Fukushima: A Decade after

CWA # 515
Fukushima: A Decade after
The future of nuclear energy looks bleak

Lokendra Sharma
21 July 2021
Photo Source: JapanTimes

The likely decline of nuclear energy will go hand in hand with the advent of renewables, with solar and wind power being the prime candidates for replacing carbon-emitting coal.

On 11 March 2021, a commemorative ceremony was held in Tokyo, Japan, to mark the ten years of the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, which killed close to 18,000 people. However, despite the human tragedy, what has struck with global public consciousness, is the Fukushima nuclear disaster, which was triggered by the same tsunami.   

The Fukushima disaster, the worst such since Chernobyl in 1986, changed the entire trajectory of nuclear energy. It not only shook Japan, but also reinforced the fears of nuclear sceptics worldwide, contributing to the decline of nuclear energy in the decade since the disaster. 

At Fukushima’s 10th anniversary, when rapid changes are occurring in the global energy sector, thanks to the imperative of climate change, it is pertinent to ask whether the decline of nuclear energy seen in the last decade is a temporary one (an interregnum) or whether it is a long term decline. And as both renewables and nuclear power are potential candidates in the race to replace highly polluting coal-based power plants, will the decline in nuclear power pave the way for the dawn of renewables? 

Following Fuksuhma, will the future of nuclear energy remain a dream, never to be realised? 

I
Cracks in the nuclear dream: Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and Fukushima

After it was discovered that self-sustaining chain reactions of nuclear fission could be a source of massive energy in the late 1930s, nuclear energy was thought of as a promising source for electricity generation. And, in consonance with this dream, nuclear power saw rapid expansion from the 1950s onwards. However, the nuclear dream suffered various hiccups, especially in the aftermath of nuclear accidents, which rekindled anti-nuclear protests. In the history of nuclear power, three such accidents stand out: Three Mile Island (1979), Chernobyl (1986) and Fukushima (2011). 

First, the Three Mile Island (TMI) accident. On 28 March 1979, the reactor core of unit 2 of the TMI nuclear power plant (near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the US) suffered a partial meltdown due to a technical malfunction in the reactor cooling system. Even as the reactor core got damaged due to the meltdown, and there was some leakage of radioactive gases in days following the accident, there were limited adverse health impacts on the residents [1].  

Second, the Chernobyl accident. The most disastrous accident in nuclear history happened at Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the Soviet Union (present-day Ukraine). On 26 April 1986, due to a series of human and technical errors, there was a core meltdown in Unit 4 of the plant, followed by explosions and fire. Two plant workers were killed due to explosions, while 28 others died in subsequent weeks due to Acute Radiation Syndrome. About 5000 people developed thyroid cancer (with 15 fatalities), and 350,000 people were evacuated from the town of Pripyat and other surrounding areas [2].  

Third, and the most recent one, the Fukushima disaster. On 11 March 2011, a massive magnitude nine earthquake struck off the east coast of Japan, generating a tsunami that killed 18,000 people. This tsunami (17 metres high) slammed into the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant operated by Tepco, causing core meltdowns in three (units 1,2 and 3) of the six reactors as the power supply and cooling system failed. In addition, explosions happened in units 1, 3 and 4 due to hydrogen accumulation, releasing huge amounts of radioactivity into the atmosphere. This was the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl in 1986 and has been rated as Level 7 on the International Nuclear Event Scale (INES) on par with the latter. In its aftermath, hundreds of thousands were evacuated in the 20-kilometre exclusion zone [3]. 

The Fukushima accident, however, is different from both the TMI and Chernobyl one. The TMI one was a relatively small-scale accident with only a partial meltdown of the reactor. And even though the Chernobyl one was far more disastrous and became part of Cold War politics, global know-how about the accident was limited thanks to the Soviet propaganda machine. The Fukushima disaster, which was as severe as the Chernobyl one (except there were no casualties), unfolded in front of the media. Thanks to the ICT revolution, reached all nooks and corners of the world. It reinforced fears of nuclear energy and shaped the perceptions about the dangers of nuclear accidents. 

