bd energy Courtesy:
9 January 2025

Energy crisis in Bangladesh and way forward

Bangladesh faces an energy crisis due to increasing prices, depleting foreign exchange reserves and political instability. Amit Bhandari, Senior Fellow, Energy, Investment and Connectivity, Gateway House, speaks with Rayhan Rashid on an episode of the South Asia Democratic Forum’s podcast on challenges affecting Bangladesh’s energy sector and potential solutions such as diversification of energy sources, a shift toward low-carbon energy production, and regional integration.

longmen Courtesy:
9 January 2025

India-China: learning from each other

India and China are the world’s most populous countries, with much in common and much divergence. Reform, discipline, long-term thinking and scale brought China to its present near first-world conditions; India is accommodative with its democracy, cultural diversity and all-round religiosity to achieve development, wealth creation, cultural preservation and self-respect. There’s a great deal that the two Asian giants can learn from each other.

Copy-of-KFP-FEATURED-IMAGE-TEMPLATE-72 Courtesy:
2 January 2025

Russia enhances African engagement

Since the Ukraine crisis, Russia has been positioning itself strategically in the African continent, strengthening bilateral ties and addressing regional security issues. It is leveraging economic, energy, agriculture and military ties and investments in order to be seen as serious a counterweight to the U.S. and the European Union’s presence in the continent. 

Graffiti in Tehran: “Antisemitism has no place in the future of Iran.” (Source: X / Jaime Kirzner-Roberts) Courtesy:
2 January 2025

Iran’s Jews in the crosshairs

Iran has the largest Jewish diaspora in the Middle East outside of Israel. Since the 7 October 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas, a proxy of Iran, the Iranian Jews have been publicly denouncing Israel’s actions in Gaza and Lebanon. Is this a sign of a loyal community or one under pressure from Iran’s ruling regime?

Screenshot 2024-12-19 114823 Courtesy:
19 December 2024

India’s oil strategy in the Trump era

The advent of the pro-oil Donald Trump in the U.S. and the strong pushback by developing countries to the unsatisfactory COP29 proposals, has opened opportunities for India in the energy sector. Instead of investing in overseas oil facilities, India will be better served as a financial investor in listed companies in large economies. This approach will help forge closer ties with strategic partners. 

China's President Xi Jinping and Peru's President Dina Boluarte shake hands during a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China June 28, 2024. JADE GAO/Pool via REUTERS Courtesy:
12 December 2024

Xi Jingping’s Latin Success

Xi Jinping’s visit to South America to attend the APEC and G20 meetings had multiple goals. To inaugurate a new gateway for China in Peru’s Chancay port, sign three dozen cooperation agreements with Brazil, and make nice with the continent’s nations from Chile to the Honduras. Did it succeed in expanding China’s influence in the region? Most certainly, yes.

354545 Courtesy:
12 December 2024

Saudi Arabia’s rising regional positioning

At a time of high geo-political tensions, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia can play a calming role as it mediates between the U.S., Israel, and Iran. It is enabled by its own diplomacy, moving to strengthen ties with Iran, with the Gulf nations slowly coalescing on issues. For the first time, it is being done without the U.S. as interlocutor.

106778241-16044749652020-11-04t072658z_796191984_rc27wj9khv0h_rtrmadp_0_usa-election-trump Courtesy:
21 November 2024

Unfolding Geopolitics | Episode 16, U.S. under Trump: turning inward

Domestic concerns regarding the cost of living, immigration and crime were the key issues that brought about change in the U.S. Presidential elections. Taranjit Singh Sandhu, former Indian ambassador to the U.S., discusses the election outcome and its geopolitical implications, the potential economic and political trajectory of a Trump presidency, and the future of the India-U.S. bilateral.