Sri Lanka has been battling a grave crisis for the past several months. India’s pearl-shaped southern neighbour is facing severe economic and political misery that were in the making for a long time. The country is plagued with severe food and fuel shortage. Meanwhile, popular unrest has forced the former President and Prime Minister to flee. The Sri Lankan crisis…
Paradiplomacy is deemed to be the future of diplomacy. The increasing usage of terms like ‘town twinning’ or ‘sister cities’, etc. displays its growing trend. Paradiplomacy refers to the diplomacy that non-central governments undertake. In simple words, when sub-national governments such as states, provinces, or even cities conduct international affairs to further their interests, it is known as paradiplomacy. Paradiplomacy…
On August 15, 2021, the Taliban entered Kabul, the capital city of Afghanistan, and established control over the country. This marked the culmination of months of violence that unfolded after the USA began withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan after two decades. Since then, the dynamics of the region have changed drastically, forcing every country to recalibrate its policy in the…
Two recent events in the world have opened Pandora’s box regarding the relevance of the UN. First was the COVID-19 pandemic, which also provided the UN with the opportunity to reestablish its credentials. The second event was Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which raised serious questions over the relevance of the United Nations. COVID-19 initially raised questions over the credibility of…
Introduction The relationship between India and West Asia goes back to the times of the first civilizations when human started trading in pottery, gems and grains. The region has had spectrum of impact throughout the Indian subcontinent; on music, on language, on history and culture. Today, West Asia is an important region due to its geographical location and abundance of…
Introduction WTO provides with a rules based system and a level playing field where every country has an equal voice. WTO provides a sense of predictability in the trade regime and gives a sense of security to small economies. India was a founding member of GATT and due to its high stakes, it has been one of the most active…
Introduction The nuclear doctrine of any country resonates its world view shaped by historical experiences, its leadership, its threat perception and technical capabilities, along with the role it assigns to its nuclear weapons. With growing technology and ever changing geopolitical realities, the nuclear doctrines also evolves. India released its nuclear doctrine in 2003, five years after testing the weapon. India’s…
Introduction It was only in 1968 that environmental issues received serious attention by any UN organ. The ECOSOC decided to take up environmental issues as a specific item and decided to hold the first United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, endorsed by the General Assembly. This was held in Stockholm, Sweden from 5 to 16 June 1972, called the…
Recently, India and African countries joined hands demanding an IPR waiver for COVID19 Vaccines. Also, India and Africa often hold a common position on global platforms and work for the interests of third-world countries. This resonates with Mahatma Gandhi’s statement on India-Africa relations that there will be a “commerce of ideas and services and not of raw materials and goods…
Introduction On July 26th 2022, UN Peacekeeping was in the Indian newspapers, and not for good reasons. Two BSF personnel, who were part of the UN Peacekeeping Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, were killed during a protest. This is not a first, as a total of 175 Indian peacekeepers have lost their lives serving the United Nations,…
Introduction The engagements between the EU and India have sped up in the last few years, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic. European Union views India as one of its ten economic and political strategic partners. EU is India’s third largest trading partner and in turn, India is the EU’s tenth largest trading partner. To enhance this partnership, a negotiation on…
Introduction: What is Abraham Accord? On August 13, 2020, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and Israel reached a statement together called the Abraham Accords. This was immediately followed by the same agreement reached by Bahrain with Israel. As per the deal, the UAE has formally recognised Israel, whereas Israel agreed to stop annexing parts of the West Bank.…
The current Indo-China relationship has been evolving rapidly in recent years. As India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, states, the relationship is at crossroads with repercussions for the entire world. In such a context, three significant fault-lines become important in the relationship viz. differing interpretations of the border and ensuing crisis, increasing salience of the Indian Ocean, and the scope…
Western Europe and India According to the United Nations geo-scheme classification, Western Europe comprises Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, and Switzerland. In this article, we’ll explore the various dimensions of India West Europe relations, with a particular focus on France and Germany. Even geographically, Western Europe also has some resemblance to the Indian subcontinent. The three major…
“Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a complex one involving the rights and obligations of both Israelis and Palestinians, and it needs a negotiating process.” Ron Malka The Israel Palestine conflict – often referred to as the ‘world’s most intractable conflict’ – is rooted in a dispute over land claimed by Jews as their biblical inheritance and by the Palestinians, who seek self-determination.…
Based on Sardar Patel Memorial Lecture-2020 by EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar : India and the Post-Covid World Even before Covid-19 engulfed the world, it was apparent that the international system was under great stress. There was a backlash against globalization and the resulting class wars created political insecurity for others. Policy-makers across the world dealing with the impact of the…
Introduction Indo US relations have come a long way from the cold war era. The rise of China has been alarming for both the countries and there is increasing security cooperation between the two. While India tries to balance China by partnering with the USA, America sees India as a key ally in pushing back against China. The relationship with…
Indian Ocean has been an economic and cultural reality for centuries. Before the arrival of Europeans, Indian and Arabs traded in the region for centuries. And the ocean holds key strategic importance even today. More than 40% of oil reserves of the world are located in Indian ocean. 50% of global shipment happens through it and two third of oil…
“India and the US have Overcome the Hesitations of History” PM Narendra modi India and the USA signed the BECA (Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement) and few other documents during the recent 2+2 meeting. BECA allows the militaries of two countries to share geospatial data. India will get access to topographical images and precision data from US military satellites on…
The United Nations was established on 24th oct 1945. This year marks the 75 anniversary of the institution. Coupled with unprecedented global pandemic, this is perhaps the right time to assess the workings of UN and discuss its relevance and future. First of all, United Nations matters – because it is the only institution of global governance where all states…
