Topics Archive

French Troops in Mali: Boon or Bane?

The African nation of Mali has been plagued by conflict which has escalated due to the spread of political Islam in Sub Saharan Africa. In the context of a Global War on Terror, is it time for…

Houthis attack Saudi Arabia repeatedly

Yemen’s Houthi militants have attacked Saudi Arabia’s airport after drone attacks on Saudi Arabia’s oil pipelines. How are Houthi followers being funded to carry out such attacks despite Yemen being…

A New War in the Middle East?

In light of recent attacks on shipping vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, security experts are concerned about the diplomatic fallout between the US and Iran. What is the likelihood of the trade war…

Chinese vessel sinks Philippine boat

The Philippine government has filed a diplomatic protest over the collision between a Chinese and Filipino fishing vessels which sank the latter in the South China Sea. Would this dispute alter the…

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…

Japan’s diplomatic overtures to Iran

Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe will visit Iran for a rare diplomatic mission - to mediate between the Islamic republic and its ally, the US. Can Japan be an effective mediator and bring about a…

Cyber-Attack on US Customs and Border Protection

Government surveillance photos of international travellers and license plates were hacked as part of a malicious cyber-attack. Is the use of biometrics being carried out at the expense of privacy…

Pakistan’s fight against terrorism

The Joint Group of Asia Pacific Group has found that Pakistan’s compliance on 18 of 27 action plans against terror outfits was found unsatisfactory. What are the primary sources of terrorist funding…

Sudan: Any Hope for Democracy?

The Republic of Sudan, in Northeast Africa, has seen unending violence since the removal of its dictator by the military. With increased calls coming in for immediate civilian rule alongside…

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?…

Kazakhstan: The Legacy of President Nazarbayev

On June 9th, 2019, Kazakhstan held a presidential election following the sudden resignation of President Nursultan Nazarbayev. Election day in the central Asian country was marred by protests, with…

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…

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 Future of Security: A Deeper Look at the Lanka Blasts

On Friday, 7th June, Synergia Foundation hosted a roundtable conference titled “The Future of Security: A Deeper Look at the Lanka Blasts”. Keynote speaker Mr. Pratap Heblikar, former Special…

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…

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…

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…

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…