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NIAS Fortnightly on Science, Technology and International Relations (STIR)
Ukraine-Russia War: A Politicised International Space Station, Heatwaves in Europe, and UN Ocean Conference 2022
STIR Team
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Based on the statement by the new Chief of ROSCOSMOS of the Russian intention to exit the ISS after 2024, the NASA plans to extend the life of ISS to 2030, and the fact that the ISS is nearing the end of its lifecycle, here is a background of the symbolic relevance of the ISS in the context of terrestrial geopolitical tensions.
Cover Story 01
Ukraine-Russia War: A Politicised International Space Station
By Harini Madhusudan
On 26 July, the newly appointed chief of ROSCOSMOS made a statement in the presence of President Putin, that Russia may not continue its activities with the International Space Station after 2024 when the current agreement expires. He said: "Of course, we will fulfill all our obligations to our partners, but the decision to leave this station after 2024 has been made. I think that by this time we will begin to form the Russian orbital station,” Following this, the rest of the world, with the US especially, expressed their shock and regret over the Russian statement, as it would bring to a halt over two-decades scientific and professional cooperation among advanced space powers. In the days following the statement, it was mentioned that the announcement meant that Russia planned to leave the International Space Station after its Orbital Space Station is up and running. They say that the message by the chief was lost in translation and that it would likely be 2028 by the time the Russian station is up and running.
The International Space Station is scheduled to be de-orbited by the year 2031. In January 2022, before the start of the war in Ukraine, it was revealed that NASA and ROSCOSMOS were in talks about extending the operating agreement of the ISS until 2030. However, after the war began, several instances related to cooperation in Outer Space took a hit. By 28 July, the US passed the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, named the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors, that included a NASA authorisation bill that officially extends the US participation in the ISS Program up to 2030. Hence, the last week of July was surrounded by speculations and incoherent communication regarding the International Space Station. The important question is, however, about the aspect of the International space station in situations of terrestrial contention, specifically the War in Ukraine. What is the timing and significance of the Russian statement on ISS? What is the importance of the ISS for International collaboration in the International Space Station in the 2020s? Has the ISS been politicised in recent years?
I
Fallouts from Terrestrial Tensions
The primary challenge for ROSCOSMOS is the constrain in the inflow of technology supplies/imports that have been affected by the sanctions that have been placed. Additionally, the costs of the war have inversely affected the funding in recent years. This bleak future is partly due to the tensions with NATO and a drain of its resources. Shortly after the sanctions on Russia in late February, ROSCOSMOS announced the suspension of its Venus exploration mission with NASA, and over the months of the war, ESA called off its participation in the Russian Moon and Mars missions.
Since the war, there were four particular incidents that stood out for all space observers. First was the tensions surrounding the ride-sharing between US and Russia in the weeks after the war began, the second incident was the cancellation of a launch agreement between OneWeb and ROSCOSMOS due to the Russian precondition that the spacecraft would not share data with the UK and that the British government divests its entire stakes in the company. The third political highlight was the Russian cosmonauts displaying the flags of the Luhansk region after Moscow announced that the region was captured. The fourth was when the planned ExoMars mission between ROSCOSMOS and ESA was delayed, in the context of the ongoing war.
Russia then lost its launch contracts in Kazakhstan at the Baikonur Cosmodrome spaceport. In the case of rides to the ISS, unlike depending on the Soyuz rockets, NASA now works with SpaceX and Boeing for rides to the ISS, which marks an end to the significant revenue inflow for the Russian program.
II
Significance of the ISS
The International Space Station is a symbol of scientific and political cooperation amid the cold war tensions. The station has been known for its sustained cooperation despite the growing terrestrial tensions between Russia and the West in the past decades. Russian and western countries have collaborated in Space despite the terrestrial flare-ups. As a successor to the 1995 Russian Space Station Mir, the International Space Station was launched in 1998 with the Russian Orbital Segment and the United States Orbital Segment. The Orbital segment under the US name is jointly operated by NASA, JAXA (Japan), CSA (Canada), and the ESA (Europe).
The International Space Station involves activities that have numerous connections between the two segments, and interdependence of software systems. Major countries participating include Russia, and the US, (who remain the main players) along with the active role of Europe, Canada, and Japan. Currently, each segment of the station is interdependent and due to the same reason, the US orbital segment and the Russian segment are incapable of operating independently. Simultaneously, China has been seen assembling its Orbital Space Station, and Russia has announced plans for its Space Station. Following the sanctions during the 2014 Crimean tensions, ROSCOSMOS began to move closer to China’s Space Program. Both Russia and China have also announced their Lunar Space Research Station in the upcoming years. Hence, the geopolitical tensions have flown into the activities of Outer Space at a time the domain is seeing a transition. Unlike the Cold War times, the number of players in Outer Space has increased and now sees the active participation of private companies.
In the likeliness of the Russian components of the ISS becoming inoperable, detached, or discontinued, the immediate problem would be the problem of maintaining its orbit by boosting the complex. Though it is possible to keep the station running if Russia discontinues, logistical issues of maintaining the ground communication systems will remain.
III
Politicising Outer Space
During the war, it has been reported that there were instances of GPS jamming, the jamming of Starlink access, the cyberattack of ViaSat ground terminals, and the jamming of communications. However, these attacks have not been identified as cyberwarfare yet. Commercial satellites have also been actively involved in the war with US-based companies such as Maxar and Planet providing satellite imagery services, or radar imagery companies like Capella Space providing real-time access to military data. These tensions have fallen into the dynamics that made continuing cooperation in the ISS dicey.
The statement by the new Chief of ROSCOSMOS was made at a time when the visible signs of the Russian station is at a nascent stage. Though the parties to the ISS have shown intent of extending the activities on the Space Station until 2030, many initiatives have shown signs of countries and private companies working towards their individual space stations. The US for example has been working with commercial space companies to establish their own private stations that would replace the ISS. The political implications of the statement highlight these trends that have been brewing in the past years. Individual orbital stations are a natural transition in the future of research activities in Outer Space. The symbolic relevance of the International Space Station must, however, be upheld despite the terrestrial tensions.
References
Loren Rush, “Russia reportedly tells NASA it’s staying with the International Space Station until at least 2028,” The Verge, 27 July 2022
Shashwat Bhandari, “Russia to quit International Space Station after 2024, say reports,” IndiaTVNews, 26 July 2022
TWC Team, “Explained: How Russia’s Decision to Exit from the International Space Station Will Impact the Programme’s Functioning” The Weather Channel, 29 July 2022;
Grant Currin, “Russia will withdraw from the International Space Station after 2024,” Interesting Engineering, 26 July 2022
Elizabeth Howell, “Congress approves International Space Station extension to 2030,” Space .com, 29 July 2022
About the author
Harini Madhusudan is a doctoral scholar at NIAS. Her doctoral research is on the issue of militarisation in outer space. As part of the Europe Studies at NIAS, her research focuses on Russian geopolitics and diplomacy along with a coverage of the European Islands & Oceans. She particularly researches issues relating to science and technology such as new innovations, outer space, and cybersecurity.
Cover Story 02
Heatwaves in Europe
By Rishma Banerjee
Heatwaves will become a more frequent in Europe and other regions, according to the estimates. However, this year's heat intensity exposes the fault lines in implementing sustainable heat action plans and Europe’s incapability to deal with the impact of extreme temperature.
On 19 July, the UK recorded its highest temperatures ever, crossing 40 degrees Celsius. Parts of France, Spain, and Portugal recorded high temperatures between 42 and 46 degrees Celsius. On 20 July, Germany’s hottest day of the year was recorded at 40.9 degrees Celsius. While the heatwave had started in southern and Western Europe, it is moving eastwards. Over the last few days, in the Netherlands, Poland, Italy, and Slovenia, authorities have issued heat warnings. This is not the first time in the year that Europe is experiencing heat waves. In May 2022, France registered temperatures higher than the historic average. In June 2022, the southern part of Europe experienced another heatwave, which spread from Spain to Turkey.
I
Causes behind the persisting heatwaves
There are a few factors that are contributing to the recent heatwaves in Europe.
First, Europe’s highest average temperature in comparison to the global average. Europe’s average temperature is now 1.94 to 1.99 degrees Celsius hotter than in pre-industrialization times. This is almost double the global average of 1.1 degrees. As a result, of this, the extreme heat starts from a higher point. To address the rise in temperature, the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) has mandated member states to cap the global average temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius. IPCC said that while the damage that has already been done will have a prolonged effect on the global climate, the 1.5 cap is necessary to avoid the worst effects of the same.
Second, the high-pressure system called the Azores High. This high-pressure zone usually stays over Spain, but this year, it has grown and pushed further north. It now covers the entire Iberian Peninsula. As a result of this high pressure, the low-pressure zone off the coast of Portugal is steadily drawing hotter air from the North African regions toward Europe.
Third, a connection between the heatwaves and the splitting of the jet stream current into two has been established. The jet stream is a giant ribbon of fast-flowing air that circles the Northern Hemisphere. Because of the split, an area of weak winds results in the build-up of heat between the two branches.
Fourth, changes in the ocean current called the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). The AMOC, which has turned sluggish generally shuttle warm water northwards, and cold water southwards.
II
Impact of the Heatwaves
First, the compound events. As a result of the heat, the rate and extent of wildfires and droughts have increased. Wildfires have erupted in Portugal, Spain, France, the UK, Greece, and Poland. Over 5,15,000 hectares of land have been burnt across the EU countries. Thousands of people across Europe have been evacuated to temporary shelters. Portugal reported more than 3,000 hectares of wildfires, across 250 blazes over a period of two days. The burnt area was the largest since 2017. Spain lost around 14,000 hectares to fires, in 30 blazes. Its reservoirs are also at 44.4 per cent of their capacity from 65.7 per cent in the last decade. Wildfires have also destroyed over 24,000 hectares of forest in southwestern France, where more than 1,200 firefighters struggled to curb the blazes and 37,000 people have been forced to evacuate. The water level in Italy’s longest river, the Po, reached record low levels after no rainfall for more than 200 days. Moreover, the Marmolada glacier in the Dolomites melted unexpectedly, which killed 11 people due to the resultant avalanche. In Greece, rising heat, along with strong winds have resulted in the quick spread of wildfires. Blazes were seen to the southeast of Athens. Fires also broke out near London, where over 40 houses were destroyed. Moreover, in Europe, glaciers are reportedly melting earlier due to the heat. Warnings have been issued for around 12 peaks in the Alps, to deter climbers from taking routes prone to melting, thawing permafrost, and falling rocks. Smaller-scale fires were reported in Poland, Hungary, Croatia, and the Czech Republic too.
