Diplomacy and Global Politics

By Dr. S. Chakraborty   On Thursday, US President Donald Trump, took Truth social media platform to threaten BRICS member states on their alleged de-dollarisation effort. He clearly stated that, the effort could consequent to 100% tariff on member countries. He said that, it is impossible to replace dollar in international trade. If any member state would try to implement this idea, then they have to say goodbye to American economy. BRICS is an intergovernmental organization comprised of Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Indonesia. Altogether these countries include 25% of global economy and 40% of global population. It is the only biggest intergovernmental platform which does not include the US. In the last few years, BRICS continuously forwarded the idea of a BRICS currency. In 2024, BRICS summit was held in Russia. The idea was again discussed in the summit. In December 2024, Donald Trump had given same threat to BRICS members. In ...

By Dr. S. Chakraborty   A media report confirmed that Rwandan-backed M23 rebels captured eastern part of Democratic Republic of Congo this week. On Tuesday, the rebels took control over the city of Goma. Rwanda, however, denied sending troops into neighboring DR Congo.  United Nations repeatedly expressed its concern on the situation. U.N. investigators said that thousands of Rwandan soldiers had been deployed in support of the M23 rebel group. On Tuesday, the Security Council again met over the escalating crisis in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The UN agencies and partners on the ground reported chaos in the streets of the regional capital Goma. Death and displacement are rising as the M23 armed group takes over towns and villages. For detail DR CONGO CRISIS: Security Council hears call for ‘urgent and coordinated international action’ over Goma Congo's army and Burundian allies slow M23 rebel's southern march

  By Dr. S. Chakraborty External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar visited the United Arab Emirates on an official trip from 27 to 29 January 2025. This was Dr. S Jaishankar’s third official visit to the UAE, since the beginning of his second term as Minister of External Affairs in June 2024. In December, 2024, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of UAE His Highness Sheikh Abdullah visited India for the bilateral Joint Commission Meeting and Strategic Dialogue. Within one month the visit of Dr. Jaishankar to UAE clearly conveyed several messages. The visit strengthened the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. It also reflects sustained and regular high-level engagements from both the countries. During the visit, on January 27, Dr. S Jaishankar participated in India’s 76th Republic Day Celebrations in Abu Dhabi. In a special gesture, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of UAE HH Sheikh Abdullah graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. Other significant dig...

  By Dr. S. Chakraborty On 28 th January, 2025, Ministry of External Affairs, published a brief response against a Canadian report, which mentioned alleged Indian interference in 2021 Canadian election. Rejecting the allegation made by the report, India blamed Canada for its continuous interference in India’s internal affairs, an approach which ‘created an environment for illegal migration and organized criminal activities.’ India also strongly expressed that the ‘support system enabling illegal migration will not be further countenanced.’ Recently, a Canadian Commission led by Justice Marie Josée Hogue, published its report. The report said that during 2021 Canadian election, India may have attempted to provide financial support to preferred candidates. The report and its allegation against India have become more significant because of recent strained relations between the two countries. India’s relation with Canada has begun to deteriorate, when Canada government under Jus...

  By Dr. S. Chakraborty Today, in the early morning, Ministry of External Affairs reported an incident of firing by the Sri Lankan Navy during the apprehension of Thirteen Indian fishermen in the proximity of Delft Island. Out of the 13 fishermen, who were on board the fishing vessel, two have received serious injuries and are currently getting treatment at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital. Three other fishermen received minor injuries and have been treated for the same. Ministry of External Affairs immediately called the Sri Lankan Acting High Commissioner in New Delhi and lodged a strong protest over the incident. Indian High Commission in Colombo has also raised the matter with Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sri Lanka. Indian Consulate Officials in Jaffna have visited the injured fishermen at the hospital to seek their welfare and are extending all possible assistance to the fishermen and their families. Keeping in mind the livelihood concern of fishermen from both sides, India ...

By Dr. S. Chakraborty At the invitation of the Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi, President of Indonesia, Mr. Prabowo Subianto paid a State Visit to India from 23-26 January, 2025. He attended the celebrations of the 76th Republic Day of India as the Chief Guest and it was also the 75th Anniversary of India-Indonesia Diplomatic Relations. Coincidentally, the first President of Indonesia, Sukarno, was the Chief Guest at India’s first Republic Day in 1950, a cherished memory for both the countries. In 2018, during PM Modi’s visit to Indonesia the bilateral relation was elevated to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. During the current visit of President Prabowo, Vice President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar and External Affairs Minister of India, Dr. S. Jaishankar called on President Prabowo.  President Prabowo was accompanied by a high-level delegation including six cabinet Ministers, several Senior Officials of the Indonesian government and a large business delegation....

