Topics Archive
US - Qatar relationship: Strategic or Uncertain
Amidst the ongoing tensions in the Persian Gulf and the blockade by the Saudi led coalition, Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani visited Washington to discuss security in the Gulf and…
Japan sanctions South Korea
Japan will strengthen restrictions on exports of materials used in smartphone displays and chips to South Korea amidst a growing dispute over South Koreans forced to work for Japanese firms during…
Qatar offers a bailout to Pakistan
Cash-strapped Pakistan has secured a bailout package of $3 billion from Qatar. Is Pakistan able to convince more lenders to bail itself out of this economic predicament? Would this mean broadening…
The Future of Conflict: Pakistan
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by area and richest in terms of resources, is reeling under insurgency for more than 15 years. Is it not high time for the Government in Pakistan to move away…
China-North Korea Alliance: A Work in Progress
The Chinese President Xi Jinping recently met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un just a few days ahead of scheduled talks with Donald Trump at the G20 Summit. What are the strategic implications of…
NATO vs SCO: A New Multipolar Order
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently attended the 19th annual Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which was held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The aftermath of the summit raises some…
Jordan for Palestine?
King Abdullah II of Jordan has angrily rejected the US suggestion to make Jordan a homeland for 8 million citizens of the Palestinian descent. Can Jordan manoeuvre the ‘Deal of the Century’ through…
Geopolitical tug-of-war in Eastern Europe
The Trump Administration has been augmenting efforts to improve its relations with Eastern Bloc nations through improved trade and defence collaboration. On the same parallel, both Russia and China…
Is a Trump Impeachment on the Cards?
United States’ speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi is under pressure from lawmakers to begin impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump. If an official inquiry is…
Indonesia and the Belt and Road Initiative
Indonesia’s Minister of Maritime Affairs signed 23 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with China while attending the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Forum in Beijing. How can the BRI help Indonesia?…
Trump’s Immigration Policies: A Threat to Indian Family Life in the U.S
Ever since being elected into office in 2017, Donald Trump has made a series of reforms to the United States’ immigration policies in an effort to reduce the influx of immigrants. He claims that his…
India and U.S: Military Allies or Economic Adversaries?
For the most part, India and America have shared a strong and friendly relationship in terms of both military and trade, despite New Delhi’s ties to Moscow. New Delhi now finds itself in an…
Will Trump’s GSP sanctions persuade India to open up its markets?
President Donald Trump recently revoked the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) privileges from India which permits the duty-free entry of nearly 2,000 Indian products. The Indian government…
The Prospect of Security Council Reform
The United Nations Security Council is often criticised for being ineffective and there is thus a clarion call for it to be fundamentally reformed. Will the five permanent members (P5) accede to this…
Venezuela: The Future As We See It
Venezuela, a nation with such immense potential, has suffered a startling collapse in a short span of five years. To this end, what does the future hold for what was once one of Latin America’s…
Nicaragua: What Next?
The Republic of Nicaragua, located between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea in Central America, has been of great strategic importance dating back to the Cold War. Following a recent upsurge…
The Arctic’s Coldest War
Climate change has opened areas of the Arctic which provides significant economic and geopolitical opportunities to many non-Arctic countries. How do global powers view economic activities in the…
Trump threatens sanctions against Mexico
The US is expected to impose a 5% tariff on all goods from Mexico. The duties will increase until illegal immigration from Mexico into the US is stopped. Why has President Trump increased pressure on…
Pro-EU parties to control European Parliament
Populist, eurosceptic parties were expected to gain significantly in recently held European Parliament elections. Results indicate that while the European Union has largely rejected populism, some…
Macron and Merkel spar over EU leadership
In a recent vote, the hold on European Parliament by centrist blocs that have dominated the institution has been weakened. France and Germany are at odds as to who secures Europe’s top jobs including…