The Quad foreign ministers met shortly after Donald Trump took office at the White House. This ministerial meeting was also the first engagement of the United States (US)’ new secretary of state, Marco Rubio. While speculations were rife about the future of Quad after Trump won the polls earlier last year, the prompt meeting of Quad foreign ministers suggests the grouping is likely to remain a key priority for Trump.
US President Donald Trump is acting with great haste. Steep tariffs on its close trade partners have been announced. His Secretary of State is in Panama to discuss the Panama Canal issue. PM Netanyahu is summoned to the White House.
Elon Musk has got access to Treasury department’s data to start downsizing the government. Changes in the Justice department, intelligence agencies and FBI have been made. There is a rapid shake up within the US government and in global trade in less than 15 days of Trump taking over the Presidency.
His triumphalist posturing is not without challenge. Some in fact say that his political project is more fragile than his supporters or the demoralized opposition realise. A counter fight is on. From within America, and from without
TikTok’s algorithmic manipulation is to curate China’s peaceful intentions, glorify China’s developmental experience, blunt criticism of the communist party, and promote tourism in China while painting others as declining powers, aggressors, or even incompetent
With Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri scheduled to visit Beijing soon, the full circle of high-level interactions between leaders and officials of India and China would be complete. This raises the question whether normalisation of bilateral relations has commenced after the bloody clash of troops at Galwan in June 2020. As both countries mark 75 years of establishment of diplomatic relations, the pattern indicates improvement in high-level political and official relations sans robust ties in various fields.
Trump’s rhetoric is powerful, for those who fail to see how hollow it is; he will erode American greatness, and damage the rest of the world as well
As nations navigate significant disruptions and realignments, 2025 is a crucial year for global economics. The re-election of Donald Trump has brought a resurgence of global trade protectionism, creating substantial volatility in international markets. During his first term, Mr Trump focused on “America First” policies, implementing tariffs, trade restrictions, and stricter visa regulations that had a notable impact on sectors such as information technology (IT) services, textiles, and pharmaceuticals—key drivers of India’s gross domestic product (GDP) and employment. In fact, the prospect of tighter H-1B visa rules poses a serious challenge to the IT industry, which relies on US markets for nearly 60 per cent of its revenue.