Observer Research Foundation

China’s Economic Diplomacy in Latin America Gains Strategic Ground

If any country in Latin America has perfected the art of balancing its economic interests between the West and the East, it is Brazil. Brazil is best placed to benefit from the United States (US)-China trade war. As an agricultural giant and one of the world’s largest food producers, Brazil competes head-on with the US on products such as soybeans, corn, beef, pork, poultry, and sugar…

China’s Economic Diplomacy in Latin America Gains Strategic Ground Читать дальше »

Promoting South-South Partnerships: The Potential of India-Armenia Collaboration in AI Education and Research

As global geopolitics shift towards more flexible, interest-based partnerships, India and Armenia present a compelling partnership model for such engagements. Initially spurred by defence cooperation, the India-Armenia bilateral relationship holds promise for further development in deep technology…

Promoting South-South Partnerships: The Potential of India-Armenia Collaboration in AI Education and Research Читать дальше »

Eurasian Connectivity and India

In the 34 years since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the global geoeconomic order has seen considerable shifts. The post-1990 economic order came with significant promise. Increasing economic convergence and global integration were observed during the period of rapid globalization in the 1990s to the end of the global financial crisis in 2008. However, the second decade of the 21st century was but a trailer to the times of economic upheaval ahead…

Eurasian Connectivity and India Читать дальше »

From ‘Look East’ to ‘Act East’: Mapping India’s Southeast Asian Engagement

India’s engagement with Southeast Asia entered a new phase following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third consecutive electoral victory in June 2024. With the ‘Act East’ policy too, marking its 10th anniversary in 2024, New Delhi has intensified its regional outreach through an unprecedented series of high-level diplomatic exchanges, security partnerships…

From ‘Look East’ to ‘Act East’: Mapping India’s Southeast Asian Engagement Читать дальше »

China’s Belt and Road After the 3rd Forum: Reform or Rebrand?

In the post-Cold War era, Europe enjoyed a privileged trade status. However, under United States (US) President Donald Trump, America seeks to change this, arguing that it harms US economic interests. Under Trump’s ‘Make America Great Again’ (MAGA) campaign, he has imposed reciprocal tariffs on European states to offset their favourable trade balance with the US.
Another point of contention is the strategic…

China’s Belt and Road After the 3rd Forum: Reform or Rebrand? Читать дальше »

Opportunities for Indian Defence Industry in Europe

In the post-Cold War era, Europe enjoyed a privileged trade status. However, under United States (US) President Donald Trump, America seeks to change this, arguing that it harms US economic interests. Under Trump’s ‘Make America Great Again’ (MAGA) campaign, he has imposed reciprocal tariffs on European states to offset their favourable trade balance with the US.
Another point of contention is the strategic…

Opportunities for Indian Defence Industry in Europe Читать дальше »

China and the Arctic: An Overview

China’s interests[a] in the Arctic are diverse. Apart from the ‘Arctic eight’,[b] China stands to gain the most by enhancing its engagement with the region. These interests in the Arctic may broadly be listed as follows:
Accessing resources, particularly hydrocarbons
Using a shorter and consequently cheaper shipping route to Northern Europe, coupled with the evacuation of resources from Siberia…

China and the Arctic: An Overview Читать дальше »

South Africa’s G20 presidency: Advancing national foreign policy goals in a multilateral setting

According to Anton Chekov, each element introduced within a literary narrative must serve a purpose. “If in the first act, you have hung a pistol on the wall,” he wrote, “then in the following one, it should be fired. Otherwise, don’t put it there.” The ‘Reform Gun’ has long been poised for action in global governance but remains unused. It has been a fixture in the theatre…

South Africa’s G20 presidency: Advancing national foreign policy goals in a multilateral setting Читать дальше »

A Decadal Review of Russia-China Economic Relations

The Russia-China partnership has grown steadily in the past decade, driven by Moscow’s widening rift with the European Union. As Western markets closed to Russia in 2014, Beijing emerged as an economic partner, importing Russian energy, defence goods, metals and minerals, timber, and other natural resources and exporting manufactured goods, technology, and dual-use…