Second, worsening public health. High temperatures reduce air circulation and lead to an increase in air pollution. This worsens respiratory issues and increases the risks of heatstroke, heat exhaustion, and other forms of hyperthermia. Reportedly more than 659 deaths were reported in Portugal and an estimated 360 people in Spain succumbed to extreme heat. This is probably because extreme heat also exacerbates pre-existing health conditions, making infants, children, and older people more vulnerable. Moreover, Europeans are less acclimatized to such extreme heat and thus miss the warning signs of ill-health caused as a result of it.
Third, the impact on the economy. Heatwaves take a toll on productivity in countries not used to such extreme temperatures. The International Labour Organization (ILO) predicts that by 2030, the number of hours worked globally will reduce by 2 per cent. To put that in perspective, that is equivalent to 80 million full-time USD 2.4 trillion. A study published in Nature Communications said found that heatwaves have lowered the overall annual GDP growth by 0.5 per cent on average in the past decade. While the current heatwave in Europe is still ongoing, given its intensity, it is bound to impact the economy adversely.
Fourth, impact on the infrastructure. Many European cities are not designed to withstand such high temperatures. In some places, roads melted, and rail tracks buckled, majorly disrupting traffic. These cities also do not have the infrastructure to keep people cool, and that has added to the crisis. European buildings most of which are not equipped with air conditioners also do not have fans. They are built to trap heat in order to help residents better withstand the bitter cold. This has caused indoor temperatures to soar during a heat wave, turning these cities into “urban heat islands.” 72 per cent of the population in the European Union live in cities, towns, and suburbs, concrete, glass, and steel in urban environments. The relative lack of green spaces made it more difficult for the Europeans to deal with the heat.
Fifth, the negative impact on agriculture. The prolonged heat and the decrease in rainfall, coupled with drought-like conditions in several countries across Europe have led to a reduction in agricultural output. The Po Basin supports one-third of Italy’s agricultural production, but the low levels of water are affecting the cultivation in the basin, especially of tomatoes, corn, and rice. AP News reports that Italian farmers have lost approximately USD three billion due to the current drought. Given the food security crisis resulting from the war in Ukraine, and the fact that nearly half of Europe is under a drought warning, an acute crop shortage can be anticipated in the future.
Sixth, increase in energy usage. With increasing heatwaves this summer, Europe’s energy requirements have increased at the wrong time, given their sanctions on Russian energy. While Europe has aimed to cut down emissions and invest heavily in renewables, this shift has also been disrupted by the war in Ukraine and the impending energy crisis.
III
Responses to the heatwave
First, the state responses. Most of the states have declared red alerts due to the extreme heat. The UK called an emergency Cabinet meeting to discuss Britain’s first-ever “Extreme Red” heat warning. Trains and flights functioned at a lower rate due to fears of expanding tracks and melting runways. Free water points were created and an emergency was declared for rough sleepers. In France, city councils made museums and other air-conditioned places free of charge, and extended pool opening hours. Over 3,000 firefighters, assisted by rescue forces from Greece, and six ‘water-bomber’ aircraft were also been deployed to tackle the wildfires. In Portugal, more than 1,400 firefighters were in action at 44 fires while in Spain they were struggling to control the actives blazes too. In terms of existing crisis management mechanisms, the European National Heat Health Action Plans (NHHAPs) are present in the European countries, but the roles and responsibilities of the stakeholders should be better defined to improve implementation. Moreover, a cross-sectoral approach has to be included to make these plans effective.
Second, is the regional response. In 2003, an intense heatwave in Europe killed over 70,000 people. Since then, the EU has tried to build capacity. In keeping with the Paris Agreement, the EU and the respective governments have outlined plans like the European Green Deal and the European Union Emission Trading System. However, long-term heat action plans have not materialized. While the member states are committed to shifting to green energy, the process or rate has not been as swift or efficient as necessary. Measures have been discussed in theory, but in practice, Europe lacks preparedness. Moreover, the EU’s bid to convert to green energy is facing a roadblock.
Third, the international response. The World Meteorological Organisation has issued a warning saying that this is a "foretaste of the future". They have linked the heatwaves as a direct consequence of global warming and climate change. They maintain that heatwaves will become more frequent and more severe because of concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. In order to deal with the crisis, governments need to demonstrate their genuine willingness to implement the global Paris Agreement instead of being divisive and promoting empty rhetoric. The COP26 Health Programme was also adopted last year to coordinate the response by health systems to fight against climate change. The UNEP has developed a Six-Sector Solution to reduce emissions, which in turn is likely to stop the rising of temperatures. On 18 July, at the Petersburg Climate Dialogue UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, issued a warning about the imminent dangers of such climate irregularities. He said it is time for either “collective action or collective suicide”.
IV
Heatwaves: The way forward
Heatwaves have increased globally and regionally both. Europe, North Africa, the middle-east and Asia also saw a rise in temperature to above 40 degrees Celsius, showing a global rise in the phenomenon. Extreme heat in the Indian subcontinent preceded the one in Europe. Even though high temperatures are quite common in the region, India saw the hottest March since record-keeping began 122 years ago. Pakistan on the other hand registered the hottest March in the world. In China, three separate heatwaves were recorded which resulted in buckled roads, melted tar, and tiles popping off the roofs. On 13 July, the Shanghai Xujiahui Observatory recorded its highest temperature ever at 40.9 degrees Celsius. Red alerts were issued in cities across the Yangtze River Basin. Across the US, the National Weather Service issued heat advisories and warnings to over 100 million people. In late June, temperatures reached 52 degrees Celsius in Iran, while in Africa, Tunisia reached 48 degrees Celsius, breaking a 40-year-old record.
Thus, there is an emerging trend in the increase of extreme heat related events across the world. Forecasts say that such events will increase in frequency and intensity. To tackle the rising cases of heatwaves, the European countries need rapid climate action and adaptation. Early-warning mechanisms need to be further developed. Europe also needs to design their infrastructure in a way that can sustain extreme heat.
References
Ashley Kirk, David Blood and Pablo Gutiérrez, “Europe’s record summer of heat and fires – visualised,” The Guardian, 26 July 2022
Renee Maltezou and Federico Maccioni, “Europe's heatwave reaches Poland, Greece as it moves eastwards, brings wildfires,” Reuters, 22 July 2022
Alison Roberts, Jessica Parker & Guy Hedgecoe, “Heatwave: Wildfires spread across Europe,” BBC, 19 July 2022
Henry Fountain, “Why Europe Is Becoming a Heat Wave Hot Spot”, The New York Times, 18 July 2022
“Why is it so effing hot? Europe’s heat wave explained,” POLITICO, 18 July 2022
“Heatwaves and Fires Scorch Europe, Africa, and Asia,” Earth Observatory, NASA, 13 July 2022
“Accelerated western European heatwave trends linked to more-persistent double jets over Eurasia,” Nature Communications, 04 July 2022
"Current and projected regional economic impacts of heatwaves in Europe,” Nature Communications, 04 October 2022
About the author
Rishma Banerjee is a Research Assistant in the Science, Technology, and International Relations Programme under the School of Conflict and Security Studies at the NIAS and she works in the KAS-NIAS Europe Studies Programme. Her research interest is in the geopolitics of Eastern Europe and she is currently profiling migration from the middle east to Europe.
Cover Story 03
By Padmashree Anandhan
UN Ocean Conference 2022: A critique
UN Ocean conference highlights the need to align the challenges to the ocean health with SDG14, but fails to address the effects of aquaculture and deep sea mining.
On 27 June, the UN hosted the UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon. Since the UN declared the decade (2021-2030) as “Ocean Science for Sustainable Development,” France followed by Kenya and Portugal have become the forerunners of the initiative by co-hosting the “One Ocean Summit,” in Brest from 09 to 11 February and “the UN Ocean Conference”. The Ocean Conference held dialogues looking into marine pollution, protection of marine ecosystems, ocean warming, and linking of SDG goal 14 and 2030 ocean agenda. It also focused on the impact of climate change due to human activities in the ocean, the challenges faced by ocean-based economies from the hindrances in ocean monitoring due to pandemics, restoration of ocean health, and sustainable ocean economy. A total of 150 participant countries together agreed to adopt the Lisbon Declaration on “Our ocean, our future, our responsibility” to prioritize conserving oceans through linking with SDG-14 and bringing back the “General Assembly resolution 73/292 of 9 May 2019” in line with SDG.
On the earth’s surfaces, land and water resources have been exploited beyond for the survival of the human population, but when it comes to natural restoration, the oceans take the lead over land resources. While the vastness of ocean habitat and its true potential for human lives are yet to be discovered, the ill effects of unsustainable living methods have begun to erode the health of the oceans. The increasing threats to the ocean environment have provoked countries and international organizations to come forward to unite towards the one ocean cause.
I
Marine Pollution and the problem of plastics
Increasing marine pollution has affected human health, marine ecosystems, fisheries, and agriculture pushing for the need to align prevention methods and SDGs to address all forms of pollution. To do that, it is important to not only map sea sources but also land to know the start point or the extent of pollutants. More than 3.5 billion people are directly dependent on the ocean for basic food but are affected by land-based activities which account for 80 per cent of pollution through untreated sewage, radioactive waste, marine litter, dumping of plastics, the building of harbours, agricultural run-offs into marine bodies and accumulation of solid waste. With the intervention of the pandemic, the waste collection from the ocean was neglected, and plastic regulations were laid-back threatening the ocean health and endangering marine species. According to UNEP, 11 million tonnes of plastics are dumped into the ocean every year which incurs USD 13 billion for the economy in form of clean-up.
