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Encrypting communications enhances privacy and the security of information services. This, in turn, incentivises innovation in the ICT sector and contributes significantly to the growth of the internet economy. India’s (now withdrawn) Draft National Encryption Policy was single-minded in its approach. It sought only to prescribe standards that would enable law enforcement agencies to access encrypted data. There are, however, multifarious conc

Today, the Government(s) should not be looking into questions like 'Why Telangana?'. It has lost the luxury of thought process already. Instead, it should be looking at the when and how of it.

Prudence lies in following the Chinese strategy of subordinating muscular diplomacy to economic growth. It remains in India’s interest to adhere to the open economy model.

1980 च्या दशकात तरुण भारताला जुन्या राष्ट्र–राज्यांशी स्पर्धा करण्याची ओढ होती. मात्र 2020 च्या दशकात भारत आपली प्राचीन संस्कृती आणि अनुभवाच्या बळावर नव्या सहमतीचा मार्ग दा�

कभी सीखने वाला भारत आज विश्व के लिए उदाहरण बन रहा है. 2025 उस आत्मविश्वास का साल रहा जब विकास ने स्वदेशी सोच के साथ गति पकड़ी.

While the year 2003 saw many acts of terrorism in South, South-East and West Asia, as well as in Chechnya in Russia, very few major acts of terrorism were reported from Central Asia. In fact, ever since the US-led coalition went into action against Al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan, the Central Asian Republics (CARs) have remained largely free of major acts of terrorism

While the United States suffered some strategic reverses, it has also made a few gains. It is not yet time to write off the United States of America.

What India needs to understand is that legislation or institutions by themselves do not bring about social change. Countries of Europe or the United States, too, had a history of political corruption. But over the years they have cleaned up their act considerably because of popular sentiment, as well as institutions and laws.

The 4th BRICS Academic Forum has urged Summit Leaders meeting later this month in New Delhi to consider studying the establishment of financial institutions such as a Development Bank and an Investment Fund that can assist in the development of BRICS and other developing countries.

The 5th BRICS Academic Forum, comprising experts and scholars from the research and academic institutions of India, China, Brazil, Russia and South Africa, met on the 11th and 12th of March 2013 in Durban and has come up with a 5-point recommendations.

This institution can play a key role in funding SDGs

As India and Armenia advance their partnership, currently anchored in defence ties, the economic dimension requires greater attention from both sides. With Armenia seeking to diversify its diplomatic and economic partners, and India expanding its footprint in Eurasia, both countries stand to benefit from building greater economic ties through value-added economic partnerships. This brief outlines a blueprint for advancing cooperation across six k

Infertility, which impacts reproductive well-being and carries a social stigma, affects one in every six couples globally. In India, 28 million couples experience infertility, yet only a small proportion seek treatment. This report studies the case of Alwar, Rajasthan, where service unavailability, steep costs, and weak referral systems hinder early diagnosis and care of infertility. To bridge the data gap in infertility prevalence, the Mamta Hea

This paper evaluates the importance of a space military strategy for India against China. It argues that in light of China’s advances in space weapons, New Delhi needs to seriously consider developing at least a limited menu of space weapons and integrate them into India’s defence posture. It draws on conceptual literature on nuclear deterrence, air power and sea power to show that space weapons, at least some variants, are usable military in

The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war has underlined the emerging realities of states’ air defence needs, including those for medium- and long-range air defence missile systems. The most important facet in the domain of air defence relates to terminal air defence—or the defence of a single object or a limited area like a ship, building or an airfield, now usually against air attacks and guided missiles. This report underscores the need for India to

The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war has underlined the emerging realities of states’ air defence needs, including those for medium- and long-range air defence missile systems. The most important facet in the domain of air defence relates to terminal air defence—or the defence of a single object or a limited area like a ship, building or an airfield, now usually against air attacks and guided missiles. This report underscores the need for India to

With consensus on legal measures remains elusive, a behavior-based approach is a good first step. A consequence-based approach to dealing with interference in space is a step further. 

India and the European Union (EU) share a deep political and strategic relationship that pivots around democracy, global rule of law, security, and trade. While the depth is obvious on paper, however, the partnership has delivered short on dividends expected by both sides. Yet diplomatic engagement remains robust, and in recent times is moving towards greater mutual understanding of the challenges of terrorism and the potential counterterrorism s

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

Novavax started off as one of the strongest contenders, promising 2 billion doses in 2021, despite failing to bring to market a single vaccine candidate in its 34-year-old his-tory.

The killings in Kashmir suggests that the terror eco-system has been taking its cue from Pakistani army chief with an eye towards bringing back some international attention to the conflict

Advances in disruptive technologies have enabled scientists to engineer biological systems and create more efficient and sustainable products for a range of purposes. The convergence of artificial intelligence (AI) with biotechnology has contributed to the development of therapeutics and vaccines, helped address food security, aided in generating innovative processes to mitigate the effects of climate change, and expanded the bioeconomy. However,

The G20 must foster linkages between traditional financial institutions, first-generation Internet users and the informal sources of their livelihood.

