Courtesy: Foreign Affairs
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?
Courtesy: Shutterstock
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
Courtesy: Ministry of External Affairs
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?
Courtesy: Shutterstock
Kenya’s Mombasa port, the gateway to East and Central Africa, has enabled the Chinese to gain better access to resources in the region and export destinations within Africa through the Belt and Road Initiative. A recent visit offered insights into some of the shortcomings of increasing Chinese investments in the region – and the scope for other countries to step in
Courtesy: Shutterstock
The current wave of protests sweeping India and the government’s suspension of internet services to impede communication has led to innovation. Protesters have taken recourse to offline messaging applications to escape detection while executing their plans. This infographic tracks the evolution of online media – from the basic to the more discreet
Courtesy: Shutterstock
India will host four prestigious international conferences, such as the India-Africa Forum Summit and the subsidiary SCO Summit in the course of the next three years. These are historic opportunities for the country to show global leadership and fulfil a diplomatic agenda that involves handling strategic competition and advancing partnerships
Courtesy: Shutterstock
There has been a wave of civil protests across the globe since early 2019 which have taken governments by surprise by their sheer intensity and resilience. The common impelling factor has been discontent with government. Other factors for the current wave, beginning with the Arab Uprising in 2011, have been corruption and regressive constitutional changes. This infographic charts the arc of the outcry
Courtesy: TICAD7/Flickr
The Seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development was a departure from earlier editions of it. Japan, which is changing tack as a competitor to China in Africa, held back from publicising the number of heads of state present to prevent any comparisons with other such forums and made no further commitments on Overseas Development Assistance. The accent, instead, was on increasing Japanese private sector engagement
Courtesy: Shutterstock
The African Continental Free Trade Area, launched in July, is a landmark achievement, aiming to eliminate tariffs on 90% of products covered by intra-Africa trade and thereby spur entrepreneurial initiative and job creation. It envisages many other gains as well, but the hurdles in their realisation cannot be wished away. An analysis
Courtesy: CNBC TV18
India's foreign policy under the second Modi government will take account of a turbulent world in which the old verities are disappearing and domestic political compulsions exert overwhelming influence on external postures