The conference identified a few probable areas of partnership, which include new opportunities and sponsorship for commercial research partnerships, spreading awareness through campaigns such as Clean Seas, and #BeatNitrogenPollution, and continuing the critical efforts of WMO, IEA, IMO, and Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission to support SIDS and LDC’s in responding to marine pollution.
Plastic pollution
The conference highlighted the transformation of plastics which must shift from being linear to circular. Emphasis was also laid on banning recyclable plastics and bringing innovation to recycling. The effect on marine life such as dolphins, turtles, and saltwater crocodiles due to the dumping of plastics in the oceans and seas was discussed. According to UNDP 89 per cent of plastic litter found in marine bodies was single-use plastics. The most important recommendations made toward the “New Plastic Economy Global Commitment” were on installing more recycling units and continuous negotiations with global countries to bring all under a legally binding agreement. New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, UNEP head spoke on how the UN seeks to bind all countries into the commitment by aligning the vision and including private and government units. The UN has achieved 500 signatories now more have stepped forward after the one ocean summit. Kenya which started the plastic ban in 2007, has now progressed in pushing 19 waste management companies to be held responsible for producing and import of plastics. As far as Australia is concerned the plastics in the ocean have affected the marine species vastly and the government proposed to raise USD 800 million to invest in recycling infrastructure and encourage its university to innovate new ways to suck carbon dioxide and make plastics 100 per cent reusable. Apart from the existing countries, Sao Paulo, Brazil, the Federal government of Belgium, the Kingdom of Thailand, the government of Mexico, along with several other Brazilian and Mexican states joined the Global commitment to plastics.
II
Blue carbon
Decades of action have been taken towards bringing the carbon emission down on the earth's surface, the damage done to the ocean surface also contributes to the release of carbon into the atmosphere. The marine ecosystem includes the mangrove forests, salt marches, and seagrass, even if they are in one per cent proportion of the ocean, they can store 50 per cent of the carbon accumulated for millenniums. Therefore, when such ecosystems are disturbed by human activities, they lose their tendency leading to the release of “sequestered” carbons that have remained in for centuries. Such marine systems can be turned around for the benefit of humanity by cultivating them and protecting them which can promote carbon-free oceans, lessen the climate change effects, and avoids the loss of wetlands, and vegetation.
The representative from Conservation International, a non-governmental organization highlighted how the marine systems are 35 times better at acting as carbon syncs when compared to tropical forests. Its significance to humanity not just ends with combating carbon but also in protecting against violent storms, promoting marine life, and wave action. With regards to the blue carbon coalition, Executive Director, AFD (French Development Agency), Gilles Kleitz vowed for adopting a higher ambition to protect the “carbon-rich marine ecosystem” and ensure commitment from banks to source in 200 billion under “carbon finance and ecosystem restoration.” Colombia’s Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development presented the progress of Colombia’s first blue carbon project on the Caribbean coast certified by Verra, a blue carbon group that has targeted sequestering one million tonnes of carbon dioxide in 30 years' time. The project has benefitted more than 400 families living in the area after six years and the Colombian government assured to start similar projects along Indo-Pacific Coast soon. As far as Indonesia, has implemented a “Blue economy development policy” which aims to the protection of marine areas, increase effectiveness, and “empowering of local communities.” Australia committed to initiating five blue carbon projects at the domestic level to promote carbon sequestration and biodiversity. It also plans to double the indigenous population as it values their traditional care towards the conservation of land and sea. On the same line the NGO, Conservation International head proposed to encourage and promote the living of the Afro-defendant population who are found to be contributing less to climate change effect but support the most in mitigation.
III
Ocean-dependent economies
Threats faced by people living in coastal areas especially the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and least developed countries are the increasing population and depleting fisheries. According to IPCC, 680 million live in such ocean-dependent areas and SIDS counts the biggest share of 65 million. As per UN Global Compact, 50 per cent of people in LDCs depend on fisheries for basic protein and generate 57 million jobs. In the pre-pandemic period, SIDS and LDCs began to realize the criticality of the oceans in food security, employment, nutrition, and culture. The pandemic aggravated the existing threats leading to economic consequences. Hence under the 2030 agenda, strategies such as “build forward better” can induce to create growth and promote jobs through green and blue industries. Through this, the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway (Samoa Pathway) can be prioritized by aligning with SDG 14 goal.
In terms of tourism, maritime transportation, sustainable aquaculture practices, and deep-sea mining are seen as opportunities for the SIDS and LDCs to remodel their structure in the post-pandemic. Tourism which is an important foreign revenue sector can be a shift to sustainable tourism, by invoking corporate sustainable practices to preserve nature and inculcate human resources to maintain. This can be applied mainly to the Pacific region which accounts for 90 per cent of tourism. Similar to tourism, the marine transport sector was also affected due to pandemics, which increased freight and cut down on shipping connectivity leading to a financial crunch. Aquaculture and deep sea mining, are viewed as potential areas to cultivate fishes sustainably and extract minerals (Polymetallic nodules, polymetallic sulfides, and cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts), enhance economy, address poverty, and hunger, and utilize the resources. Cook Islands, Jamaica, Kiribati, Nauru, Singapore, and Tonga have attained development at varying levels in deep-sea mining with guidance from the International Seabed Authority. Continued practice of aquaculture and mining can endanger fisheries and increase marine pollution levels.
IV
Linking Sustainable Development Goals
For the array of challenges present for the ocean in form of pollution, ocean-based economies, sustaining blue carbon, the invention of new technologies, capacity building, and ensuring finance to meet, syncing all under SDG-14 would require sincere commitment and coordinated efforts from every state, regional and international actors. Most importantly, implementation of ocean governance across the north-south is required for attaining the SDG-14 goal. Therefore, the conference mandates the use of “scientific knowledge and evidence-based policy options,” to address the challenges to ocean conservation and enforce the links with SDG -14.
V
Critique
First, the actors in the conference. Unlike the one ocean summit, the UN ocean conference involved all-tier countries, with special host status for Kenya and Portugal. Kenya’s partnership with the EU to work on its blue economy under three programmes, “Go Blue Growth” which looks into creating new jobs, and “Go Blue Environment” to ensure practices are sustainable for the coastal urban and marine environment. “Go Blue Security” to expand a sustainable livelihood and awareness amongst coastal communities shows the growing inclusiveness of the global agenda for Oceans. Apart from Kenya, the Brazilian government presented its initiative on conducting a survey to look into people’s direct engagement with the Ocean which could serve as a model to analyze the community involvement and its impact on the oceans. Africa’s Union Commission co-organized an event as part of the conference on Africa’s sustainable blue economy highlighting the dependency of 38 AU member states who are coastal or island and how their marine resource are affected by anthropogenic sources. By the end of the event, AU proposed modernizing traditional ocean sectors, utilizing its blue resources to boost its economy through partnership, and aiming to establish Africa’s Ocean agenda. Therefore, unlike the other global events, the need to ensure the health of the ocean of tier three countries was prioritized.
Second, aquaculture is not a sustainable option. To prevent overfishing and to protect the marine species, the conference recommended the practice of offshore farming and aquaculture as sustainable ways of producing fish for human consumption. Although such methods help beat the increasing food demands of the growing population, when it comes to marine conservation, the depth of such farms, the foreign matters released into the waters, the increase in marine traffic, and to supply of feed for the farmed fishes threatens the environment and the species present in the farm zone.
Third, deep-sea mining is a threat and not a benefit to the ocean. The ocean-based economies see the extraction of mineral deposits through deep-sea mining and seabed mining as innovative areas for boosting their economies. Such mineral extractions which are rich in copper, zinc, gold, iron, and cobalt are allowed under the regulations of the International Seabed Authority. But the extraction is a rigorous process and involves high-end machines, the affordability factor might not be in favor of LDCs and SIDS. Apart from the financial limitation, the extent of damage caused to the sea bed and undiscovered marine species is still unknown. Therefore, a complete threat analysis of the consequence of such deep ocean drilling and experiments must be carried ahead. Especially the ocean-dependent economies must step with caution as the environmental impact can cost the economy more than investment.
References
“2022 UN OCEAN CONFERENCE,” oceandecade.org, 29 April 2022
“Draft report,” UN, 29 June 2022
“Latest Ocean Data,” UN, 29 June 2022
“Interactive dialogue 1: Addressing marine pollution,” UN, 29 April 2022
“Interactive dialogue 2: Managing, protecting, conserving and restoring marine and coastal ecosystems,” UN, 29 April 2022
“Interactive dialogue 5: Promoting and strengthening sustainable ocean-based economies, in particular for small island developing States and least developed countries,” UN, 29 April 2022
“Interactive dialogue 8: Leveraging interlinkages between Sustainable Development Goal 14 and other Goals towards the implementation of the 2030 Agenda,” UN, 29 April 2022
“Dire state of ocean’s health met with tide of pledges at UN Ocean Conference,” UN, 29 April 2022
About the author
Padmashree Anandhan is a Research Associate at the School of Conflict and Security Studies, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore. She is currently working on a commentary on the profile of Gazprom.
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A Dangerous Offensive in DR Congo by M23
Anu Maria Joseph
Macron's Visit to Morocco: Key Takeaways
Anu Maria Joseph
Tunisia: Kais Saied's second term and end of democracy
Nupur Priya
Ireland Elections and What's Next?
C Shraddha, Vaishak Sreekumar, Kumari Krishna, Nova Karun K
Why did Justin Trudeau resign? What next for Canada?
IPRI Team
State of Peace and Conflict in 2024
Nupur Priya
UN’s Recent Report on Femicides: Six Takeaways
Prajwal TV
Political Crisis in France
Ashna Pathak & Surangana Rajya Laxmi Rana
Health diplomacy: Nepal's growing dependence on China
Femy Francis
China-Africa: The Ninth FOCAC Summit
Abhiruchi Chowdhury
Polio: Why is Pakistan vaccine hesitant?
