Background Paper No. 30
By Veronica Jijon
2025 could be the tipping point for India’s economic aspirations
By Udaibir Das
The world’s most populous democracy faces a turbulent landscape of geopolitical rivalries, technological shifts and the urgency of climate action. The question remains: will global economic forces propel India toward leadership or will they impede its ascent?
Digital Public Infrastructure as a Catalyst for Private Sector Innovation: Lessons from Fintech Sector in India
Outlook 2025: Crucial ‘bridge year’ for Africa to lead on the global stage
By Udaibir Das
In 2024, Africa’s economic and political importance grew significantly, laying a strong foundation for 2025 to be a transformative year for the continent.
Defence ties: India, US eye new thrust
By Vivek Mishra
Indian leadership must remain cautious as "America First" will loom heavy on Trump's foreign policy. As transfer of technology is of high priority for India in defense collaborations, elements of this sector will likely be at odds with Trump’s agenda.
Vishwa Shastra: India and the World
BOOK
BY DHRUVA JAISHANKAR
In Vishwa Shastra, Dhruva Jaishankar provides a comprehensive overview of India’s interactions with the world — from ancient times to the present day. He describes a long tradition of Indian statecraft and strategic thinking on international affairs, charts early India’s relations with a vast geography from the Mediterranean and Africa to Southeast and Northeast Asia, and captures the costs and consequences of European colonialism. Jaishankar also describes India’s territorial, economic and governance challenges upon Independence and the origins of India’s rivalries with Pakistan and China.
Speaking to a wide audience that includes policymakers, scholars and especially students, Vishwa Shastra offers both rich historical context and forward-looking strategies for India. Highlighting India’s transition from Cold War non-alignment to post-Cold War realignment, Jaishankar outlines India’s strategic objectives: bolstering national power, securing the neighbourhood, maintaining a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific, and leading at international institutions.
Balanced, comprehensive and rigorous, Vishwa Shastra goes beyond shedding light on how India can maneuver in a challenging geopolitical landscape and advance its interests in an interconnected world: it gives us a clear-eyed perspective on how India might actually define the emerging world order.
For more information:
Read media coverage here and book reviews here.
Watch the launch here.
Breaking the Shackles of Geography
By Vivek Mishra
As India and CARICOM prepare for the next summit, this partnership promises to be a cornerstone of India’s expanded global engagement in the years to come.
The Future of Climate Cooperation Between the United States and India
This volume of short working papers is a product of ORF America’s U.S.-India Emerging Climate Leaders as they attempt to develop ideas around climate collaboration and communication for the United States and India.
Special Report
By Abigail Doerr, Amol Kapoor, Bhagyashri Kulkarni, Dhruva Jaishankar, Jonika Rathi, Karan Sinha, Lindsay Maizland, Medha Prasanna, Meenakshi Venkatraman, Miaoru Guan, Mridu Jhangiani, Pankaj Mahalle, Patrick Soltis, Paul Gordon, Perrin Krisko, Sabareesh Suresh, Tanya Kak, Vandita Sariya, Vanshica Kant, and Vedant Patil
Editors: Caroline Arkalji, Jeffrey D. Bean, and Medha Prasanna
Dominance, Competition, and Adaptation: The US Quest for a Strategic Trifecta in the Indian Ocean
By Vivek Mishra
How does the Indian Ocean fits into the United States’ broader assertion as a regional power, especially with the United States shifting to a more collaborative strategy that emphasizes shared leadership?
Gautam Adani case turns the spotlight on a divided US judiciary
By Vivek Mishra
As the US judiciary continues to grapple with its internal divisions, the fallout from such cases similar to Gautam Adani’s situation will likely influence not only US-India relations but also the broader dynamics of international investment and diplomacy.
Trump 2.0: The Second Coming
By Vivek Mishra
Trump’s victory potentially marks a shift on multiple fronts as his second administration will be intent on changing the focus of the US both internally and externally.
India must seize the opportunities in Latin America
By Anit Mukherjee
With the Indian prime minister’s and external affairs minister’s recent visits to Latin America, the engagements are a sign of India’s deepening commitment to improve and strengthen strategic and economic ties with the region where it is still playing catch up to China.
Rebalancing Globalization: Perspectives From the Global South
"Rebalancing Globalization: Perspectives from the Global South" attempts to provide a framework for the next phase of globalization that is rebalanced and sustainable and can address issues that matter to the Global South.
Edited Volume
By Anit Mukherjee, Dhruva Jaishankar, Alan Gelb, Pamla Gopaul, Marta Bengoa, Shayak Sengupta, Aude Darnal, Elizabeth Sidiropoulos, Udaibir Das, Veronica Jijon, and Lorrayne Porciuncula
Editors: Anit Mukherjee and Dhruva Jaishankar
Labor Markets in India: Measurement in Times of Structural Change
By Surjit S. Bhalla, Karan Bhasin, and Tirthatanmoy Das
Using a structural micro-econometric model, the roles of both the labor market and the household sector in female labor participation are evaluated to analyze the evolution of India’s labor market.
Team Trump: There's Method To This Madness
By Vivek Mishra
While Trump's choices reflect his desire for a loyal team, they also signal his intention to challenge traditional governance structures and pursue a different vision for America's future.
Foursight: A Task Force On China’s Strategic Futures Joint Report
While there is no shortage of analysis and speculation of China’s capabilities and behavior today, it is imperative to keep an eye on longer-term developments and remain open to uncertainties that could shape China’s strategic outlook.
Joint Report
By Shikha Aggarwal, Divyank Chaudhary, Lily McElwee, Aaron Glasserman, Keshav Kelkar, Kento Mashiko, Takuya Matsuda, Helen Mitchell, Philip Rogers, Rena Sasaki, David Saultry, and Neil Thomas
Editors: Dhruva Jaishankar and Greg Brown
Trump 2.0 Could Recalibrate U.S. Indo-Pacific Engagements
By Vivek Mishra
While the Indo-Pacific will continue to receive attention in U.S. policy circles, the approach under Trump may be two-pronged.
How Trump 2.0 could reset America's Indo-Pacific strategy
By Vivek Mishra
Trump’s recent reelection signals a possible shift in global stability, with a hardline stance on China and strategic alliances in the Indo-Pacific.
Trump 2.0 will echo themes from first term, but with big changes
By Vivek Mishra
How might Trump’s second administration stay similar to and differ from his first term?
Brics’ daringly autonomous model for financial sovereignty
By Udaibir Das
Where do Brics, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank overlap in their newly released communiques on the global economic landscape?