Sentenced

Regional Roundups: From East Asia to the Americas

Early Bird

February 2026 | CWA # 1961

Lekshmi MK

Sanae Takaichis historic win in Japan

What does it mean for domestic politics and regional stability?

Early Bird

February 2026 | CWA # 1960

Femy Francis

Jimmy Lai sentenced for 20 years in Hong Kong: Who, What, and Why

CEAP

February 2026 | CWA # 1959

Yesasvi Koganti

UK and China

PM Keir Starmers visit and the Recalibration of Economic, Strategic, and Domestic ties

February 2026 | CWA # 1958

Akshath Kaimal

India-EU Free Trade Agreement: Five Major Takeaways

The focus on expanded cooperation in defence, technology and critical minerals

February 2026 | CWA # 1957

Preetha Renganarayanan

The India-US interim trade framework

Tariff recalibration and Energy and Supply Chain realignment

February 2026 | CWA # 1956

Lekshmi MK

End of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START)

Erosion of arms control, Return of nuclear anxieties, and the New focus on China

The World This Week

February 2026 | CWA # 1955

Global Politics Team

End of the New START I IndiaUS interim Trade Framework I India-EU Free Trade Agreement I UK PM Keir Starmers China visit

Regional Roundups: From East Asia to the Americas

February 2026 | CWA # 1954

Nishchal Nath Pandey

Nepal Elections 2026: Political Parties, Gen Z Protests and Hope for a New Beginning

Conflict Weekly

February 2026 | CWA # 1953

IPRI Team

Abu Dhabi Talks on Ukraine I Militant Attacks in Balochistan

Weekly Columns: Conflicts in Africa and the Middle East

CW Column: Conflicts in the Middle East

January 2026 | CWA # 1952

Brighty Ann Sarah

US threats against Iran, and Phase Two operations in Gaza

CW Column: Conflicts in Africa

January 2026 | CWA # 1951

Anu Maria Joseph

Africa: Renewed violence in Ethiopia and a Jihadist attack in Niger

CW Note

January 2026 | CWA # 1950

Lekshmi MK

The War in Ukraine: The Trilateral Talks, and the Deadlock over Donetsk & Security Guarantees for Kyiv

CW Note

January 2026 | CWA # 1949

Preetha Renganarayanan

The United States: ICE Crackdowns, Rising Resistance and the Political/Legal pushback

Conflict Weekly

January 2026 | CWA # 1948

ICE Crackdowns and Resistance in the US I Trilateral Talks on Ukraine

TWTW Note

January 2026 | CWA # 1947

Brighty Ann Sarah

The Pentagons National Defence Strategy: Four major takeaways

TWTW Note

January 2026 | CWA # 1946

Preetha Renganarayanan

The Davos Summit 2026

Five Major Takeaways from The World Economic Forum

The World This Week

January 2026 | CWA # 1945

Global Politics Team

The Davos Forum 2026 Takeaways I The US Pentagons National Defence Strategy

CW Note

January 2026 | CWA # 1944

Brighty Ann Sarah

Syria: The State victory over the Syrian Democratic Forces

Conflict Weekly Note

January 2026 | CWA # 1943

Anu Maria Joseph

Another major kidnapping in Nigeria and Election announcement in Guinea-Bissau

CW Note

January 2026 | CWA # 1942

Lekshmi MK

Greenland: Trumps escalation-deescalation approach and Europes defence

CW Note

January 2026 | CWA # 1941

Brighty Ann Sarah

The War in Gaza: Trumps Board of Peace and the Challenges to Phase Two

Conflict Weekly

January 2026 | CWA # 1940

IPRI Team

Trumps Board of Peace in Gaza I Escalation/De-escalation in Greenland

TWTW Note

January 2026 | CWA # 1939

Lekshmi MK

Greenland: Trumps escalation-deescalation strategy and Europes defence

The World This Week

January 2026 | CWA # 1938

Continuing Tensions over Greenland

CW Note

January 2026 | CWA # 1937

Anu Maria Joseph

Instability in Nigeria: Intensifying domestic responses, and questions over Trumps intervention

CW Note

January 2026 | CWA # 1936

Brighty Ann Sarah

Protests in Iran: Continuing Stalemate and Shifting US Position

Conflict Weekly

January 2026 | CWA # 1935

IPRI Team

Protests in Iran | Instability in Nigeria

The World This Week

January 2026 | CWA # 1934

Global Politics Team

The US, Greenland and Trump's Claims

Conflict Weekly

January 2026 | CWA # 1933

IPRI Team

Protests in Iran, the US Military Intervention in Venezuela and Conflicts in Africa

NIAS Conflict Weekly | The World This Week

January 2026 | CWA # 1932

Global Politics Team