Nuha Aamina
Pakistan and Climate Change: Four Takeaways
Rohini Reenum
PR Explainer: Pakistan’s Diabetes Problem
Ayan Datta
One Year of Military Coup in Gabon
Vetriselvi Baskaran
Nigeria: Protests over cost-of-living crisis
Anu Maria Joseph
Protests in Africa: Role of populist leaders
Padmashree Anandhan
Russia's Arctic Policy: Objectives, Priorities and Tools
Shreya Jagadeesan
Frozen Nightmare: A Pandemic Hibernating in the Arctic Ice
Advik S Mohan
The European Housing Crisis: A Background
Neha Tresa George
The Meloni-Starmer Meeting: Six Takeaways
Samruddhi Pathak
Serbia: Why are people protesting over lithium mining?
Neha Tresa George
Vladimir Putin visits Mongolia: Who wants what?
Vetriselvi Baskaran
South Korea-Africa relations: Objectives and challenges
Neha Tresa George
Attack on Nord Stream: Two years later
Advik S Mohan
Poland launches EagleEye Satellite
Padmashree Anandhan
Ukraine’s Kursk Offensive: What does Kyiv want to achieve?
Ronakk Tijoriwala
13 August 1961: East Germany begins the construction of the Berlin Wall
Arya Madhavan S
15 August 1971: Bahrain becomes independent
Ankita Chakra
17 August 1945: George Orwell publishes the Animal Farm
Rianne Rajath P
18 August 2019: Iceland holds a funeral for the Okjokull glacier
Anu Maria Joseph
Russia’s increasing footprints in Africa
Ayan Datta
Lavrov’s visit to Africa: Four takeaways
Anu Maria Joseph
Kenya: Protests force the government to withdraw the financial bill
Vetriselvi Baskaran
Kenya’s non-NATO ally designation by the US | Explained
GP Team
Interim government in Bangladesh
Prajwal T V
06 August 1912: NASA’s Curiosity lands on Mars
Ayush Bhattacharjee
08 August 1914: Endurance leaves England for Antarctica Expedition
Shifa Moideen
09 August 1965: Singapore declares Independence
Vetriselvi Baskaran
Energy in Pakistan: Five Takeaways
Mugdha Chaturvedi
Nelson Mandela's South Africa: The dream and the reality
Ken B Varghese
South Africa’s 30 years of democracy
Pummy Lathigara
28 July 2005: IRA announces the end of its armed campaign
Nivetha B
29 July 1958: The US establishes NASA
Leivon Victor Lamkang
29 July 1957: IAEA comes into force
Pranesh Selvaraj
4 August 2007: The US launches Phoenix, a mission to Mars
Nandini Khandelwal
Saddam Hussein becomes the President of Iraq
Ronakk Tijoriwala
Five women organise the Women's Rights Convention in the US
Shreya Jagadeesan
23 July 2020: China Launches its First Mission to Mars
Rohit Paswan
24 July 1911: The Rediscovery of Machu Picchu
Neha Tresa George
South Africa: The Decline of the ANC
Shilpa Joseph
South Africa Elections 1996-2024: An Overview
Vetriselvi Baskaran
South Africa Election 2024: Course, Issues and Outcomes
Vetriselvi Baskaran
A surge in attacks on girl’s school in Pakistan
Dhriti Mukherjee
Growth and Investment in Pakistan: Four Takeaways
Dhriti Mukherjee
Pakistan: The decision to ban PTI
Shilpa Jospeh
Portugal: Democrats win over socialists by a thin margin
Govind Anoop
Hungary: Right Wing wins; Support shifts to Centre
Vetriselvi Baskaran
Belgium: Extremist parties see narrow win
Padmashree Anandhan
France: Rise of Far-right triggers political crisis
Karthik Manoharan
05 July 1962: The Algerian War comes to an end
Ayan Datta & Sayeka Ghosh
US Presidential Debate 2024: Trump exposes Biden’s weaknesses, promises stronger America
Vetriselvi Baskaran
One year of war in Sudan: Regional Implications
Anu Maria Joseph
Sudan: One Year of Civil War
Anu Maria Joseph
30 years after the Rwandan Genocide
Vetriselvi Baskaran
The 37th African Union Summit: Five takeaways
Anu Maria Joseph
Elections in Senegal: A democratic victory in Africa
Jerry Franklin A
South Africa Elections 2024: Five questions
Anu Maria Joseph
The Gambia: The genital cutting and the return of the FGM debate
Dhriti Mukherjee
Haiti: The UN backed Kenyan police force lands
Vetriselvi Baskaran
Punjab budget 2024-25: Prioritising Health and Initiatives
Dhriti Mukherjee
Sindh Provincial Budget 2024-25: Urban and Political
Padmashree Anandhan
European People’s Party (EPP) Leads with clear majority Country wise breakup
Neha Tresa George
EU elections - Part II: A profile of recent four elections (2004-2019)
Shilpa Joseph and Ken Varghese
Voting for the next MEPs
Femy Francis | Research Assistant at NIAS
06 May 1882: The US President signs the Chinese Exclusion Act, restricting immigration from China
Mugdha Chaturvedi
20 May 2002: East Timor becomes an independent country
Dhriti Mukherjee
Ten Years of CPEC-1 (Dasu Hydropower Project: A Profile)
By young scholars of NIAS Course on Global Politics: Contemporary World Order and Theories. Compiled by Sayeka Ghosh.
South Korea Elections 2024: An interview with Dr Sandip Mishra and Dr Vyjayanti Raghavan
By the NIAS-IPRI Course scholars on Contemporary Conflicts, Peace Processes, Theories and Thinkers. Compiled by Ayan Datta.
The War in Gaza: An Interview with Dr Stanly Johny
Mallika Joseph | Adjunct Professor, NIAS
21 May 1991: LTTE human bomb assassinates Rajiv Gandhi
Padmashree Anandhan
Putin-Xi Summit: Towards a Strategic transformation in Russia-China relations
Akhil Ajith
Chang’e 6 and China’s Lunar Exploration program
Femy Francis
Antony Blinken’s China Visit
Femy Francis
China in Mexico: What, How and Why
Dhriti Mukherjee
Lawyers’ protests in Lahore: Two Reasons Why
Rohini Reenum
Protests in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir: What and Why?
Dhriti Mukherjee
9 May Violence: One Event, Different Actors, Multiple Outlooks
D Suba Chandran
The Fog of 9 May: One year after the anti-Establishment violence
Rohini Reenum
Pakistan and Wheat: From a Crisis to a Scandal
NIAS South Asia Team
South Asia This Week (21 Apr- 27 Apr 2024)
NIAS South Asia Team
South Asia This Week (14 Apr -20 Apr 2024)
Devi Chandana M
Seychelles-India Relations: Five Areas of Partnership
D Suba Chandran
Karachi: Seven Shades of Violence
Rohini Reenum
Recurrent floods in Pakistan: What and Why
Dhriti Mukherjee
Pakistan's Position on the War in Gaza
Dhriti Mukherjee
Pakistan's narrow tax base: Failures so far, challenges ahead
Sayeka Ghosh
26 April 1986: Chernobyl nuclear accident
Dhriti Mukherjee
Profile: Street Crimes in Karachi
Femy Francis
Germany and China: It’s the economy, stupid
Arya Prasad
Elections in South Korea: Six Takeaways
Alka Bala
25 Years of Euro: What lies ahead?
GP Team
75 Years of NATO
NIAS South Asia Team
South Asia This Week (25 Mar- 01 Apr 2024)
Devi Chandana M
Rise in China’s Marriages
Padmashree Anandhan
Ireland: Four reasons why Prime Minister Leo Varadkar resigned
GP Team
Elections in Senegal
NIAS Africa Team
Africa This Week (16-22 March)
T C A Raghavan
March 1739: Nadir Shah invades Delhi
Karthik Manoharan
17 March 1992: The end of Apartheid in South Africa
Rosemary Kurian
18 March 2014: Russia annexes Crimea
NIAS Africa Team
Africa This Week
IPRI Team
Continuing Kidnappings in Nigeria
Sivasubramanian K
09 March 1776: Adam Smith publishes “The Wealth of Nations”
NIAS South Asia Team
South Asia This Week (2-9 Mar 2024)
NIAS South Asia Team
South Asia This Week (26 Feb-02 Mar 2024)
NIAS Africa Team
Africa This Week (1 March-7 March)
NIAS Africa Team
Africa This Week (24 February-29 February)
Asanga Abeyagoonasekera
Sri Lanka: The rise of ultra-nationalism and elections
IPRI Team
The Battle for Avdiivka in Ukraine
NIAS South Asia Team
South Asia This Week (11-17 Feb 2024)
NIAS Africa Team
Africa This Week
IPRI Team
Israel's Military Campaign in Rafah
NIAS Latin America Team
Latin America This Week (3-10 Feb 2024)
NIAS South Asia Team
South Asia This Week (3-10 Feb 2024)
NIAS Africa Team
Africa This Week (3-10 Feb 2024)
IPRI Team
Protests in Senegal
Jerry Franklin A
Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON): Five Questions
Padmashree Anandhan, Femy Francis, Rohini Reenum, Akriti Sharma, Akhil Ajith, Shamini Velayutham and Anu Maria Joseph
Expert Interview: Russia in the International Order
Bibhu Prasad Routray
Myanmar: Ethnic Armed Organizations, China’s Mediation and Continuing Fighting
Narmatha S and Anu Maria Jospeh
Ethiopia-Somalia tensions over Somaliland | Explained
CEAP Team
Taiwan elections
GP Team
Taiwan Election 2024
Femy Francis
Taiwan Election 2024: The return of DPP
IPRI Team
The War in Ukraine and Gaza
CEAP Team
NIAS- CEAP- China Reader | Daily Briefs
Padmashree Anandhan
The War in Ukraine: Drones, missiles and counterattacks
Anu Maria Joseph
Ethiopia and Sudan: Governance in deadlock
Hoimi Mukherjee | Hoimi Mukherjee is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Political Science in Bankura Zilla Saradamani Mahila Mahavidyapith.
