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Inclusiveness, openness, and ASEAN centrality and unity, therefore, lie at the heart of the Indian notion of Indo-Pacific.

Abstract India is aiming for an eightfold increase in its share of the global space economy by 2047. The Indian ‘sunrise’ commercial space sector is benefiting from the government’s reforms, though gaps remain. The exact size of India’s domestic space economy is unknown, and the export promotion strategy for the space sector is unclear. This brief outlines three recommendations in parallel with the articulation of India’s National Sp

Fintech Regulatory Sandboxes have become essential tools for fostering innovation while maintaining regulatory oversight amid the rapid growth of global fintech, projected to reach US$1.5 trillion by 2030. India’s fintech sector, driven by robust digital infrastructure and government support, is expected to reach US$2.1 trillion by 2030. Regulatory sandboxes introduced by RBI, SEBI, IRDAI, and IFSCA enable the controlled testing of such innovat

ORF report titled 'IRBM for Brahmaputra Sub-basin: Water Governance, Environmental Security and Human Well-being' released on 25 October.

Wasting is easily reversible once the impact of infectious disease recedes and health status improve. Severe wasting, however, requires concerted medical attention along with appropriate nutritional intake.

At the forefront of the new militancy in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) are children. This brief builds on a United Nations (UN) 2018 report highlighting the recruitment of juveniles by militant groups in Kashmir, and explores the issue using data and case studies. The brief discusses the factors and conditions that encourage minors in J&K to join such groups, in the context of the weaknesses of the existing juvenile justice

Since the mass exodus of the Muslim Rohingya people from Myanmar’s Rakhine state in 2017, close to a million of them have been residing in Bangladesh. While the country has offered them sanctuary, there are massive gaps in seeing to their welfare, including the lack of formal, basic education for the children. In 2020, the Bangladesh government announced the launch of the Myanmar Curriculum Pilot (MCP) to provide the displaced Rohingya

After years of calculated relationship between China and the Taliban, the strategic Wakhan Corridor has become a focal point of tension between them. Beijing would like to use the corridor to expand its political and economic influence over Afghanistan, while the Taliban seeks to control it to ensure its own stability and Afghanistan’s development. The new generation of the Taliban, often referred to as Taliban 2.0, regards this corridor as vit

In the absence of a legal framework, Beijing is in overdrive to build its cyberspace capabilities—with military ramifications—as the world looks askance.  

Over the last five years, Brexit, the victory of Donald Trump in the US and the assumption of power by Xi Jinping in China, the seizure of Crimea and the Ukrainian crisis, the South China Sea disputes, and the emerging Iran crisis, have all helped upend the world order. Amidst these crises, the surge of Chinese acquisitions and investments in Europe did not draw much attention. The acrimony, however, between China and the US on trade and industri

It is clear that the old confidence building measures regime initiated in 1993 has broken down. Yet striving to sort out differences over where the LAC lies is the only way forward for Prime Minister Modi and President Xi.

Indonesia is increasing its military presence in the region and upgrading its forces in the Natuna Islands as it seeks to challenge China and maintain its control over an important sea domain containing abundant marine food and energy resources.

There was a time when the United States (US) was Pakistan’s most important ally. This paper argues that China has now overtaken the US in both economic footprint, and political influence in Pakistan.  Even in popular perception, China appears a more dependable ally than the perfidious one that is the US. The paper examines data on arms transfers, loans and credit, grants, trade, and foreign direct investments, to show how deeply embedded China

China and Russia both seek closer ties with the Taliban in Kabul, even as they have refrained from fully recognising the regime. This brief explores China’s and Russia’s converging interests in Afghanistan, and argues that their primary concern is a shared existential threat of terrorism from Afghanistan. Beijing and Moscow regard Afghanistan as a potential source of trans-regional instability, and they are adopting a pragmatic approa

China was a late entrant in Arctic engagement, with its involvement beginning only in 1991. Since then, its engagement has expanded both in depth and breadth. Even though it signed the Svalbard Treaty in 1925 at France’s invitation, China’s polar activities initially focused only on the Antarctic. This report explores China’s journey and collates its activities in the Arctic.

Since the early 2000s, China's debt profile in Sri Lanka has increased rapidly, with estimates indicating that over 20% of the overall debt stock is owed to China. Beijing's lending has been opaque on high-interest loans and has often contributed to several white elephant projects. Much of this lending comes from Chinese policy banks, such as China Exim Bank and China Development Bank that is entrusted to further Beijing's economic and commercial

The challenge will be how India and other countries use this opportunity to restore strategic balance in the region.

Taiwan’s civil society has hit the streets to register their displeasure against what they perceive as Beijing’s moves to get a backdoor entry into Taiwan’s democratic process.

For decades since 1932, after the Chakri dynasty gave up absolute power, Thailand has lived under the shadow of military coups.

The Chinese side noted that the explosion incident and back-to-back targeted killings triggered serious concerns among consumers in Arab countries about the security of electronic products produced in or whose supply chains are controlled by the West.

