OneWeb Courtesy: Gateway House
24 December 2020

India, OneWeb and the Queen’s stake

Bharti Global’s stake in OneWeb has given India lateral entry into this lucrative and newly-competitive global satellite-based internet services market. India and the U.K., the two stakeholders in this company, can build and sustain this collaboration through a well-thought-out bilateral space diplomacy agenda.

amit paper cover Courtesy: Gateway House
21 December 2020

India’s energy investments: A fresh approach

India’s investments in energy thus far have concentrated on buying stakes in oilfields in developing countries often at the risk of political unpredictability. With oil prices, and therefore oil company values, falling – India should revise this strategy and aim for better value and lower risk by making investments in companies in the developed world. This paper recommends investing in oil and gas assets in energy-rich developed countries like the U.S., Canada and Australia, to reduce India's vulnerability to future increases in energy prices. These should be made via a sovereign wealth fund (SWF), not the national oil companies. The SWF will be best served by acting as a financial investor, acquiring, only minority stakes, rather than aiming for management control.

India's intricate Central Asian play Courtesy: vicepresidentofindia.nic.in
17 December 2020

India’s intricate Central Asian play

India hosted the SCO summit on 30 November. Fueling its diplomatic drive is the region’s strategic importance and an enhancced focus on Central Asia with its strong civilizational, cultural and emotional bonds with India. Despite the daunting regional challenges, old and new, a seat at the SCO table strengthens India's hand in shaping the grouping’s - and region’s - future.

3DP Ambika Courtesy: Shutterstock
15 December 2020

Regulations for 3D Printing

With India now considering the creation of a policy to promote additive manufacturing, it is necessary to look at whether this new industry has a conducive regulatory environment, both at the domestic and global level. A key element of additive manufacturing is 3D, rapidly becoming a critical element in industrial and national security. Suitable regulation will ensure that countries that are heavily reliant on China for manufacturing, will have a chance to build their own industrial base

Quad image_ Courtesy: Shutterstock
10 December 2020

To formalize the Quad – or not

Should the Quad be formalized? It has evolved from a crisis response group in 2004 to a strategic partnership today between the four member-countries – India, the U.S., Australia and Japan. There are benefits and challenges to the institutionalisation of the Quad which require timely analysis, especially as the group has renewed vigour this year with the COVID-19 pandemic and China’s aggression in the Indo-Pacific region.

shutterstock_1443940382 Courtesy: Shutterstock
9 December 2020

India and Canada: A third pole

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's controversial wading into the Punjab farmers' protests has obfuscated the hard work done by diplomats and think tanks on both sides over the past three years, to boost the bilateral. India and Canada have much to gain from each other's strengths in technology, natural resources and investment, and even more if they collaborate internationally to develop an alternative to the current bipolar world order

iczMy34b_400x400 Courtesy: Twitter/Arctic Council
3 December 2020

Delhi to the Arctic via Paris

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.

Parameters-for-developing-cross-border-infrastructure_Jyotsna-Bapat_2020_Final3508-01 Courtesy: Gateway House
3 December 2020

Parameters for Developing Cross-border Sustainable Infrastructure

Cross-border infrastructure has been influencing the geopolitics of Asia, specifically South Asia. Since 2014, India has been investing in trilateral and multilateral infrastructure projects, in its coastal and inland neighbourhood. This paper argues that making environmental security a parameter for developing cross border sustainable infrastructure, will provide a unique opportunity for India to develop norms for environmental and social security policy, training assistance, and capacity-building in the projects it funds abroad.

G20Saudi Courtesy: Shutterstock
3 December 2020

G20: What all did Riyadh achieve?

Saudi Arabia hosted the G20 Summit on 21-22 November, this year. A strategy to protect the global economy, which is the heart of the G20’s existence, was reflected in the updated G20 Action Plan, a clear by-product of the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. Beyond the immediate, is the plan for a resilient and long-lasting recovery.

1 Courtesy: Gateway House
3 December 2020

Digital governance, the way forward for global economy

Both India and Canada have interests in strong multilateral systems. WTO and other institutions help create a network of alliances and norms, essential to function in a global economy. India-Canada should collaborate on developing overarching principles, as neutral third parties to develop broad principles to guide the technology exchange across borders that could act as a beacon similar to the UNDHR document.