Chile in 2023: Crises of Constitutionality
Richa Chandola | Richa Chandola is an independent scholar.
Peru in 2023: Political Tensions, Civil Unrest, and Governance Issues
Aprajita Kashyap | Aprajita Kashyap is a faculty of Latin American Studies, School of International Studies at the Jawaharlal Nehru University New Delhi.
Haiti in 2023: The Humanitarian Crisis
Shreya Pandey | Shreya Pandey is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Political Science, Xavier’s College, Ranchi. Her research interests include EU-India relations, and current trends in international relations.
Russian Invasion on Ukraine: An assessment of its impact upon unity, economy and enlargement of the EU
Binod Khanal | Binod Khanal is a Doctoral candidate at the Centre for European Studies, School of International Studies, JNU, New Delhi.
The Baltic: Energy, Russia, NATO and China
Rishika Yadav | Rishika Yadav is a Research Assistant at NIAS.
Finland in 2023: Challenges at Russia's border
Padmashree Anandhan | Padmashree Anandhan is a Research Associate at the School of Conflict and Security Studies, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangaluru.
Germany in 2023: Defence, Economy and Energy Triangle
Anu Maria Joseph | Anu Maria Joseph is a Research Assistant at NIAS.
Ethiopia and Sudan in 2023: Governance in deadlock
Nuha Aamina | Nuha Aamina is an undergraduate student at the Department of International Relations, Peace and Public Policy, St Joseph's University.
Thailand: Economic stability despite political instability
Alka Bala | Alka Bala is an undergraduate student at the Department of International Relations, Peace and Public Policy, St Joseph's University.
Myanmar in 2023: Extended Emergency, Political Instability and State-led violence
Sayani Rana | Sayani Rana is an undergraduate student at the Department of International Relations, Peace, and Public Policy, St Joseph's University, Bangalore.
Australia in 2023: Challenges of Economy, Employment and Immigration
Ashok Alex Luke | Ashok Alex Luke is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Political Science at CMS College, Kottayam.
China and South Asia in 2023: Advantage Beijing?
Annem Naga Bindhu Madhuri | Annem Naga Bindhu Madhuri is a postgraduate student at the Department of Defence and Strategic Studies at the University of Madras, Chennai.
China and East Asia
Femy Francis | Femy Francis is a Research Assistant at the National Institute of Advanced Studies.
China in 2023: Cracks in the Great Wall
Amit Gupta | Dr Amit Gupta is an international security and economics analyst based in the USA
The US: The Year of Living Dangerously?
Kuri Sravan Kumar | Kuri Sravan Kumar is a PhD scholar at the Department of East Asian Studies, University of Delhi.
North Korea in 2023: Military buildups and Close Connections with Russia
Yogeshwari S | Yogeswari S is a postgraduate student at the Department of Defence and Strategic Studies at the University of Madras, Chennai.
South Korea in 2023: Addressing Climate Change and the Global Supply Chains
Abhishek Ranjan | Abhishek Ranjan is a PhD student at the Korean Studies, Centre for East Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
East Asia in 2023: Big Power Politics and New Defence Strategies
IPRI Team
Special Edition: Conflicts in 2023
NIAS Africa Team
NIAS Africa Weekly #92&93 | COP 28 and Africa
Nithyashree RB
COP28 and Africa: Priorities and Initiatives
NIAS Africa Team
NIAS Africa Weekly #91 | Failed coup in Sierra Leone
Anu Maria Joseph
Sierra Leone: A failed coup
GP Team
Henry Kissinger: A profile
NIAS Africa Team
NIAS Africa Weekly #90 | Floods in East Africa
Jerry Franklin A
Floods in East Africa
NIAS Africa Team
NIAS Africa Weekly #89 | Africa’s debate on colonial reparations
Sneha Surendran
Africa’s debate on colonial reparations
NIAS Africa Team
NIAS Africa Weekly #87&88 | Elusive Ceasefires in Sudan
Anu Maria Joseph
Sudan’s ceasefires remain elusive: Four reasons why
GP Team
UK’s AI Summit
Femy Francis
Ten years of BRI: Xi and the Beijing Summit
Femy Francis
The return of the South China Sea
Femy Francis
BRICS Summit poised as the Champion of Global South
Femy Francis
Japan-Australia's Reciprocal Access Agreement
CR Team | Avishka Ashok
China: Palestine Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’ visit emphasizes hope for statehood
NIAS Africa Team
NIAS Africa Weekly #85&86 | Niger-France ties and Liberia elections
Nithyashree RB
Liberia elections: Explained
Jerry Franklin
France's increasing unpopularity in Niger
PR Team
The Snow Leopards of Pakistan
Padmashree Anandhan
Poland elections 2023: Reasons behind the shift
Padmashree Anandhan
Ukraine: The failure of the Black Sea Grain Initiative
Annem Naga Bindhu Madhuri
Issues for Europe
Yogeswari S | CSIS
Poland’s engagement
Prof Joyati Bhattacharya
G20 Summit: India the Global Host
Anu Maria Joseph
Africa in the Indian Ocean region: Explained
Dhriti Mukherjee
Pakistan grapples with soaring electricity bills and free riders
Shamini Velayutham
Pakistan: Recent spike in Polio cases
Dhriti Mukherjee
Pakistan’s power predicament: Soaring bills and public discontent
Ankit Singh
Pakistan’s Economy: Three questions
Sneha Surendran
From Cargo to Canvas: The vibrant world of Pakistani Truck Art
Anu Maria Joseph
Taiwan in Africa: The Last Ally and the Lost Allies
Feben Itty | CSIS
NATO’s Challenge
Genesy B | abcnews
Russia’s Endgame
Sreeja JS
Ukraine’s Strategies and Endgame
NIAS Africa Team
Africa Weekly #79 | Africa Climate Summit
Sneha Surendran
Africa Climate Summit: Rising new leadership in climate action
Nithyashree RB
Coup in Gabon: Three questions
NIAS Africa Team
Africa Weekly #78 | Coup in Gabon
Sneha Surendran
Wildfires in Europe: Another year of devastation
Rishika Yadav
Floods in Europe: Impacts, and issues
Padmashree Anandhan
Return of the Heatwaves
Jerry Franklin A
A profile on Ethiopia's Oromo ethnic group
Sneha Surendran
A profile on Ethiopia’s Somali ethnic group
Nithyashree RB
A profile on Ethiopia’s Afar ethnic group
Anu Maria Joseph
Ethiopia’s Amhara problem
Jerry Franklin A
ECOWAS and Niger remain at an impasse, causing a prolonged standoff
Lakshmi Parimala H
Mural, Movie and the Map: Akhand Bharat mural and Adipurush
Rishika Yadav
The High Seas Treaty
Indrani Talukdar
Ukraine War and the International Order
Jerry Franklin A
Coup in Niger: Manifold national, regional and international stances
Sneha Surendran
Senegal's political crisis: Four questions
NIAS Africa Team
Africa Weekly #73&74 | Coup in Niger and Senegal’s political crisis
Himani Pant
Germany-Russia Relations: What Next?
D. Suba Chandran
Que Sara Sara: Pakistan, Two Months After 09 May
Sneha Surendran
Pakistan’s e-Sport Industry: A Profile
Ramya Balasubramanian
Russia and Europe: Understanding Moscow’s strategies
Bibhu Prasad Routray
Return of Violence in Manipur
Nithyashree RB
The UN in Africa: MINUSMA has failed. So did Mali
Bibhu Prasad Routray
Myanmar continues to burn
Anu Maria Joseph
The Wagner Group in Africa: Fallouts of the failed revolt in Russia
NIAS Africa Team
Africa Weekly #69-71 | The Wagner Group in Africa
Lakshmi Parimala
Hybrid Warfare in Ukraine
Padmashree Anandhan
Rise and fall of the Wagner Revolt: Four Takeaways
Sneha Surendran
The Wagner Revolt: A profile of Yevgeny Prigozhin
Padmashree Anandhan
The War in Ukraine: Four Issues to watch in 2023
Rishika Yadav, Sneha Surendran, Sandra D Costa, Ryan Marcus, Prerana P and Nithyashree RB
Global Gender Gap Report 2023: Regional Takeaways
Harini Madhusudan, Rishika Yada, Sneha Surendran, Prerana P, Sreeja JS and Padmashree Anandhan
Russia: Anatomy of Wagner Revolt, and its Fallouts
Anu Maria Joseph
Resurging insurgency in Uganda and insecurity in East Africa
Jerry Franklin
Eritrea: Back to the IGAD after 16 years
Bibhu Prasad Routray
India: Violence continues in Manipur
Jerry Franklin
Tunisia: A Political Profile
Jerry Franklin
Cameroon’s Anglophone Crisis: Reasons for its continuation
Anu Maria Joseph
Ceasefires in Sudan: An uneasy trajectory
Rishika Yadav, Sreeja JS, Nithyashree RB, and Melvin George | Rishika Yadav is a Research Assistant in NIAS Europe Studies at NIAS. Nithyashree RB, Sreeja JS, and Melvin George are Research Interns in NIAS Europe Studies at NIAS.
The Battle for Bakhmut: Significance, Objectives, Course, and What Next
Nithyashree RB
Poland approves Russian Influence Law: Three Implications
Rishika Yadav | Research Assistant, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science Campus, Bangalore
Serbia: Mass shootings, protests and instability
Rishika Yadav and Nityashree RB | Research Assistant and Research Intern, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science Campus, Bangalore
Turkey’s Elections: Unravelling the Political Spectacle of 2023
Padmashree Anandhan | Research Associate National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore
Belgorod drone attacks: Who, What and Why?
