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With both the goods FTA and services FTA in place, India is well set on the path of a comprehensive economic partnership with ASEAN. India, whose services sector contributes about 55% to the country's GDP, has been keen to sign the services FTA with ASEAN as it will help the Indian companies tap the ASEAN markets easily.

The increasing dependence on the internet across the spectrum is pushing some states to adopt measures to exert their sovereignty over cyberspace. Certain global events have also acted as a catalyst for states to pursue cyber sovereignty. The involvement of multiple stakeholders and the borderless character of the virtual world have made sovereignty a complex affair in this domain. This brief seeks to illuminate the concept of ‘cyber so

There is an urgent need for governments and policymakers around the world to start paying more attention to the gaming industry as cybersecurity threa

This brief examines the rapid growth of the global online gaming industry and the consequent increase in cyber threats. Issues such as microtransactions, money laundering, and predatory practices by developers can stymie the industry’s growth potential if not addressed. Many countries’ current gaming-focused regulatory frameworks do not cover these challenges and will need to be revised. India—a significant gaming market—must also conside

International cooperation for cybersecurity is paramount in enabling all countries to make use of developmental potential of the Internet.

The US has become more proactive in engaging with the international community to address cyberSpace challenges ever since the policy shift in 2009. However, it still maintains its opposition to the need for an international treaty to govern cyberSpace.

There is enough economic justification for pursuing a policy to achieve the Vision Scenario.

CyFy in many ways is a platform that mimics the internet in its pristine prime. It is designed to be owned and curated by multiple stakeholders and pa

The real world is now complemented and implicated by the virtual world. This is a new domain altogether, and its governance is not bound by traditiona

Results of the 2014 general election and the subsequent Assembly elections clearly established that Dalit politics is undergoing a change.

The hydropower projects in Myanmar are riddled with challenges, therefore, a more holistic approach needs to be adopted, making sure all the stakehold

Although it would not be entirely false to suggest that Maoists have managed to capture the imagination of a large section of Nepalese society because of the widespread poverty and continued neglect by successive monarchs and political leadership, there are quite a few other, equally valid, reasons why Maoists have had a run of the Nepalese countryside.

An unshakable optimism about the long-term destiny of India's economy is counter-productive at moments of crisis

The data divide can drastically impact the progress of the 2030 Agenda, thus bridging this divide is imperative to ensure that no one is left behind

Free flow in data can unlock huge social and economic value in user data that is usually locked in silos. With this motivation, Data Empowerment and Protection Architecture (DEPA), a public-private endeavour, is being developed in India as a template for users to access and share their data on their terms. Not only does this form of data sharing promote competition, but it fosters innovation as well. This brief dissects the conceptual layers of D

India must ensure that the needs of developing countries are considered when discussing cross border flow of data

2023 could be a monumental year for facilitating DFFT as more and more countries are moving away from the concept of blanket data localisation

Awareness and education about uncertainties — floods, droughts, etc. — should be created at the cellular level.

Data localisation requirements under Turkish law have so far been sector-specific and, hence, limited in scope.

The data protection bill is an opportunity for India to be a partner under the CLOUD Act

Data-driven, context-specific, integrated, and holistic policy interventions at the state level are needed to address acute and chronic malnutrition i

The US Treasury Department's decision to designate the gangster based in Pakistan, Dawood Ibrahim, as a terrorist on October 16, 2003, was undoubtedly belated but could still prove to be a milestone in the War on Terrorism if Washington could arm-twist President General Pervez Musharraf to hand over the criminal to the interrogators for questioning about his links with al Qaida and other terrorist groups.

The recent attack on the British Council in Kabul by the Taliban shows that, apart from military tactics, there is an urgent requirement in the West to reconsider the political objectives in Afghanistan.

Mumbai today has a plethora of institutions - BMC, MMRDA, MSRDC, MVRC, etc. At last count, there were 23 institutions directly or indirectly 'planning' for Mumbaikars. There is an urgent need to 'de-institutionalise' urban planning.