II
Fallouts of Fukushima

The fallouts of the Fukushima accident can be looked at from two levels - national (Japan) and global level. At the national level, Japan has witnessed multi-faceted fallouts. Japan’s large nuclear power industry, which supplied one-third of electricity in the country pre-disaster, was greatly affected. In Fukushima’s aftermath, operations were suspended in 46 of the country’s 50 plus nuclear plants. As of today, nuclear power is less than 10 per cent in the electricity mix, with only nine reactors resuming operations. The post-disaster cleaning up of the Fukushima plant has been a challenging and complex undertaking, especially in the main reactor buildings where the core meltdown happened. The cleaning operations are still ongoing and can continue for the next 30 years or beyond [4]. The costs, however, have only spiked; Japan’s government estimated back in 2016 the cost to be around USD 200 billion [5]. 

The human and environmental fallout has been significant. Due to the hydrogen explosions at the power plant, a huge amount of radiation was released into the atmosphere. Radiation has also escaped through the water seeping into the ocean. Moreover, even after a decade, close to 40,000 people remain displaced [6]. 

Not just Japan, but the nuclear industry faced a downturn globally as strong anti-nuclear sentiment spread accompanied by numerous protests across the world. Many countries, especially in Europe, abandoned their nuclear energy plans. Germany announced a few months after the disaster to phase out its nuclear power plants by 2022; Belgium decided to phase out nuclear by 2025; Italy’s plan to revive nuclear energy in the country failed; Spain and Switzerland decided to not build any new nuclear plants. Sixty-five reactors have either shut down or have not got operational life extension, between 2011 and 2020, according to the IAEA. This resulted in a loss of 48 GWe nuclear capacity globally [7]. 

III
Nuclear versus renewables debate

Will this declining trend continue for nuclear power? And if so, which energy source will take the position of nuclear? Will renewables fill the cracks in the nuclear dream? Before answering these questions, it is useful to situate nuclear energy in the debate of climate change and to highlight the respective advantages (and disadvantages) of nuclear and renewables, both of which are potential candidates for displacing carbon-emitting coal from the global energy basket. 

With multiple conferences, agreements (including the Paris climate deal of 2015) and civil society protests over the last three decades, climate change has claimed the top spot in issues of global concern. And as the international community attempts to address this issue with mitigative and adaptive measures, cutting down on emissions has become the primary focus. 

Coal-based power generation contributes the most to emissions in the electricity sector globally. In order to reduce carbon footprint, therefore, countries are clamping down on coal and looking for its alternatives. And, in this race for alternative, there are two potential candidates: nuclear and renewables. Both have their sets of advantages and disadvantages. 

First, nuclear energy. Its biggest advantage is that it offers reliable baseload power generation with minimum emissions. However, it has several issues - radiation, nuclear accidents, waste disposal and most importantly, proliferation risks. The technologies involved in nuclear power generation are dual-use; they can be used to make nuclear weapons too. And that, from a disarmament perspective, makes the world a less safe place.

Second, renewables, which consist of various sources, mainly solar and wind. Their biggest advantage is that they are the clean and safe sources of unlimited energy (hence the word renewable). Unlike nuclear, which is still dependent on the supplies of limited uranium reserves, solar and wind draw from sunlight and blowing wind, which is potentially unending. Their biggest drawback, however, is that they are intermittent sources of power supply; they cannot be relied upon to supply baseload power for any economy. For example, a solar plant only generates electricity when it is sunny, and a wind plant only generates electricity when winds are blowing beyond some threshold speed. Interrelated is the grid integration challenges that solar and wind pose. As solar and wind only generate electricity intermittently, and as there is a lack of any efficient industrial-scale battery storage technology, renewables are given preference in the grid whenever they generate electricity. This poses challenges for the baseload suppliers of electricity, coal and nuclear plants, to rapidly ramp down and ramp up their power generation, incurring losses in the process. Moreover, these external costs associated with renewables are not factored into the per unit electricity cost, which artificially remains low. Other challenges include large land requirements and low plant load factors [8]. 

Nevertheless, renewables score better in the ‘clean energy versus safe energy debate’, because they are thought to be clean as well as safe compared to nuclear which is clean but not safe. However, this argument does not stand at a closer examination; renewables are not entirely clean, and nuclear is not entirely unsafe. Making solar panels and wind turbines is very resource-intensive. Photovoltaic (PV) solar systems, in particular, do not cause pollution of significance during their operational lifetime; they do have a considerable carbon footprint (and other environmental fallouts, including water pollution) during their manufacturing and installation process [9]. The same, however, is also true of nuclear plants, as their establishment is also resource-intensive.  

