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The first part of this effort documented the various acts of omission and commission by the non-proliferation ayatollahs that led to the 1998 nuclear weapons testing of India, followed by Pakistan. However, the stark reality of the consequences of the dubious policies adopted by the NPAs towards Pakistani and Chinese proliferation came to light recently in the exposé of the Pakistan¿s ¿nuclear father¿ Dr.A.Q.Khan and his nuclear smuggling rin

This brief examines India’s relations with Pakistan and China using the lens of Kautilya, the ancient Indian strategic thinker—and argues for pragmatism: assessing the basis and severity of the threats, searching for possible strategic opportunities amidst the risks, and overall, avoiding the scenario of a two-front war. It begins by acknowledging that Pakistan and China view India through different prisms: for Pakistan, that of ideology; and

Iraq is back in the headlines, loaded with euphoria. The electoral exercise has been undertaken; the results have yet to be announced. The running commentary on CNN on January 30 tended to suggest a near perfect exercise. No mention of course was made of the invasion, the occupation, the Iraqi dead, the reduction of Iraq to a stone-age condition, the falsehood of the pretext for war and the failure to find traces of weapons of mass destruction

Iran’s oil sales are at a five-year high as the US looks the other way despite sanctions. Iran is smartly undercutting Russia in selling cheaper oil and upset Saudi Arabia’s plan to profiteer from production cuts. The new world order being shaped amid the US-China battle for global supremacy equally belongs to countries charting independent paths

In the 1990s, Taliban fighters aggravated the situation in Kashmir. Will they do it again? It depends on the extent of ISI control

In the past six weeks, attacks on merchant ships have become increasingly common, and regional navies are struggling to keep up

Like the proverbial phoenix of Greek mythology that rose from its ashes, the Taliban is resurrecting in Afghanistan. The good news is that the ¿rising Taliban¿, on the one hand, is supposed to be moderate, and on the other hand, seems to have severed its links with Al Qaeda. The bad news is that it is still the Taliban.

Feminist movements have historically lacked inclusivity, often growing within a limited Western upper-class psyche, based on their own challenges and needs. The digital revolution has paved the way for a new iteration of feminism. The digital space can bolster feminist activist movements by encouraging inclusion and improving accessibility in organising collective action. It also helps weave local stories with global narratives to highlight commo

The Modi-led government is placing a strong accent on the use of soft power in India’s foreign policy. One of the more novel manifestations of these initiatives has been engagement in Buddhist diplomacy. The Buddhist faith, due to its emphasis on peaceful co-existence and its wide pan-Asian presence, lends itself well to soft-power diplomacy. This brief will examine India’s attempts at leveraging its historical and present-day associations wi

New possibilities on regional cooperation are emerging, which India should not hesitate to explore

As India places the Mekong sub-region among its priorities under the country’s ‘Act East’ policy, the ongoing India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway project––currently the only land connectivity project between India and the Mekong countries and the wider Southeast Asian region––could prove to be a game changer. It is imperative to explore ways to ensure early completion of this strategic communication link. This paper focuses on

The mass exodus of the Rohingyas from Myanmar to Bangladesh in 2017 has caused ramifications in the two countries’ bilateral relations. The underlying currents between the two nations have become more apparent following two failed repatriation efforts since the exodus. The public display of dissatisfaction and blame-game have only fuelled the tensions. This brief examines how far the Rohingya issue has affected the connectivity, trade and secur

China is often viewed through the lenses of commerce, geopolitics, and political economy. At the fringes of these lies Chinese agriculture—and its domestic and global impact. This brief analyses the evolution of Chinese agriculture, from the revolutionary Maoist period to the present. It describes the Chinese government’s strategy to ensure food self-sufficiency for an increasingly voracious consumer base. In particular, it examines the produ

This brief discusses the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital technologies in meeting Africa’s development goals and argues that, for tech to make a real contribution to human development in the continent, the process of technology development should enable African agency. The brief explores how AI and digital technologies can provide pathways to empower African communities, emphasising context-driven innovation and collaborative ap

The BRICS+ bloc, accounting for over 40 percent of the world’s population and a substantial share of its forest area, can play a critical role in shaping responses to climate-related health threats. The grouping’s leadership in harmonising policies across the domains of climate action and healthcare can have profound implications for global strategies to manage pandemics and protect planetary health. This brief makes a case for BRICS to champ

Climate change is a global commons problem requiring concerted actions by all. While recognising this, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change has also acknowledged the principle of ‘common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities,’ which assigns greater responsibilities to developed countries in mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and reducing their carbon footprint. There have also been deliber

India and Taiwan have historically maintained ‘unofficial’ ties. There have been notable shifts in recent years, as seen in the creation of representative offices in both that serve de facto as embassies. Today the two are aiming to foster more robust economic ties. The COVID-19 pandemic, China’s assertive behaviour, and the growing significance of Taiwan in regional geopolitics, have prompted India to pay greater attention to the island na

