Courtesy: BRICS Forum - India 2021
The 13th BRICS summit will be held virtually on 9 September 2021 and India is the host. The grouping has managed to hold its ground in an era of increasingly complex geopolitics. While immediate goals are important, in the longer term it must cooperate on counter terrorism, improve trade and work towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
Courtesy: The Times of India
In an interview with Garrison Moratto of The New Diplomatist, Amb. Rajiv Bhatia, Distinguished Fellow, Foreign Policy Studies, counters China's claims that the Quad is an "Asian NATO." He highlights how the India-U.S.-Japan-Australia Quadrilateral initiative aims to increase cooperation in the Indo-Pacific on international law and security. This podcast delves into the history of the Quad's formation, current strategic characteristics, and future geopolitics, ahead of the fall in-person Leaders' Summit in the U.S.
To be self-reliant in defense manufacturing and produce the appropriate technology, India must focus on long-term R&D-oriented planning. Recent government initiatives like Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat are bringing the necessary change.
Courtesy: Shutterstock
Last week, Indian tech start-up Zomato's Initial Public Offering raised over a billion dollars. This is a welcome new trend in domestic financing for start-ups in India, with more gaining unicorn status in the past year. It is also indicates a sector independent of Chinese backing. In this podcast, Amit Bhandari, Fellow, Energy and Environment Studies Programme, discusses the positive outcome of Press Note. 3 on the sector.
Courtesy: SCO, Russia (2020)
A potential anti-Quad formation of China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan is in the making, and can pose risks to the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue. However, a close analysis of China's bilateral relationship with each country shows that this is a flawed grouping, formed on limited common interests and rivalries.
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Gateway House and the Embassy of Italy in New Delhi co-hosted the India-Italy Round Table on Energy Transitions. Indian and Italian companies involved across in the energy ecosystem came together to discuss potential collaborations. India is energy dependent and Italy has an innovative energy industry. The two countries can partner on new technologies, trade, financing mechanisms and to update regulations for a new energy era.
Courtesy: PTI
Incidents such as the recent ONGC barge disaster underline the absence of effective class action suits in India. Tougher action on neglect and liability is vital to assure safety, prevention measures and minimise incidents of negligence. How can India move in the direction of accountability to make it a better abode for employment and business?
Courtesy: Danish Ismail/Reuters
There have been many reported links between protesters pelting stones at security forces in Kashmir and the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), with Indian intelligence reports that stone-pelters were paid money by the ISI, and often went on to become militants. This was an important motivation behind the demonetisation of currency notes by the Indian government in 2016. However, this raises the question: has demonetisation really curbed stone-pelting?
Courtesy: Twitter | @DrSJaishankar
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is in India, seeking a trade deal, and promising immigrant visas. The UK wants more Rishi Sunaks but the simmering issue is about irregular migrants from India, low-skilled labour whose numbers are still disputed by both countries. While a free trade agreement may still be signed, it will likely not address this problem, leaving thousands of Indians undocumented in the UK.
Courtesy: C4i4
C4i4 is a part of the Government of India's Samarth Udyog initiative, and aims to hand-hold micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the journey towards digitisation. Though MSMEs account for 45% of manufacturing output and 40% of exports, almost 90% of them lack access to markets beyond their limited geography. C4i4 helps them scale productivity and quality, and compete in global markets.
