Indian Council of World Affairs

#ICWA held a Panel Discussion on "Afghanistan under the Taliban: Past Lessons and Future Paths" today at #SapruHouse. It was chaired by Amb. Gautam Mukhopadhaya, Former Indian Envoy to Syria, Afghanistan and Myanmar. Special talk was delivered by Brig. Saurabh Sharma, Defence Advisor and Military Attaché, Indian Mission in Afghanistan (2020-21). Prof. Raghav Sharma, Associate Professor, Jindal School of International Affairs, Director, Center for Afghanistan Studies, Jindalglobal University and Dr. Shalini Chawla, Distinguished Fellow, Centre for Air Power Studies (CAPS) were the panellists. At the discussion, welcome remarks were delivered by Nutan Kapoor Mahawar, Additional Secretary, ICWA. Read full remarks by AS, ICWA 👉 bit.ly/3P7IVU0

President-elect Trump has positioned himself as pro-cryptocurrency. He has stated that he would like to build a cryptocurrency stockpile and prevent the US government from selling its cryptocurrency holdings, and his administration will try to use cryptocurrency to address the surging national debt. Such overt and vocal support is likely to attract more investors, which the industry feels will create a more favourable environment for innovation and growth of digital assets. Read more in #ICWAIssueBrief on “Trump 2.0 and the Cryptocurrency Euphoria” by Dr. Stuti Banerjee, Senior Research Fellow, ICWA. Click 👉 bit.ly/4gBTgUl

Cuba’s recurring electricity crisis poses a significant challenge to its socialist command economy model. Persistent blackouts have fuelled public dissatisfaction, with citizens increasingly demanding government accountability and improved infrastructure. To help the country meet its renewable energy goals despite the challenges posed by the US sanctions, Cuba has received support from many countries including India, which are contributing technology, investment, and lines of credit. However, while Cuba’s renewable energy sector presents investment opportunities, the country’s ongoing economic crisis and recurring defaults call for a change in its working culture especially in this sector that lends itself to early & smooth energy transition and decarbonization efforts; including with international cooperation. Read more in #ICWAIssueBrief on “Cuba’s Recurring Electricity Crisis and Challenges for Energy Security” by Girisanker Nair, Research Associate, ICWA. Click 👉 bit.ly/3DxzGcR

On the 30th anniversary of the #BudapestMemorandum, Ukraine’s decision to give up its nuclear arsenal for security guarantees has come into sharp focus. In exchange for its disarmament, major powers had promised to protect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Fast forward to today, the current geopolitical situation has shattered those promises, revealing the fragility of such political understandings in an unpredictable geopolitical landscape. This has cast a long shadow of doubt on the future of security assurances & guarantees, nuclear non-proliferation, and global stability. The lessons of Ukraine’s experience are more urgent than ever. Read more in the #ICWAViewPoint on "The Budapest Memorandum at 30: Lessons in Geopolitics, Trust, and Fragile Security Assurance" by Prachi R., Research Associate, ICWA. Click 👉 bit.ly/49KItUZ

Cuba faces mounting challenges in managing its electricity crisis. Despite access to international lines of credit, economic challenges faced by the country limit their effective utilization. The US embargo further isolates Cuba by restricting its access to global financial markets, making it difficult to secure loans, import fuel and essential goods, and modernise energy infrastructure. While renewable energy projects offer a potential long-term solution, progress has been slow due to climate-related risks and sanctions that hinder foreign partnerships. Additionally, recurring defaults have raised concerns about the sustainability of external support for essential fuel supplies, infrastructure upgrades, and renewable energy transitions. This raises a pressing question: can Cuba address its electricity crisis and sustain its socialist command economy until renewable energy projects are fully realised? Is the electricity crisis which adversely affects the provision of basic needs to the Cuban people a manifestation of a larger malaise in its economy and polity and its external relations calling for serious introspection? Read more in #ICWAIssueBrief on “Cuba’s Recurring Electricity Crisis and Challenges for Energy Security” by Girisanker Nair, Research Associate, ICWA. Click 👉 bit.ly/3DxzGcR

Now that Donald Trump has officially won the race to the Oval Office, the world looks at how he intends to keep up his claim of ending the war in Ukraine within 24 hours of his presidential inauguration on January 20 next year. Meanwhile, the battlefield in Ukraine has turned decisively in favour of Russia, as President Zelenskyy has hinted at a major shift in Ukraine’s policy of getting back lost territories as a precondition to any settlement to end the war. Read this #ICWAIssueBrief titled "From As Long as it Takes to America First: Trump’s Peace Plan for Ukraine" by Aman K Pandey, Research Associate, to understand the Trump's peace plan for Ukraine and why reaching a deal is easier said than done. Click 👉 bit.ly/3ZVFlCu

Watch video on #ICWAIssueBrief titled “Adopting One Health Approach for a Better Pandemic Preparedness” by Avni Sablok, Research Associate, ICWA. Click 👉 bit.ly/3BzIqP7

#ICWA held a Panel Discussion on "Recent Developments in Sri Lanka: Significance and Implications" today at #SapruHouse. It was chaired by Amb. Mohan Kumar, O. P. Jindal University. Prof. S.D.Muni, Jawaharlal Nehru University; Prof. Ajay Darshan Behera, Jamia Millia Islamia University and Dr. Nishan de Mel, Executive Director, Verité Research, #SriLanka were the panellists. At the discussion, welcome remarks were delivered by Nutan Kapoor Mahawar, Additional Secretary, ICWA. Read full remarks by AS, ICWA 👉 bit.ly/4flWEkK

Avni Sablok, RA ICWA, presented a paper at the session themed “Nuclear-Technology Advancement & Cold War 2.0” session during the Two-day National Conference organised by ICWA in collaboration with Centre of Excellence for Geopolitics and International Studies, REVA University. In her paper titled “Emerging Technologies as a Tool of Geopolitical Power in a Multipolar World Order”, she elaborated on how emerging technologies are shaping the global landscape and have become both an object and a driver of international cooperation and competition.

On 13-14 December 2024, #ICWA organised a Two-Day National Conference in collaboration with REVA University, Bangalore, deliberating on the evolving global security dynamics arising in a multipolar world. Avni Sablok, RA, ICWA, presented special remarks at the inaugural session on the conference theme “Cold War 2.0 and India”. She underscored that India’s strategic autonomy and multi-alignment strategy represents a nuanced and pragmatic approach to navigating the current geopolitical realities. The inaugural address was presented by Dr. P. Shyama Raju, Hon’ble Chancellor, REVA University, and special remarks by Admiral Arun Prakash, former Chief of Naval Staff, Indian Navy, followed by a keynote address by Professor M.D. Nalapat, Professor Emeritus, REVA University.