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Waste-to-energy projects in India have historically been city-centric. As cities are well-served by LPG and CNG distribution systems, the Bio-CNG produced has to be used for either fuelling urban public transport, or moved to rural areas at considerable cost. Distributed production and distribution of compressed biogas (CBG) from municipal organic waste in rural and peri-urban areas could be a cheaper option for local consumers. Such prod

An enormous amount of capital is required for climate change mitigation and adaptation globally, but especially in emerging markets that have the dual burden of achieving development and meeting national climate goals in the coming decades. Although it is tough to estimate the precise amount of capital required to achieve these goals, it is anticipated to be in the range of trillions of dollars. However, the flow of capital into green sec

Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine follows its annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its continued direct support for separatist activities in eastern Ukraine, marking a new chapter in Moscow's geopolitical approach. China's response and its overt diplomatic, financial, and economic support for Russia was also noteworthy. This brief assesses the contours of the new geopolitical formation (the ‘DragonBear’, a term coined by this author)

In recent years, different research institutions, government bodies, and private entities across countries have issued principles and guidelines for the ethical use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). There is little consensus, however, over universal ethical principles and how to implement them. What are the similarities and differences in AI ethics discussions across geographies, and what are the existing gaps? Crucially, if the larger goa

The immediate concerted European response in the aftermath of Madrid blasts on March 11, 2004 was the creation of the post of a Counter-Terrorism Coordinator, who would directly work under the European Union (EU) High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana. In fact, the idea of effective counter-terror coordination and intelligence sharing

The immediate concerted European response in the aftermath of Madrid blasts on March 11, 2004 was the creation of the post of a Counter-Terrorism Coordinator, who would directly work under the European Union (EU) High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana. In fact, the idea of effective counter-terror coordination and intelligence sharing

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

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

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.

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

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

The metaverse is a real-time, three-dimensional world that is accessible through Virtual Reality (VR) head-mounted display. Called ‘the next Internet’, the metaverse is multi-technology and incorporates hardware infrastructure with immersive technology, blockchain technology, computer vision, and ubiquitous interfaces. Globally, metaverse is still in the nascent stage as stakeholders work to figure out its innovative and practical app

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

A nation-state—with its numerous institutions, actors, and daily interactions—is a complex system and it is a tall task to predict the future trajectory of any of its sub-systems such as the armed forces. What is certain, though, is that every sovereign state aims to have a military that is of the highest possible calibre. One of two paths may be chosen to achieve this goal: tying-in the military’s capability development with the ec

If the War on Terror-2.0 is to be carried out only by drones and the US/NATO Air-forces, one can be certain that the 'Islamic State' will retain control over its territory in Iraq and Syria for a long time to come.

Financial inclusion is critical to achieving the economic empowerment of women—one of the targets under the fifth Sustainable Development Goal on gender equality. In India, one in every five women lack access to a bank account. Although the country’s programmes promoting financial inclusion have increased the percentage of women having access to a bank account, wide gaps remain in account use, and access to savings and credit. Women c

India and Nepal have a long history of bilateral ties founded on connections of history, culture and religion, but their relationship is also beset by border conflicts. Although the two have managed to maintain their amiable relationship despite these differences, they both would benefit from finding a sustainable resolution. This brief highlights the efforts of both India and Nepal to resolve their border disputes. It recommends crucial

Aiming to secure their marine resources in the Bay of Bengal, India and Bangladesh settled their maritime boundary in 2014. Despite the delimitation, however, fishers from both countries continue to commit unlawful forays into each other's sovereign waters, leading to the enforcement of punitive measures against those accused or convicted. Such incidents not only jeopardise the fishers’ livelihoods, but repeated occurrences also nettle relation

