Search

सात वर्षांच्या वाटाघाटींनंतर, नवीन कराराने युरोपियन युनियनच्या आश्रय आणि स्थलांतर नियमावलीच्या आधुनिकीकरणाच्या दिशेने निर्णायक पाऊल उचलले आहे.

स्वीडनचे 2023 चे अध्यक्षपद हे एका गंभीर टप्प्यावर आले आहे कारण युरोपला अनेक आव्हानांचा सामना करावा लागत आहे.

Accompanying these country-level strategies is a range of defensive measures that the EU has put in place. These include two-way screenings of investments and anti-coercion mechanisms under the umbrella of its 'derisking' approach. At the same time, Europe is attempting to diversify its trade partners and supply chains in favour of more 'like-minded' nations in Asia, Latin America and elsewhere.

It is quite likely that whoever ascends to power in New Delhi will primarily be focused on domestic politics, and the question of an FTA with Europe will receive less attention than in the past. Additionally, unless the remaining key issues are resolved through some give and take by both sides, the BTIA negotiations may remain stalled in the foreseeable future.

The Libyan revolt was led by a group called the National Conference of the Libyan opposition, founded in London in 2005. Can overseas Libyans make a revolution? If Qaddafi survives, will not opposition to his soft Islam be the harder version of the faith?

This report of a conference, hosted by the NFG Research Group "Asian Perceptions of the European Union" at ORF and JNU on September 26-27, 2013, provides a summary of the key themes which emerged from the conference.

The return of a socialist President in France since Mitterand's victory in 1981 confirms a trend in Europe which, instead of lifting the mist, is adding to the fog. The other day, David Cameron, who has never quite found his feet, had egg all over his face.

Even if Donald Trump does not win the presidency, it is unlikely that enthusiasm for supporting Ukraine would be high in the US’s political ranks

Greece's problems were inevitable because the concept of Eurozone is based on flawed solidarity. While the monetary policy is controlled by the ECB, the fiscal policy is under the member states. They have to obey the diktat of the ECB regarding interest rates and this has made Greece uncompetitive with rising costs.

The shift from a one-world economy to a two-world system will force States to make hard choices. Europe is the testing ground

Mere constitutional creation of new political space would not become the answer to the growing demands for inclusion and participation in the countryside. For substantive democracy to become a reality, Centre and States need to show willingness to share powers (3Fs).

To improve India's role in Central Asia, its focus should recognize the diversity of relationships that are possible - economic, defence, and connectivity. Politically and historically, each of the five countries in the region is distinct.

China has often showed a lack of willingness to abide by not only established international law but also certain norms that the global community has fostered over the years. It has flouted the decision issued by an arbitration court at The Hague regarding its claims in the South China Sea; it has also appropriated intellectual property.  In the 1970s when the Western economies were taking the lead in setting global norms while balancing the thre

Presenting the Interim Budget 2024-’25 on 1 February, the finance minister announced an allocation of INR 6,21,541 crore (approx. US$75 billion) for the Ministry of Defence (MoD). Representing 1.9 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 13 percent of Central Government Expenditure (CGE), MoD’s new budget is an increase of 4.7 percent over the previous outlays. This brief examines the MoD’s latest budget and contextualises it in the curr

The current debate on Delhi’s approach towards the Rohingya crisis focuses principally on the implications. While this aspect, without doubt, deserves careful examination, there is a need for a more holistic understanding. This brief fills the gap by shifting the focus on the role that India is playing in finding a solution to the crisis. It looks beyond what the approach means for India and explores ways for Delhi to further deepen and expand

As China pursues its expansionist ambitions in the greater South China Sea, Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is working to enhance his country’s ability to exercise its sovereignty and sovereign rights. Towards this end, Manila is expanding its strategic options through robust external partnerships and national policy recalibrations to secure its lawful waters in what it calls the West Philippine Sea. There are concerns, however, abou