By Dr. S. Chakraborty  Dr. S. Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister of India, attended a brief press interaction in the US and answer to a set of questions. He was in the US as Special Envoy of the Prime Minister for the inauguration of President Trump and Vice President Vance. During his stay he also attended a Quad Foreign Ministers meeting, met National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, Speaker Johnson and several other political leaders of the US. While expressing his overall impressions, he was very clear that the Trump administration was keen to have India present at the inaugural, and they're clearly prioritizing the bilateral relationship. He was also sure that the Trump administration 2.0 is ready to continue building the foundation of relationship, which the first Trump administration had started. He also emphasis on President Trump’s close relation with PM Modi. He also expressed his firm believe regarding increase in activities of Quad, one of the major foreign policies mo...

The Quad Foreign Ministers meeting was held in the Washington D.C. on 22 nd January, 2025. In the meeting the Secretary of State of the United States Marco Rubio met with  Foreign Minister of India Mr. S. Jaishankar,  Foreign Minister of Australia Mr. Penny Wong  and Foreign Minister of Japan Mr. Takeshi Iwaya. Following the meeting they released a joint statement. In the statement, they reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening a Free and Open Indo-Pacific region. They also reiterated their commitment to upheld and defend the rule of law, democratic values, sovereignty and territorial integrity in the Indo-Pacific region. All the four nations maintained their conviction that international law, economic opportunity, peace, stability and security ‘in all domains including the maritime domain underpin the development and prosperity of the peoples of the Indo-Pacific.’ The statement also strongly opposed any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo ...

By Dr. S. Chakraborty On 20 th January, 2025, Donald Trump took oath as the President of the United States of America (USA) for 2 nd time. The moment was historic from various points. President Trump is only the second President of USA in last 230 years of US electoral history, who gained Presidency after a loss in re-election, after Grover Cleveland, the 22 nd and 24 th President of the US. The ceremony was indoor, due to harsh winter weather. In his inaugural speech, he touched a number of international issues, for example, trade tariff, inflation, foreign policy etc. He also promised that ‘the golden age of America’ has just begun and the country will soon be ‘greater, stronger and far more exceptional than ever before.’ The ceremony was also significant from the point of international affairs. Three ex-President of the USA, Bill Clinton, Barak Obama and Joe Biden was present there. Ex US Vice-President Kamla Harris, whom Mr. Trump defeated this time, were also present in ...

  By Dr. S. Chakraborty President of the Republic of Singapore, Mr. Tharman Shanmugaratnam, was on a State Visit to India from 14-18 January 2025. President Tharman was accompanied by his spouse, Mrs. Jane Ittogi Shanmugaratnam and a high-level delegation including Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Finance Mr. Chee Hong Tat, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of National Development Ms. Sim Ann, Members of Parliament of Singapore and officials. India - Singapore cooperation has deepened and diversified over the years. The bilateral ties are characterized by strengthening political, defence, economic, cultural, educational and people-to-people contacts. Both the countries share warm and friendly relations, which have provided a firm basis to expanding cooperation in the fields of advanced manufacturing, connectivity, digitalization, healthcare & medicine, sustainability, and education & skills development. Singapore is a key pi...

  By Dr. S. Chakraborty The President of the Republic of Singapore, Mr. Tharman Shanmugaratnam will pay a State visit to India from 14 to 18 January 2025. This would be his first visit to India as the President of Singapore. The visit will also mark the beginning of the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Singapore. The bilateral relations, which were elevated to the level of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in September 2024, is expected to receive more strength after this visit. President Shanmugaratnam will also visit Odisha during this time. He will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including Ministers, Members of Parliament and officials.

  On December 25, 2024 China approved construction of world’s largest dam on a transboundary river Yarlung-Tsangpo in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, called Brahmaputra river in India.  Yarlung-Tsangpo is the longest river of Tibet. The approved dam will be three times larger than the Three Gorges dam. China claimed that the project has gone through rigorous scientific verification and will not have any negative impact on downstream countries like, India and Bangladesh. India already reacted by saying that it will protect its own interest. India’s concern could also be measured from the discussion of the Indian officials with the visiting US National Security Advisor Mr. Jake Sullivan, where the issue found place. Mr. Sullivan came to India to review the trajectory of India-US global strategic partnership under the Biden administration. The dam will be constructed at a huge gorge in the Himalayan reaches where the Brahmaputra makes a U-turn to flow through Arunacha...

Analysis of the Joint Statement of India – Sri Lanka (16 December, 2024) Part - 1  Newly elected President of Sri Lanka Anura Kumara Dissanayaka was in India in a three days state visit (15-17 December, 2024). On Monday, 16 th December, 2024, Mr. Dissanayaka met with Prime Minister of India, Mr. N. Modi. In this context, the two countries released a joint statement. The statement included a wide range of strategic issues. This article analyzed the statement to understand India-Sri Lanka relations. India provided an unparalleled and multi-pronged support during 2022 Sri Lanka economic crisis. During that period, India extended financial and forex support worth USD 4 billion. India also assisted Sri Lanka in its debt restructuring process. India also extended financial assistance of USD 20.66 million to settle payments due from Sri Lanka for projects completed under existing Lines of Credit, which significantly reduced debt burden of Sri Lanka. This created a strong bonding betwee...