News
China shoots itself in the foot on EU-US relations
On 19 May, the European Parliament adopted a resolution freezing “any consideration of the EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI), as well as any discussion on ratification”. At the same time, the European Parliament suggested a strengthened European Union (EU) Foreign Investment Screening Regulation, legislation on foreign subsidies, and other measures directed against China. It also called on the EU “to increase its coordination and cooperation with the US within the framework of a Transatlantic Dialogue on China.” How did it come to this?
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India: Too strategic to fail
Since the second wave of COVID-19 engulfed India, there has been an outpouring of support from nations around the world. Help came from all directions. Rich nations including the US, UK, Germany, and Australia; developing and emerging markets like Mexico, Indonesia, and Bangladesh; and even smaller nations like Mauritius, Kuwait and Bahrain have rushed emergency supplies to India. Partner countries have responded to India’s humanitarian need with whatever they could muster, from oxygen concentrators and liquid oxygen to Remdesivir.
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India-EU Summit: Aligning Brussels and New Delhi’s propositions for the Indo-Pacific
With the announcement of a connectivity partnership based on shared commitment to sustainable development, India and the EU now have the latitude to broaden cooperation in the Indo-Pacific
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Second Wave of COVID-19 getting out of control in Nepal
Unfortunately, South Asia seems to have turned into the epicenter of the second wave of COVID-19 as most of the countries in the region, including India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan have been badly infected by the coronavirus. Instead of being controlled, the situation is getting more flared up as each day passes. Of late, the situation in Nepal is gradually becoming alarming as two out of five people are being tested positive.
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Modi Government: An Evaluation
As the nation reels under the impact of the monstrous second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic Prime Minister Modi has been the focus of much criticism, some justified and some unjustified, for the failure to avert it and to mitigate its adverse impact. This is understandable, to an extent, since as the tallest leader in the land he is the lightening rod for such criticism with all other stake holders in the country flying under the radar when it comes to accountability in this regard.
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Why it is important to get the China challenge right
Despite insurmountable challenges, there is no stepping back in global efforts to fight the rising threats of an authoritarian and revisionist power.
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An uphill battle: Syrian refugees in Germany want citizenship and political representation
Even though Syrian refugees have been integrated relatively faster in Germany, social integration continues to be a challenge in the labour market.
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China-Pakistan Strategic Nexus: Implications for India
The growing China-Pakistan nexus raises the threat to India. Their strategic and territorial interests have been cemented by the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). With the flow of Chinese military power into Pakistan, China veritably straddles India, with its armed forces present on our northern, eastern and western borders. This not only raises the real spectre of a ‘two-front’ war, but positions China to play a role in Kashmir and the region. Both countries must therefore be viewed as potential threats.
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A damning revelation of how Beijing weaponizes aid
Despite being one of the world’s most formidable powers, China and its policies remain a mystery. Even nations that consider themselves close partners of Beijing hardly know much about the way its policies are formulated and their impact. Even Chinese behaviour appears shrouded in mystery, complicating its already complex relationship with the world. This lack of transparency means that often the world is left to deduce motives without any real data. As a consequence, diametrically opposite assertions are often made, depending on the vantage point of the country in question.
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Five reasons for an unhappy India
The picture about India’s happiness quotient presented by the World Happiness Report 2021 is quite disappointing.
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