2025

In the Absence of Xi and Putin, the BRICS Pivot South

In the Absence of Xi and Putin, the BRICS Pivot South

By Anit Mukherjee

The BRICS Leader’s Declaration lays out in detail the process for a revision of quotas at the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, representation of the Global South in the governance of artificial intelligence and other transformative technologies that will shape the future, and increasing the accessibility and affordability of climate finance.

India-UK Trade Deal Sets a New Benchmark for India’s Digital Trade

India-UK Trade Deal Sets a New Benchmark for India’s Digital Trade

By Ashita Jain

The India-UK FTA reflects a significant shift in India’s digital trade approach. The commitments it makes, particularly on customs duties on electronic transmissions, data flows, and source code protection, will serve as benchmarks in India’s ongoing negotiations with the EU and the United States. 

The Quad Joint Statement: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

The Quad Joint Statement: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

By Lindsey Ford

There is much that feels reassuringly familiar about the joint statement that came out of the July 1 Quad meeting in DC, which maintains significant continuity in its overall tone and content. However, a close review also points to notable shifts that could erode the group’s regional influence over time.

A Streamlined Agenda as Quad Cooperation Continues

A Streamlined Agenda as Quad Cooperation Continues

By Ammar Nainar

Despite trade and tariff wars and continuing security tensions in Europe, the Middle East, and Indian subcontinent, Quad cooperation continues. But the trends this year also reflect a new and more focused agenda for Quad cooperation in the second Trump administration, including maritime, economic, and technology security, as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

A New Code for Cyber Intrusion Capabilities: Pall Mall

A New Code for Cyber Intrusion Capabilities: Pall Mall

By Elsa Debargue and Jeffrey D. Bean

The Pall Mall Process is a work in progress, and only time will tell if it proves durable and successful. However, it does hint at a potential turning point in current cyber governance efforts by adapting to the realities of a decentralized, privatized, and often invisible marketplace of digital intrusion.

Five Lessons for South Asia from the Middle East Crisis

Five Lessons for South Asia from the Middle East Crisis

By Lindsey Ford

The ongoing crisis in the Middle East — which involved Israeli and then U.S. strikes on Iranian targets, including nuclear facilities, as well as Iranian retaliation against Israel and U.S. bases — carries some important lessons for potential crises between India and Pakistan.

Getting Biofuels Right

Getting Biofuels Right

By Anit Mukherjee and Caroline Arkalji

In the run up to the COP30 climate summit in Brazil, countries are reevaluating the role of biofuels in supporting efforts to accelerate the clean energy transition, particularly in the transportation sector, which accounts for nearly one-quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Trump’s Reversal on AI Diffusion Controls Raises New Questions

Trump’s Reversal on AI Diffusion Controls Raises New Questions

By Jeffrey D. Bean

All in all, the United States’ oscillating policy on AI diffusion reflects an ongoing struggle in how best to simultaneously retain U.S. leadership in semiconductors and advance compute for AI at both a market level and in national defense applications, while blocking adversaries’ access to advanced AI chips and the capability to manufacture them.

What India Can Learn from Brazil’s Technical Education System

What India Can Learn from Brazil’s Technical Education System

By Caroline Arkalji

While India is globally recognized for its highly skilled engineering talent, it lags behind its peers in terms of a large, technically trained labor force needed to attract manufacturing investment at scale. To compete, India must align its technical education more closely with industry needs and emphasize skills critical to modern manufacturing.

In Dealing with India and Pakistan, the U.S. Should Not Lose Sight of China

In Dealing with India and Pakistan, the U.S. Should Not Lose Sight of China

By Lindsey Ford

Trump’s eagerness to claim credit for defusing the India-Pakistan crisis, and his follow-on offer of facilitating broader talks between the two sides, kicked off a renewed debate about the bounds of Washington’s ability to play peacemaker in South Asia.