Western-centric institutions are being challenged, and the buzz is only growing.

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

Separatism, extremism, and terrorism originating in Afghanistan compelled the neighbouring countries to form the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in 2001. However, instead of presenting a united front, the SCO is rife with disagreements. Increased divergences and mistrust among the members have helped the Taliban regain power in Afghanistan and strengthen its influence in the heart of Eurasia. The Taliban have taken advantage of the trust

The more the communal picture changes since the demolition of the Babri Masjid 20 years ago this week, the more it remains the same. Possibly with one variation: the political insecurity of the Muslim grows with each turn.

When two top American diplomats speak out in quick succession about the international system, the world will take note. The op-ed by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice in the Washington Post titled "The Promise of Democratic Peace," and the policy speech four days later by Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns at the European Institute titled "A Renewed Partnership for Global Engagement" fall into this category.

One proposal that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh could offer to President Pervez Musharraf, when they meet this week in New York on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly, is cooperation in the reconstruction in Afghanistan.

There is a strong case to be made for a deeper EU-India partnership against the backdrop of global uncertainties and ongoing wars, an assertive China, and the likelihood of a more transactional United States (US) under Trump 2.0. Meanwhile, the EU-India Roadmap to 2025 has run its course, and the EU-India summit of 2025 could be an opportune moment to release a fresh blueprint for cooperation. As the new European Commission’s agenda springs int

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

In February 2004, President George Bush outlined his new nuclear non-proliferation approach, in his ¿seven points¿ speech at the National Defense University. It include the setting up of proliferation security initiative which will control and monitor not only shipments and nuclear transfer of material/technology but also will be empowered to take direct action against the violators of the law.

This research provides an empirical analysis of India’s limited, but transformative position in the global nuclear order. By examining India’s bid for a Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) membership, this paper makes three major arguments. First, India’s attempt to acquire veto power status through the NSG challenges classical revisionism in international relations theory. Second, India’s rise through the NSG is based on selective coalition-bu

While there was no question of any rapprochement between Bangladesh and Pakistan, there are Muslim diehard elements in Bangladesh who draw their inspiration from Pakistan. These elements aim to strike at the very basic concept of Bangladesh.

Jammu and Kashmir acceded to India on 26 October 1947, with Maharaja Hari Singh signing the Instrument of Accession as Afridi raiders reached Srinagar’s gates after burning the Mahura power station and forcing him to flee to Jammu in the night. In the power vacuum that ensued, Sheikh Abdullah, founding National Conference leader, emerged as the people’s representative to assume administration. After his dismissal in 1953, Delhi installed Baks

Most central banks across the globe are today seized with the idea of cryptocurrency, with countries like Sweden and China already embarking on their pilot projects. This paper argues that most of the proposed architectures for a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) are not designed to mimic the paper currency in its digital form. It proposes an architecture that largely retains all the properties of a paper currency, with only one limitation—i

Evidence from several countries suggests that last-mile connectivity solutions—the transport options available to commuters from the origin of their journey to the point of accessing a public transit system—enhance citizens’ mobility and increase metro rail ridership. This brief evaluates India’s operational metro rail transit systems to identify the missing links in the provision and effective implementation of last-mile connecti

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic hastened the widespread adoption of digital technologies across the globe. The pace of digitalisation—from the micro levels of education and e- commerce to the macro levels of supply chains and production networks—has galvanised governments to advance digital regulations. The tightrope walk of creating policies that enable digital innovation and ensure regulations are in the larger public interest have led t

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

The European Union (EU) stands at a critical junction in its institutional evolution. The European sovereign debt crisis in 2009, the Brexit decision in 2016, and the success of anti-European populist parties in many member states have triggered intense discussions about necessary reforms in the Union, which only intensified after Emmanuel Macron became president of France in 2017. His vehemently pro-European outlook and ambitious suggestions for

Global temperature rise is set to exceed 1.5°C compared to pre-industrial levels by 2100. Efforts to ramp up climate action must be accompanied by an assessment of countries' existing strategies to combat climate change. At the same time, it is crucial to determine the effectiveness of multilateral institutions in mitigating climate change by galvanising member countries in this direction. This report presents a comparative analysis based on fiv

India has been witnessing rapid urbanisation in the last decade, particularly in its large and medium-size cities. As more and more people move towards cities and towns, it is imperative to build an understanding of how cities are geared in terms of growth and inclusion. In what ways do India's marginalised communities get excluded from the country's growing urban spaces? This paper studies how individuals and groups are included in􀀳or exclude

Bashar al-Assad’s ouster and South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol's retreat underscore the importance of channelling people power through effective institutional frameworks

The Arms Trade Treaty being an instrument impacting many countries, it is important for it to come into being through consensus. A treaty without support from major exporting and importing countries would undermine its very purpose.

Public angst against Aadhaar is not because of the technical effectiveness of the system, but the manner in which it is proposed to be used.

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

Unrealised convergences between India and Central Europe can be pivotal in instituting a rare dynamic based on identified complementarities, and not towards exacting competitive leverages