Recent Updates

Regionalism: SAARC and beyond
Indian Foreign Policy | Great Power Dynamics Dec 19, 2017

Regionalism: SAARC and beyond

One of the key issues debated today in assessing India’s rise is its role in global and regional governance. This paper attempts to assess India’s changing approach towards regionalism and argues that unlike the Nehruvian approach that overlooked South Asia in region building efforts, the ...

Towards public financing of elections and political parties in India: Lessons from global experiences
Domestic Politics and Governance | National Politics Nov 24, 2017

Towards public financing of elections and political parties in India: Lessons from global experiences

Democracy costs a lot of money. To fight elections and run their routine activities, political parties in India seek donations from all possible sources including ‘illegal’ and ‘interested’ money. This has serious ramifications in preserving the integrity of Indian democracy. An increasing number of countries, ...

Exports and e-commerce in India
Indian Economy | International Trade and Investment Oct 24, 2017

Exports and e-commerce in India

This paper attempts to make a contribution in the context of the recent push in making India an e-empowered economy for promoting exports. The study stems from the premise that exports respond significantly to the costs associated with breaking into foreign markets and sustaining in ...

China in Afghanistan: Security, regional standing, and status
Defence and Security | China Foreign Policy Oct 24, 2017

China in Afghanistan: Security, regional standing, and status

With the traditional liberal order appearing agile, new questions on international security and peacemaking have come to the fore. In the current context, global players are according Afghanistan greater strategic importance. As NATO troops continue to make headway in that region into the safe havens ...

Exploring new drivers in India-Russia cooperation
International Affairs | Indian Foreign Policy Oct 24, 2017

Exploring new drivers in India-Russia cooperation

The 70th anniversary of Russia-India relations is an opportune time to make a comprehensive assessment of the current state of their cooperation, keeping in mind the long history of friendship between the two countries. In the last few years, India and Russia have been struggling to ...

‘Acting East’ through India’s subregions
Indian Foreign Policy Oct 24, 2017

‘Acting East’ through India’s subregions

India’s eastern subregions form its first geostrategic chain in the Indo-Pacific region. They have emerged as key strategic spaces for New Delhi to push forward its ‘Act East’ policy. As new opportunities open up, the evolving challenges warrant New Delhi to frame a regional strategy ...

Commercial space mining: Economic and legal implications
Economics and Finance | Space Sep 24, 2017

Commercial space mining: Economic and legal implications

The United States and Luxembourg have adopted domestic space laws granting certain legal rights to space mining companies. These moves have initiated a debate on the future of this industry, as well as the passing of relevant laws governing outer space and its resources. This ...

Re-examining and Re-positioning India’s Nutrition Programme for Accelerating Improvements in Maternal and Child Nutrition
Healthcare Aug 24, 2017

Re-examining and Re-positioning India’s Nutrition Programme for Accelerating Improvements in Maternal and Child Nutrition

India's progress in reducing the prevalent stunting rate in under-five children has been slow, and it must work hard to double the current annual rate of decline if it hopes to meet its sustainable development goals. Among others, this target requires ninety-percent coverage of women ...

Understanding ISIS: From conception to operations
International Affairs | Neighbourhood Aug 24, 2017

Understanding ISIS: From conception to operations

This paper bridges the gap in Indian public discourse on the aims of ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria or Islamic State) and where it stands today as the most formidable terrorist organisation of the 21st century. It explores ISIS from the perspective of the ...

Contributors

Soumya Bhowmick

Soumya Bhowmick

Soumya Bhowmick is a Fellow and Lead, World Economies and Sustainability at the Centre for New Economic Diplomacy (CNED) at Observer Research Foundation (ORF). He is pursuing his PhD and holds a double master’s degree in economics from Jadavpur University, ...

Read More + Sreeparna Banerjee

Sreeparna Banerjee

Sreeparna Banerjee is an Associate Fellow in the Strategic Studies Programme. Her work focuses on the geopolitical and strategic affairs concerning two Southeast Asian countries, namely Myanmar and Thailand. Her primary focus is on the Rohingya issue within the Bay of ...

Read More +