Digital realities have become analogous to lived experiences, easing governance and systematising processes. They have also helped in the reimagination of approaches to heritage conservation, making diverse cultures more accessible and easier to engage with. Heritage, once regarded as a “national” public good, has evolved into a commodity with immense tourism and economic potential. India, in its quest to exploit this potential, has implement

This brief analyses the correlation between gender-based inequities and malnutrition. It highlights the case of South Asia, and uses as a backdrop the compounded challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors review existing literature on the subject and cull patterns, with the aim of outlining recommendations for countries in the region for bridging interrelated gaps in gender parity and nutrition.

India and Russia are showing an appetite for continued economic engagement. Bilateral trade increased exponentially from US$12.34 billion in 2022 to US$65 billion in 2023; the target is US$100 billion by 2030. To achieve such a level of economic cooperation, the private sector in both countries will need to increase their participation. This brief assesses the presence of India’s private sector in Russia and evaluates the potential for enhanced

India’s relations with West Asia is among the country’s successes in foreign policy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. One country conspicuous in its sub-par engagement with India, however, is Iran. This brief makes a case for a reset in Iran-India relations under Iran’s newly elected president and PM Modi’s third term. It examines the options and opportunities available to the two countries, and explores the recent changes in the region

Energy storage is key to both effective integration of renewable energy systems with the electricity grid, and accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs). This brief discusses the technological trends in lithium-ion (Li-Ion) batteries, and assesses the energy storage needs of the Indian power and transportation sectors. It looks at the geographic distribution of lithium and cobalt in onshore and offshore locations across

Maternal nutrition impacts not only the woman’s health during pregnancy but also that of her newborn; the child’s health in their first 1,000 days of life, in turn, will influence outcomes during childhood. Indeed, maternal undernutrition is estimated to account for 20 percent of childhood stunting in India. It is therefore important to ensure that women enter pregnancy in good health, as measured for example in adequate height and we

Climate change is one of the most significant challenges defining the 21st century, and ways to deal with it occupy an important space in current policymaking discourse. Central banks in different parts of the world have recently started playing a part in articulating strategies to combat climate change. This brief explores the position of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in this regard. It outlines the physical and transition risks associated wit

The COVID-19 pandemic has had widespread global economic impacts, and countries are gearing up for recovery. The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be crucial. Given that the SDGs incorporate the four pillars of capital — human, social, natural and physical — these targets will be useful in the post-pandemic economic recovery process. This brief utilises econometric analysis to illustrate how the implementation of the SDGs is a stat

The role of the state is paramount in incentivising and facilitating a continental-scale indigenous technology and intellectual property development ecosystem in India. The world's two largest economies, US and China, have amply demonstrated the payoffs of this approach through tangible socio-economic development. This paper documents successful strategies from both economies that India can emulate in its own context. It argues that multi

Gender inequality is a major cause and effect of hunger and poverty, with women and girls comprising 60 percent of the global hungry. Women face multiple challenges (such as limited access to education and employment opportunities) that curtail their economic autonomy and weaken their bargaining position within the family, consequently impacting household food security. The pandemic has worsened this situation. It is crucial to apply a ge

Women are vital to food security, especially in developing countries where food is more scarce to begin with. Women’s productive and reproductive roles put them at the centre of food security more than any other group. This is true in Africa where, both as farmers and as home managers, women determine the feeding habits, dietary patterns, and nutritional and food security status of their household. This brief argues that promoting femal

In the modern era, sanctions measures have evolved into a major policy instrument, and their usage has increased rapidly since the end of the Cold War. Sanctions have been used by the US and the European Union extensively since 2014 in the context of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, with a new set of sharp and comprehensive sanctions implemented following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. This paper examines the political and economic

The United Nations (UN) has recently been plagued by several crises—the COVID-19 pandemic, the Taliban’s return in Afghanistan, and the Ukraine war—that have tested its ability to deliver on humanity’s projects of peace and security, sustainable development, human rights, and humanitarian response. Indeed, its actions and inactions in the Ukraine war have triggered an existential dilemma. India must use this moment of creative destruction

The crux of this visit should be seen from the view of what kind of tectonic changes MBS succeeds in bringing to Saudi Arabia.

While the draft Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill 2011 makes a genuine push for a better land acquisition regime in the country, the proposed legislation fails on many fronts to address some of the vexed issues related to land acquisition. This Paper looks at the key challenges to this legislation.

