Topics Archive

Singapore: Food Security vs Land Scarcity

With an increasing demand for land and sea resources juxtaposed with climate change, rising sea levels, pollution and invasive species, Singapore is warming up to the threat of food security.…

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…

Huawei in Russia

Huawei has signed a deal with Russian telecom firm MTS to develop 5G technology in Russia. Why is Russia interested in Huawei and how can it ensure that the deployment of the technology is aligned to…

UPI decline in May 2019

After hitting a record high in March, payment transactions via Unified Payments Interface (UPI) declined second time in a row in May 2019. Can the UPI meet the Reserve Bank of India’s Vision 2021…

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…

Netanyahu fails to form a government

In the April 2019 general elections in Israel, incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was elected to form a coalition government. However, he was unable to do so and has called for new elections…

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…

ExxonMobil and climate change

ExxonMobil's shareholders have rejected several proposals that would require greater oversight over the company's environmental policy. Activist shareholders have also pushed for a separation of the…

Julian Assange: A Case of Journalism, Hacking and Espionage

Julian Assange, co-founder of Wikileaks has been charged with 17 counts under the Espionage Act for receiving and publishing information from Army intelligence analyst in 2010. Does Assange fit the…

Laser attacks in South China Sea

Australian navy helicopter pilots have been hit with laser beams from fishing boats suspected of being part of China’s maritime militia during a recent military exercise in the South China Sea.…

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…

China’s rare-earth metals

Chinese state media has warned that the country is ready to use rare-earth in the trade war with the US. Is such a strategy a viable option for China?

Aftermath of Indian Election results 2019

India’s Bharatiya Janata Party swept the opposition aside to win a second term in the recent national elections. . Will the sweeping mandate motivate the ruling party to rise above ideological…

Iran and China vs the US?

Both Iran and China have recently faced the ire of the United States; Iran over the 2015 nuclear deal and China through an ongoing trade war. Are Iran and China likely to engage in closer cooperation…

Fiat Chrysler proposes Renault merger

Fiat Chrysler proposes a merger with Renault that would create the world's third-largest car manufacturer. The auto industry is currently undergoing a shift caused by autonomous vehicles and electric…

Right to Information vs Disclosure of defaulters

The Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the Reserve Bank of India to disclose the list of loan defaulters. Will RBI disclose names of such non - payers ?

Trump undermines the science behind climate change

Climate change poses a severe threat to planet Earth. Interest groups in the US are in constant denial that humans are primarily responsible for these aberrations. The Trump administration has…

Starlink: SpaceX’s broadband service

SpaceX recently launched satellites for its Starlink broadband service. Why are private space companies attempting to provide global internet coverage?

The Future of Security: Mapping the 5G ecosystem in India

Synergia Foundation hosted its 55th Forum on the future of Security in India, focusing on the 5G networks. The forum saw the participation of prominent civil servants, industry leaders and technology…