Goals of universal financial inclusion have acquired new wings in India, with the mobile phone now seen as a catalyst in realising such aspirations. This brief analyses India’s performance in leveraging mobile phones for financial inclusion. It throws light not only on the various factors that have propelled the use of mobile banking, but also those that have served as obstacles for such use. The brief also proposes a strategy that has been dev

Contemporary India–Australia relations can be best described as being loaded in intent but limited in action. Over the years, pledges of “common destiny” have repeatedly been made, only to remain unfulfilled. The 2018 release by the Australian government of its India Economic Strategy 2035 is an attempt to lay down a vision for capturing the opportunities offered by India’s market. Among these opportunities is mining. This brief discusses

Maharashtra imposed alcohol prohibition in the Chandrapur district in April 2015. However, in 2021, the state government annulled the liquor ban as evidence indicated that the district administration had failed to comprehensively implement it, with several social and economic consequences that compromised the wellbeing of Chandrapur. Experiments in prohibition in India and the US show that it is nearly impossible for such widespread socia

Outlining the need for a concerted effort to deal with water challenges in South Asia, experts at a roundtable suggested that there was a strong reason to create collaborative rather than competitive frameworks.

ORF, the Public Diplomacy Division of the Ministry of External Affairs of India and CERI - Sciences Po and Centre d'analyse Stratégique (CAPS) of France have begun an Experts Policy Dialogue to delve into key areas, opportunities and challenges that will shape, enrich and confront the India-France relationship in the coming years.

This report makes an appraisal of the geopolitical, geostrategic and geoeconomic dimensions of the linkages between India’s east coast and the ‘extended Bay’—Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia—with respect to port logistics, trade interactions, disaster management and strategic convergences. The aim of this study is three-fold: a) to examine the existing nature of port and commercial linkages between India and the aforesaid lit

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 retain the legacy of their long-term relationship while moving beyond the traditional spheres of cooperation to reach new heights. To expand their bilateral agenda,

This brief examines the efficacy of the inclusion of private capital in development finance, using the cases of certain countries that have met with success in utilising such a strategy. It underlines the experiences of institutions like the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and the United States International Development Finance Corporation (US-IDFC) that use innovative financial tools to support international financial institution

In today’s digital economy, the United States (US) remains a market leader in many digital technologies; meanwhile, China is fast catching up. In Europe, foreign technology companies have a strong presence, often creating dependencies that can undermine digital sovereignty. Digitisation, therefore, is high on the European Union’s (EU) political agenda. This paper analyses recent key policy responses by the EU, and finds that the union

Their established ties rest on a foundation of common values and goals

The Ambassador of France to India, H.E. Mr. Francois Richier, has underlined the importance of a comprehensive agreement on migration and mobility, which would feed into increasing bilateral education and business opportunities.

Over the last few decades, a global climate finance architecture has emerged to channel domestic and international funds towards climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts. However, mobilising climate capital at scale has been a challenge, particularly in the Global South, since the current financial system is inept at including climate change metrics in its capital allocation and disbursement processes, and applying a climate justi

China’s tech giants and venture capital funds are making increasing amounts of investment in startups abroad. Startups, being key drivers of digital innovation, are attractive investment targets; the capital can in turn help them grow and scale. These Chinese investments, however, are also the subject of increasing concern, amidst heightening global competition around digital technologies. Investments can lead to a sell-out of technology, an in

The unguarded optimism about reconciliation with the Taliban may seem misplaced, but the proponents of the concept are increasing in number. The success of a negotiated peace deal with the Taliban, however, will hinge on the sustainability of the power-sharing arrangement that emerges as a result of conciliatory talks. Whether the Afghan government, or the international community will be able to devise an effective peace-building strategy in the

Taking note of the winds of change sweeping through the resource-rich and people-rich African continent, ORF organised a day-long round-table to unravel the implications of the resurgence of Africa for the India-Africa partnership.