Given that pilot training is solely based on an individual's ability to afford it, and his selection by airlines dependent not just on an assessment of his capabilities but also the question of supply and demand, we can be fairly certain that unless this aspect is given due consideration, incidents like that of Germanwings will continue to plague us.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has led to a full-fledged international armed conflict, and the Ukrainian president has issued a call to people across the world to join the country’s battle through the International Legion of Territorial Defence (ILTD). At the time of writing, 500 Indians have submitted applications to join the ILTD, and one is already in the force. This brief contextualises the rise of Indians fighting ‘foreign’ war

China’s approach to trade has stood impervious to change. It is time for a new geoeconomic approach to counter China. Like-minded nations can fashion rapid arrangements to grow the supply chains that matter most, such as for electric vehicles (EV). The US and India, plus Australia, Canada, Japan, Britain, Taiwan, Korea, and Mexico can form an EV supply chain compact to create a level playing field within the group and incentivise their

Underlying all practical steps between India and France is a shared strategic vision, particularly driven by the strategic uncertainties around China’s rise and its growing assertiveness.

A year and a half since United States (US) President Joe Biden took the helm, both sides of the country’s political divide continue to debate whether the incumbent’s China policy is distinct from that of the Trump administration. The Republicans claim that Biden’s China policy has not veered away from Trump’s; the Democrats, meanwhile, argue that it is different. This brief weighs in on the debate, and finds that despite the Biden

जी20 के असरदार प्रबंधन से “संशोधित बहुपक्षीयवाद” से जुड़ी भारत की मुहिम को ज़्यादा विश्वसनीयता हासिल हो सकेगी. भारत आज वैश्विक ज़िम्मेदारियों में अपना योगदान देने को तत्प

वैसे G20 में ग्लोबल अजेंडा को नया स्वरूप देने की भारत की कोशिश की कामयाबी इस बात पर भी निर्भर करेगी कि अन्य देश इसे कितनी गंभीरता से लेते हैं. 

पंतप्रधान नरेंद्र मोदी यांच्यासमोरील कार्य स्पष्ट आहे: विकास परत आणण्यासाठी जगाला सुरक्षित करा. यासाठी ते G20 च्या आत आणि बाहेर आंतरराष्ट्रीय सहमती निर्माण करत आहेत.

आपल्या G20 अध्यक्षपदाच्या काळात, भारताने सरकार आणि धोरणकर्त्यांशी संवाद साधला पाहिजे आणि या क्षेत्राला चालना देण्यासाठी या क्षेत्राला भेडसावणाऱ्या नियामक अडचणी दूर केल�

जी-20 के मंच पर नेताओं के बीच व्यापार तकनीक और आपूर्ति श्रृंखला को बेहतर बनाने पर चर्चा हुई जिसकी आवश्यकता भी थी. अंतरराष्ट्रीय स्तर पर बिगड़े समीकरणों से व्यापार का ताना बा�

१९९० पासून जगभरात जी आर्थिक प्रगती झाली आहे, ती चाके कोरोना महामारीमुळे पुन्हा एकदा उलटी फिरतील, अशीच जागतिक परिस्थिती सध्यातरी दिसते आहे.

Modi Speaks in G20 रूस यूक्रेन जंग को समाप्‍त का मामला ऐसे समय उठाया है जब अमेरिका व पश्चिमी देश रूस के प्रति भारत की तटस्‍थता नीति की निंदा कर चुके हैं. हालांकि भारत यह साफ कर चुका है क�

जी20 की गतिविधियों के केंद्र में रहते हुए भारत इस दिशा में अहम योगदान दे सकता है. इसे प्रधानमंत्री मोदी के डिजिटल इंडिया कार्यक्रम को संचालित करने वाले सिद्धांतों की बुनिया

संयुक्त राष्ट्रांच्या अजेंडा-२०३०मध्ये शहरे सुरक्षित, शाश्वत व सक्षम करणे हे ध्येय आहे. त्यासाठी जी-२० राष्ट्रगटाच्या धर्तीवर सिटी-२० गट बनणे आवश्यक आहे.

