| Title: | India AI Impact Summit 2026: A Technological Turning Point |
| Author/s: | Vinod Rai |
| Abstract: | The India AI Impact Summit 2026, organised under the IndiaAI Mission by the Indian government of and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, was the first summit in the series hosted by a Global South nation. The event drew delegations from over 80 countries, including about 20 heads of state and about 300,000 participants. With the theme of ‘AI for All’, the summit reflected India’s broader development philosophy and affirmed its resolve in becoming a leading country in shaping the artificial intelligence revolution. |
| Date: | 25 February 2026 |
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| Title: | Trump’s Board of Peace: Pakistan’s Strategic Calculus |
| Author/s: | Vinay Kaura |
| Abstract: | Pakistan’s participation in the United States (US)-led Board of Peace (BoP), a controversial geopolitical project, is an indication of Pakistan’s desire to gain diplomatic visibility and international legitimacy. Notwithstanding its stated mandate of resolving global conflicts, the very structure of the BoP concentrates authority in the hands of US President Donald Trump, leaving Pakistan with practically no control over its functioning and decision-making. Deeper commitment to what appears to be the US hegemonic project might jeopardise Pakistan’s long-term strategic relationship with China and also undermine its future aspirations to play a prominent role in the Middle East. |
| Date: | 23 February 2026 |
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| Title: | Five Years after the Galwan Clashes: Reassessing India’s Indian Ocean Strategy |
| Author/s: | Sandeep Bhardwaj |
| Abstract: | The Indian Parliamentary Committee on External Affairs recently concluded a year-long assessment of India’s Indian Ocean Strategy. The document, combined with insights from budget documents, reveals the change in India’s maritime posture since 2020. |
| Date: | 9 February 2026 |
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| Title: | Measuring India’s Economic Growth: Evidence Beyond the Headline GDP |
| Author/s: | Diego Maiorano |
| Abstract: | While India’s reported latest gross domestic product (GDP) figures suggests that the country is in an economic ‘sweet spot’ – high growth and low inflation – many analysts are sceptical about these headline figures. Vital metrics, including record-low foreign direct investment, stagnant manufacturing employment and a mismatch between corporate revenues and GDP growth, diverge from headline growth. Technical issues, specifically a GDP deflator skewed by low wholesale prices and methodological revisions dating back to 2011, have triggered international scepticism, evidenced by the International Monetary Fund’s recent downgrade of India’s national account statistics to ‘C’ grade. This suggests that official data may systematically overstate economic health, even if few doubt that India is indeed growing fast. However, restoring the credibility of statistical agencies is essential to ensure that policy interventions are based on reality rather than statistical constructions. |
| Date: | 23 January 2026 |
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| Title: | Nepal and the Universal Periodic Review: Between Commitments and Consequences |
| Author/s: | Harsh Mahaseth |
| Abstract: | In December 2025, Nepal presented its third cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) before the United Nations Human Rights Council, projecting substantial compliance with the recommendations it accepted in 2022. The government highlighted progress in strengthening the National Human Rights Commission, advancing the criminalisation of torture, addressing discrimination and improving civil and birth registration systems. Yet this narrative has been sharply contested by civil society and human rights defenders, who point to persistent gaps between commitments and practice. As Nepal approaches its fourth cycle of the UPR review in January 2026, these tensions raise wider questions about performative compliance and the limits of international human rights accountability. |
| Date: | 15 January 2026 |
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