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14 May 2020

Invoking force majeure in a crisis

For countries and companies reeling from the severe economic impact of COVID19, force majeure is a mighty legal tool that has not received much attention in contracts. An analysis of what it is, how it works and how it can be enforced.

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12 May 2020

Artemis Accords propel India’s space ambitions

Under the ‘Artemis Accords’ the U.S. is planning an international coalition to extract natural resources from the Moon. China is concurrently planning an Earth-Moon Special Economic Zone. India’s antiquated endorsement of the 1979 Moon Agreement is shackling its true potential for economics-driven space exploration. India must immediately do away with Cold-War era, vintage whims of global commons.

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7 May 2020

Global spread of remote working solutions

COVID19 has forced a sharp increase in the adoption of remote working solutions across the world. Zoom’s daily participants have risen from 10 million in December 2019 to 300 million in April 2020. Microsoft Teams’ daily active users have risen by 70% in the two months since March 2020. ‘Work from home’ may well be the norm for the foreseeable future. A look at the global proliferation of the top 26 online apps to date.

Webcast 3 - website Courtesy: Gateway House
30 April 2020

Gateway House Webcast: Scrutinising Chinese FDI in India

Amit Bhandari, Energy & Environment Fellow, Gateway House; Blaise Fernandes, President, Indian Music Industry Association; Ambika Khanna, Senior Researcher, International Law Programme, Gateway House discuss the reaction to China’s increased investment in HDFC, the depth and motive for China's investments in India, and the new FDI rules put in place by the government to protect strategic investments in the country.

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29 April 2020

Satellite tech for India’s agriculture

The COVID19-caused migration of India’s large workforce to their rural roots holds immense promise for the country’s agriculture productivity and farmer incomes. Precision agritech and satellite-as-a-service (SAAS) can reduce the urban-rural skill, remuneration, and digital divide. Time to privatize space technology for agricultural benefit.

00_fa_mj2020_cover Courtesy: Foreign Affairs
27 April 2020

China’s Coming Upheaval

The U.S.-China relationship, which has wavered between cooperation and competition, has, over the past few years, veered more sharply towards confrontation – possibly because of China’s own more assertive stance. Now, Beijing’s confidence is under test, not only by these fractious relations, but also COVID-19 and an economic slowdown. Will these factors reveal its weaknesses?

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16 April 2020

Oil in the post-COVID-19 world

The OPEC’s proposed cut in oil production earlier this week may not enable the energy market to recover. Recovery is likely only after COVID-19 is brought under control, but there are ways India can capitalise on the current low oil prices for its own energy security

G20 Courtesy: Ministry of External Affairs
2 April 2020

The action imperative for G20

COVID-19 unified G20 leaders at an extraordinary summit last week. An idea given a nudge by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, here was an opportunity for all participants to put together a plan and make a pledge for international cooperation, focusing on four main themes. Next, will they be able to turn words into action?

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19 March 2020

Good and bad of low oil prices

The Coronavirus pandemic has caused crude oil prices to crash almost 40% even as Saudi Arabia and Russia pump more oil into the market. Fears are rife that this crisis will hit demand. There are repercussions on the U.S., the world’s top oil producer, on India, one of its new clients, and on the Gulf Cooperation Council countries