Gender disparities in Kenya’s entrepreneurship cycle are a manifestation of both the historical marginalisation of women and the structural barriers limiting equal participation in the economy. Recent progress in the legal framework has been suboptimal in closing the gender gaps, as seen in the persistent inequalities in formal employment and the high concentration of unlicensed women-owned enterprises in the informal sector. The inequalities a

India introduced Gender-Responsive Budgeting (GRB) in financial year 2005-06 to design public spending in a way that ensures that the benefits accrue as much to the country’s women as they do to the men. India’s effort has influenced both the government’s expenditures and its revenue policies—such as additional tax rebates on properties owned by women, for instance—at the levels of both central and state governments. However, 18

नेपाल के आम चुनाव में पड़ोसी मुल्‍क भारत और चीन की दिलचस्‍पी बनी हुई है. खासकर तब जब चीन भारत को चौतरफा घेरने के लिए चीन नेपाल की जमीन का बेजा इस्‍तेमाल करने में लगा हुआ है.

Emissions from fossil fuel-powered motor vehicles adversely affect air quality and contribute to global warming. The manufacture and use of electric vehicles (EVs) is among the ways by which this challenge can be mitigated. This brief evaluates the best practices adopted by countries in the forefront of EV adoption, and outlines the lessons India can draw from them to inform its own EVs strategy. It finds that in addition to strengthening

The IMF estimates that State-Owned Enterprise (SOE) assets totalled US$45 trillion in 2018, close to 50% of the global GDP, and calculated the debt of the largest SOEs to be US$7.4 trillion. Clearly, SOEs have a direct bearing on the global economy. The most systemically important SOEs are the State-Owned Multinational Enterprises (SOMNEs) since they are focused on cross-border financing and business. A global framework for regula

Although India and Africa have long shared close ties, engagement between the two regions is yet to reach its full potential. However, amid the global green transition and attempts to enhance energy security, green hydrogen—increasingly seen as the ‘fuel of the future’—could provide a new avenue for cooperation between the regions. Such a partnership, focused on building a global value chain for the large-scale adoption of green h

Due to the persistent adversarial nature of the Sino-Indian border environment, and because China is now a de facto maritime neighbour as well, India needs to examine its options of leveraging sea power. This brief analyses some fundamentals of sea control and sea denial, and examines some misconceptions about these. By using factors of time, force and space, the brief argues that while maritime economic warfare (explained as counter-value operat

India’s online gaming sector is rapidly growing, surpassing other emerging digital sectors in the country. It contributes to GST revenue, creates jobs, and attracts FDI. The sector also promotes ancillary sectors, contributing indirectly to the economy. However, concerns persist around harms such as addiction, financial crimes like money laundering, and implications to national security. Regulatory uncertainty continues to hinder the sector’s

The future of the Wagner Group, a private mercenary conglomerate linked to Russian foreign policy, is uncertain, raising questions about its global footprint.

This brief examines India’s defence budget for 2023-24. It outlines the economic context for India’s latest defence allocations, and examines the drivers of growth, the broad distribution of resources among the defence forces, and the impact of such distribution on modernisation and the domestic defence industry. The brief posits that the new defence budget, coming on the back of a hefty mid-year upward revision of the previous alloca

There is uncertainty in the availability of domestic coal and in this context there is probably a need to rethink India's energy security strategy based on domestic coal

Even a cursory look at the drivers of Indian defence exports reveals the salience of simplified industrial licensing, easing of export restrictions, and issuance of no-objection certificates

The central administration in China is wary of a protracted confrontation about the public in Hong Kong, and considering the nature of the demand, a prolonged protest would certainly be an embarrassment to China in the global political arena, says a China expert.

India’s geographical landscape is vast, cultural differences can be sharp, and income disparities are stark in certain regions. Access to healthcare, therefore, is varied and the on-ground gaps and challenges are complex. The NITI Aayog Health Index is an attempt by the current government to formulate a mechanism to monitor at the sub-national level the country’s performance in improving healthcare. This paper uses the findings of the Health

Call for public discussions over how certain types of behavior associated with dominance and power create inequalities within and between man and woman