Among the most severe consequences of climate change is the global rise in average temperatures, and the resultant increase in the frequency and intensity of heatwaves. Cities are particularly vulnerable to heatwaves as their high built density absorbs and retains heat, leading to higher temperatures than the surrounding areas and causing the ‘heat island’ effect. India’s northwest region routinely experiences abnormally hot days during the

While New Delhi must be mindful of export restrictions, the US-India semiconductor accord marks a major shift in the US’s high-technology strategy

The United States, Japan, India, Australia – may emerge as guarantors of free trade and defense cooperation to check China

Vietnam's self-assured pursuit of a complex balance of power strategy could be a model for other medium powers in Asia who are deeply concerned about the rise of China, want Washington to balance Beijing, but are reluctant to become formal military allies of the United States.

The activities of Ghulam Nabi Fai of the Kashmiri American Council, which became public after his arrest, show how vulnerable the India-Pakistan engagement could be to Pakistan Army?s dogged pursuit of anti-India policies.

Pakistan President, General Pervez Musharraf, has never been as much under the threat of elimination through a coup or a bullet as he is today. There is no doubt that he faces extreme danger from some of the vicious terrorist and extremist groups, most of whom he had helped grow powerful in today's Pakistan.

The Iran nuclear issue is touching yet another point of criticality. The build-up was evident to the naked eye, the crescendo almost predictable. It was six weeks ago that Secretary of Iran¿s Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani, expressed Teheran's frustration that EU-3 (Britain, France and Germany) was stonewalling in the negotiations, meandering into blind alleys, lost in thoughts.

Oil is critical to India as it imports almost two thirds of its need, constituting 37% of its total imports. A $1 drop in oil prices could approximately save 40 billion rupees. The drop in oil prices currently looks like a blessing for India, but there could be some downslides too in the long run.

If the George Bush Administration in the US were wise, it would have waited for the current holy fasting period of the over one billion Muslims of the world and their Eid festivities to be over before launching its much-publicised and much-hyped offensive to pacify Falluja, the Sunni stronghold in Iraq, which is apparently perceived by the Pentagon as the nerve-centre of the anti-US resistance and jihadi terrorism in Iraq.

As of now, the two are evenly poised: Sajith Premdasa is popular with the rural voters and the minorities, while Gotabaya is depending on the undoubted charisma of his brother Mahinda and the strong support of the conservative Buddhist clergy.

The COVID-19 pandemic is posing unique challenges to policymakers across the globe, necessitating efficient action in short timeframes. During such crises, having the right data at the right time is crucial to making informed policy decisions.  Traditional economic indicators can be inadequate owing to issues of timeliness, granularity, and difficulty in collection. There is a need therefore for higher-frequency and more granular data to track e

China’s growing influence in Nepal is a strategic concern for India

India is keen to leverage its nascent civilian drone (or unmanned aerial vehicle) industry to become a global hub. Since 2021, it has built a conducive policy ecosystem to support the domestic drone industry. In what this brief collectively calls the ‘Drone Regulations 3.0’, it includes the liberalised Drone Rules 2021, a production linked incentive scheme, the unmanned aerial vehicle traffic management policy, the certification scheme for un

Indo-US relations began to warm up after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union. All of a sudden, the New World Order had arrived, yet no one really knew how to adjust to this new reality. Old enemies and old friends had gone, new enemies, threats and friends had to be found ¿ for a State, to survive, needs all three.

Opening up retail trade should not have happened at a time when inflation is high, GDP growth rate is falling, industrial growth and exports are declining. Unfortunately, it would take a long time for the multi-brand retailers to establish their own supply chains and hence inflation is unlikely to come down in the near future.

In Uttar Pradesh, the zamindari system may have been abolished more than six decades ago, but feudalism has stayed: The biggest feudal lord being the State itself which lords over cattle, women, the marginalised communities and minorities alike.

In this age of constant disruption, organisations need to view the world as an intense 90-minute football game — dynamic, constantly-changing, unpredictable.