Anil Trigunayat

Anil Trigunayat

Former Indian Ambassador to Jordan, Libya, and Malta; Distinguished Fellow and Head of the West Asia Experts Group at the Vivekananda International Foundation.
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Navigating the New Normal in West Asia

Geo politics is the art of the possible as they say there are no permanent friends or enemies but only interests. But in today’s fast changing global and regional dynamic especially in the volatile West Asia which is still nursing the impact of Arab Spring, economic downturn and pandemic apart from festering hotspots, the US, that had been the arbiter of security in the region, does not seem to inspire the same confidence among the major players in the region.

The Challenges of Leadership in a Polarized Society: Netanyahu’s Legacy in Israel

There is no doubt that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel (Bibi) has perhaps been the most elected and electable politician. Shrewdness with savviness in politics is an art that  often takes you places in democracy and often treated as an essential trait for success. But arrogance can often take one down. And utter and crass ambition could steer in the direction of arrogance especially when a politician's personal integrity and credibility is questioned and matter remains  subjudice.

The changing landscape of International Diplomacy in the World

The changing landscape of international diplomacy in the world.

Arguably the World is going through unprecedented challenges. Perhaps we are between several world orders or mired into a complete chaos and disorder. Unilateralism by the super powers has become the order of the day. Since 1979, we have witnessed such far reaching developments in international politics with unforeseen consequences felt over the years which are now being reflected in the unbridgeable big power confrontations and deepening trust deficit. Sino-US and US-Russia matrix is turning into the West vs Russia/China combine from the pedestals of UNSC (P3 vs P2) to the geo-political and geo-economic expanse in virtually every geography. Russia-Ukraine war is a symptom of that.

India’s G20 Presidency: Promoting Oneness and Prosperity

India formally took over the baton of the G20 Presidency from Indonesia which started for one year from December 1, 2022. At the time of acceptance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated that “The world is looking at the G-20 with hope. Today, I want to assure that India’s G-20 presidency will be inclusive, ambitious, decisive, and action-oriented. Over the next one year, we will strive to ensure that the G-20 acts as a global prime mover to envision new ideas and accelerate collective action.” This was extremely important and flagged a dismal reality of a transitional global order and severe global challenges implicit in prevailing fragmentation, protectionism, and unilateralism in international discourse.

Year in Review: The Indian-Subcontinent

South Asia, with the exception of India, was perhaps the most severely impacted region in the world by the pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war as the region’s domestic contradictions leading to leadership changes and inequities, and even debt-inducing foreign policies continued to play out and further complicate the adverse impacts.

It was not only the economy or the social landscape of countries like Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan, but their fragile polities faced even more devastating outcomes. Moreover, their smart gaming and balancing acts between the two competing regional super powers in China and India were severely hampered during the year as the Chinese BRI (Belt and Road Initiative) and its debt-trap and “wolf warrior” diplomacy not only came under stress but created a strategic rethink in several countries.

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