The issues of radiation and accidents have often been cited to dismiss nuclear energy as unsafe. But, background radiation in the environment is much more than that resulting from any nuclear power plant [10]. In fact, nuclear energy prevents more deaths than it is a cause for. A study found that “global nuclear power has prevented an average of 1.84 million air pollution-related deaths” between 1971 and 2009 [11]. Even in the Fukushima disaster, only a single death (of a Fukushima worker, due to radiation exposure) could be attributed to the disaster and its fallouts (while not discounting that there could possibly be unaccounted fatalities and adverse health impacts) [12]. In fact, nuclear power plants have elaborate safety measures in place, with numerous triple redundancies. 

Given all these factors, nuclear is better suited to replace coal as a baseload energy supplier provided enough uranium metal could be salvaged from the natural deposits globally. The only significant problem that would arise, as highlighted before, is the proliferation risk. The spread of nuclear energy globally, both vertical and horizontal, does not augur well for a disarmed world given its dual-use nature.

IV
The dawn of renewables

The climate change imperative is such that, ideally, the international community cannot afford an either-or choice. Countries need to act fast to replace coal power plants with all available (and relatively) clean sources of energy, be it nuclear or renewables. Countries need to have a diversified energy basket, with the exact share of different sources being decided by national circumstances (such as resources availability, geography and the economics of power production). 

But, despite the suitability of such a mixed approach, the winners in the renewables-nuclear race are going to be decided by other factors, including current trends in the energy sector set in motion by the Fukushima disaster and technological advances in the renewable sector. There are three factors that will propel the dawn of renewables and the descension of nuclear energy.

First, the global public opinion, as highlighted before, remains hostile to nuclear power generation. In fact, local communities have mounted resistance at the sites of nuclear power plants, delaying their establishment and increasing associated costs. At the same time, public opinion is very favourable to renewable energy sources. 

Second, rapid innovations happening in the renewable sector, which have the potential of addressing the drawbacks associated with renewable power sources. This includes higher efficiency of solar cells and wind turbines and better battery storage technology. Solutions have also been advanced to meet the intermittency problem of renewables. Solar and wind work well when they are scattered across a landmass, say a wider region and are interconnected through a larger grid. 

Third, countries are betting big on renewables. Many countries, especially in Europe, have announced an ambitious green energy push. The global trend for the energy sector, post-Fukushima, shows a clear decline of nuclear energy and the rise of renewables. This trend would be difficult to reverse given the two factors pointed out above. 

 

Conclusion

In terms of the future of nuclear energy, descension is more likely than an interregnum. The descension of nuclear energy will go hand in hand with the dawn of renewable one, with solar and wind power being the prime candidates for replacing carbon-emitting coal. 

Even as the future of nuclear energy is bleak at the global level, some countries, especially India and China, will continue to have ambitious nuclear power programmes. This is due to their peculiar developmental needs and resource scarcity. India in particular has a three-stage programme which ultimately seeks to exploit thorium reserves, which by one estimate, are enough to meet India’s energy needs for next century and beyond [13]. However, it is unlikely India will be able to scale up its nuclear programme rapidly given the perennial delays and complex technical challenges in utilizing thorium. 

Notwithstanding the factors propelling the march of renewables, it is possible that the decline of nuclear can be stemmed, and even reversed into a stellar rise, if thorium utilization becomes scalable and fusion technology becomes economic and feasible. Unless that happens, this century will be defined by renewables, the way last century was defined by coal and oil. 

References

[1] “Three Mile Island Accident”, World Nuclear Association, March 2020, available at:https://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/safety-and-security/safety-of-plants/three-mile-island-accident.aspx (last accessed on 12 April 2021)

[2] “Chernobyl Accident 1986”, World Nuclear Association, April 2020, available at: https://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/safety-and-security/safety-of-plants/chernobyl-accident.aspx (last accessed on 13 April 2021)

[3] “Fukushima Daiichi Accident”, World Nuclear Association, March 2021, available at:https://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/safety-and-security/safety-of-plants/fukushima-daiichi-accident.aspx (last accessed on 13 April 2021)