NIAS Africa Team
In Focus | Japan in Africa
Devjyoti Saha
Japan in Africa: Renewed Efforts to Revitalise Relations
Indrani Talukdar
Russia's Position in the Arctic: New challenges
Lakshmi Parimala H
Bhutan's Gross National Happiness
Amit Gupta
The Trump Phenomenon: Why it Won’t Go
Rishika Yadav
Turkey’s Election: Issues, Actors and Outcomes
IPRI Team
The Armenia-Azerbaijan Stalemate
NIAS Africa Team
Droughts in East Africa: A climate disaster
NIAS Africa Team
Sudan: Intensifying political rivalry and expanding violence
NIAS Africa Team
Expanding Russia-South Africa relations
Padmashree Anandhan
Pentagon document leak: Russia-Ukraine Conflict From a Tactical Lens
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Tunisia: The question of undocumented migrants
Indrani Talukdar
Belarus’s endgame in Russia-Ukraine Conflict
Padmashree Anandhan
Russia: Drone attacks escalate the Ukraine war
Padmashree Anandhan
The UK: Conservative party put to test as worker strikes continue
Bhoomika Sesharaj
PR Explains: Pakistan’s power outage
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
Pakistan’s Blue Helmets: A long-standing contribution
D Suba Chandran
Karachi: The race and new alignments for the Mayor
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Macron’s visit to Africa: Three Takeaways
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Nigeria elections: Ruling party wins; What is ahead?
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | M23 atrocities in DRC and upcoming Nigeria elections
NIAS Africa Team
Africa in 2023: Elections and conflicts
IPRI Team
The continuing crisis in Israel
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Chinese Foreign Minister's visit to Africa
IPRI Team
Protests in Spain, Sweden and Israel
Avishka Ashok
China: A complicated economic recovery
Padmashree Anandhan
Europe: An impending energy crisis and its economic fallouts
Ankit Singh
Defence: Towards a new cold war
Riya Itisha Ekka
Brazil: Managing Bolsonaro’s legacy
Apoorva Sudhakar
Africa: Despite the elections, democratic backslide will continue
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
Pakistan in 2023: Between elections, economic turmoil and climate crisis
Sethuraman Nadarajan
Sri Lanka in 2023: A troubling economy and an unstable polity
Avishka Ashok
Chinese Foreign Minister's visit to Africa
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Bamako’s pardon of Ivorian soldiers
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | The relapse of ANC
Allen Joe Mathew, Sayani Rana, Joel Jacob
Newsmakers: From Putin to Rushdie
Sethuraman Nadarajan
Rest in Peace; Queen Elizabeth. Mikhail Gorbachev, Pelé...
Ankit Singh
Global economy in 2022: The year of cooling down
Bhoomika Sesharaj
Digital world: Elon Musk and the Twitter Chaos
Madhura Mahesh
The FTX Collapse: Depleting cryptocurrencies
Harini Madhusudan
The Space race: Scaling new technological feats
Avishka Ashok
G20: More challenges
Akriti Sharma
COP27: Hits and Misses
Padmashree Anandhan
The Ukraine War
Poulomi Mondal
French Exit from Mali: More questions than answers
Mohaimeen Khan
Yemen, Syria, and Sudan: Continuing humanitarian crises
Padmashree Anandhan
NATO and the Madrid Summit: Expanding defence frontiers
Padmashree Anandhan
Elections in France, Sweden, and Italy: The rise of the right
Janardhan G
North Korea: Missile Tests Galore
Avishka Ashok
The Taiwan Strait: Political and military assertions
Anu Maria Joseph
Ethiopia: Uncertainties despite ceasefire
Apoorva Sudhakar
Tunisia: The end of the Jasmine Revolution
Rashmi BR
Iraq: Deadlock and breakthrough
Kaviyadharshini A
Iran: Anti-government protests
Chrishari de Alwis Gunasekare
Sri Lanka: Political and Economic Crises
Aparupa Bhattacherjee
Myanmar: The coup and after
NIAS Africa Team
The US-Africa Leaders Summit
IPRI Team
Workers strike in the UK
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | End of Operation Barkhane
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | The ceasefire in Ethiopia
IPRI Team
Drone attacks in Russia
Vignesh Ram | Assistant Professor | Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal
Malaysia’s recent Elections: More questions than answers
Vignesh Ram
Anwar Ibrahim: Malaysia's new Prime Minister
Harini Madhusudan, Rishma Banerjee, Padmashree Anandhan, Ashwin Immanuel Dhanabalan, and Avishka Ashok
What next for Russia, Ukraine, Europe, South Asia & India, and China
Padmashree Anandhan and Rishma Banerjee
UNGA 77: Who said what from Europe?
Rashmi BR and Akriti Sharma
COP27: Ten key takeaways
Rashmi Ramesh
Ice Melt in Alps in Europe: Three impacts
Rishma Banerjee
Tracing Europe's droughts
Padmashree Anandhan
Major causes behind Europe’s continuing heatwaves
Emmanuel Selva Royan
100 days of the Ukraine war: US Responses in the war
Padmashree Anandhan
100 days of the Ukraine war: What next for Europe?
Ashwin Immanuel Dhanabalan
100 days of the Ukraine war: More loss than gain for Russia
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Challenges to peace in Eastern Congo
Avishka Ashok | Research Associate | National Institute of Advanced Studies
20th Party Congress of the Communist Party of China: Major takaways
Angelin Archana | Assistant Professor, Women’s Christian College, Chennai
China's response to the Ukraine crisis: Shaped by its relationship with Russia and EU under the US Shadow
Shreya Upadhyay | Assistant Professor, Christ (Deemed to be University), Bangalore
Transatlantic Ties in the Wake of Ukraine-Russia War
Uma Purushothaman | Assistant Professor, Central University of Kerala, Kerala
Ukraine and beyond: The US Strategies towards Russia
Debangana Chatterjee | Assistant Professor, JAIN (Deemed-to-be University), Bangalore
Lessons from Ukraine War: Effectiveness of Sanctions
Himani Pant | Research Fellow, ICWA, Delhi
Ukraine and beyond: What next for Russia and Europe?
Sethuraman Nadarajan
Israel-Lebanon Maritime Border Deal
Avishka Ashok
G20 Summit: Four takeaways from Bali
NIAS Africa Team
China-Africa relations: Looking back and looking ahead
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Chad's political crisis
Sourina Bej
Elections in Sweden
Padmashree Anandhan
Italy's far-right wins 2022 elections
Padmashree Anandhan
Putin’s address in the Valdai Discussion: Six takeaways
Devjyoti Saha
Solomon Islands’ China card: Three reasons why
NIAS Africa Team
Floods in West Africa: Nigeria and beyond
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Famine in Somalia
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Kenya Elections 2022
IPRI Team
Protests in Iran
IPRI Team
Clashes between Armenia-Azerbaijan
Padmashree Anandhan
Queen Elizabeth: End of an era
Padmashree Anandhan
Russia and Eastern Economic Forum 2022: A sturdy Far East
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | The reinvention of Al Shabab
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Lavrov's visit to Africa
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Macron's visit to Africa
GP Team
Floods and Emergency in Pakistan
IPRI Team
Six months of War in Ukraine
GP Team
Regional round-ups
Padmashree Anandhan
Who will be the next UK prime minister: Liss Truss v. Rishi Sunak
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Tunisia's political crisis
NIAS Africa Team
Tunisia’s political crisis: Five questions
NIAS Africa Team
Tribal conflict in Blue Nile: Causes and Implications
STIR Team
Geopolitics of Semiconductors
Padmashree Anandhan
France: Uber files leak, and Macron’s trouble
Emmanuel Selva Royan
Italy: Three factors about its current political instability
NIAS Africa Team
Sudan-Ethiopia border tensions and a profile of Blaise Compaoré
NIAS Africa Team
Africa’s continuing migration problem: Three issues
STIR Team
China in Space: Shenzhou-13 and Tiangong
NIAS Africa Team
Africa’s displacement crises: Three key drivers
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Into the Sixth Decade of African Unity
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Communal Tensions in Ethiopia
Padmashree Anandhan
What does Macron's victory mean for France and the EU
Rishma Banerjee
The rise of Marine Le Pen
Sourina Bej
Four challenges ahead for President Macron
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Mali ends defence ties with France
GP Team
New US assistance for Ukraine
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | UK-Rwanda asylum deal
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Africa, Russia, and the War in Ukraine
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Political Crisis in Tunisia
GP Team
Russia's gas ultimatum to Europe
IPRI Team
30 days of War in Ukraine
NIAS Africa Team
60 years of Algerian independence
IPRI Team
Sri Lanka’s worsening economic crisis
NIAS Africa Team
In Focus: Libya
IPRI Team
The end of Denmark’s Inuit experiment
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS | Europe and Africa: Will AU and EU be equal partners?
Anu Maria Joseph
Europe and Africa: Will AU and EU be equal partners?
Ashwin Immanuel Dhanabalan
Lecture report: Ukraine, Russia and Europe
Joeana Cera Matthews
Into History: Northern Ireland and Bloody Sunday, 50 years later
Nireekshan Bollimpalli
Africa’s slow COVID vaccination continues. Four reasons why
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS: Conflict over the Nile Dam
NIAS Africa Team
IN FOCUS: Instability in Burkina Faso
Padmashree Anandhan
Munich Security Report: Six takeaways
Joeana Cera Matthews
Europe and Africa: An elusive search for an equal partnership
Ashwin Immanuel Dhanabalan
Femicides in Europe: The case of France
Padmashree Anandhan
Post Brexit: Three challenges in Northern Ireland
Porkkodi Ganeshpandian and Angkuran Dey
The return of the Left
Ashwin Immanuel Dhanabalan
Lithuania and China: Vilnius has become Beijing’s Achilles heel. Four reasons why
Mohamad Aseel Ummer
Africa: The anti-France sentiments in Mali and beyond
Shalini Balaiah
The Middle East in 2021: Never-ending wars and conflicts
Angelin Archana
Russia in 2021: Expanding boundaries
Prakash Panneerselvam
East Asia in 2021: New era of hegemonic competition
Apoorva Sudhakar
Coup in Burkina Faso: Five things to know
Joeana Cera Matthews
In Europe, abortion rights are "a privilege." Four reasons why
Padmashree Anandhan
Mapping COVID-19 protests in Europe: Who and Why
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
Pakistan, US and Russia: Putin Online, Biden Offline
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
The unrest in Kazakhstan: Look beyond the trigger
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
Deepening Pakistan-Russia ties
D. Suba Chandran
Justice Ayesha: Breaking the Legal Ceiling
Ankit Singh
Pakistan's Judiciary in 2021
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
Same Page Story: Civil-Military Relations in 2021
D. Suba Chandran
Pakistan's Foreign Policy in 2021
Ankit Singh
Pakistan’s economy in 2021: Major highlights
Ankit Singh
Pakistan and the Asian Development Bank
Apoorva Sudhakar
The PDM is back, again
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
Qureshi’s visit to Brussels: Three takeaways
GP Team
The Complete Compendium for 2021
GP Team
The Americas in 2021
GP Team
Europe in 2021
GP Team
Middle East and Africa in 2021
GP Team
South Asia in 2021
Apoorva Sudhakar
Protests in Gwadar: Four major highlights
Ankit Singh
Mini budget, IMF and a contemporary puzzle.
