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The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) was formed to foster socio-economic cooperation between its seven member nations – India, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. The group signed a free trade agreement (FTA) in 2004, but the pact is still not operational due to the lack of consensus on certain key issues. Some members like India are keen to finalise the terms of t

SEBI’s recent retraction of the requirement of separating the roles of Chairperson and MD raises some key questions about India’s corporate govern

Bangladesh was one of the few countries in the world to sustain a positive economic growth rate during the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, however, it is experiencing symptoms that could stall such impressive record: rising divergences in the government’s fiscal balance; the precarious Balance of Payments situation; rapidly declining foreign exchange reserves; demand-supply gaps in the energy markets; and inflationary tendencies. The exogenous shocks

A private sector-oriented Global Green Bank is required to overcome the market gaps that prevent Global North capital from flowing to the best decarbonisation investment opportunities among Global South enterprises. The Global Green Bank should operate as a world-class investment firm, capable of developing innovative financial solutions and investing through externally raised investment fund-of-funds and its own proprietary book. Such a Global G

To achieve global carbon neutrality, developed nations needs to look beyond domestic green deals and provide Global South with the capital to go green

The Global South needs to drive the just transition discourse further to make it more inclusive and move from words to deeds.

Despite the rapid rise in the video gaming industry in India, in-depth research and policy interventions in this sector is negligible.

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

A new social contract between citizens, consumers, employees, the state, and enterprise is needed to delineate a new understanding around rights, responsibilities and entitlements. Digital  transformations  are  rapidly  altering  the  nature  of  work,  models  of employment,    contracts,    regulations    and    protections.    Increasingly,    the responsibilities  of the state are becoming the obligations  of,�

As political ideologies fail to provide purpose and meaning to individuals, they are increasingly finding refuge in identity and religion. The thin li

Given the rapidly growing population, resource constraints and climate change concerns, accompanied by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic — it is

While the Interim Budget is a temporary plan, the government’s priority and the country’s imperatives remain inclined towards inclusive developmen

The legacy of Trumpism must be undone if US democracy has to successfully graduate from its stress test.

The paradigm that conservation is the anti-thesis to development needs to change; conservation is central to development in the Global South

Through a combination of digital transformation, financing, sustainable agriculture, healthcare strengthening, and education, the G20 nations show str

Amidst geopolitical shifts and multipolarity, New Delhi’s ties with Berlin could be vital in shaping a new global order

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

Mirroring global trends, the Indian market for AI in healthcare is growing rapidly, but many pitfalls must be negotiated and opportunities tapped befo

Given the rapid pace of change in AI systems, the development of AI standards and certification programmes has become more urgent

Delhi, a Union Territory that is home to India’s capital, New Delhi, is among the world’s urban agglomerations with the most toxic air. The magnitude of air pollution is massive. It causes devastating impacts on people’s health, the city’s environment, and economic well-being. Despite overwhelming evidence of the severity of air pollution and its consequences, however, India’s policy measures remain weak. This paper identifies the most

The global effort to meet the targets set by the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the Sustainable Development Goals will depend crucially on reforming the structure of development finance. Mobilising private capital will be an essential part of this effort, and existing development finance institutions, led by the complex of multilateral development banks (MDBs), will have to re-orient their strategies and functioning to prioritise this mobi

The Interim Budget indicates that the economic thinking is in the right direction— India is slated to have capital-driven growth in the coming futur

Leveraging India’s demographic dividend through education, skill development, and job creation can boost economic growth

Some economists argue there is an overlap between the demands of the stock market and the emerging aspirational classes. The new FM has said, sacrifices will have to be made to correct the fiscal path. The question is who will make the sacrifices -- big capital or ordinary people?

Even those who had built their careers around the old institutional framework seems to have adjusted to the ‘new normal’ where the real stakeholde

India, which contributed a big part in shaping the outcomes of the two world wars, seems blissfully unaware of the importance of the two anniversaries. Turning a deaf ear to the nationalist passions in East Asia is not going to save India from the consequences of new Asian wars that now seem increasingly probable.

The emerging faultlines in the Indo-Pacific are clear: An illiberal China intent on shaping a unipolar Asia, pitted against a ‘concert of democracies’ who seek a multipolar and rules-based alternative.

To achieve both its development goals and energy transition goals, India needs consistently higher levels of growth in national income to enhance the

As extreme events are becoming the ‘new normal’ in an increasingly climate-constrained world, India’s critical infrastructure must be built to withstand, respond to, and recover rapidly from the disruptions they cause

Australia and India need to convert their intent into action and capitalise on the innumerable opportunities available in different sectors.

India’s multi-pronged strategy of using various instrumentalities of power — legal, diplomatic, economic and military — seems to have had some effect in shaping Pakistan’s behaviour.

This paper presents a status report of the BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) on two crucial development parameters—inequality and poverty—that have a significant bearing on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs; especially SDG-1 and SDG-10). The paper tracks the origins and movements of absolute and relative poverty, and income and wealth inequality in the BRICS economies over time, highlights the associated cha

Although biohacking offers opportunities for improved health, it raises significant ethical and safety concerns that need to be addressed via state re

At least two people were killed and 50 others injured in a series of 300 simultaneous small bomb blasts in 50 cities and towns, including Dhaka, the capital, across Bangladesh on August 17,2005.

Terrorism, like almost every other human activity that involves production and creation of goods and services, needs money. Described by experts like Raymond Baker as Gross Criminal Product, this included illegal capital flight, narcotics trade, smuggling of arms and other goods, human trafficking, counterfeiting and computer crimes.

Reviving the economy will require addressing the two major challenges — of a rising informal labour force, and slackening demand.

British polity is undergoing a churn unlike any in recent history and it will end up reshaping the nation’s political texture. Whether British politicians are ready for this change is a different matter altogether.

The twin bomb blasts during the Boston Marathon on April 16 present new counter-terrorism challenges for the US as well as other countries gearing up to face a rapidly mutating threat.

Trump’s approach to transatlantic security, the US’s allies in the Indo-Pacific, and security concerns in West Asia will be shaping his vision of

This report is part of the Observer Research Foundation’s “Financing Green Transitions” series which aims to find potential linkages between private capital, in all its forms, and climate action projects. The series will primarily examine domestic and international barriers to private capital entry for mitigation oriented climate projects, while also examining potential avenues for private capital flow entry towards adaptation and resilienc

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,

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,

While the focus on mental health is welcome, concentrating capacity to only a few institutions will affect the quantity and quality of mental healthca

The budget has prioritised capital expenditure for addressing the needs of public infrastructure along with some focussed welfare initiatives in cruci

As AI is rapidly developing, a robust government-led industry self-regulation regime should be put in place

26 November 2018 marked a decade since 10 Pakistan-based terrorists killed over 160 people in India’s financial capital of Mumbai. The city remained under siege for days, and security forces disjointedly struggled to improvise a response. The Mumbai tragedy was not the last terrorist attack India faced; there would be many others since. After every attack, the government makes lukewarm attempts to fit episodic responses into coherent frameworks

The Indo-German relationship is undergoing a transformation but areas such as lesser ease of doing business, bureaucratic hurdles and red tapism need further attention to improve economic relations, according to Mr Achim Fabig, Consul-General of the Republic of Germany, in Chennai.