[4] Dennis Normile, “Why cleaning up Fukushima’s damaged reactors will take another 30 years”, Science Magazine, 4 March 2021, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abh3449 

[5] Mayumi Negishi, “Japan Raises Estimate for 2011 Nuclear Accident to $200 Billion”, Wall Street Journal, 9 December 2016, available at: https://www.wsj.com/articles/japan-raises-estimate-for-2011-nuclear-accident-to-200-billion-1481270326 (last accessed on 14 April 2021)

[6] Arata Yamamoto and Adela Suliman, “Fukushima: Japan mourns victims of earthquake and nuclear disaster 10 years on”, NBC News, 11 March 2021, available at:https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/fukushima-japan-mourns-victims-earthquake-nuclear-disaster-ten-years-n1260596  (last accessed on 14 April 2021)

[7] Henri Paillere and Jeffrey Donovan, “Nuclear Power 10 Years After Fukushima: The Long Road Back”, IAEA, 11 March 2021, available at: https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/nuclear-power-10-years-after-fukushima-the-long-road-back  (last accessed on 14 April 2021)

[8] Saurav Jha, The Upside Down Book of Nuclear Power (HarperCollins, 2010)

[9] Muhammad Tawalbeh, AmaniAl-Othman, Feras Kafiah, Emad Abdelsalam, Fares Almomani and Malek Alkasrawie, “Environmental impacts of solar photovoltaic systems: A critical review of recent progress and future outlook”, Science of The Total Environment, Vol 759, No. 143528, 2021, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143528   

[10] Abel J. Gonzalez and Jeanne Anderer, “Radiation versus radiation: Nuclear energy in perspective”, IAEA Bulletin, 1989, pp. 21-31, available at: https://www.iaea.org/sites/default/files/publications/magazines/bulletin/bull31-2/31205642131.pdf 

[11] Pushker A. Kharecha and James E. Hansen, “Prevented mortality and greenhouse gas emissions from historical and projected nuclear power” Environmental science & technology, Vol 47, No 9, 2013, pp. 4889-4895, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/es3051197 

[12] Eli Meixler, “Japan Acknowledges the First Radiation-Linked Death From the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster”, Time, 5 September 2018, available at: https://time.com/5388178/japan-first-fukushima-radiation-death/  (last accessed on 15 April 2021)

[13] “Strategy for Nuclear Energy”, Bhabha Atomic Research Center, available at: http://www.barc.gov.in/about/anushakti_sne.html (last accessed on 15 April 2021) 

Lokendra Sharma is a PhD Scholar at the School of Conflict and Security Studies, National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru. He is currently researching in the field of Technology and International Relations. He is also interested in nuclear issues, disarmament and arms control. Email: lokendra.sharma279@gmail.com 


PREVIOUS COMMENTS

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 # 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
TWTW Note
July 2026 | CWA # 2186

Lekshmi MK

NATO Summit 2026: 
Four takeaways on Alliance unity, Defence commitments, and Support for Ukraine
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
CW Note
July 2026 | CWA # 2172

Brighty Ann Sarah

The US-Iran negotiations:
Tenuous Ceasefire, Renewed Threats and the Contest over the Strait of Hormuz 
The World This Quarter
June 2026 | CWA # 2169

Anwesha Ghosh

Afghanistan (Apr–Jun 2026):
Growing External Engagement, Enduring Internal Constraints
The World This Quarter
June 2026 | CWA # 2166

Ramya B 

Russia (April-June 2026)
Unsuccessful Offensive, Drone Attacks and Economic Challenges
The World This Quarter
June 2026 | CWA # 2165

Himani Pant

Europe (April-June 2026)
End of the Orban Era, Political Fragmentation, Tightening of Migration Rules and Continuing Economic Slowdown
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
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 # 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 Regime's 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 # 2042

Preetha Renganarayanan

Five Takeaways of the US Annual Threat Assessment (ATA) Report for 2026
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
March 2026 | CWA # 2001

Preetha Renganarayanan

Six major takeaways on the economy, border and internal security and Iran
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 # 1986

Preetha Renganarayanan

Focus on Trade, Defense, Energy and Regional Connectivity
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

Preetha Renganarayanan

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
State of Global Politics 2025
December 2025 | CWA # 1914

Preetha Renganarayanan

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