A Decadal Review of Russia-China Economic Relations Читать дальше »

Changing contours of Quad under Trump 2.0

The Quad foreign ministers met shortly after Donald Trump took office at the White House. This ministerial meeting was also the first engagement of the United States (US)’ new secretary of State, Marco Rubio. While speculations were rife about the future of Quad after Trump won the polls earlier last year, the prompt meeting of Quad foreign ministers…

Changing contours of Quad under Trump 2.0 Читать дальше »

The Middle Corridor: Reviving Connectivity for EU-Central Asia Trade and India’s Strategic Imperative

n the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine war, this paper explores the changing dynamics of the European Union (EU)-Central Asia relationship. It emphasises the growing significance of the Middle Corridor—also known as Trans-Caspian International Transport Route connecting …

The Middle Corridor: Reviving Connectivity for EU-Central Asia Trade and India’s Strategic Imperative Читать дальше »

Bolstering economic connectivity along the IMEC

The Red Sea supply chain crisis, which began at the beginning of this year and continued into the mid-year, is expected to turn into a long-term crisis as the Israel-Hamas conflict rages on. The Iran-backed Houthis continue to terrorise the Red Sea, causing the Egyptian government to halt shipping through the Suez Canal, a critical maritime node in the global web of …

Bolstering economic connectivity along the IMEC Читать дальше »

The Global Gateway in Africa: Europe’s foray into infrastructure diplomacy

Given the dearth of natural resources, all major powers are intensifying their collaboration with African countries and investing in infrastructure and connectivity projects.
Of late, Africa has increasingly emerged as a theatre of growing geopolitical contestation, even as various external shocks—the war in Ukraine, global inflation, and the Israel-Hamas …

The Global Gateway in Africa: Europe’s foray into infrastructure diplomacy Читать дальше »

The Digital Silk Road in the Indo-Pacific: Mapping China’s Vision for Global Tech Expansion

The Digital Silk Road (DSR), part of the Belt and Road Initiative, symbolises China’s approach to expanding information exchanges and digital cooperation with emerging markets and developing economies. Under the DSR, several private corporations and state-owned enterprises supported by Chinese state banks are offering inexpensive technological contracts …

The Digital Silk Road in the Indo-Pacific: Mapping China’s Vision for Global Tech Expansion Читать дальше »

China, Africa, and the geopolitics of lithium

The course of the global energy transition may be determined by the effectiveness of Africa’s lithium exploration negotiations with China.
Dubbed ‘white gold’, Lithium holds high significance in modern technology and industry. Rechargeable Lithium-based batteries are essential to power electric cars and store solar and wind energy. Known for its high energy density and long lifespan, Lithium-ion …

China, Africa, and the geopolitics of lithium Читать дальше »

The Geopolitics of the New India-Middle East-Europe Corridor

One achievement reached on the sidelines of India’s G-20 Summit was the new initiative to develop a rail and shipping corridor connecting India to Europe via the Middle East. According to a White House fact sheet, leaders from the United States, India, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, France, Germany, Italy, and the European Union signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreeing to establish …

The Geopolitics of the New India-Middle East-Europe Corridor Читать дальше »

Military expansion among ASEAN members

The changing world order and the growing Chinese aggression in the SCS have compelled the ASEAN countries to increase their military expenditures.
With global dynamics changing due to big power rivalry, the Indo-Pacific region is challenging the traditional concept of the Asia-Pacific with ASEAN at its core. Several ASEAN-centric bodies provided the regional security architecture …

Military expansion among ASEAN members Читать дальше »

Decoding India’s Priorities at the SCO : Connectivity, Counterterrorism, and Afganistan

As an emerging power in the current multipolar global order, India can use the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to protect, promote, and project its geostrategic and geoeconomic interests. The SCO is also a platform for India to reaffirm its commitment to revive and deepen its centuries-old civilisational, spiritual, and cultural ties with other member …

Decoding India’s Priorities at the SCO : Connectivity, Counterterrorism, and Afganistan Читать дальше »

