India and France: From strategic partners to a strategic alliance

Written by John Pollock

After conducting the largest ever Varuna exercise off Goa in May 2019, the Chief of France’s navy Admiral Christophe Prazcuk announced that the French and Indian navies would undertake joint maritime security patrols in the Indian Ocean. The first such patrol took place in March 2020 utilising P-8 Poseidon anti-submarine aircraft.

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Japan's F-35 woes continue as the nation looks to the future

Written by Joseph Hammond

This summer the State Department approved a $23 billion plan for Japan to acquire 105 F-35 stealth fighters of both the conventional take-off (the F-35A), and the short take-off and vertical landing variant (the F-35B). As a result of this deal, Japan is now home to one of only two F-35 production final assembly and check-out facilities outside of Fort Worth, Texas.

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US-China decoupling: Interdependence limits economic delinking

Written by Stephen Nagy and Hanh Nguyen

Surveys conducted by American and European Union Chambers of Commerce showed that more than 80 per cent of businesses do not have relocation plans. Despite rising labour costs and geopolitical tensions, China still holds several critical advantages — high-skilled labour, a giant market, adequate infrastructure, and complex supply chains for business.

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Narrating violence: Is Hindutva responsible for violence against India's Christians?

Written by M. Sudhir Selvaraj

Most scholarship on communal violence in India focuses on Hindu-Muslim contentions, it is essential to note that Christians in India, who constitute 2.3 per cent of the population, are also targets of violence. Academics and activists share the consensus that violence against Christians is primarily caused by those who subscribe to the Hindutva ideology.

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Faultlines9DLIndia, Modi, BJP, Hindutva
South Korea’s Green New Deal shows the world what a smart economic recovery looks like

Written by Sung-Young Kim, Elizabeth Thurbon, Hao Tan and John Mathews

South Korea’s economy has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, its export industries dropped by 24 per cent in May as demand for the nation’s mainstay products fell away. In response, Korean President Moon Jae-in launched the Korean New Deal or “K-New Deal”.

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As its election approaches, ‘democratic’ Myanmar faces a multi-dimensional crisis

Written by Angshuman Choudhury

COVID-19 cases in Myanmar have grown rapidly since the end of August. Although postponing the election has so far been ruled out, the government is scrambling to contain the virus. What’s more, the dramatic spurt began in arguably the most strife-torn region in the country today, Rakhine State.

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Will Jammu and Kashmir remain hostage to the narrative of regional conflict?

Written by Javed Iqbal Wani & L. David Lal

The Indian government’s attitude towards the people of the region has become clear over the past year. It has not taken enough steps towards ameliorating Kashmiri fears of Hindu nationalism and overreach by the Indian state has put them at the crossroads of an active confrontation between three nuclear powers in South Asia.

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The EU’s approach to Taiwan: Time to move from gratitude to support

Written by Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy

Building on its gratitude towards Taiwan for its provision of medical supplies, the EU and its member states should meaningfully push for Taiwan’s inclusion in international efforts. More importantly, the EU should support Taiwan’s participation in international organisations.

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