There is a need for Sri Lanka and Sri Lankans to acknowledge that the Indian vote in Geneva owed mainly to the un-kept promises from the war years, and less to do with the 'Tamil Nadu factor'.

Despite the positive connotations of a de-radicalisation initiative in Pakistan's Swat, lead by Pakistan's army, the relationship between the military and terrorist groups still remains unclear.

Even if India is unable to respond to the Uri attack, there is still time for the Modi government to recover.

It is not the best picture that we, as one of the fastest growing economies, present to the world — where people are still dying of vector borne dis

The citizens’ right to protest is a pillar of Indian democracy. While citizens are allowed to peacefully assemble, however, protests and demonstrations sometimes take a violent turn; recent examples are the Jat protests in Haryana and the Kashmir unrest following the death of militant leader Burhan Wani, both in 2016. During such occasions, it is the prerogative of the Indian state to deal with the violent civil protests in a manner that ensure

Rethinking the policy, design, and function of city crematoriums and cemeteries is critical to making the city liveable and die-able

The blasphemy law under Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code is a prime example of savagery a modern nation could impose on its citizenry with leg

The killing of Punjab Governor Salman Taseer on January 4 in Islamabad and the wide-spread adulation of his killer, a Punjab Police commando, has raised a whole litany of fears and dilemma in, and about, Pakistan.

In the 21st century, civilised countries do not sentence spies to death except in war time.

As the debate for a Space Code of Conduct gains momentum, there is a need to frame a code that is acceptable to all space-faring nations. This Paper assesses the concerns of Asian countries, especially India, on the code proposed by the European Union

This paper dissects the causes behind Pakistan’s ongoing economic crisis. The causes include dwindling forex reserves, the phenomenon of ‘galloping inflation’, a falling Pakistani Rupee, uncompetitive and undiversified export basket, burgeoning external debt, lack of fiscal prudence, debt distress, and a worsening business environment—all cascading to a balance of payment crisis. While austerity measures, appeals for loan rollover to debt

In recent years, China has increasingly invested in West Africa to further its ambitious Belt and Road Initiative, diversify its supply chains, and acquire critical minerals and raw materials for its domestic industries. Indeed, China sees immense potential in West Africa for the region’s ability to provide a secure supply of critical minerals and energy resources insulated from the West. Beijing is now the region’s largest bilateral trading

The international rules-based order has failed the Rohingyas who now have spent 10 years in Myanmar detention camps.

Deeper professionalisation of the decision-making apparatus, with assured continuity of leadership, will prove helpful in mitigating climate change in

The complex and elaborate coal network that underpins energy provision and social support in India should be complemented with CCUS for decarbonisatio

Despite many structural shortfalls, the 73rd and the 74th Amendments were able to create critical democratic space for these underrepresented groups s

India’s key energy problem is the inadequate effective demand for energy, especially from poor rural households in India and an underdeveloped marke

Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil¿s none-too-recent hint that the Centre was considering the setting up of a new commission to review Centre-State relations is a welcome move. While it may be yet another effort at decentralization of administrative power between the Centre and the States, care should be taken in formulating the terms of reference and in the choice of the commission¿s members that the process percolates down to the panchayat-lev

Pakistan’s maritime strategy in the Indian Ocean pivots around engagement with China. But the strategy also has a diplomatic dimension that should n

Pyongyang’s nuclear strategy operates within a complex global context and carries broader implications for global security

The disciplines of International Relations (IR) and History could be natural allies as both have much to gain from engaging with each other. A historically informed IR could provide a deeper understanding of the motivations of world politics, while ‘international history’ could offer a much needed comparative perspective to the manner in which history is approached. Focusing on what students of IR can learn about and from the study of history

AI in emerging markets has seen significant growth. Instead of steering its growth in the Global South, the Global North should forge closer partnersh

There are various facets in Sino-Bangladesh relations. The two countries share defence, economic, political and people-to-people ties.