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: 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: Gateway House
We hosted a webcast with Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung on, Myanmar: Hundred days after the coup on 13 May 2021 at 5:30 PM IST. This webcast discussed the conflict in Myanmar, the pulse of the protesters’ fight for democracy, the ominous presence of China as well as Russia and multilateral measures that the neighbouring countries including India can take towards restoring democratic processes in Myanmar.
Courtesy: Arctic Council Flickr
India has had big successes during its first stint as an observer in the Arctic Council. Since then, the country has made substantial progress in its climate action pledges and developed comprehensive strategies to mitigate climate change. With its re-election, India can now offer much more to the global organisation's role in promoting environmental stability in the polar region.
Courtesy: Shutterstock
Retrospective taxes. Asking OPEC to reduce production. Raising oil prices at the pump. India’s perplexing actions on energy seem designed to defeat the Modi government’s declared goals of disinvestment of the public sector and welcoming foreign capital.
Courtesy: Manufacturing Business Technology
The U.K. is out of the EU, and re-positioning itself into the idea of Global Britain, seeking partnerships into diverse groupings and regions. India was an early strategic, defence and digital outreach, but a serious pivot has been made to broader Asia for trade and investment linkages, with vigorous follow-up. The re-entry and acceptance of Britain in Asia, has implications.
Courtesy: Foreign Affairs
A yawning gap has opened up between what countries know about the risks of climate change and what they are doing to reduce them. In the riskier new era of climate change, the longer countries take to close that gap, the more painful and deadly the outcomes.
On January 14, 2021, Gateway House co-hosted a webinar with Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung on G20’s future: Italy, Indonesia, India. The panel included Marco Felisati, B20 Sherpa, Italy, Dr. M Chatib Basri, Former Minister of Finance, Indonesia, and Sanjeev Sanyal, Principal Economic Advisor, Government of India.
Courtesy: Twitter/Arctic Council
India’s pledge to the Paris Agreement gives it the flexibility to confidently place its climate action policies across various multilaterals. Although an observer of the Arctic Council, India can collaborate with the body's upcoming chair, Russia, to alleviate climate change concerns stemming from the Arctic. It is time for India to use its goodwill with the Arctic Council members to develop a national Arctic policy.
