Commentaries

The current trends in US-China relations are not sanguine. Instead, they are burdened by collapsing relations in both economic and security domain. The future will continue to be the same unless both countries try to dampen their insecurities.

The Indo-Pacific developments have a significant impact on the continent, especially on the east coast and island nations. This necessitates a balanced and pragmatic approach. For a unified and inclusive approach to secure Africa’s interests in the Indo-Pacific and beyond, the African Union will need to lead the way.

The press remains vital to Vietnam since its renovation period providing functions as inputs in policy making to party foundation. However, various issues needs to resolved over the past years to expand media’s role in policy making.

The G-7 has been unable to unify its response to China, and successive summits involving former US President Donald Trump have failed to portray developed democracies in a unified front. The group is eager to demonstrate its unity and competence as democratic governments to address global issues at this summit, and dealing with an increasingly assertive China is expected to be a prominent topic of discussion.

The new phase of relations between India and Australia in the Indo Pacific region has been making a significant mark through its policy and planning, and the area of cyber security cooperation opens up a new domain of opportunities and challenges, based on which both sides can develop habits of cooperation.

China’s approach in the IOR has not been strictly military, India’s response must address both traditional and non-traditional security concerns.  India’s biggest strength is its geography, which has remained a significant constraint for China and will play a major role in determining the outcome of a Sino-Indian maritime conflict.

As the pandemic hit India’s national health system, with a severity that was unexpected and astonishing, the specter of non- military threats confronted the nation and security of the citizens became paramount.

As the pandemic persists, great powers have been recommitting to soft power strategies through vaccine diplomacy and economic aid to countries that are grappling with Covid-19. In this context, agencies such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) have already begun assuming increasing significance. In an era of strategic competition, aid and assistance to countries in dire straits have been an important model in soft power strategies to further foreign policy objectives.

China’s increasing influence over multilateral institutions over the years, and its budding strategic alliance with Russia has become a concern for the United States. The Biden administration intends to ‘restore America’ and bring back American leadership at the global stage, after four years of the disruptive Trump presidency.

India and the USA have evolved as partners transcending the conventional domains of cooperation while recognizing climate change as a central pillar of strategic partnership. The ambitious pathway being paved by both the countries has the potential to advance global climate progress, affirm global climate leadership and create sustainable markets.