Ankit Singh
Pappu Sain bids adieu to the world
Apoorva Sudhakar
Smog, pollution and more: Deteriorating air quality in Pakistan
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
PTI’s secret dealing with the TTP and TLP
Vaishnavi Iyer
France, Algeria, and the politics over an apology
Joeana Cera Matthews
NATO-Russia relationship: Looking beyond the suspensions and expulsions
D. Suba Chandran
PTI’s TLP flip-flop and a secret deal
Apoorva Sudhakar
The increasing curbs on digital media freedom in Pakistan
Padmashree Anandhan
Facebook's Metaverse: Why it matters to Europe
Joeana Cera Matthews
Poland, EU and PolExit. It is complicated, for three reasons
Harini Madhusudhan
Europe's Energy Crisis and Gazprom
D. Suba Chandran
TLP: The government caves in again
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
TLP is back again
Apoorva Sudhakar | Project Associate, School of Conflict and Security Studies, NIAS
Pakistan’s transgender community: The long road ahead
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
Since January 2021: Why the US President has not called Pakistan’s Prime Minister so far?
Apoorva Sudhakar
No honour in honour killing
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
The Military Reshuffle: A strategic or routine decision?
D. Suba Chandran
Dr AQ Khan: Between a national hero and a nuclear proliferator
Apoorva Sudhakar
Rising child abuse in Pakistan: Five reasons why
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
Hazara Persecution in Pakistan: No end in sight
D. Suba Chandran
Protests in Gwadar: Who and Why
Chetna Vinay Bhora
Europe's Energy Crisis: It could get worse. Five reasons why
STIR Team
Cover Story: War against Malaria
Aswathy Koonampilly
Japan: New Prime Minister, Old party
GP Team
Europe's Energy Crisis
STIR Team
The Science and Politics of Materials
Sourina Bej
France: Paris Terror Trial
Harini Madhusudan
Belarus: Weaponization of the Migrant Crisis
Juan Mary Joseph
Attacks on Chinese Investments in Pakistan: Who, Where And Why?
Joeana Cera Matthews
Haiti: Two months after the assassination, the storm is still brewing
Joeana Cera Matthews
From Crimea to Navalny: Putin's calibrated Europe strategy
Joeana Cera Matthews
Nord Stream-2: Why is the region unhappy about the pipeline?
Lokendra Sharma
Two months of Cuban protests: Is the ‘revolution’ ending?
GP Team
The New Afghanistan
STIR Team
Climate Change and Energy Options
Apoorva Sudhakar
Digital Pakistan: Idea, Potential and Challenges
Anu Maria Joseph
South Africa: What is behind the pro-Zuma protests?
Dincy Adlakha
China and Russia in Myanmar: The interests that bind
Sarthak Jain
Nord Stream 2 is Russia’s geopolitical victory
Jeshil J Samuel
REvil is dead. Long live REvil
STIR Team
Space Tourism
Keerthana Rajesh Nambiar
The EU Summit 2021: Five Takeaways
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
Impending famine in Tigray, should make Ethiopia everyone's problem
Anu Maria Joseph
Too late and too little is Ethiopia's international problem
Sankalp Gurjar
Africa's Ethiopia Problem
Apoorva Sudhakar
Ethiopia's Tigray problem is Tigray's Ethiopia problem
Lokendra Sharma
The future of nuclear energy looks bleak
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
Five reasons why Afghanistan is closer to a civil war
Mohamad Aseel Ummer
Migration in Africa: Origin, Drivers and Destinations
Dincy Adlakha
The new three-child policy is two decades too late
Dincy Adlakha
Loud Echoes of the National Security Law in China
Joeana Cera Matthews
Farfetched goals on pandemic recovery, climate action and economic revival
STIR Team
Rare Earths and the Global Resource Race
SDP Scholar
The Rise and Reign of Ransomware
Gurpreet Singh
India and the geopolitics of supply chains
Chetna Vinay Bhora
Spain, Morocco and the rise of rightwing politics in Europe over immigration
Vibha Venugopal
The return of Taliban will be bad news for women
Udbhav Krishna P
Revisiting the recent violence: Three takeaways
Joeana Cera Matthews
For the Economist, Taiwan is the most dangerous place. The argument is complicated
Apoorva Sudhakar
15 of the 23 global hunger hotspots are in Africa. Three reasons why
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
The US decision to withdraw is a call made too early. Three reasons why
Lokendra Sharma
Learning from Cuba's vaccine development efforts
V S Ramamurthy and Dinesh K Srivastava
An energy mix of renewables and nuclear is the most viable option
Lokendra Sharma
Deadly second wave spirals into a humanitarian disaster
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
The US-Taliban Deal: One Year Later
Akriti Sharma
The Quad Plus and the search beyond the four countries
Apoorva Sudhakar
India's Endgames, Roles and Limitations in Quad
Sukanya Bali
Tracing the Quad's evolution in the last two decades
Apoorva Sudhakar
Ethiopia: Five fallouts of the military offensive in Tigray
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
Afghanistan: The recent surge in targeted killing vs the troops withdrawal
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
In Honduras, a move towards a permanent ban on abortion laws
Aparupa Bhattacherjee
Civilian protests vs military: Three factors will decide the outcome in Myanmar
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
Trump’s Climate Change legacy: Disruption and Denial
Apoorva Sudhakar
Trump’s Iran legacy: Maximum pressure, minimum results
N Manoharan and Drorima Chatterjee
Five ways India can detangle the fishermen issue with Sri Lanka
IPRI Team
Coup in Myanmar and Protests in Russia
D Suba Chandran
The PDM differences, Gwadar fencing, and Lakhvi's arrest
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
Nagorno-Karabakh: Rekindled fighting, Causalities and a Ceasefire
Aparupa Bhattacherjee
Thailand: For the pro-democracy protests, it is a long march ahead
Harini Madhusudan
Brexit: A year of the UK-EU transition talks and finally, a Deal
Apoorva Sudhakar
Ethiopia: The conflict in Tigray and the regional fallouts
Aparaajita Pandey
The Americas: Top Five Developments
Teiborlang T Kharsyntiew
Europe: Top five developments
Sandip Kumar Mishra
East Asia: Top Five developments in 2020
Harini Madhusudan
Outer Space in 2020: Missions, Privatization, and the Artemis Accords
Sukanya Bali
5G, Huawei and TikTok: Four trends in 2020
Sumedha Chatterjee
COVID-19: How the world fought in 2020
Harini Madhusudan
The Vaccine Rush: Expectations vs Realities
Harini Madhusudan
Open Skies Treaty: The US should not have withdrawn, for five reasons
Savithri Sellapperumage
Kamala Harris makes history
Mallika Devi
China is against the Quad. Five reasons why
Srikumar Pullat
Space of Tomorrow: The Need for Space Security
Tamanna Khosla
Japan: New Prime Minister, Old Challenges
Vaishali Handique
Not just regime change: Women and protest movements in Sudan
Sneha Tadkal
Technology in contemporary global protest movements
Chavindi Weerawansha
Students as agents of change: Protest movements in Zimbabwe
Anju Annie Mammen
“Unveiling”: Women and protest movements in the Middle East
Harini Madhusudan
‘The Revolution of Our Times’: Protests in Hong Kong
Samreen Wani
Lebanon: Can Macron's visit prevent the unravelling?
Harini Madhusudan
The Legacy of Shinzo Abe. It is Complicated.
Boa Wang
Two Sessions in Beijing
Boa Wang
How China fought the COVID-19
N. Manoharan
Is COVID-19 a Bio-weapon from China?
Prof PM Soundar Rajan
Is there an overlap of 5G Networks and COVID hotspots?
Rashmi Ramesh
Will COVID-19 provide a new agenda to the NAM?
Harini Madhusudan
Iran's New Military Satellite: Does it violate the UNSC 2231?
Jenice Jean Goveas
Epidemics through History
Sanduni Atapattu
Preventing hatred and suspicion would be a bigger struggle
Chavindi Weerawansha
A majority in the minority community suffers, for the action of a few
Chrishari de Alwis Gunasekare
The Cardinal sermons for peace, with a message to forgive
Aparupa Bhattacherjee
Who and Why of the Perpetrators
Natasha Fernando
In retrospect, where did we go wrong?
Ruwanthi Jayasekara
Build the power of Co-existence, Trust, Gender and Awareness
N Manoharan
New ethnic faultlines at macro and micro levels
Asanga Abeyagoonasekera
A year has gone, but the pain has not vanished
Jenice Jean Goveas
In India, the glass is half full for the women
Fatemah Ghafori
In Afghanistan, there is no going back for the women
Lakshmi V Menon
The decline in terrorism in Pakistan in 2019
Rashmi Ramesh
The EU and the Arctic: The interest is not mutual. Why?
