Category Governance and Law

India and Australia: A Fresh Curve in Cooperation

Insights, Center for Habitat, Urban and Regional Studies, Center for Human Dignity and Development, Center for International Relations and Strategic Studies, Center for the Study for Finance and Economics, Economy and Infrastructure, Governance and Law, International Relations and Strategic Studies, Public Finances and Macroeconomics, Public Policies, Programs and Schemes

India’s recent defence engagement with Australia reached a new milestone during Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s visit to Canberra and Sydney earlier this month for the inaugural Australia-India Defence Ministers’ Dialogue. The visit, the first by an Indian Defence Minister to Australia in over a decade, produced key defence agreements that upgrade the relationship from declaratory strategic convergence toward greater operational cooperation. The discussions included a Joint Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap to advance maritime cooperation, as well as renewing and strengthening the Joint Declaration on Defence and Security Cooperation.

Harsh V Pant and Harsh V Pant
December 9, 2025

Mining Power: China, the US, and the Fight for Rare Earth Dominance

Insights, Center for International Relations and Strategic Studies, Center for the Study for Finance and Economics, Center for Work and Welfare, Economy and Infrastructure, Environment, Energy, Climate Change and Sustainable Development, Governance and Law, International Relations and Strategic Studies, Livelihoods, Employment and Well-being, Public Finances and Macroeconomics, Public Policies, Programs and Schemes, Science and Technology

Beijing’s new export curbs on rare earths and other tech materials mark a new phase in its bid to weaponize its supply dominance. As Xi tightens control over inputs critical to the US and Trump threatens China with a 100% extra tariff, who will blink first?

Beijing is tightening its clamps on components that are integral to technology supply chains. Lithium batteries and related material, artificial diamonds that have industrial uses and rare earths like holmium, erbium, thulium, europium and ytterbium have been put on China’s export-control list.

Harsh V Pant and Harsh V Pant
December 9, 2025

Why LIC’s Bet on Adani Has Sparked Public Anger

Insights, Economy and Infrastructure, Entrepreneurship, ICT and Innovation, Governance and Law, Livelihoods, Employment and Well-being, Public Finances and Macroeconomics, Public Policies, Programs and Schemes

It was excellent journalism on the part of Pranshu Verma and Ravi Nair to do the Washington Post story on the government having persuaded LIC to invest in Adani at a time when global investors were hesitant in the wake of an American case against Adani for having bribed officials in India and for having raised funds from American investors on false pretences. Kudos to the two, and to WaPo for publishing the story that Indian publications would have been reluctant to.

TK Arun and TK Arun
December 2, 2025

What Exactly Makes a Crony Capitalist?

Insights, Center for the Study for Finance and Economics, Economy and Infrastructure, Entrepreneurship, ICT and Innovation, Governance and Law, International Relations and Strategic Studies, Livelihoods, Employment and Well-being, Public Finances and Macroeconomics, Public Policies, Programs and Schemes

From the exploitative moneylender of iconic movies like Mother India to the factory owner who employs goons to beat up workers who dare to stand up against exploitation, the protagonist of business has tended to be portrayed, in the public discourse, as being deficient in ethics. Of late, a subspecies of the immoral tycoon has grownlarger than life: the crony capitalist.

IMPRI Desk
December 2, 2025

Trade Deals, Medals and Pageantry: Trump’s Brand of Diplomacy

Insights, Economy and Infrastructure, Entrepreneurship, ICT and Innovation, Governance and Law, International Relations and Strategic Studies

Even as Hurricane Melissa ripped off roofs in Jamaica, killed dozens in Haiti, and wreaked damage in the Dominican Republic and Cuba, another kind of whirlwind swept through South-East and East Asia. US president Donald Trump visited Malaysia, Japan and South Korea in rapid succession, taking home trade deals, a gold medal and a gold crown, the latter two artefacts being gifts — bribes, say the uncharitable — from South Korea.

IMPRI Desk
December 2, 2025

Trump’s “Make It in America” Push Is Falling Flat

Insights, Center for Habitat, Urban and Regional Studies, Center for Human Dignity and Development, Center for International Relations and Strategic Studies, Center for the Study for Finance and Economics, Economy and Infrastructure, Entrepreneurship, ICT and Innovation, Governance and Law, International Relations and Strategic Studies, Livelihoods, Employment and Well-being, Public Finances and Macroeconomics, Public Policies, Programs and Schemes, Social Sector

The most momentous event of the last week has been the Gaza ceasefire. It has brought respite for Palestinians from genocidal slaughter and famine, and brought 20 hostages back home to Israel. The peace deal is still fragile, and could unravel.

IMPRI Desk
December 1, 2025

The Language of Inclusion: Intersectionality Needs Power, Not Just Representation

Insights, Center for Human Dignity and Development, Gender Impact Studies Center, Gender, Pluralism and Social Inclusion, Governance and Law

Across international conferences, UN assemblies, and foreign policy statements, the language
of inclusion has become familiar. Governments and global institutions now speak of
“diversity,” “empowerment,” and “intersectionality” with confidence. On the surface, it
appears that the world has finally started acknowledging the complexity of women’s lives.
But when we look closely, a gap emerges between what is promised and what is practiced.

IMPRI Desk
November 30, 2025