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India has applied to be a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, but its ambition is being thwarted by China. However, developments in renewable energy mean China’s veto will have little impact on India’s clean energy push.
Courtesy: Wikipedia
India’s forthcoming membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will benefit the SCO, Central Asia, Russia, China, as well as India itself. While India will be able to promote its own security, strategic, trade, economic, and energy interests in Central Asia, the SCO will benefit from India's rapid growing economy and its experience in counter-terrorism.
Courtesy: Buisness Insider
The World Happiness Report 2016 has listed India at 118th place – the lowest rank among BRICS. While there is a strong case for holistic metrics that map actual well-being, research in happiness needs to be taken with a pinch of scepticism.
Courtesy: Wikipedia
A resurgent Taliban has turned a hopeful declaration by the Obama administration into a premature one. The levels of U.S. troops stationed in Afghanistan, currently at 9,800, are expected to increase as a result. But with more than half a trillion dollars spent trying to stabilize the problem, perhaps it’s time to rethink the Af-Pak region.
Courtesy: Wikipedia
On 14 December, Saudi Arabia announced the formation of an anti-terrorism coalition of 34 Islamic countries. But with key potential partners such as Algeria, Lebanon, and Pakistan refusing to join, the hastily-assembled group has put Saudi credibility in the spotlight instead of deflecting western criticism of the kingdom’s inaction against Sunni jihadism
Courtesy: COP Paris / Flickr
COP21 could have spelled doom for India’s growth push if it had insisted on a peak emissions year for all participants, or spelled out explicit restrictions on coal. It has done neither, and continues to recognise the principle of differentiated responsibilities
Courtesy: Victor Dubreuil / Wikipedia
The GCC finds itself engulfed by a perfect storm – due to the oil price fall and the re-emergence of Iran on the world scene. While the GCC is forced to undertake politically challenging reforms and confront the regional challenge of Iran, there lies a great opportunity for India to strengthen their economic as well as security ties.
Courtesy: epSos .de/Flickr
If COP 21 Summit in Paris is to play a decisive role in warding off climate havoc, it must strengthen efforts to resolve the greatest market failure in history. Efforts to reconfigure market culture are part of a larger civilizational process of treating profit as the means not the goal of business.
Courtesy: Gateway House
At India’s first T20 consultation, hosted by Gateway House in Mumbai on October 19, the four working sessions were titled: ‘G20 and new inclusive business models’; ‘Trade, investment, and development’; ‘Financing sustainable infrastructure’; and ‘Technology, services, and skills’. We present an overview of these discussions, arranged in three categories for each session: Why is the issue important for the G20? What are India's concerns on the subject? What were the key issues discussed at this meeting?
Courtesy: MEA / Flickr
Changes in how India plans to approach its relationship with Africa were evident at the recent India-Africa Forum Summit, including the wider representation of African countries, and Modi’s push to forge a united front with Africa at multilateral institutions on trade and other issues. But beyond these, gaps in the India-Africa alliance remain to be addressed.