Slow, Not Steady: Assessing the Status of India-Eurasia Connectivity Projects

India’s robust economy has tremendous potential. But for sustained economic growth, it needs direct access to the Eurasian markets, backed by reliable, resilient, and diversified supply chains. Indeed, enhanced connectivity with Central Asia and the wider Eurasia is essential to promote regional stability and unlock economic opportunities for all countries in the region. This paper analyses the status …

Slow, Not Steady: Assessing the Status of India-Eurasia Connectivity Projects Читать дальше »

India’s G20 presidency: Priorities in trade and correcting supply chains

The G20 brings the world’s major economies accounting for more than 80 percent of world GDP and 75 percent of global trade to an international forum. While the world is still dealing with the nightmares of the pandemic, it is confronted with geopolitical havoc. And it is at this juncture that India has assumed the G20 presidency. For the first time in the history of G20, the troika is with the developing world—Indonesia, India, and Brazil …

India’s G20 presidency: Priorities in trade and correcting supply chains Читать дальше »

India-Russia trade settlement: A way forward

India’s oil imports from Russia have gone up from 0.2 percent of total crude imports to 10 percent since April 2022, with imports rising from 25,000 barrels a day at the beginning of 2022 to 600,000 barrels a day in May–June. The imports rose as Moscow offered crude at discounted rates, seeking to shift its customer base after European companies shunned Russian crude in opposition to its invasion of Ukraine …

India-Russia trade settlement: A way forward Читать дальше »

Building new partnerships: Putin looks toward Iran

In the Russian President’s first visit outside the Central Asian Region since Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin met Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on 19 July. During this trip, the Russian President also met President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Türkiye in Tehran, making it his first in-person meeting with a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) leader since the war began in Ukraine.
Although Russia and Iran have …

Building new partnerships: Putin looks toward Iran Читать дальше »

Russia’s Pivot to Asia policy in the wake of western sanctions

In the face of sanctions imposed by the West, Russia and Belarus look towards developing and maintaining economic and geopolitical partnerships with countries in Asia.
The West’s collective reflection of the events in Ukraine draws a conditional line under the 30-year era of Russia and Belarus’ search for their place in the western-centric world.
History teaches us that “all things must pass”, therefore, it is only a matter of time before …

Russia’s Pivot to Asia policy in the wake of western sanctions Читать дальше »

Is AUKUS the New ASEAN in the Indo-Pacific?

The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, recently said that the Indo-Pacific region will “shape this century”. It is no secret that the Indo-Pacific, in the last five years, has become the fastest-growing region, accounting for two-thirds of global economic growth, and is also an arena of security competition due to China’s growing belligerence. This new opportunity and threat are sounding alarm bells in ASEAN, a cord that connects the Pacific coastline to the …

Is AUKUS the New ASEAN in the Indo-Pacific? Читать дальше »

Digital connectivity as an enabling factor in Asian resurgence

There is little debate about Asia’s increasing economic and political significance. The COVID-19 pandemic that originated in the Asian land mass has retarded, but not reversed, the progress made in taking millions out of poverty and in moving the centre of gravity of the world economy back to Asia, where it was until the 16th century.
Because of the increase in the purchasing …

Digital connectivity as an enabling factor in Asian resurgence Читать дальше »

Commerce and connectivity for enhancing trade in the Indo-Pacific

The Indo-Pacific region is an important one for three reasons. First, three of the world’s largest economies, i.e., the US, China, and Japan are present, and the region accounts for 60 percent of global GDP. Second, 60 percent of global maritime trade occurs through the waters in the region. Finally, the fastest growing emerging economies—Cambodia, India, and Philippines—are also from the region. Economic growth …

Commerce and connectivity for enhancing trade in the Indo-Pacific Читать дальше »

Southeast Asia’s choices: Economic, political, and geopolitical integration face complications

Southeast Asia’s importance internationally and to the United States (US) is under-appreciated. With 650 million people, a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of almost US $3 trillion, high economic growth rates, a middle class expected to double in the next decade, almost 400 million people under the age of 35, and navigating contested and uncertain …

Southeast Asia’s choices: Economic, political, and geopolitical integration face complications Читать дальше »

Прокрутить вверх