Chinese reports in the ‘Global Times’ have portrayed MILAN as an inflammatory tactic, aimed at ‘spreading tensions from the land to the sea’, a blatant Indian attempt to undermine Chinese influence in South Asia.

With the traditional liberal order appearing agile, new questions on international security and peacemaking have come to the fore. In the current context, global players are according Afghanistan greater strategic importance. As NATO troops continue to make headway in that region into the safe havens of ISIS, and with US posturing purportedly getting more robust, China’s role in Afghanistan merits scrutiny. Even though China’s involvement, mi

Chinese influence in Africa is high on the global agenda, as China within just a few decades has become a key political and economic power in the continent. Indeed, its emergence as a dominant economic and political actor might be the most important development in Africa since the end of the Cold War. This paper analyses China's economic and political relations with Africa beginning in the 1990s. It argues that the concern is not that China has e

The policy implications of a change in administration at Washington will raise valid concerns on the continuity of policies that came out at Apuli

Well aware of China's growing influence in the Bay of Bengal and the changing power dynamics in the Indo-Pacific region, Japan is now presenting itself as an alternative benefactor. With an eye toward Beijing, can the emergence of Japan in this region prove to play a balancing role?

As a rising China becomes the most important extra-regional partner for India's neighbours, India cannot simply wish away the Chinese influence in the subcontinent. The only way to limit the scope and structure of China's security profile is to expand India's own cooperation, including in the defence domain, with all neighbours.

China, a late entrant in Latin America, has now emerged as the region’s major economic partner. Bilateral trade between the two stands today at more than USD 200 billion. By augmenting investments and trade in Latin America, Beijing has managed to project itself as an alternative to the United States, which had previously enjoyed overarching influence in the region. The US’ inability to lead Latin America into a path of sustainable econ

India needs to cement its position as a geopolitical actor of consequence versus China.

The fifth meeting of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing was used by China to reinforce its engagement with Africa. It is significant that despite it being only a ministerial conference, six Heads of State and two Prime Ministers attended the opening session.

The last India-Africa Forum Summit took place in New Delhi way back in 2015, and significant shifts in global geopolitics and geoeconomics have occurred since then.

While the People’s Republic may be more powerful now, its arrogance is driving Asia’s other giant into the arms of the U.S.

As the gap between its power and that of China grows, India needs the US to balance China in the South Asia-Indian Ocean Region. The Indian contribution, military or economic, towards a strong American Indo-Pacific strategy appears more nebulous. This is an asymmetry which cannot but have real-life consequences. India should not assume that antipathy to China alone will be the over-riding factor in the US global policy.

Unclear if Biden administration will go for ‘semi containment’ or selective engagement

Recently China reiterated its interest in constructing a deep seaport in Bangladesh. The Chinese interest in the project reportedly arises because of two reasons. One, to further strengthen its presence in the South Asia region,

Nations act solely in supreme national interest. China’s response to the Pahalgam terror strike is in steady contrast with its own stand on many issues

Despite our hopes, China India relations are unlikely to see any dramatic upturn. China wants an all or none political relationship with India. This means that India must send the Dalai Lama away even though India has repeatedly and loudly pronounced that it has accepted Tibet to be an integral part of China.

If Indian economy begins to take off and it is able to overhaul its dysfunctional military system, India can emerge as a formidable second pole of the Asia-Pacific region, maybe just a shade inferior to China.

Beijing’s move, though unsurprising, is not without significance.

China today is different! Quite different to what I saw seven years ago. The economic boom has not only changed its socio culture, at least in the Eastern and Southern part of China, but also the peoples' attitude, style of governance, and geo political outlook. That is the impression I gathered when I visited China recently.

Incidents of sudden disappearance of celebrities have been common in China. But Qin Gang’s case is special. Not only has he disappeared but his public records are also being erased.

The demographic effects of China's one-child policy is more pronounced, a survey has found.

Communist Party's elevation of President Xi Jinping’s to the core gives him greater influence over reshuffles of top ranks at gathering among other roundups

Pakistan, Russia & China to hold consultations on Afghanistan to explore ways reconcile & restore peace in war-torn country & other weekly roundsups

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called on Apec nations to play a leading role in global economy, which faces challenges and uncertainty and other roundups

Noted China scholar Dr John Lee pointed out that Beijing viewed the improvement in the relations between India and other countries in Southeast Asia as an intrusion into the traditional sphere of the influence of China.

For the U.S, the time may have come to position its stand on Chinese assertions in a manner that would help maintain stability in the long run. If Beijing's move with its air Defence zone is part of a piecemeal plan of consolidating its territorial claims, then a less indirect approach is called for.

India must urgently explore a variety of options to restore deterrence vis-à-vis China. This first thing is to back Japan. India also has to work on a range of options including economic and hard options. It must also take a fresh look at reinvigorating its ties with Vietnam, Japan, Australia, Singapore and the littoral states.