942 results found
Vaccine equity in Massachusetts has been called the “best of the worst”; although doing better than other states in terms of equitable distributio
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 existing rape adjudication and legal system needs an overhaul to ensure that proper medical care is provided to rape victims
Constitutional provisions for the right to health cannot be realised without integrating frameworks for the health of people and the planet.
An efficient and low-cost transport system is a prerequisite for African countries to become competitive in the global market.
While there exists a weak and broken ecosystem of affordable rental housing, there is no ecosystem for seasonal urban migrants.
The key is to achieve peace within the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan — a system that is defined by its core values related to human rights, women’s rights, democracy, rule of law and political inclusion.
What India can learn from its recent successes in extradition, is to see the best practices it adopted, and implement it in its pending extradition requests.
The Observer Research Foundation’s first Tech Huddle was held on 23 November 2023 and focused on the governance of artificial intelligence (AI) in India, highlighting the rapid growth and adoption of AI as well as the complexities associated with developing regulatory frameworks for it. AI governance is in its infancy, both globally and in India, and grapples with issues such as the explainability of AI systems as well as the embedded biases, s
Given the rapid pace of change in AI systems, the development of AI standards and certification programmes has become more urgent
Beijing understands the vagaries of global trading system and the need to hedge.
Making the NSA the chairman of the Strategic Policy Group of the National Security Council could be part of an effort to paper over the real problems relating to the dysfunctional defence system.
US lawmakers have sought to make several commendable moves but their plan still comes up short
Cyclones are a regular occurrence in the region and contrary to the commonly held perception, the mangrove ecosystem is quite resilient to momentary d
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 countries like India, the multilateral trading system embodied by the WTO provides security and predictability.
Despite their growing usage in armed conflict, artificially intelligent unmanned combat systems raise questions of law, ethics and accountability
Questions around legal personhood for AI systems loom large given the potentially adverse consequences and the need to determine liabilities and remed
India’s urban challenges are too deep and systemic to be fixed through a few tactical stabs. A long-term strategic view of urban transformation is n
The report examines India's urbanization, highlighting rapid population growth, metro rail expansion, sustainable transport policies, and financing challenges, while assessing efforts in localization and revenue enhancement for metro systems.
The European Union’s (EU) and India’s paths towards becoming “cyber powers” could hardly be more different. The EU has a long tradition of protecting personal privacy rights and patents, while urging to enhance multilateral norms on cyberspace. India’s thinking on cybersecurity has continuously been boosted by the cyber threats emerging from China and Pakistan. It has further been shaped by India’s domestic Information Technology indu
Although the global efforts towards nuclear non-proliferation have been strengthened by treaties like the NPT, it is important to assess and evaluate
This is a real opportunity for establishing a taut and symbiotic relationship between the three services and space unicorns, fostering an ecosystem th
We don’t need bans but an industrial ecosystem within which a defence sub-system can flourish
To ensure that AI’s benefits are realised and risks are addressed, algorithmic auditing can help analyse how these systems operate, and in the proce
Over the last three decades, Australia and China have established mutually beneficial economic ties. However, Australia’s decision to ask for an independent enquiry into the origins of SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, has led to a backlash from China. This brief examines the more important developments since 2015 that persuaded Australia to take measures aimed at protecting both its open economy and its democratic polity against China’s sys
With India's annual inflation rate rising to a near four-year high on a point-to-point basis on the back of rising food prices, the search for policies to combat the price rise poses unusual challenges. The nature and causes of the current spiraling inflation in India has become a subject of intense debate, primarily because of the ostensible role of `imported inflation' in driving the domestic prices north. Issues like poor performance of the Pu
India need to do more to speed up its own financial sector reforms and make it stronger because the percentage of NPAs has reached a dangerous level of 4.45 per cent and could reach 6 per cent soon. Unless the banking system is strong, India cannot be on a higher trajectory of growth.
To create a world-class clean energy ecosystem in India that is safe, all stakeholders must work collectively to develop all critical components and a
West Asia’s geostrategic shift can be witnessed as the Middle Eastern countries increasingly develop closer ties with China
What is at stake is whose interpretation of a rules-based system will assume primacy.
Informed and aware passengers and staff members remain two of the most effective counter-terrorism measures to safeguard vulnerable mass transit systems like Delhi Metro.
By writing to Chief Ministers on administrative systems, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has revived a process that probably died with Jawaharlal Nehru. As Prime Minister, Vajpayee had his year-end Musings, which like Nehru¿s letters covered a wide range of subjects, including foreign policy and security issues.
This paper is an outline of existing energy systems - the demand and supply factors and trends seen within the framework of demographic pressures, environmental concerns and eventual possibility of fossil fuels running out.
There is immense potential for tech startups, social entrepreneurs and civil society organisations to become partners in India’s development coopera
The legacy cross-border payment infrastructure is replete with issues of high costs, limited access, low speed, and opaque structures, which have limited the potential of cross-border payments to enhance international trade and foster economic growth in emerging economies. The increased demand for transparent, accessible, faster and cheaper solutions in the financial sector has pushed the private and public sectors to accelerate investments in in
Even as Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS) promise to revolutionise the battlefield, very little analysis moves beyond the great powers to examine the interests that middle powers may have in these systems. Shaped by their own geostrategic contexts, demographic issues and geography challenges, countries like India, South Korea, Indonesia or the Philippines may find utility in LAWS for improving the efficiency of their forces, reducing both
Bhutan's reported decision to establish diplomatic relations with China marks an end to the system of buffer states that the British Raj had created in the 19th century to secure the subcontinent against encroachments from external powers.
US Congress passes 4 crucial bills; govt keenly aware of geopolitics in Indo-Pacific.
The PSIDS require a holistic approach to development as business-as-usual is proving to be detrimental to the ocean ecosystem and the people whose liv
Multiple social issues, such as rising crimes, poverty and lack of education have made it difficult to contain the spread of the pandemic and spread a
The BRICS bank, now tentatively called the New Development Bank, is indeed a new and long overdue development. It is the first step towards reforming the world financial system. It has to be read against the decision of the BRICS nations to do trade more with each other on the basis of currency swaps.
Whilst Russia and China are leading de-dollarisation initiatives due to their geopolitical rivalry with the US, India, Brazil, and South Africa have s
The digital divide is a manifestation of exclusion, poverty and inequality and continues to be exacerbated due to the effects of unemployment, poorly functioning digital skilling programmes and socio-cultural norms in some economies, depriving women equal access to digital services. Digital skills provide the poor a catalyst to break out of the cycle of poverty and empower themselves. A three-pronged digital skills strategy is required for develo
Due to unprecedented global crises, progress in bridging the gender divide has stagnated
An era of Taliban rule, followed by the 18-year-long war between the United States and the Taliban, has left Afghanistan in massive disorder: the country’s infrastructure is dilapidated, the quality of life is poor, and basic amenities such as healthcare are absent. While the post-Taliban Government of Afghanistan has tried to rebuild the healthcare system, it remains largely dependent on foreign aid. Over the years, India has tried to help reb
The Delhi government is facing numerous challenges in managing water demand and supply in the capital, primary of which are water shortages and declining groundwater levels. One of the strategies that are being employed to address these issues is the promotion of rainwater harvesting (RWH). This report provides an account of the growth and development of Delhi’s RWH sector. The analysis shows that while the programme has met with some success,
