International Relations and Policy – Page 8

Sports and Soft Power: Qatar Diplomacy in light of Football World Cup

Countries have used sports to assert dominance and mark their presence for centuries. This article explores the role of football in improving or deteriorating diplomatic relations between nations and how Qatar used the FIFA world cup to become more relevant and assert its soft power, and how impactful is sports diplomacy.
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Brace for Impact: Europe’s Upcoming Recession

Europe is heading for a recession. With sky-high energy prices, a surging dollar, and China’s slowdown, most economists have now begun to discuss the severity of the recession and what it would entail. On that front, this article takes a hypothetical trajectory and predicts three possible scenarios that might pan out for Europe in the…
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The IRGC Strikes Back: Iranian Involvement in the Ukraine War

Iran is one of Russia’s principal foreign allies in the ongoing Ukrainian war. By supplying weapons to Russia, Iran has to an extent reversed the traditional client-patron relationship between Western and Middle-Eastern states and opened a new frontier in its proxy conflict with the United States. This article examines the background of the Russia-Iran alliance,…
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The Relevance of Central Bank Digital Currencies in Geopolitics

Abstract Putin’s war in Ukraine has disrupted numerous supply chains and worsened the global economy. The geopolitical tensions have triggered a race among nations to launch an unusual innovation that may have the potential to disrupt the global financial system: central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). This column explores the geopolitical role of central bank digital…
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Whither the Left?

In an era where the discourse around a global rightward tilt of democracies is done to death, the Left has made some admirable comebacks from South America to Western Europe. Yet the South Asian left has been conspicuously absent when it comes to any sign of a revival on a political front. The absence is…
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The Bloodiest War: Tragedy in the Tigray

Abstract The conflict in Tigray constitutes the single largest humanitarian crisis currently raging. The outcome of the conflict will determine the future of Ethiopia, and the Horn of Africa at large, since Ethiopia is the largest country in the region. A unilateral government triumph will decimate the civilian population of Tigray, while a successful Tigrayan secession…
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Understanding the Belt and Road Initiative under the realm of Maritime Security

Ever since the Global Financial crisis (2008), China has made repeated forays into utilising economic means to define maritime security. Initially, this came around through stray efforts at naval modernisation to defend and enhance Chinese connectivity abroad until President Xi Jinping proposed the Belt and Road initiative. Since then the subsequent benefits and pitfalls of…
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Uncle Sam Plays His F-16 Card Once Again

In a move that was earlier blocked, the Biden Administration approved a $450 million upgrade to Pakistan’s existing fleet of F-16 fighter aircraft. In the aftermath of Trump’s decision to stop selling new F-16s to Pakistan, the deal has raised questions about the possibility of a renewal of the US-Pak relationship and what it means…
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Reviewing the Rise of India as a Global Soft Power

India is witnessing phenomenal economic growth while its political aspirations are on a greater level. The administration is attempting to extend its global influence by utilising soft power resources and instruments. Using its rich culture and returning to its traditions, India is rediscovering this art. References to religious pluralism and democratisation are an additional effective…
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More the Merrier: Why India May Need Another Aircraft Carrier

Should India build another aircraft carrier? Analysing the question through various perspectives, this article looks at the historic and geopolitical implications of owning an aircraft carrier.
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The Unseen Annihilation: A New Narration of the Threats facing South Asia – II

This is the second part in a two-part series about the need for a new narration for crises. The previous piece used the medium of fictional foretelling in order to reliably convey the probable devastation caused by the climate crisis, job insecurity and food scarcity in South Asia. This one shall focus on the remaining…
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The Impact of the Galwan Clashes on the character and nature of Sino-Indian relations

Much of mainstream research on the recent clashes between Indian and Chinese soldiers at Galwan has exerted an undue focus on assessing the incident as a bigger version of previous clashes, without paying attention to what actually marks it as a landmark event in defining how both nations approach bilateral ties. This is a dilemma…
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