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The 16th BRICS Summit, held in Russia’s Kazan in October, was the first summit of the expanded grouping. With 13 new partner states invited, it revealed how increased membership has the potential to enhance the grouping’s influence. For India, BRICS serves as a bridge between the west, the east, the north and the south, making New Delhi the geopolitical sweet spot.
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The Maritime Silk Road, the Belt and Road Initiative, and a sizeable catalogue of agreements with actors from Kabul to Tel-Aviv have been the basis for the growing presence of China spanning the military, diplomatic, economic, and political spheres in the Middle East.
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China has just announced a grand stimulus for its economy. An analysis of the outcome of the Third Party Plenum held in July, where many of these measures take birth, shows that despite the optimistic planning, China is readjusting its ambitions for future stability.
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A decade after its launch, China’s Belt and Road Initiative has slowed down in South Asia, the result of poorly conceived projects, and irresponsible behavior from borrower and lender alike.
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The 9th China-Africa Summit, held in Beijing from September 4-6, reflected China’s long-held view that Africa is vital to the world’s future, and therefore to the conduct of Chinese foreign policy. As China expands its strategic footprint on the continent, there is much for India to learn. It must adopt a proactive approach and back its economic and diplomatic initiatives with sustained political will.
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Chinese state media and other outlets are increasingly using disinformation to undermine Taiwan's political stability, sway public opinion, and erode national unity. The government in Taipei mitigates this threat by employing a range of high- and low-tech solutions. Other countries will benefit by using the Taiwan model to fortify their democratic institutions and enhance their readiness against an advanced arsenal of disinformation tools.
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The Quad foreign ministers meeting, held in Tokyo on July 29, took a clear position against China’s coercive actions in the East and South China seas. The four ministers have done their bit by reviewing the progress of the grouping’s many initiatives and reiterating its commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. For continued progress, the Quad now needs solid initiative from the top leadership – and a summit at the earliest.
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Comparing India and China’s defence forces reveals that it is more than just a numbers game. Increased defence spending and modernization with AI and quantum computing has given China a substantial edge over India’s military capability. India is working to close the gap with an energetic focus on indigenous procurement and expanding international exercises.
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The foreign policy of the new government in India will likely be a continuum from previous years. But as election outcomes in other parts of the democratic world witness a transformation, India should prepare for flexibility in its policy – and keep up its guard.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping's three-nation tour to France, Serbia and Hungary in early May highlighted China's aim to bolster ties and navigate shifting global power dynamics. The trip's implications are significant for all major powers, including India, which must inject more creativity and energy in building up its strategic partnerships with G7 nations after the elections.