3059 results found
The Digital India Mission was launched in 2015 by the Government of India with the aim of transform the country into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. Over the past decade, it has played a pivotal role in driving India’s digital transformation. As the mission marks its 10th anniversary, this report makes an assessment of its impact so far and explores its further potential. It evaluates the budgetary trends and examines outco
The Visegrad Four (V4) countries—Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary—are examples of communist states that have transitioned to liberal and democratic governance systems. In recent years, their visibility in the European Union (EU) has surged due to their contrarian positions on certain critical issues facing the Union, such as mass migration and, since 2022, the conflict in Ukraine. This paper analyses the impact of these trend
The world is currently witnessing an increase in the prevalence of undernourishment as well as a rise in the incidence of overweight, obesity, and non-communicable diseases. Addressing issues of food security and nutrition would not be possible without adopting a food systems perspective—from farm to fork. Indeed, in 2021, countries developed national pathways to transforming food systems to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Developme
It’s too soon to say whether the Indo-Pacific will remain a lasting picture of 21st-century geopolitics.
Recent steps forward on the trade front have also cleared the way for greater ambition in the partnership
This brief seeks to apply ancient Indian strategic thought to the country’s approach towards its immediate neighbourhood. Employing a Kautilyan perspective on India’s allies within the broader framework of foreign policy end goals, it proposes a non-zero-sum view towards four of its neighbours: Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal. The brief classifies these neighbours based on the attitudes they exhibit and presents a nuanced approach tow
Finally, Mr Biden made waves when he appeared to confirm American military involvement in the event of a Chinese attack on Taiwan
A more concerted and intensive engagement will serve both India and Indonesia well
JD Vance’s visit speeds up the recalibration of India-US ties
The rapid pace of digitalisation poses new national security risks for countries like India, a country with over 700 million internet users. The multilayered digital ecosystem comprising of infrastructure, devices and applications is complex, and security threats evolve at a breakneck pace. This makes it difficult for states to develop an effective response to individual or organisational security threats. India therefore has often had to resort
The US won’t play its post-World War II role. What happens next will depend on others’ responses
India's defence export policy did help in accelerating and convincing Manila about the merits of purchasing the BrahMos
The Indian Navy has a bevvy of planned engagements this spring,. including with the UAE and France.
India is ready to take on a larger global role by being more nimble than ever in playing the great power game.
India is still a net importer, but its momentum is in the right direction.
This report examines India’s dependence on undersea fibre optic cables for its financial well-being. It explains the complexities involved in the laying and maintenance of these cables, lists the vulnerabilities of the existing network, and makes a series of recommendations to progressively address them. These include a phased increase in the capacity of space-based internet services. The report suggests that the opportunity provided by the rec
US commitment to Asia-Pacific security is evident in the ‘Aukus pact’ that will see it share nuclear technology with Australia
Despite one-fourth of people living away from where they were born, no arrangements exist for domestic work migrants to vote from where they work. But enthusiasm abounds for facilitating NRIs to do so.
The two countries’ geopolitical compulsions, especially regarding containing china in the indo-pacific, have translated into closer trade ties
Manoj Joshi, “A Survey of India-US Defence Cooperation,” ORF Special Report No. 224, March 2024, Observer Research Foundation.
Bangladesh’s sensational growth story masks some concerning structural weaknesses that are now coming into play.
The Ukraine war will shape global politics for years to come
Their collaboration highlights the power of strategic alliances and technological synergy
Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems are showing promise in addressing the complex and interrelated challenges facing the world. During the pandemic, for example, AI voice enablement helped in broadcasting advisories in the vernacular and acted as a fact-checking tool. Yet, most AI systems are designed and developed in countries of the Global North. Policymakers in developing economies remain wary of AI systems, especially for use in soci
The former PM’s vision was focused on reaffirming Japan’s place in the world. He revitalised the economy, fought hard to reverse the nation’s pacifist stance and gave the world the construct of the Indo-Pacific
The geographical and socioeconomic characteristics of small island developing states (SIDS) expose them to unique challenges. Climate change, in particular, poses a severe threat to SIDS, with rising sea levels, ocean acidification, and changing precipitation patterns negatively affecting their ecosystems, economies, and communities. This brief assesses the challenges faced by SIDS in accessing traditional climate financing and analyses the effec
The Indian Air Force (IAF) plays a critical role in securing India amidst a world in flux. For this massive task, India must possess indigenously produced fighter aircraft engines to power its fighter aircraft variants over the next 50 years without falling into undue dependency on foreign suppliers. As the timely delivery of fighter aircraft to the IAF is linked to the security of supply chains, this brief underlines the need for both the develo
Delhi must not forget that the tyranny of geography limits India's role in Afghanistan. Delhi is in no position to compete with Rawalpindi in Afghanistan. Nor can it dream of replacing US military power across the Durand Line. For now, Delhi must welcome the current dialogue between Kabul and Rawalpindi.
The United States has, in its history, vacillated between global dominance and isolation. A phase of inwardness may be in the cards.
India will have to learn the fine art of staring down the dragon to preserve its political space, while embracing China for some important economic opportunities. At Doklam, it did the former; will a different India turn up at BRICS?
ndia was facing a massive balance of payment crisis when the Observer Research Foundation released a document, ‘Agenda for Economic Reform’, on 1 July 1991. The Agenda outlined the reasons for the crisis and recommended a broad strategy to enable the country to overcome it. As India marks 30 years since the start of widespread reforms that opened up the economy, ORF revisits the recommendations outlined in the document.
The visit demonstrated the diversified and comprehensive nature of the India-Australia partnership.
The great power contestation of the past one year has been characterised by the economic woes of many countries of the Global South, a global leadership vacuum and the resurrection of hard power aided by technological shifts in warfare
Trump has flattered Asim Munir into tactical utility as the US joins Israel’s war on Iran but that doesn’t alter India’s calculus
As the Biden administration grapples with the intricate interplay of domestic pressures and international obligations, particularly in the midst of an election year, there is a palpable sense of urgency to confront a myriad of challenges.
We will see the rise of a New World Order driven by national interest, reliability of partners, and of course, economic factors. India has to use a “Gated Globalisation” framework to negotiate this change.
India’s endeavour to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a well-defined and time-bound manner is critical for national and global development. This paper examines India’s data availability to assess the SDGs related to health and nutrition. While India is still facing severe challenges of generating disaggregated information on mortality and cause-specific deaths, the desired data on nutrition and healthcare utilisation are la
The Modi government should recognise the advantages of a defence diplomacy that mobilises external partnerships to accelerate India's defence modernisation, shapes its regional strategic environment and helps Delhi emerge as an indispensable element of a new balance of power system in the Indo-Pacific.
For New Delhi, a nautical pact with France sends a strong message to India’s geopolitical antagonists in maritime Asia
This shift in Germany’s strategic posture aligns well with India’s willingness to play a larger global role.
With the Sino-American divide deepening, India is in a prime position to climb up the global hierarchy
India should work more closely with the members of the US Congress in order to strengthen the strategic relationship between the two largest democracies in the world.
India’s aspirations to become the third largest economy in the world by 2027, and a developed country by 2047, need to be backed by a liquid, deep, and well-functioning debt market—something that the country does not have. Banks in India typically lack the ability to sponsor long-term projects because their liabilities are of a relatively shorter tenure. An efficient Indian corporate bond market with lower costs and faster issuances could pro
