Gateway Features
India Became Bharat When No One was Looking
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The man who gets off his battered-up bike and confidently strolls into a chi chi café in upscale Alibaug (also called India’s Hamptons), doesn’t look like the typical ‘Álibauger’. What does that even mean? Let me explain: Alibaug has become India’s most aspirational destination given the number of villa-owning billionaires who have sprawling weekend homes in what used to be a sleepy fishing hamlet a decade ago. Alibaug is a 40-minute speedboat ride away from Mumbai … but wait, it could be another planet! read more
Convening to advance digital tools for development
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The annual Global Digital Development Forum (GDDF) run by USAID took place 12-13 June, bringing together development and international aid sector stakeholders to discuss the future of digital tools and strategies within international development. The GDDF is an annual event organized by USAID's Digital Development team and the virtual events company TechChange. First held in 2020 as one of several pandemic-era fully-virtual conferences, the event aims to promote innovative solutions and partnerships among digital development professionals, government ministries around the world read more
Indian Diplomacy: Diversifying Global Supply Chains
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China-centric global supply chains, the backbone of East Asia’s prosperity, are shifting out as tensions over tariffs and strategic contest between the West and China soars. Ganeshan Wignaraja, Professorial Fellow, Economics and Trade, Gateway House, discusses diversifying supply chains, the China plus one strategy, and the role of India as a supply chain magnet for its South Asian neighbours. read more
India and the great powers
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The biggest democratic elections in the world are over. The din and dazzle of it, the allegations and counter-allegations notwithstanding, India’s elections drew the attention of the world. The Modi 3.0 term has begun. What is expected, especially with the great powers? The portfolio of ministers in the new government indicates a continuation of policies from the previous term, as important ministries have the same leaders, ensuring continuity. On the foreign policy front, there appears to be no change. This is borne out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s response to Pakistan’s Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s congratulatory message, “advancing the well-being and security of our people shall always remain our priority”, which is a euphemism for “terrorism and talks cannot go together”. read more
Research
On December 1, 2023, India will hand over the G20 Presidency to Brazil. The G20 troika will now comprise the three IBSA countries – India, Brazil, South Africa – till November 2025. This trio has an agenda in common and with the G20, such as multilateral reform, energy transitions and digitalisation. IBSA should use its mechanisms and natural solidarity to advance the interests of the Global South.
Foreign Affairs
China’s expansionist nuclear programme aims to bolster its capabilities, so much so, that Beijing's predictions boast 2500 new warheads by 2030, thus rivalling the American and Russian arsenals. As the dragon quadruples its nuclear propensity, heralding the world to something greatly unstable – a tripolar nuclear system; nuclear peace seems a quite convoluted goal.
Book Reviews
The authors convincingly analyse the bewildering diversity, size and scale of the challenges of South Asia in a volume that is a rare treasure for those interested in deciphering the history, ethnic identities, colonial legacy, political economy, environmental risks, and geopolitical dynamics of the region.
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