Rashmi Ramesh
Iceland, Denmark and Norway: Small is Big in the Arctic
Harini Madhusudan
The Non-Arctic powers: Interests of Japan and South Korea
Aparupa Bhattacherjee
Malaysia: New PM, Old Challenges
Lakshmi V Menon
Pakistan to remain “Grey”; North Korea and Iran in “Black”
Rashmi Ramesh
Trump's India Visit: Optics, Substance and Rhetoric
Kabi Adhikari
The controversial MCC Nepal Compact
Malini Sethuraman
ISIS post Baghdadi: Will there be another Caliphate in 2020?
Aarathi Srinivasan
Climate Change: The Economy of the Indian Ocean Region in 2020
Prathiksha Ravi
Israel and the Middle East: The New Alliance Plans in 2020
Padmini Anilkumar
Middle East: The Return of Russia in 2020
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
Sudan and Algeria: Road to Democracy in 2020
Lakshmi V Menon
Syria: ISIS Decline, US Retreat and the Return of Russia in 2020
Harini Madhusudan
The US-China Trade Dispute: Towards further disruptions in 2020
Parikshith Pradeep
The US under Donald Trump: The Fall of an Empire in 2020
Vivek Mishra
After Soleimani assassination: Options for the US
Sukanya Bali
Iran, Iraq and the US: Who wants what?
Aparupa Bhattacherjee
Old problems to persist with no solutions in the near term
Aashiyana Adhikari
Indian and Chinese investments in Nepal: Managing asymmetry
Shailesh Nayak | Director, National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS)
Blue Economy and India: An Introduction
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
North Africa in 2019: A year of protests, with some positive results
Sukanya Bali
Hong Kong in 2019: China's New Achilles Heel
Harini Madhusudan
The US-China Trade Dispute in 2019: Towards a thaw in 2020?
Parikshith Pradeep
The US in 2019: Trump rollsout a template for a global American retreat
Rashmi Ramesh
The Arctic Littorals: Iceland and Greenland
Harini Madhusudan
The Polar Silk Route: China's ambitious search in the Arctic
GP Team
Syria: Who wants what?
Harini Madhusudan
Violence in Hong Kong: Will the protests end?
Rashmi Ramesh
Is Catalonia Spain’s Hong Kong?
D. Suba Chandran
Why an Arctic foray is essential for India
Parikshith Pradeep
Russia's Polar Military Edge
Nidhi Dalal
Protests rock Chile, Bolivia and Haiti
Aparupa Bhattacherjee
Will prosecuting Suu Kyi resolve the Rohingya problem?
Lakshman Chakravarthy N & Rashmi Ramesh
Climate Change: Four Actors, No Action
Sukanya Bali
Brexit: Preparing for the Worst Case
Lakshman Chakravarthy N
5G: A Primer
Rashmi Ramesh
From Okjökull to OK: Death of a Glacier in Iceland
Sukanya Bali
Challenges before Boris Johnson
Parikshith Pradeep
The Hong Kong Protests: Who wants what
Harini Madhusudan
The Hong Kong Protests: Re-defining mass mobilization
Aparupa Bhattacherjee
ASEAN Outlook on the Indo Pacific: Worth all the Hype?
Mahesh Bhatta
Monsoons first, Floods next and the Blame Games follow
Titsala Sangtam
Counting Citizens: Manipur charts its own NRC
Vivek Mishra
Can Hedging be India’s Strategy?
Lakshmi V Menon
Amidst the US-Iran standoff, Saudi Arabia should be cautious
Seetha Lakshmi Dinesh Iyer
For Russia, it was big power projection
Harini Madhusudan
For China, it was trade and a temporary truce
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
For Japan, it was commerce and climate change
Sourina Bej
For the US, it was trade, tariff and talks
Titsala Sangtam
Iran, US and the Nuclear deal: Europe in the middle?
Aparupa Bhattacherjee
Modi's Colombo Visit: Four issues to watch
Raakhavee Ramesh
Higher than the Himalayas: Pakistan and China
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
Across the Himalayas: Nepal and China
Mahath Mangal
The Russian Resurgence: Is the US supremacy waning?
Mahath Mangal
San Francisco wants to ban, Kashgar wants to expand
Jerin George
Espionage or Investigative Journalism?
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
The Huawei Controversy: Five things you need to know
Mahath Mangal
Why the world needs to look at Yemen
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
The Central Asia Connector
Harini Madhusudan
An Under-represented East Asia
Seetha Lakshmi Dinesh Iyer
Africa Embraces the Belt and Road
Sourina Bej
It’s Europe vs EU on China
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
Sudan: Between Democracy and another military rule
Seetha Lakshmi Dinesh Iyer
Responses and Inspiring Lessons
Aparupa Bhattacherjee
Thailand: Between Elections and Instability
Sourina Bej
Two Sessions in 2019: Four Takeaways
Lakshmi V Menon
The End of ISIS Caliphate?
Harini Madhusudan
For China, its a sigh of relief
Aparupa Bhattacherjee
For Vietnam, its a big deal
Seetha Lakshmi Dinesh Iyer
For Japan, No Deal is Good Deal
Sourina Bej
For South Korea, a costly disappointment
Harini Madhusudan
No deal is better, but isn't it bad?
Aparupa Bhattacherjee
The Other Conflict in Rakhine State
Seetha Lakshmi Dinesh Iyer
Yemen: Will Sa'nna fall?
Harini Madhusudan
Sinicizing the Minorities
GP Team
US, South Korea and Thailand
Lakshmi V Menon
The Qatar Blockade: Eighteen Months Later
GP Team
Yemen, Venezuela and US-China
Sourina Bej
Maghreb: What makes al Shahab Resilient?
Harini Madhusudan
US-China Trade War: No Clear Winners
Abhishrut Singh
Trump’s Shutdown: Five Things to Know
Aparupa Bhattacherjee
Myanmar: Will 2019 be better for the Rohingya?
D. Suba Chandran
Bangladesh: The Burden of Electoral History
Seetha Lakshmi Dinesh Iyer
US and China: Between Confrontation and Competition
Mahesh Bhatta | Centre for South Asian Studies, Kathmandu
Nepal
Nasima Khatoon | Research Associate, ISSSP, NIAS
The Maldives
Harini Madhusudan | Research Associate, ISSSP, NIAS
India
Sourina Bej | Research Associate, ISSSP, NIAS
Bangladesh
Seetha Lakshmi Dinesh Iyer | Research Associate, ISSSP, NIAS
Afghanistan
Harini Madhusudan
China and Japan: Renewing relations at the right time
Sourina Bej
The INF Treaty: US withdraws to balance China?
Harini Madhusudan
The Khashoggi Killing: Unanswered Questions
Lakshmi V Menon
US and Israel: Trump's Deal of the Century
Nasima Khatoon
The New Maldives: Advantage India?
Harini Madhusudhan
To NAFTA or Not: Trump, Mexico and Canada
Aparupa Bhattacherjee
Malaysia’s China Moment: The Mahathir Gamble
Sourina Bej
BIMSTEC: A Bay of Good Hope?
Young Scholars Debate
India, Imran Khan and Indo-Pak Relations
Siddhatti Mehta
Does Brexit mean Brexit?
Oishee Majumdar
Factsheet: China’s Investments in Africa
Aparupa Bhattacherjee
The 8888 Uprising: Thirty Years Later
Harini Madhusudhan
The Tariff War: 'Stick of Hegemony' vs Vital Interests
Druta Bhatt
FactSheet: Shangri La Dialogue 2018
Rahul Arockiaraj
Immigrants as the “Other”: The Social and Economic Factors in the US
Divyabharathi E
Is Trump-Putin Summit a setback for the US?
Apoorva Sudhakar
India and Bangladesh: The Long Haul
Divyabharathi E
Quad as an alternative to the BRI: Three Main Challenges
Oishee Majumdar
FactSheet: India-Bangladesh Relations
D. Suba Chandran
Trump meets Putin; will it cost NATO?
Sourina Bej
Trump and the NATO: One Block, Different Views
Gayan Gowramma KC
Now, the United States withdraws from the UNHRC
Siddhatti Mehta
Will China be able to sustain its Dominance?
Aparupa Bhattacherjee
Myanmar: Why won't they do anything for the Rohingya?
Harini Madhusudan
The Idea of an US Space Force: Strategic Calculations
Apoorva Sudhakar
Afghan Peace: Reality or Illusion?
Hely Desai
Looking beyond Trump: Is the US declining?
Manushi Kapadia
Is China using its soft power to become superpower?
Lakshmi. V. Menon
Middle East: Has Russia chosen Israel over Iran?
Miti Shah
G7: Why Trump wants Russia in?
Hely Desai
FactSheet: G7 Summit
Siddhatti Mehta
The Panmunjom Declaration: “Tip of the Iceberg”
Druta Bhatt
Iran N-Deal and the Trans-Atlantic Divide
Manushi Kapadia
US and China: Towards a Trade War
Miti Shah
Palestine: US triggers new tensions
Divyabharathi E
The "Indo-Pacific Command": What's in the name?
Harini Madhusudan
Trump’s Tariff Strategy: Targetting Adversaries and Allies
Hely Desai
Trump-Kim Summit: Three Likely Outcomes
Apoorva Sudhakar
The Lebanon Pawn: Will it change after elections?
Lakshmi V Menon
Israel, the Game Changer?
Samreen Wani
Deciphering Turkey's External Push
Divyabharathi E
China and Russia: The New Alignments
Ann Maria Shibu
Can India afford to lose Maldives to China?
Dhruv Ashok
Why Maldives is important to China?
Lakshmi V Menon
ISIS and the Yazidi victims: Why the World should stand up?
Harini Madhusudan
US- China Tariff Face-off : Five questions
Jamyang Dolma
Why is Free Tibet important for India
Divyabharathi E
Arctic: The Strategic Significance
Lakshmi V Menon
Do we need the Quad?
Samreen Wani
Why Trump’s Iran exit is a big mistake?
Jamyang Dolma
Inter Korean Summit: Will it work?
Dhruv Ashok
The Fishermen Issue between India and Sri Lanka
Apoorva Sudhakar
Bangladesh's Economy: Decoding a Success Story
Ann Maria Shibu
Why India should not pull out of the Indus water treaty?
Divyabharathi E