Like in some other regions of the world, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated external debt accumulation in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This could have massive, adverse impacts on growth as governments prioritise debt servicing commitments over key development expenditures such as healthcare and education. For the countries in SSA with relatively lower GDP, this could mean getting caught in a vicious cycle of low output and mounting debt. A pa

Rekindling a romance is never easy. However, if the expansive agenda unveiled by Modi and Obama is matched by bureaucratic purposefulness in Delhi and Washington, India and America have a second chance at building a strategic partnership of considerable consequence.

India ranks 114 out of 142 countries in the Global Gender Gap index this year. Except Pakistan, most of the South Asian countries rank higher than India. What the index shows is a reflection of reality that no matter how rapidly India grows, women's status in society needs faster improvement.

Equipping women with employable skills is a far greater challenge than skilling men, as most women in India work low-skill and low-paying jobs in the informal economy. It is a gap that needs to be addressed urgently, as skilling can expand work opportunities for women and increase their participation in the workforce. This brief analyses the participation of women in skills training programmes, underlining the biases that lead to women being trai

The Indian government launched the Smart Cities Mission (SCM) in 2015 to drive economic growth and improve people’s quality of life in 100 cities across the country. Over the past four years, various smart projects have been implemented in the selected cities. This report documents the status, progress and experience of implementing the SCM in Delhi. It presents the findings of an empirical investigation of five of the projects undertaken in th

The state of Manipur has been steeped in violent conflicts between ethnic groups for decades. The latest, ongoing strife between the Kukis and the Meiteis that erupted in early May has exposed the failure of state forces to contain the violence, even as it reflects the deep-rooted hostility between the two ethnic groups. This brief attempts to engage with the multifaceted, historical ethnic conflict between the Kukis and the Meiteis of Manipur. I

The world is undergoing a process that some have called “covidisation”, or the unravelling of the manifold, far-reaching medical, economic, and social impacts of a global health emergency.[1] There is no dearth of analyses of the many health and economic dimensions of this first massive global civil emergency of the 21st century.[2] This brief examines the social aspect of the pandemic through two perspectives:  one is that of a repr

The verdict delivered in July by an international tribunal on the South China Sea case in The Hague is a stunning defeat for China. The Tribunal has upended the maritime claims of a number of nations in the South China Sea, but China is most affected, as its claims were also most extensive. As China had already rejected the verdict even before it was pronounced, the world sits at a juncture of two possible paths — China could become more assert

Corruption is a subject of intense debate, discussion and guesswork in India. Even as estimates have been made about the extent of corruption in India, the real magnitude might be far bigger than all the reports have suggested so far. This brief discusses the current state of corruption in India and recommends measures and policy reforms. Data used in the brief are from both primary sources such as the income-tax department, as well as media repo

Pulses are the cheapest source of protein for Indians – and thus a favoured food item nationwide. The Indian pulses sector, however, faces numerous challenges. Scrutiny of the sector increased sharply after price fluctuations in 2015-16 and the increase in import of pulses. Government interventions, as part of the anticipated supply response to the shortfall in availability of pulses, did not entirely mitigate the problem. The sector stands at

India’s large defence industrial base has historically been dominated by public sector entities, although they have failed in meeting the growing requirements of the armed forces. The public sector suffers from inefficiency in productivity, innovation and international sales, rendering New Delhi highly dependent on arms imports. The government is taking steps to reform the public sector, even as it accords greater importance to the private sect

The energy transition is entering a critical “middle phase” where global priorities around climate action, economic growth, energy security, and equity intersect. The political landscape must navigate a careful balance between climate imperatives, broader sustainability and development goals, energy security, affordability, reliability, and industrial competitiveness. This complexity is shaping policy debates, technology investments, politica

Women’s representation in local governance is a crucial indicator of gender inclusivity. Since 1993, the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act has reserved one-third of seats in Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) to women. Multiple states have since granted 50 percent reservation of seats for women in urban and rural local self-government bodies. Today, women have become a crucial political constituency, both as voters and as electoral candidates. This pape

Tunisia, Eygpt, Syria?events may seem to be following a pattern but the changing dynamics in West Asia point to far more complex political and strategic games being played: The US role, Saudi phobia, Israeli and Iranian intrigues. Oil. And, to top it all, the Shia-Sunni face-off. Is Turkey being lured in as a possible Joker in the pack? Welcome to another Great Game.

The real story for strong India-Australia relations lies beyond uranium. With one of the world's strongest mining sectors, Australia can help India exploit its own natural resources in an environmentally sustainable way and thereby address one of the major current constraints on India's economic growth.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reference to Balochistan, POK and Gilgit in his Independence Day speech has caused a considerable flutter in Pakistan and India.

Grouped under key issues, the just released publication titled 'The Strategic Rationale for Deeper U.S- Indian Economic Ties' by Dr Ashley Tellis and Dr C. Raja Mohan examines the strategic rationale for expanding U.S-Indian economic integration.